XPost: rec.arts.sf.tv, rec.arts.tv   
   From: kwicker1b_nospam@comcast.net   
      
   "Paul Vader"  wrote in message   
   news:11lt6tufdkj1b0d@news.supernews.com...   
   > "Doug Freyburger"  writes:   
   >>> Have you ever handled one? They are not *quite* the form factor of the   
   >>> modern cellphone.   
   >>   
   >>How old until it isn't modern.  I've handled cellphones   
   >>that were huge.  Given a couple of centuries, satellite   
   >>phones will be small as well, if there are still   
   >>satellite phones.   
   >   
   > What's your point? I was responding to a silly person who claims that   
   > cellphones are the same thing as star trek communicators.   
   >   
   >>> And work through a planet? *   
   >>   
   >>The Trek ones used sub-space transmitters not radio.  That   
   >>is indistinguishable from magic but is a common SF motif.   
   >   
   > That's what I said! *   
   > --   
   > * PV   something like badgers--something like lizards--and something   
   >       like corkscrews.   
      
   There are several scientific ways one could communicate thru a planet:   
      
   1) Transmit mesons or neutrinos or other small particles that can cut thru   
   matter like it wasn't there. True you're need really powerful   
   transmitters--and then over time minitiaturize so you don't have to carry   
   around a particle accelerator in your pocket.   
      
   2) Echo location:   
      
   Bats transmit sound and then translate the echos from the surroundings to   
   determine what its surroundings look like. If you have a powerful   
   transmitter but can't transmit thru the planet, then an alternative is for   
   BOTH sender and receiver to transmit powerful signals which will be   
   broadcast in expanding spheres--except for the "shadow" created by the   
   planet. Where the two EM spheres intersect, the signals will rebound in all   
   directions, including back to the sender and receiver. Then both sender and   
   receiver interpret the reflected signals akin to spectroscopy. By analyzing   
   the reflected EM waves and the kinds of interference from the transmitted   
   signal, one can rebuild the interfering signal and thus communicate around a   
   planet.   
      
   A simpler example is if you and I have each have a flashlight but and know   
   morse code--but a 50-foot wall is in the way. However we can shine the   
   flashlight up at an angle over the wall, so we can flashing beam and figure   
   out what the other is saying--even tho we can't shine the beam of light   
   directly at each other.   
      
   And no magic required.   
      
   -- Ken from Chicago   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)