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"Every scientist worth his salt that I know of has read science fiction."
- Greg Bear
 |
| Gravity Lens | ||
| An optical lens created using the lightbending properties of gravity. |
The classic experiment to demonstrate the lightbending properties of large masses was performed in 1919. And in 1936, Albert Einstein published a further prediction that immense gravitational fields would bend and focus light as an optical lens would.
Finally, you can get the same effect without a solar-sized mass.
| "How do you like my telescope?" Alice said "The whole sky?" "It's a gravity lens ... You know that a gravity field bends light? Good. I can make a field that warps light into a focus. It's lenticular, shaped like a red blood platelet. |
| From Protector,
by Larry Niven. Published by Del Rey in 1973 Additional resources -
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| Implosion Fabrication Shrinks 3D Objects To Nanoscale |
| ODYSSEUS Solar-Powered Stratospheric Plane Flies Forever |
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'There was almost no sound, just a steady velvety whirr as the taxi sped along.'
Life imitates anime art.
'Tentacles emerged from the side of the machine and felt puzzledly at the damaged area.'
'The air-taxi found its way past and around other ground-cars...'
'the trucks gulped packages and scurried like beetles...'
'Forthwith flashes of actual flame, a bright glare leaping from one to another, sprang from the scattered group of men.'
'... there was enough flexibility to allow for wide variation.
'...a man carried a white rectangular sign, blank on both sides.'
'... electronic, private cash, unbacked by any government, untraceable, completely anonymous.'
