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
Latest By
Category:
Armor
Artificial
Intelligence
Biology
Clothing
Communication
Computers
Culture
Data Storage
Displays
Engineering
Entertainment
Food
Input Devices
Lifestyle
Living Space
Manufacturing
Material
Media
Medical
Miscellaneous
Robotics
Security
Space Tech
Spacecraft
Surveillance
Transportation
Travel
Vehicle
Virtual
Person
Warfare
Weapon
Work
"What I have in my stories is ethics. Ethics and morality are very different cups of tea. I adhere to a very strict rigor of personal ethics and I demand it of those around me as well."
- Harlan Ellison
 |
| Thermatite | ||
| Pure energy fuel mined on asteroids. |
| "It isn't a big one - not over five miles - but she's loaded with thermatite."
"Thermatite!" Kerry and Jem looked at each other. "What percentage alloy?"
 ('Jurisdiction' by Nat Schachner) "No percentage. It's the pure alloy. And a vein as thick as a spaceship." There's been nothing like it found in the solar system. I think this asteroid must have come from outside. The head of a comet, possibly, caught by Jupiter." Kerry whistled softly. Thermatite was almost pure energy. It would undergo atomic disintegration without giving off gamma rays - hence could be used in very cheap, very light portable atomic engines that required no shielding. |
| Technovelgy from Jurisdiction,
by Nat Schachner. Published by Astounding Science-Fiction in 1941 Additional resources -
|
This cool-sounding material probably derives its name from thermite, invented in 1893 (and patented in 1895) by German chemist Hans Goldschmidt. Thermite reactions are used in welding and in incendiary devices used by the military.
Comment/Join this discussion ( 0 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from Jurisdiction
More Ideas
and Technology by Nat Schachner
Tech news articles related to Jurisdiction
Tech news articles related to works by Nat Schachner
| Harvard Metamaterials Change Structure Instantly |
| Nano-Chainmail 2D Mechanically Interlocked Polymer |
| Goldene - A Two-Dimensional Sheet Of Gold One Atom Thick |
| GNoME AI From DeepMind Invents Millions Of New Materials |
Want to Contribute an
Item?
It's easy:
Get the name of the item, a
quote, the book's name and the author's name, and Add
it here.
| <Previous | Next> |
|
|
|
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 Science Fiction 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
'Hocus-pocus religions and archaic weapons are no substitute for a good blaster at your side.'
'Oscar picked up a trowel. 'I'm the tool for the mortar,' the little trowel squeaked cheerfully.'
'... he waited for the robotrix attendant to finish fueling up his ship.'
The Roujin Z system provides care to fully bedridden patients - and then some!
'Aerostat meant anything that hung in the air. This was an easy trick to pull off nowadays.'
'The Ringworld had no horizon. There was no line where the land curved away from the sky.'
'An adjustment panel outside the door would cause it to extrude various appurtenances in memory plastic...'
'Annealed in any shape for a time, and codified, the structure of that shape is retained down to the molecules.'
It's not really polite to tear the limbs off robots.
'...the imaginary companions discovered by needful children.'
