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1500 questions
55
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13 answers
Crucial and unlikely discoveries in history
I'm trying to come up with an alternate reality where some specific invention or discovery was never made.
Many inventions or discoveries in (mainly European) history were not a 'miraculous event,' but much more often just waiting to be made, given…
Swier
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32 answers
How can I provide reasons for racism?
OK, I know the question sounds a little bit extreme, but I'm writing a story in which there are two races of a same species, both rational and civilized, with cities and everything an actual society has. Both races are pictured as educated and not…
Sebastian Araneda
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31 answers
Assassinate a semi-omniscient crime lord
The setting is of 2010. No weird science nor aliens.
There's this crime lord who climbed too quickly up the power ladder. He has an uncanny ability to know exactly what everyone within his range (20 kilometer radius) is doing. Anyone who comes into…
Ngoc
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21 answers
Planetary Scale Artworks
A highly advanced civilization has developed and is about to ascend to become beings of pure energy in a hyper-dimensional universe. Before leaving they restore our universe to a reasonably pristine state so that new life can evolve and explore it.…
Tim B
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15 answers
Most useful knowledge from the 30's to understand current state of computers & networking?
Human-vampire hybrid wakes up from hibernation that started in the late 30's and finds that world has changed.
What kind of knowledge from the 30's would be best starting point to learn computers & networking?
Traveller
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6 answers
Farming after the apocalypse: chickens or giant cockroaches?
So let's say you live in a terrifying post-apocalyptic world. For whatever reason, this world is now infested with cockroaches the size of chickens (similar to radroaches from the Fallout games, but ignore the radiation).
My question, then, is…
DaaaahWhoosh
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55
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24 answers
What could make an area of land be accessible only at certain times of the year?
I've looked around here a bit, but I haven't managed to find a post that really answers my question (though if there is one, please let me know).
I'm trying to write a story where the two main characters decide to stow away with some travellers who…
s.anne.w
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7 answers
Creating a realistic world map - Landmass formation
This Query is part of the Worldbuilding Resources Article.
This question focuses on the initial creation of landmasses.
What are the processes that causes land-masses to form, and
continents and islands to rise up from the sea and sink back into…
Tim B
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55
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18 answers
Is it possible for a species to have more than two sexes?
Every species I'm aware of on earth has two sexes (with the possible exception of species which change their sexes to allow self fertilization).
Is it possible for a species to evolve which could have more than two sexes? How would such a race be…
Liath
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55
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7 answers
If I travelled in time to 1979... would my smartphone's gps still work?
I was wondering about this... don't ask me why. GPS began in 1978. Were the specifications the same as today? Would a 1978 GPS device work today... and would a modern one have worked then?
Ne Mo
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12 answers
Is roof-hopping through a city realistic?
A common trope across multiple mediums and genres is roofhopping (WARNING! Tv Tropes), where individuals are seen rapidly running and jumping between buildings as a form of travel. For the setting, consider Generic City, a sprawling metropolitan…
Pants
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23 answers
What could prevent a sentient species from going to space?
I am still puzzled by the original The Planet of the Apes movie from the 70's. How come that sentient species invented weapons, but was unable to develop powered flight, or spacecraft. Thus, the question is:
What could prevent a sentient race from…
Pavel Janicek
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55
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26 answers
How do you assassinate someone who is protected by precognitive people?
The US government is desperate to kill the superhuman rebel leader, but the man is surrounded by "precogs". They can see any attempt on his life before it happens. What plan will the government form to assassinate the rebel leader without alerting…
Bryan McClure
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55
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11 answers
Only the Swiss Are Left - Can They Survive?
It's unclear what happened. Perhaps there was a nuclear apocalypse, the one event for which the Swiss (with their 100% nuclear shelter population coverage) are uniquely prepared. But that comes with nuclear winter and other side-effects I don't want…
Serban Tanasa
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55
votes
25 answers
What all stops working when I pause time?
Somewhat, not really related.
In my young adult story, the main character has a mechanism that allows her to pause time, and do things while everything is frozen. I have no problem 'magic'ing the power of this machine.
But I would like to explain…
Mikey
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