Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
Flame Jet Drill To Bore 10 Miles Into Our Planet
A flame jet drill developed by Potter Drilling uses extreme heat to cut deep into solid rock - not diamond drill bits that can wear out.
Take a look at this short video in which flame jet drilling is demonstrated by Jared Potter, one of the company founders.
(Flame Jet Drill)
Although this technology is still in the proof of concept stage, I was struck by the similarity between this technique and the, well, somewhat larger scale device employed from orbit by the Romulan mining ship in the recent Star Trek movie.
(Romulan flame jet drill bores into Vulcan)
As you may recall, the Romulan flame jet drill bored a hole far into Vulcan, using it as a conduit for the addition of a tiny amount of "red matter" that collapsed Vulacan into a black hole.
(Romulan flame jet drill bores into Vulcan)
Obviously, Potter has a ways to go before being able to drill holes in planets from orbit. However, for the more immediate task of drilling at speeds of up to one hundred feet per hour in search of geothermal power sources, without using costly drill bits that must be constantly replaced, to depths of up to ten miles, the Potter flame drill seems to be going places.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 6/14/2009)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 5 )
Related News Stories - (" Engineering ")
The Dune Ornithopter, Movie And Book
'The wings were at full spread-rest, their delicate metal interleavings extended.' Frank Herbert, 1965.
Two Towns Linked By Sculpture Portal In Real Time
'I am the Guardian of Forever.' - Gene Roddenberry, 1967.
Plasma Window Technology, Pressure Cushions and Deflector Doors
'The Marine Gunner stepped gingerly through the invisible barrier. He had to push.' - Niven and Pournelle, 1974.
Giant Telescope Lenses Made In Space
'...a cyclopean beast living among the asteroidal rubble of some distant sun.' - Arthur C. Clarke, 1953.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
Your Martian Dream Home, Made By Fungi
'... it was the cheapest building material known.'
The Dune Ornithopter, Movie And Book
'The wings were at full spread-rest, their delicate metal interleavings extended.'
100X Improvement In DNA Information Storage
'A record that wouldn't get lost and couldn't be destroyed.'
NASA 'Holoports' Doctor Onto Space Station
Star Trek Voyager Emergency Medical Hologram
Should We Train AIs To Imagine A Future Of Horrific Disasters
'LET ME TELL YOU HOW MUCH I'VE COME TO HATE YOU SINCE I BEGAN TO LIVE.'
Mouth Haptics Invented By Frederik Pohl In 1965, CMU Now Has Prototype
'What he got was indeed a kiss. It was disconcerting. No kissing lips were visible.'
Two Towns Linked By Sculpture Portal In Real Time
'I am the Guardian of Forever.'
3D Printed Robotic Tentacles
'... articulate ropes of steel dangling'
Update: Musk Doubles Down On Optimus Prime Humanoid Robot
'I shall introduce myself. I am R. Daneel Olivaw... I am a robot. Were you not told?'
Elon Musk: Production Of Robotaxis In 2024
'How about the steering wheel... I don't need one.'
True Crime Live Podcasting In Fiction
'And loving it too, those millions. Bloodthirsty to the last one of them.'
AI Employment Decision Software Reconsidered By California Lawmakers
'They had screwed up and been blacklisted by Manna. They were back living with their parents or sleeping on the sofa with a friend.'
Six Ships Are Now Docked At The International Space Station!
It's getting crowded up there!
SUCHO Saving Ukraine's Libraries Digitally
'No human mind could ever hope to master even a small portion of what was being received every second, Sam thought, but it would all be there...'
Optimus Prime Tesla Robot Overall Humanoid Software Architecture
'I shall introduce myself. I am R. Daneel Olivaw... I am a robot. Were you not told?'
Vast Cosmic Structures And Spooky Alignments
'This postulates a force-field of partly electromagnetic character, generated by gyromagnetic action within atomic nuclei near the center of the galaxy.'
