All Questions
70
questions
28
votes
5
answers
12k
views
What would the effect be on Earth if Mars disappeared?
What would the effect on Earth be if Mars, in the space of one second, disappeared from the Solar System? Just simply was gone, leaving no residue, and leaving the space where it had been like it had ...
- 690
10
votes
4
answers
323
views
What would our knowledge of physics look like without astronomical observations?
I always feel like "hypothetical history of science" questions are kind of impossible, but here's a go anyway:
Imagine that, for the entirety of human history, EM radiation from anything beyond the ...
- 209
8
votes
5
answers
965
views
What would make scientists realize their planetary system is inside a hollow sphere?
I read What would make scientists realize they were on a flat world?, and I decided to make a similar one.
Scenario: While poking around in an alien ruin, scientists discover a gateway which offers ...
- 203
1
vote
4
answers
2k
views
What if half a planet (not necessarily earth) was destroyed (not split)
Basically I want to know what would happen to a planet if half of it was destroyed using explosives. Does the answer depend on the size/gravity of the planet and what would be the result on the ...
- 31
130
votes
21
answers
25k
views
What would make scientists realize they were on a flat world?
Scenario: While poking around in an alien ruin, scientists discover a gateway which offers instant transportation to an Earth-like world.
The Observed World: The gateway leads to an area that is ...
- 6,838
62
votes
10
answers
14k
views
What would it feel like on the surface of a planet while it collides with another planet?
Let's say that something horrible has happened and a Mars-sized planet is knocked out of orbit and is hurtling towards an Earth-sized planet. How much time will they have? How will this affect the ...
- 6,056
0
votes
2
answers
813
views
Repulsive black holes [closed]
Assume that somehow negative mass could exist. Each "normal" particle that we know of has a negative mass equivalent but with all other properties the same (including charges). As a result, negative ...
- 885
5
votes
3
answers
656
views
Could a solar eclipse occur just after a lunar eclipse?
Would it theoretically be possible for a solar eclipse to occur within a few days or even a few hours after a total lunar eclipse?
The star, moon, and planet from which the event is being observed do ...
6
votes
2
answers
811
views
How much energy would it take to ignite a brown dwarf?
The Halo video game's extended universe book Halo: Evolutions describes the Battle of Psi Serpentis, in which a superjovian planet is converted into a brown dwarf via massive nuclear bombardment of ...
- 8,102
0
votes
2
answers
108
views
Can "heavier" elements be produced in a gas giant? [closed]
Is it possible for gas giants to fuse elements such as hydrogen and helium into heavier elements without collecting it from space?
Obviously, the gas giant cannot perform supernova nucleosynthesis, ...
5
votes
2
answers
382
views
Feasibility of life on a moon
I'm trying to picture life on a planet sized moon of a huge planet in a one-star stellar system. It would be tidally locked, which could do some interesting things. It has an iron/nickel core for the ...
2
votes
1
answer
500
views
If our universe nucleated into a lower energy state without completely annihilating us all what could be the effects of changes in physical constants? [closed]
If our universe is in a state of false vacuum, and if it tunnels into a lower energy state, the most probable scenario is that all know particles and forces would be completely transformed which would ...
- 1,012
15
votes
7
answers
2k
views
Could a moon have its own satellites visible from the planet it orbits?
Say you have a planet and the planet has a moon: could the moon have visible satellites as well? I don't mean a gas giant planet, I mean something habitable by humanoids or humans.
Will the moon's ...
- 425
9
votes
2
answers
774
views
Are islands flying in space possible?
There is a system of one star and something like an asteroid belt around it. But the distance between asteroids is much less than usual, with some perhaps within nine kilometers of each other, and ...
- 93
2
votes
1
answer
1k
views
What does it mean for something to be 'knocked out of its orbit'?
The idea of knocking a satellite out of its orbit is common in fiction, but what does it actually mean.
- 4,907
1
vote
1
answer
644
views
How could you build a universe [closed]
EDIT : I made significant changes to the question which is by its nature open.
Dark energy and its repulsive energy that expanded space at its origin was decisive in creating the playground for the ...
- 534
42
votes
14
answers
9k
views
Can I keep our universe, but without the speed limit (of light)?
It seems like nothing can move faster than light and this is quite bothersome for interstellar travel. It takes decades in the best case to get anywhere interesting in our little Milkyway (Many ...
- 5,575
3
votes
1
answer
149
views
Probabilties of the Universe [closed]
Is it plausible that the only way to be at both ends of the Universe at the same time is to have a Mass/Space/energy equivalent of the Universe? In essence is it possible the universe is the only ...
- 111
31
votes
4
answers
4k
views
What software can prototype a planetary system?
Is there any software tool for quickly prototyping a planetary system? Ideally this should:
Allow for placement of planets of different sizes and masses around a star.
Allow for examination of the ...
- 1,189
19
votes
4
answers
2k
views
How would two planets with identical but perpendicular orbits affect each other?
I'm exploring this idea for a fantasy world, and I was wondering how these planets would affect each other. The system would feature orbits in all three dimensions, not relatively flat like ours is.
...
- 343