Technically Fiction
Finding facts in the fantastic
- Humans
How to invent a language — like that of Avatar’s Na’vi
Linguists can choose to follow, mix or break the rules of real-world languages to create interesting fictional ones.
- Animals
Rudolph’s red nose could glow through bioluminescence
Simple chemistry could give the reindeer his iconic red snout. But physics would make it look different colors to anyone who spied Rudolph from the ground.
- Physics
Could we ever build the tech to shrink ourselves?
The atoms that make us up couldn’t be shrunk or smashed closer together — at least, not without catastrophic consequences.
- Humans
A real-life vampire probably couldn’t survive on blood alone
Vampires often have human bodies. To survive on blood, they’d need to shed millions of years of evolution.
- Planets
Here’s how future Martians might take their first breaths
Mars would need an atmosphere thick enough to hold heat and with enough oxygen for people to breathe. This is how we might terraform Mars.
- Physics
Can a supervillain destroy the sun?
Although our sun is a dwarf yellow star, it’s more than massive enough to weather any attempts to alter it — super or otherwise.
- Plants
Could trees ever get up and walk away?
In fantasy, trees can walk, climb and even fight. Real trees move, too. It just happens in extreme slow mo.
- Brain
Could the magic of memory manipulation ever become real?
Someday, technology might be able to help people better hold onto memories or forget bad ones.
- Health & Medicine
Can you really die of a broken heart?
Death by heartbreak doesn't just happen in stories. In real life, severe stress can cause takotsubo syndrome — a sometimes fatal heart problem.
- Tech
Move over Iron Man, exoskeletons are getting real
Real-world wearable devices help people stay safe at work and accomplish everyday tasks.
- Plants
Plant and fungi parts help robots level up
Fusing machines with plants and fungi isn’t just sci-fi. A new generation of biohybrid devices could someday help in agriculture or energy production.
- Animals
To clear loops, Sonic the Hedgehog must hit the right speed
Most animals don’t run through loops. Sonic would need the physics behind roller coasters and race cars to clear one.
