The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke:
Science Fiction Inventions, Technology and Ideas

Classic Clarke; this novel is a great exemplar of his careful, reasoned style. The novel intertwines two stories; the first that of a king long dead and his obsession with his mountain paradise, and the second a modern story of a man who wanted to build a tower to the heavens. Highly recommended; this is also a great place to learn about space elevators.


('Fountains of Paradise' by Arthur C. Clarke)

Select an invention:

1D Diamond Crystal - might be a carbon fullerene molecule
A continuous pseudo-one dimensional diamond crystal- maybe a nanotube?

CORA - Coronary Alarm
An implanted (or worn) ECG monitor that warns the user of coronary events.

Holopad
A small display like an iPad that shows 3D images.

Hyperfilament
A very high tensile strength material structured as a long thin line or ribbon.

Operation Cleanup - remove orbital debris the brute force way
The program that removed space debris in LEO that could harm the space elevator.

Orbiting Factories
Manufacturing centers in orbit around the Earth.

Personal Interest Profile (PIP) - invention of Google Alerts
A set of topics about which you would like to hear the latest news; known today as Google News Alerts.

Space Elevator (Orbital Tower) - best novel reference
A physical link between a point on the surface of the Earth and a satellite in geosynchronous orbit.

Spider Space Elevator Test Vehicle - test the cables
A robotic testing device for the cables of a space elevator.

Spinnerettes - handling nanofibers
A device that will unspool a nanowire filament and then pull it back in.

 

Technovelgy.com is devoted to the creative inventions of science fiction authors and movie makers. Look for the Science Fiction Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary of Science Fiction Inventions, the Timeline of Science Fiction Inventions, or see what's New.
Find
new authors and technologies - Shop for yourself, your library and your lab.

 

 

 

 

Science Fiction
in the News

Nevada Will Use AI To Decide Worker Benefits
re: Marshall Brain
(9/7/2024)

Tether Cryptocurrency Flow Rate US$190Bn Per Day
re: Bruce Sterling
(9/5/2024)

First Trips To Mars Announced By Elon Musk
re: Percy Greg
(9/3/2024)

WaPOCHI Micro-Mobility Robot Follows Like A Pet With Your Bags
re: John Brunner
(9/1/2024)

Ultra-Realistic Robotic Arowana Robo-Fish
re: Charles Fonenay
(8/29/2024)

GITAI R1 Lunar Rover Like NASA Robonaut Centaur
re: Robert Heinlein
(8/27/2024)

Meshworm Soft Robot, With Peristaltic Crawling, Is Getting Better
re: Harry Harrison
(8/25/2024)

Mushroom 'Robot' Is Just A Start
re: Vernor Vinge
(8/23/2024)

Tesla Electric 'Giga Train' Operational In Germany
re: John Jacob Astor IV
(8/21/2024)

DOTPad Braille Device Offers Live Access
re: Various
(8/19/2024)

Biohybrid Robot Combines Living Muscle With Artificial Materials
re: Jack Vance
(8/17/2024)

Biohybrid Robots Made Of Living And Synthetic Materials
re: Arthur C. Clarke
(8/15/2024)

Drug Induces Hibernation-Like State In Humans
re: Robert Heinlein
(8/13/2024)

Poul Anderson's 'Brain Wave'
re: Poul Anderson
(8/11/2024)

More SF in the News

Home | Glossary | Invention Timeline | Category | New | Contact Us | FAQ | Advertise |
Technovelgy.com - where science meets fiction™

Copyright© Technovelgy LLC; all rights reserved.