what if the tao machine was used again? Spoilers for Tao of McKay

[Lord Chris]

what if the machine that allowed mckay to gain alot of knowledge in season 3 they use it on some other scientist or mckay (again).
because they could try and make the zpm gain energy from when the shield is bombarded with weapons they could have the best shield ever they could use it againsed anything.
it would be awesome

[bniblett]

it would be cool to try, but i dont think they will use that machine again. it was just lucky it didn't kill mckay.

Im not positive, but I think they hinted that if anybody, including mckay, were to use it, they would probably die

[carterrocks]

I didnt see why they didnt use it again i mean they could reverse the process using a pre-mutated sample of DNA- they could use the machine so they can learn all the ancient knowledge and then before the person dies use the machine to turn them back BUT obviously get the person to explain how the tec works...thats my thinking anyway

[Betelgeuze]

First they would have to perfect the machine, because it's effects are unpredictable. McKay was lucky he wasn't turned into a puddle of goo.

I think that if they really want to create an advanced human their best bet would be the device used on Kalek. They still have the research done by Anubis. It seems to me that this would be easier then modifying the "ascend or die" machine.

[Metonic]

what if the machine that allowed mckay to gain alot of knowledge in season 3 they use it on some other scientist or mckay (again).
because they could try and make the zpm gain energy from when the shield is bombarded with weapons they could have the best shield ever they could use it againsed anything.
it would be awesome

it rarely worked and sometimes turned people into liquid

[Bobby\Jolinar]

That's what I suggested or implied here but noone seemed to care or want to go in that direction.

[DelTrax1]

If that is the case....why don't they just throw Mckay back into the machine and let him get smart and then fix him after they get the knowledge...they could do this multiple times....we could be come way smarter as a race this way ...or atleast kill all the Wraith.

[cshawzye]

Only problem is that after McKay was "fixed" and came back to his "self" he wasn't able to understand any of the calculations or anything he'd done. So sure you could put someone in and hope first that they don't turn to goo, than hope that after they've been changed back they'd be able to remember and/or understand what they'd gotten out while they were superperson. And even if you had other people working on trying to understand it, or had the superperson tell others his knowledge it doesn't mean they're going to understand him/her or that they'll be able to decipher any of his/her writings any faster than they would in the natural course of discovery.

IMO, it seems like a rather risky proposition (risking killing a person by putting them in the machine) for little to no gain.

[Steve_the_Wraith]

From the Transcript:

McKAY: Ah. (They start to walk out of the room.) Now, is Sheppard still bugging you
to let him use the ascension device to turn himself into some kind of a superhero?
WEIR: Oh yes.
McKAY: Despite the fact that the Ancient database states that its effects on people
are wildly unpredictable and that I’m just lucky I wasn’t instantly melted down into a
pool of protoplasm.

So the machine probably won't be used again

[Major Tyler]

...
because they could try and make the zpm gain energy from when the shield is bombarded with weapons they could have the best shield ever they could use it againsed anything.
it would be awesome

I think that would be unforgivably contrived.

[DelTrax1]

Yeah....I would say that this machine is never going to be heard from again. It would be to convenient. Unless they do an episode about someone going crazy and deciding thats the only way to go....is to hopefully ascend.

[mcbarr]

That would be an interesting plot twist, but sort of a deus ex machina solution which should be avoided in most cases, IMHO.