[Ultra-Tech] Conservative hard SF... but not implausibly conservative

Michael Thayne · 11-14-2017, 10:06 PM

I considered titling this post "minimum technological capabilities for precursors", but people tend to read "precursors" as "sufficiently advanced aliens" (i.e. ones whose technology is indistinguishable from magic), which is very much not what I want. Rather, I'm interested in this: if you have a civilization that's been around for a million years, but the setting is making very conservative assumptions about what things are possible in principle, what technology will they have?

The answer is probably close to what Ultra-Tech calls "conservative hard SF", i.e. mostly limited to TL9, but that can't be the whole answer. For example, some form of Dyson sphere is almost certainly possible to build, it would just take a long time. Many examples of human genetic engineering that Bio-Tech lists as TL10-11 are almost certainly possible as well. In particular, if we know something exists in nature, and it isn't at odds with the energy requirements of a large brain, then it's probably possible to engineer a parahuman that has the trait, even if it takes centuries of trial and error.

Conversely, some TL9 technologies are of questionable feasibility. For example, the idea of a fast-acting and safe "sleep gas" (UT160) is highly questionable, no matter how much Hollywood seems to believe such a thing already exists.

Thoughts? What other TL10-11 tech belongs on the "definitely" list? What other TL9 tech belongs on the "questionable" list?

11-14-2017, 10:06 PM	#1
Michael Thayne Join Date: May 2010	[Ultra-Tech] Conservative hard SF... but not implausibly conservative I considered titling this post "minimum technological capabilities for precursors", but people tend to read "precursors" as "sufficiently advanced aliens" (i.e. ones whose technology is indistinguishable from magic), which is very much not what I want. Rather, I'm interested in this: if you have a civilization that's been around for a million years, but the setting is making very conservative assumptions about what things are possible in principle, what technology will they have? The answer is probably close to what *Ultra-Tech* calls "conservative hard SF", i.e. mostly limited to TL9, but that can't be the whole answer. For example, some form of Dyson sphere is almost certainly possible to build, it would just take a long time. Many examples of human genetic engineering that *Bio-Tech* lists as TL10-11 are almost certainly possible as well. In particular, if we know something exists in nature, and it isn't at odds with the energy requirements of a large brain, then it's probably possible to engineer a parahuman that has the trait, even if it takes centuries of trial and error. Conversely, some TL9 technologies are of questionable feasibility. For example, the idea of a fast-acting and safe "sleep gas" (UT160) is highly questionable, no matter how much Hollywood seems to believe such a thing already exists. Thoughts? What other TL10-11 tech belongs on the "definitely" list? What other TL9 tech belongs on the "questionable" list?