this post was submitted on 07 May 2024
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xkcd

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While it seemed like a fun prank at the time, I realize my prank fire extinguishers full of leaded gasoline were a mistake.

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[–] [email protected] 96 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (28 children)

So, about Project Orion from Wikipedia

In August 1955, Ulam co-authored a classified paper proposing the use of nuclear fission bombs, "ejected and detonated at a considerable distance," for propelling a vehicle in outer space.

Excuse me what the fuck

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Not worse than a fusion torch. Or open-cycle nuclear propulsion. Or an antimatter drive.

You know, the Kzinti lesson😉

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Never heard of those, but if they are on par with project Orion I have some nice readings to do today.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

If you're into hard sci-fi and you're looking for a good read, they actually dropped a pretty good recommendation with that reference at the end - Larry Niven does a great job of blending real-world theories like Dyson spheres and advanced propulsion drives, with some of the more far-flung standards of the genre like an intra-planetary teleportation grid.

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