From: salsa.the.geek@gmail.com   
      
   On Thursday, January 7, 2021 at 8:26:19 PM UTC-6, Arthur T. wrote:   
   > In    
   > Message-ID:<93b1206d-bb1c-4281...@googlegroups.com>,   
   > Adam Warnock  wrote:    
   >    
   > >Hello, new here and all that jazz. I'm working on a space opera setting and   
   one of the things I'm curious about are the materials that could be used to   
   make a radiator. I have an idea on how warship radiators operate, but I'm   
   trying not to break more    
   rules than I need to.    
   > >    
   > >Basically, the radiators are flexible and can be rolled up into armored   
   compartments to protect them from hostile fire. When deployed, ribbing in the   
   panels stiffens to keep them from flopping about. Are there any materials that   
   can be rigid in one    
   set of circumstances, but flexible in another? Is this even plausible?   
   > I'm a reader rather than a scientist. I'm much happier with    
   > properly-done handwaving than explanations that just don't gel.    
   >    
   > Again, this is just my opinion, but why not explain what you just did    
   > and not go into the mechanics of it, unless it's important to your    
   > plot or world building? If it doesn't sound implausible, which it    
   > doesn't, I'd accept it. But an attempt to explain it, in detail, will    
   > get me thinking about it and possibly take me out of my willing    
   > suspension of disbelief.    
   >    
   > The other problem with scientific explanations is that they stop the    
   > story and risk causing glazed eyes when you want rapt attention.    
   >    
   > One of the biggest problems I have with mainstream writers trying    
   > their hands at SF is too much (bad) explanation and not enough hand    
   > waving.    
   >    
   > But, to answer your question, the easiest is probably pneumatic or    
   > hydraulic. Filled, pressurized areas will keep the panels stiff, and    
   > relieving the pressure will let them bend, roll, and fold.    
   >    
   > --    
   > Arthur T. - ar23hur "at" pobox "dot" com   
      
   Y'know, pneumatics/hydralics would would make things simpler than using some   
   supermaterial. And the point about info-dumping (especially with bad   
   explanations) is duly noted. I wanted to know so that even if it never came   
   up, I had a solid foundation to    
   build details around.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)