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Can't stand the handwavium
Nov. 17th, 2019 04:39 pm*drums fingers*
Okay, so it's not actually impossible to have an underground civilization of individuals who still depend on thermal-source light (photosynthesis, vitamin D and melatonin regulation and other neurochemical production). It's just STAGGERINGLY INEFFICIENT. I mean, when you have an actual star doing the fusion boogey to provide that in truly stunning abundance for the low, low price of, you know, standing on the surface of a planet, then packing everyone up and moving them underground where you'd have to have, let's be honest, sustained fusion level technology in order to supply enough light to thrive is... is... *waves hands inarticulately*
The thing is, light from electricity is, in itself, kind of stunningly inefficient. First you have to have something that powers the generators, and that's losing you something like 90% in the conversion process (it's a really appalling exchange rate for mechanical generation). So to sustain a wholly underground civilization? Yeah, we're definitely talking fusion if not actual matter-antimatter. Plus, frankly, the sheer arrogance to say, as a civilization, "we enjoy the benefits of complete shelter and controlled environment enough to pay this staggering energy-cost and think it a good deal".
Now, I could see losing that kind of technology in an extinction-level event. But that leaves us with the inescapable conclusion that there is no way Dixing could have gone back underground and survived. But if they built the capability back up, given the resentment we see in current day, I also see zero chance it wouldn't have been weaponized PDQ and kicked off another round of war.
The only reasonable solution I'm seeing here is Haixing basically subsidizing Dixing. Dedicating X percent of their resources and (eventually) their energy production to Dixing in return for Dixing's withdrawal. Which does make for tasty political complications, so all right I'll go with it, but it still makes my teeth itch with the flat out implausibility.
Okay, so it's not actually impossible to have an underground civilization of individuals who still depend on thermal-source light (photosynthesis, vitamin D and melatonin regulation and other neurochemical production). It's just STAGGERINGLY INEFFICIENT. I mean, when you have an actual star doing the fusion boogey to provide that in truly stunning abundance for the low, low price of, you know, standing on the surface of a planet, then packing everyone up and moving them underground where you'd have to have, let's be honest, sustained fusion level technology in order to supply enough light to thrive is... is... *waves hands inarticulately*
The thing is, light from electricity is, in itself, kind of stunningly inefficient. First you have to have something that powers the generators, and that's losing you something like 90% in the conversion process (it's a really appalling exchange rate for mechanical generation). So to sustain a wholly underground civilization? Yeah, we're definitely talking fusion if not actual matter-antimatter. Plus, frankly, the sheer arrogance to say, as a civilization, "we enjoy the benefits of complete shelter and controlled environment enough to pay this staggering energy-cost and think it a good deal".
Now, I could see losing that kind of technology in an extinction-level event. But that leaves us with the inescapable conclusion that there is no way Dixing could have gone back underground and survived. But if they built the capability back up, given the resentment we see in current day, I also see zero chance it wouldn't have been weaponized PDQ and kicked off another round of war.
The only reasonable solution I'm seeing here is Haixing basically subsidizing Dixing. Dedicating X percent of their resources and (eventually) their energy production to Dixing in return for Dixing's withdrawal. Which does make for tasty political complications, so all right I'll go with it, but it still makes my teeth itch with the flat out implausibility.
