GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Science and mistakes in Firefly: Ask your questions.

POSTED BY: CHRISISALL
UPDATED: Wednesday, September 7, 2005 22:45
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Sunday, August 28, 2005 1:00 PM

CHRISISALL


First off, let me say there are no mistakes in Firefly.
The science is all sound and thought out. Every word makes sense.
There may be some things people don't understand, and that's why this thread.
It's got to be a scientific question, or a query about a perceived inconsistancy of some kind...any other problems and you got to consult the Evil Doctor on the other thread.

Here's an example. On how would you know if a gun had laser sights or not from another thread:
Quote:
Originally posted by YT:
War Stories: Book (to Zoe & Jayne): "From the look of these wounds I'd say a 54R sniper rifle. Laser sights."

YT, a 54R sniper rifle w/out laser sights would invariably be locked on auto-fire to nail victims from a distance. He had one single hole in him; therefore the laser sight assumption.
Duh.

Weapons master Chrisisall

If you make a statement about a possible mistake, after I correct you, the answer will be followed by the obligatory 'Duh'.
All questions will be addressed in a more polite fashion.

Science Advisor to NASA Chrisisall

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 1:32 PM

CITIZEN


It set 500 years in the future, but 500 years isn't long enough to reach another solar system using sub-light drives...
We know theres no FTL in FireFly...
so how could they get to another system, let alone one as improbabal as that of the FireFly 'verse in 500 years?

Q: What do you have when you are holding two little green balls in your hand.
A: Kermit's undivided attention.

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 1:49 PM

LEXIGEEK


What about Jayne firing Vera through the EVA suit in Our Mrs. Reynolds? I can accept that the air in the suit allowed for enough oxygen to fire once, but once the visor's glass was breached, wouldn't that be it? Wouldn't all the oxygen evacuate the suit at that point? He fires a bunch of shots after that first one.

"Dear Diary...today I was pompous and my sister was crazy ... Today, we were kidnapped by hill folk never to be seen again. It was the best day ever."

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 1:49 PM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by citizen:
It set 500 years in the future, but 500 years isn't long enough to reach another solar system using sub-light drives...
We know theres no FTL in FireFly...
so how could they get to another system, let alone one as improbabal as that of the FireFly 'verse in 500 years?

The One-Way Single-Use Mass Exodus Jump Gate that was constructed just before the end of Earth That Is. A combined effort of mankind targeting a galaxy of possible new near-Earth type planets. The planetary engineers were the first to use it. It was the one and only time humanity was united in a single, selfless moment, making future inequity possible.
The gate remained functional for less than two years, and 88% of the population used it before it's collapse.

Chrisisall

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 1:49 PM

SIMONWHO


My take on it is that they used suspended animation on the ships so when they say 500 years, they mean 500 years that they know about and maybe a hundred thousand years of them sleeping.

Besides, time gets blurry at the speeds they're talking about.

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 1:56 PM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by SimonWho:
My take on it is that they used suspended animation on the ships so when they say 500 years, they mean 500 years that they know about and maybe a hundred thousand years of them sleeping.

The number of new ships that would have had to be constructed, let alone the number of existing ships that would need modification would make this an improbable, if highly entertaining, account of how the Earth was evacuated. The OWSUMEJ Gate was obviously the way to go.
Duh.

Chrisisall knowsitall

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 2:10 PM

CITIZEN


Your gate, was it a EPR bridge to another part of this galaxy or universe?
Was it a cross over point to an infinitesimally small alternate universe? If so how did the ships return to normal space?

How come the tech was not brought with them, why wernt the great minds that thought up that means of travel responcible for a second great explorationtion of space?

Inquiring minds need to know!

Q: What do you have when you are holding two little green balls in your hand.
A: Kermit's undivided attention.

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 2:16 PM

R1Z


Quote:

LEXIGEEK wrote:

What about Jayne firing Vera through the EVA suit in Our Mrs. Reynolds? I can accept that the air in the suit allowed for enough oxygen to fire once, but once the visor's glass was breached, wouldn't that be it? Wouldn't all the oxygen evacuate the suit at that point? He fires a bunch of shots after that first one.



The suit supply would replenish the oxygen. We hope the suit has a sensor and adds 02 at the rate it's used up. 'Course, with it leaking out the bullet holes, it's gonna go through the supply pretty fast, but Jayne only needs about 5 seconds.

Now here's the one that drives me crazy--

When Simon give an injection using a hypodermic needle, he injects at the crook of the arm, or the inside of the elbow, if you will. This site is commonly used when you need to inject into a vein, as the veins are near the surface there. However, medical professionals always use a rubber tourniquet to engorge the veins and make them stand up so they're easy to hit.

Simon never uses a tourniquet. He must be really good at this, despite the fact that in hospitals and most doctors' offices, it's the nurses who give injections.

To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks. --Robt. Heinlein

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 2:21 PM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by lexigeek:
What about Jayne firing Vera through the EVA suit in Our Mrs. Reynolds? I can accept that the air in the suit allowed for enough oxygen to fire once, but once the visor's glass was breached, wouldn't that be it? Wouldn't all the oxygen evacuate the suit at that point? He fires a bunch of shots after that first one.

Vera uses oxygen to fuel the fire of a kind of liquid 'jet fuel' to heat the round into firing, no 'hammer' action exists in it.
Once the plate contacting the round is super-heated, it can discharge rounds for several minutes without further use of either fuel or oxygen (in space that time is drastically reduced to only a few seconds).

That's the Callahan auto for ya Chrisisall

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 2:27 PM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by R1Z:
However, medical professionals always use a rubber tourniquet to engorge the veins and make them stand up so they're easy to hit.

Needles in his time are smaller at the tip, allowing for more precise vein penetration. The tip then expands in response to body heat to allow a smooth flow from the syringe.

Phlebotomist Chrisisall

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 2:29 PM

CITIZEN


Apart from the fact that in modern ammunition theres enough oxygen trapped in the round itself to produce an explosive reaction:

Quote:

When Simon give an injection using a hypodermic needle, he injects at the crook of the arm, or the inside of the elbow, if you will. This site is commonly used when you need to inject into a vein, as the veins are near the surface there. However, medical professionals always use a rubber tourniquet to engorge the veins and make them stand up so they're easy to hit.

Simon never uses a tourniquet. He must be really good at this, despite the fact that in hospitals and most doctors' offices, it's the nurses who give injections.


He is really good at everything!, did you miss Ariel? Simon is a medical god! He cures all...
So endeth the lesson...

Stealling Chrisisall thunder, citizen-is-some...

EDIT: erm, why has my right contact lens disapeard?
And Chrisisall stopped me stealing his thunder god nabit

Q: What do you have when you are holding two little green balls in your hand.
A: Kermit's undivided attention.

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 2:37 PM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by citizen:

How come the tech was not brought with them, why wernt the great minds that thought up that means of travel responcible for a second great explorationtion of space?

The galaxy they all jumped to has all they need for now, and creating another gate would use up all the resources they've managed to amass up to this point. The pressure to run is off. The need to control and tame these worlds is paramount.

Jumpin' is hard work Chrisisall

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 2:41 PM

CITIZEN


But what was the mechanism for traversing that distance? was it an EPR bridge?
And where the has my right contact lens gone?

Q: What do you have when you are holding two little green balls in your hand.
A: Kermit's undivided attention.

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 2:41 PM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by citizen:
Apart from the fact that in modern ammunition theres enough oxygen trapped in the round itself to produce an explosive reaction:

Future ammo uses a solid propellant, no oxygen in the round.

Keep it comin' Chrisisall

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 2:43 PM

CITIZEN


are you talkin railguns?

Q: What do you have when you are holding two little green balls in your hand.
A: Kermit's undivided attention.

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 2:45 PM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by R1Z:

The suit supply would replenish the oxygen. We hope the suit has a sensor and adds 02 at the rate it's used up. 'Course, with it leaking out the bullet holes, it's gonna go through the supply pretty fast, but Jayne only needs about 5 seconds.

Sorry, the O2 would be gone instantly, and the suit would pump it out just as fast. Less than a second all around.

Chrisisall

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 2:49 PM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by citizen:
But what was the mechanism for traversing that distance? was it an EPR bridge?

It was a synthetic wormhole with a gravity-core stabilizer. Fusion enabled and highly theoretical. Although it seemed to work, it was feared by all.

Now I'm tired...Chrisisall

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 2:50 PM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by citizen:
And where the has my right contact lens gone?

Look on the floor next to your right foot.

Chrisisall

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 2:56 PM

CITIZEN


Firstly, It aint on the floor...
The left one was in my eye but the right...
Its a conspiracy I tells ya!

and ahhh, it used negative energy and exotic particles, that expalins everything!

imatation is the highest form of flatery...
Citizen is somewhere, he just don't know where

Q: What do you have when you are holding two little green balls in your hand.
A: Kermit's undivided attention.

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 2:59 PM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by citizen:
Citizen is somewhere, he just don't know where

Try using a phase-inducing modulator, that'll help.

Chief Chrisisall O'Brian

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 3:07 PM

CITIZEN


Ahh!
But the correct responce is:
don't matter where you are, there you be...

Q: What do you have when you are holding two little green balls in your hand.
A: Kermit's undivided attention.

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 3:25 PM

R1Z


Quote:

Quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by R1Z:

The suit supply would replenish the oxygen. We hope the suit has a sensor and adds 02 at the rate it's used up. 'Course, with it leaking out the bullet holes, it's gonna go through the supply pretty fast, but Jayne only needs about 5 seconds.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sorry, the O2 would be gone instantly, and the suit would pump it out just as fast. Less than a second all around.

Chrisisall



Nonsense. "Instantly" is a null concept. All events have a duration, no matter how small.

The rate of dispersion of the oxygen from the suit's supply is a function of the pressure differential inside and outside the suit.

The suit's oxygen supply bleeds oxygen into the suit very near Vera's firing chamber. Since the suit is not pressurized, it moves relatively slowly toward the holes in the faceplate. Oxygen that leaks out is continuously replenished until the supply is exhausted.

Since explosives/propellants 500 years hence are much more efficient than those today, there is enough oxygen proximate to the firing chamber to allow Jayne to fire off the requisite shots.


To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks. --Robt. Heinlein

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 3:49 PM

GUNRUNNER


Quote:

Originally posted by chrisisall:
a 54R sniper rifle w/out laser sights would invariably be locked on auto-fire to nail victims from a distance. He had one single hole in him; therefore the laser sight assumption.
Duh.

Weapons master Chrisisall

No a sniper rifle doesn’t usually include an automatic fire mode except maybe some versions of the US M-21 (Which is based on the M-14 Rifle). A sniper wouldn’t use an Auto Fire option since the point of a sniper is to score a kill with one shot.

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 3:57 PM

GEEZER

Keep the Shiny side up


Quote:

Originally posted by lexigeek:
What about Jayne firing Vera through the EVA suit in Our Mrs. Reynolds? I can accept that the air in the suit allowed for enough oxygen to fire once, but once the visor's glass was breached, wouldn't that be it? Wouldn't all the oxygen evacuate the suit at that point? He fires a bunch of shots after that first one.



Actually, the having to put Vera in the EVA suit in the first place was an error. Firearms should work perfectly well in vacuum, given proper prep of the ammo.

Consider a present-day firearm. The cartridge is for all practical purposes a sealed unit containing both air and gunpowder(in fact, most military rounds are sealed with lacquer to make them entirely waterproof for extended periods of time). When it is chambered it is still sealed. When the primer is ignited by the impact of the firing pin it is still sealed. When the powder ignites, begins to burn, and starts to push the bullet down the barrel, there is still no connection with the outside atmosphere (or lack of) until the bullet exits the barrel, by which time it has gained its maximum velocity. Perhaps if a cartridge were exposed to vacuum for a while it wouldn't fire, due to the air captured when it was loaded leaking out, but a couple of minutes shouldn't matter.

Edit:

As a proof, consider the "bang sticks" that divers use to dispatch pesky sharks. They fire a conventional shotgun shell, waterproofed, which works perfectly well underwater.



"Keep the Shiny side up"

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 4:08 PM

R1Z


Quote:

Actually, the having to put Vera in the EVA suit in the first place was an error. Firearms should work perfectly well in vacuum, given proper prep of the ammo.

Consider a present-day firearm. The cartridge is for all practical purposes a sealed unit containing both air and gunpowder(in fact, most military rounds are sealed with lacquer to make them entirely waterproof for extended periods of time). When it is chambered it is still sealed. When the primer is ignited by the impact of the firing pin it is still sealed. When the powder ignites, begins to burn, and starts to push the bullet down the barrel, there is still no connection with the outside atmosphere (or lack of) until the bullet exits the barrel, by which time it has gained its maximum velocity. Perhaps if a cartridge were exposed to vacuum for a while it wouldn't fire, due to the air captured when it was loaded leaking out, but a couple of minutes shouldn't matter.



Sure, that's the case for present-day firearms.

Jayne clearly says, "She needs oxygen around her to fire, and we don't have a case." Are you implying that Jayne doesn't know his very favorite gun, the Callahan Full Bore Auto-Lock?

Jayne wouldn't lie to us about something like that.


To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks. --Robt. Heinlein

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 4:18 PM

GEEZER

Keep the Shiny side up


Quote:

Originally posted by citizen:
It set 500 years in the future, but 500 years isn't long enough to reach another solar system using sub-light drives...
We know theres no FTL in FireFly...
so how could they get to another system, let alone one as improbabal as that of the FireFly 'verse in 500 years?




The whole, carefully undefined, locale of Firefly is kind of improbable, but lets stick with the timeframe issue.

Assume that Earth-that-was is used up about 2100 A.D. FTL is still impossible, but say you have artificial gravity (A given. We've seen it in the Firefly universe) and can accelerate to .99 C relatively quickly. Also assume that the Firefly locale has been populated for 100 years (plenty of time to terraform and build some civilization). This gives us a slightly less than 300 light year globe that could be reached. Plenty of stars within a that space from here.

"Keep the Shiny side up"

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 4:18 PM

R1Z


Quote:

Consider a present-day firearm. The cartridge is for all practical purposes a sealed unit containing both air and gunpowder


Actually, it seems that there's almost no air in a bullet. The oxygen for combustion is provided by the potassium nitrate in the gunpowder, which is an oxidizer.

See http://1.1911encyclopedia.org/G/GU/GUNPOWDER.htm

To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks. --Robt. Heinlein

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 4:20 PM

GUNRUNNER


I still thing the Suit thing was because of some Government Regulation on the manufacture of firearms. A gun like Vera was probably built in a factory in the Core or on another Civilized world so it would be subject to government regulations. The Alliance wouldn’t want people owning weapons that can fire in vacuum since they could be used by pirates and outlaws when boarding ships.

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 4:29 PM

GEEZER

Keep the Shiny side up


Quote:

Originally posted by R1Z:
Sure, that's the case for present-day firearms.

Jayne clearly says, "She needs oxygen around her to fire, and we don't have a case." Are you implying that Jayne doesn't know his very favorite gun, the Callahan Full Bore Auto-Lock?

Jayne wouldn't lie to us about something like that.



Jayne wouldn't lie (about that), but I'm afraid the writers who forced him to say it know less about firearms than he does (or should). If Vera actually needed "oxygen" around her to fire, she'd never work in an earthlike planet's atmosphere, which contains only about 21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen and 1% other stuff. I find it hard to believe that Jayne would have any regard for a weapon that could only be fired in massively artificial conditions. This is a major factual error.

"Keep the Shiny side up"

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 4:31 PM

R1Z


Quote:

I still thing the Suit thing was because of some Government Regulation on the manufacture of firearms. A gun like Vera was probably built in a factory in the Core or on another Civilized world so it would be subject to government regulations. The Alliance wouldn’t want people owning weapons that can fire in vacuum since they could be used by pirates and outlaws when boarding ships.


Good point, although I imagine the Alliance wouldn't want common citizens to to have offensive weapons at all, and it's a little hard to imagine construing the Callahan Full Bore Auto Lock as a purely defensive weapon.

Jayne got it from the (late) best of the men who came to kill him.

Do you suppose it was originally military hardware that was diverted?

To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks. --Robt. Heinlein

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 4:37 PM

GEEZER

Keep the Shiny side up


Quote:

Originally posted by R1Z:
Quote:

Consider a present-day firearm. The cartridge is for all practical purposes a sealed unit containing both air and gunpowder


Actually, it seems that there's almost no air in a bullet. The oxygen for combustion is provided by the potassium nitrate in the gunpowder, which is an oxidizer.

See http://1.1911encyclopedia.org/G/GU/GUNPOWDER.htm




Well, actually most modern firearms don't use the original gunpowder (sulfur, charcoal, and saltpetre, more commonly known today as black powder) but more complex mixtures which combust at different rates, depending on the type, weight, and velocity of the projectiles they are designed to propel. You are right about the fact that they contain oxidizers of one sort or another(forgot to mention that. Damn that google anyway)

"Keep the Shiny side up"

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 4:59 PM

GUNRUNNER


Quote:

Originally posted by R1Z:
Quote:

I still thing the Suit thing was because of some Government Regulation on the manufacture of firearms. A gun like Vera was probably built in a factory in the Core or on another Civilized world so it would be subject to government regulations. The Alliance wouldn’t want people owning weapons that can fire in vacuum since they could be used by pirates and outlaws when boarding ships.


Good point, although I imagine the Alliance wouldn't want common citizens to to have offensive weapons at all, and it's a little hard to imagine construing the Callahan Full Bore Auto Lock as a purely defensive weapon.

Jayne got it from the (late) best of the men who came to kill him.

Do you suppose it was originally military hardware that was diverted?

To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks. --Robt. Heinlein



It could be the Civilian model of a military gun, or it could be military surplus converted to civil standards. Maybe what goes for a hunting rifle is a bit different in the Firefly ‘verse… or maybe it isn’t the Saiga 12 (The gun Vera is built from IRL) is marketed as a hunting rifle, despite the fact that its also used by the Russian Special Forces.

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 5:03 PM

GUNRUNNER


Quote:

Originally posted by chrisisall:
First off, let me say there are no mistakes in Firefly.



Oh really. In the pilot Serenity and the Reaver ship are traveling very slowly when they should be going very fast. Joss has admitted that this is a mistake!

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Sunday, August 28, 2005 6:27 PM

FINN MAC CUMHAL


Quote:

Originally posted by Geezer:
The whole, carefully undefined, locale of Firefly is kind of improbable, but lets stick with the timeframe issue.

Assume that Earth-that-was is used up about 2100 A.D. FTL is still impossible, but say you have artificial gravity (A given. We've seen it in the Firefly universe) and can accelerate to .99 C relatively quickly. Also assume that the Firefly locale has been populated for 100 years (plenty of time to terraform and build some civilization). This gives us a slightly less than 300 light year globe that could be reached. Plenty of stars within that space from here.

Even at far less then .99c many stars are well within that range. There are 50 stars within 16 ly of earth. Given a 300 year travel time, one would need travel at only ~36 million miles per hour to reach the furthest of them. Granted that’s pretty fast and still quite speculative to imagine that such speeds will be possible within a hundred years, but its no where near the speed of light, and if we are assuming a technology in the future capable of generating artificial gravity without the need for centripetal force then we might as well assume that the technology exists to build advanced interstellar propulsion.


My pet peeve is the relative velocity thing. Serenity is supposedly traveling between planets at velocities that allow it to reach its destination, usually, within days. At that kind of velocity you’d never be able to look out your window and watch an Alliance cruiser or a Reaver ship meander by, unless your velocities were pretty well matched. Also the volume of space makes it unlikely that even in a very traffic congested futuristic solar system, you are likely to accidentally come across another ship that close. These kinds of things really rake my fur the wrong way, but I suppose most people don’t really think it terms of the distances between planets.

Jayne and his Oxygen-breathing gun really make cringe. Serenity is approaching this ring-thing at probably unimaginable velocities by today’s standards and Jayne just pops his head out the airlock and shoots at it (from the hip no less!). Popular science fiction. Even the best of it is queer.

-------------
Qui desiderat pacem praeparet bellum.

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Monday, August 29, 2005 12:08 AM

PERFESSERGEE


Quote:

Originally posted by Finn mac Cumhal:

Jayne and his Oxygen-breathing gun really make cringe. Serenity is approaching this ring-thing at probably unimaginable velocities by today’s standards and Jayne just pops his head out the airlock and shoots at it (from the hip no less!). Popular science fiction. Even the best of it is queer.



Finn,

Nice analysis of the reachability of stars, and and of the relative velocities of ships in transit. But, a small comment on the scavenger ring: The ring has an orbital velocity of its own (all objects in space have velocity from a sidereal perspective), but they couldn't possibly try to capture objects with a significant velocity differential. The energy cost would be too high, unless energy were so cheap that cargo ships wouldn't worry about fuel costs - clearly not the case in the Firefly 'Verse.

So, YoSafBrig-type operatives would have to match vectors, at least approximately, leaving the field clear for sharpshooters like Jayne. Who could probably have done it with a 30-06. But that's what Big Damn Heroes are for......


perfessergee

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Monday, August 29, 2005 12:35 AM

PERFESSERGEE


Hey Chrisisall,

Glad to see that somebody has finally come forward to be the arbiter of Firefly Correctness (similar to, but not to be confused with "Political Correctness"). PC could never compete with FC in any decent 'verse. May the heavens forbid!!

But damn, dude, don't we need to lay another moniker on you for your FC role? Abby and Ann Landers have gone on to their reward (god must be PO'd about all their forwarded mail), but their kids have latched onto the copyright, so we need something new. How about "Dear Chrissy"?........ Well, maybe that doesn't have quite the right ring. But then "Your F-Correctness" might be open to unfortunate interpretation. So how should we address you in your new role? Enquiring minds (and perhaps some disabled ones, too) want to know.......

perfessergee

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Monday, August 29, 2005 2:17 AM

CITIZEN


The only theoretical drive that I know of that could reach relatavistic speeds would be the bussard-ram scoop. This could reach distant stars in a subjective journey time also much shorter than the passage of time on earth, for example.
A ship can never obtain or surpass lightspeed using conventional drives, however. Special Relativity says that no object with a finite rest mass can even achieve the speed of light.
Therefore in-order to acheive lightspeed you have to 'get around' SR.
As a kind of interesting sidenote this can be done, Wormholes would be one way, or, since FireFly already has artifical gravity, you could generate an aculbiere Warp. A more fanciful way would be to convert the mass of the ship into Tachyons of equal negative mass, which would then mean the ship could no longer travel slower than lightspeed.

As for journey time the closest star believed to have planets is Lalande 21185 B, about 8ly away. Lalande can't be our star though, as it is a dim red dwarf star, and it is believed to only have gas giants. The closest system believed to have Earth like planets is Rho1 Cancri (55 Cancri). This can't be our FireFly verse either, as it is a binary system, FireFly's is clearly not. But assuming it is for a moment, this system is 43.7ly distant. Ignoring the fact that a ship employing a Bussard Ram Scoop would have to accelerate for half the journey, and decelerate for the other half, this gives us a subjective journey time due to time-dialation at relatavistic speeds of 7.25 years (remembering that 43.7 years would have passed on Earth).

As for ships meeting each other in the black, the distances aren't that great at all, at least not on a galaxtic scale. For instance a lot of bodies are necessarilly held in a very small area of the orbital system, by the nature of the system in FireFly.
I also seem to remember there being talk of space lanes, much as we have shipping lanes today. These would be narrow corridors that would necessarilly be quite busy, and would have Reavers floating about looking for victims.
So I don't see meeting other ships while using one of these space lanes as particularly fancifull.

Q: What do you have when you are holding two little green balls in your hand.
A: Kermit's undivided attention.

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Monday, August 29, 2005 3:39 AM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by Geezer:
If Vera actually needed "oxygen" around her to fire, she'd never work in an earthlike planet's atmosphere, which contains only about 21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen and 1% other stuff. I find it hard to believe that Jayne would have any regard for a weapon that could only be fired in massively artificial conditions. This is a major factual error.

Geezer, he says it needs oxygen, not how much. Obviously regular Earth-like air has plenty enough to do the job. Does your air have enough oxygen in it for you?
Duh.

Atmo Chrisisall

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Monday, August 29, 2005 8:32 AM

KAYLEERULESALL


Quote:

Originally posted by chrisisall:
The One-Way Single-Use Mass Exodus Jump Gate that was constructed just before the end of Earth That Is. A combined effort of mankind targeting a galaxy of possible new near-Earth type planets. The planetary engineers were the first to use it. It was the one and only time humanity was united in a single, selfless moment, making future inequity possible.
The gate remained functional for less than two years, and 88% of the population used it before it's collapse.

Chrisisall



Umm...

Is that cannon? if so, where did u get that information, because ive never heard anything like that said so definitively. is it instad just a possible theory? if so, it might prudent to say that it is instead of saying it like a cannon fact.

------------------------------------------------
When the stars shine bright through the engine's trail and the dust of another world drops behind; When my ship is free of the open sky, its a damn good day to my way of mind; Theres a barren planet you never can leave, theres a rocky valley where we lost a war; Theres a cross worn 'round a soldier's neck, theres a man's faith died on Serenity's floor, but i stood my ground and ill fight once more; Its the last oath that i ever swore

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Monday, August 29, 2005 10:37 AM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by R1Z:
Since the suit is not pressurized, it moves relatively slowly toward the holes in the faceplate. Oxygen that leaks out is continuously replenished until the supply is exhausted.


You make sense, however, I like my explanation better. Although yours is definitly possible.
No Duh here.


Five by five Chrisisall

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Monday, August 29, 2005 10:45 AM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by GunRunner:
Quote:

Originally posted by chrisisall:
First off, let me say there are no mistakes in Firefly.



Oh really. In the pilot Serenity and the Reaver ship are traveling very slowly when they should be going very fast. Joss has admitted that this is a mistake!


To accuratly depict two ships traveling at such speeds revative to eachother visually is not easy. A literal picture of what was happening would cut back and forth, zoom out to show real time movement, and focus on computer screens to make the point that the ships would only actually be in visual range of each other for only an instant.
I see it as a narrative choice, not a technical mistake (Galactica is guilty of this constantly).

Joss was mistaken; it's not a mistake.

DOP Chrisisall

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Monday, August 29, 2005 10:51 AM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by KayleeRulesAll:

Umm...

Is that cannon? if so, where did u get that information, because ive never heard anything like that said so definitively.

Sheer Jedi insight.

Posing answers to questions Chrisisall

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Monday, August 29, 2005 10:56 AM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by perfessergee:
So how should we address you in your new role? Enquiring minds (and perhaps some disabled ones, too) want to know.......


Your Firefly-like Correctness is my new thread handle.

YFC Chrisisall

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Monday, August 29, 2005 11:12 AM

KAYLEERULESALL


ok, so your just shamelessly trying to pass off your own personal ideas as fact?

------------------------------------------------
When the stars shine bright through the engine's trail and the dust of another world drops behind; When my ship is free of the open sky, its a damn good day to my way of mind; Theres a barren planet you never can leave, theres a rocky valley where we lost a war; Theres a cross worn 'round a soldier's neck, theres a man's faith died on Serenity's floor, but i stood my ground and ill fight once more; Its the last oath that i ever swore

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Monday, August 29, 2005 11:35 AM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by KayleeRulesAll:
ok, so your just shamelessly trying to pass off your own personal ideas as fact?

At the very top of this thread I state that there are NO mistakes in Firefly. At that precise point you should be aware that this thread is not to be taken as Gospel; no show is absolutly perfect. And crowning myself as a total know-it-all is supposed to have the ring of satire to it. I'm just a fan, like every other, with no special insider knowledge of the FF galaxy. This thread is all in fun, I'm sorry if you misunderstood.
Now get goofy, and act like you know something WE don't!

YFC Chrisisall

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Monday, August 29, 2005 11:42 AM

KAYLEERULESALL


that settles the stomach a bit. didnt know if u were maybe some kid who thought he was a badass and started spewing crap. that tends to happen on message boards sometimes. good to hear u got yer head about u.

------------------------------------------------
When the stars shine bright through the engine's trail and the dust of another world drops behind; When my ship is free of the open sky, its a damn good day to my way of mind; Theres a barren planet you never can leave, theres a rocky valley where we lost a war; Theres a cross worn 'round a soldier's neck, theres a man's faith died on Serenity's floor, but i stood my ground and ill fight once more; Its the last oath that i ever swore

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Monday, August 29, 2005 11:48 AM

CITIZEN


Its obvious they used Bussard Ram scoops on ships carrying the population chosen to make the journey to the new system in suspended animation.

When the ships arrived the planet engineers were 'thawed' and terraformed the inner 'core' planets, which could be quickly and easily terraformed, as they were already nearly earth-like.
The rest of the population was then 'thawed' and began building up civilisation on these new worlds, while the planet engineers began taming the worlds further out in the system.
The process of properly building a civilisation on these core worlds took about three hundred and fifty years, from first early settlements on the core worlds of the FireFly 'verse.

It was another eighty to one hundred years before the start of the war of independence.

I know this cause I read Joss's mind with my L33T Sup4 SillZ...


Q: What do you have when you are holding two little green balls in your hand.
A: Kermit's undivided attention.

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Monday, August 29, 2005 12:10 PM

CALONRIEL


I really like the "Magically Appearing Dolly" that was utilized on the air ambulance that Kaylee and Wash fixed up. You know, the one they used to break into the hospital on Ariel. Yaah, it's really neat -- 'cause see, when the ambulance is flying around on it's nighttime journey to the hospital, you can clearly see that it's got no "Magically Appearing Dolly" (MAD, in the lingo of the biz) hanging underneath it. Even when it first lands on the hospital's landing pad, it's not there.

But as soon as our BDH's need to get out of, or climb into, or hang around and make jokes and small talk in front of the air ambulance, you can see that the MAD has materialized right beneath the landing pads, or feet, of the ambulance. It's really kinda cool! I mean, it musta been something ol' Wash and Kaylee designed into the thing for a reason, right? Probably some super-secret stealth technology that Kaylee whipped up when she wasn't fighting off the Magical Space Monkeys (MSM's fer short) or some such. You know, a MAD that increases the height of your special air ambulance so your BDH's can all be in frame (and won't hit their heads on an air ambulance that's a little too low to the ground).

Yep, I do LOVE those "Magically Appearing Dollies" that come equipped on every jury-rigged air ambulance in the Firefly 'verse. Yessiree!

(Relaxes and waits. Thinks to self: "Man, I gotta hear this one.")

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Monday, August 29, 2005 12:11 PM

CHRISISALL


Doesn't putting the ENTIRE population in SA seem a little undo-able? You're talkin' BILLIONS fer cryin' out loud!!!
No, the OWSUMEJ Gate is the only answer. SA would be limited to a few hundred thousand at best.
Are you suggesting most were left to die on Earth-that-was? And that the FF galaxy is populated by under a million at this point? Or has enough time passed for a few hundred thousand to grow into billions?
GIVE ME DATA SO I CAN BUY YOUR THEORY! (the OWSUMEJ Gate sounds too much like Stargate....)

YFC Chrisisall

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Monday, August 29, 2005 12:35 PM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by calonriel:

Yep, I do LOVE those "Magically Appearing Dollies" that come equipped on every jury-rigged air ambulance in the Firefly 'verse. Yessiree!


Sorry to give a mundane answer like this, but the dollies a provided by the hospital; check out Zoe grabbing one as she almost goes off camera after she gets out of the ambulance, and the shadows of 'em are also visible on the pad as the copter lands on the lower left and right of the screen.

YFC Chrisisall

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