Neglected Power Sources

[sperry1975]

It's interesting that on Stargate they've made reference to our power sources on earth as being so low in yield. That includes Nuclear power which was also mentioned on the show. Personally I wonder how much research they really do into how much power output comes from Nuclear power and other sources of power. Also in there seemingly limited research I don't recall them ever mentioning the option of using a fusion reactor.
For those who've been told that that doesn't exist, think again, and while your at it watch more Discovery Channel. Just last night (Sunday night) they had on the discovery channel a special 4 part series having something to do with Future Tech. Anyways the first episode showed several power sources they are using around the world including a fusion reactor they've built in Europe and it even showed them power it up briefly. Yep, it worked. They say it can provide unlimited power for the cost of a little water. It will be another 50 years before they build one for public use, but since when did that stop Stargate from using it?
Also on the episode of Atlantis "Tao of Rodney", Rodney had increased knowledge and was able to come up with a new kind of math, was able to make the shields more powerful for the BC-304, and increased the efficiency of the Atlantis power system, yet was unable to tell Atlantis how to build a ZPM or even how to recharge one. That's rather sad if you ask me. If they only knew how to recharge one they could hook it up to a fusion reactor and let it sit for a while and recharge. So why haven't they factored that into the show?

[Ravroz]

You take the fact that a ZPM cannot be recharged by such methods. By it's very definition it can never be recharged. It runs from zero point energy gained from a self contained region of subspace time. Once this region has reached maximum entropy it is useless unless you can replace the artifical region of subspace. Plus, being able to manufacture ZPM's on demand kinda takes the challenge out of the show.

[marty2006]

Exactly ^^. If we had everything we wanted then it wouldnt be a very exciting show now would it.

[Mister Oragahn]

You take the fact that a ZPM cannot be recharged by such methods. By it's very definition it can never be recharged. It runs from zero point energy gained from a self contained region of subspace time. Once this region has reached maximum entropy it is useless unless you can replace the artifical region of subspace. Plus, being able to manufacture ZPM's on demand kinda takes the challenge out of the show.

Challenge or logic?

Exactly ^^. If we had everything we wanted then it wouldnt be a very exciting show now would it.

It would be better to avoid dumping wonder machine of the week. What good did it do, really? Cheapened ascension once more, with some ascendometer crap - like they used with Adria... Oh noes! she's at 97.14%! We must stop the percentage! I-I mean we must kill her!
And of course, once you'd know to produce ZPMs on the volley, really, why would you need anything else? Just mass produce them...
Plus that's stupid, because in theory, Rodney can return into the machine, and restart the whole thnig, since they know how to stop it.
At worst, he ascends, and gently returns as a mortal, voluntarily shedding his super ethereal coat from that higher plane.
Any scientist can go in it, and would be ready to eventually sacrifice himself or herself to taste, for a brief moment, the luxury of having access to a much superior intellect and being able to resolve so many issues, and come with technological wonders.

And of course, in the grand tradition of horrible writing, there's now that very convenient machine that none's going to use anymore, because it would kill the show.

Pluu-eez. That's where you see the huge lack of continuity of foresight on the writers' part. They just come with the plot of the week, they're literally bored writing for Atlantis, and don't give a s.h.i.t. about consequences.

[TKG]

And of course, in the grand tradition of horrible writing, there's now that very convenient machine that none's going to use anymore, because it would kill the show.
Pluu-eez. That's where you see the huge lack of continuity of foresight on the writers' part. They just come with the plot of the week, they're literally bored writing for Atlantis, and don't give a s.h.i.t. about consequences.

this is true, the ascention machine was a pretty lame concept not only was it just rediculous but it's very existance seemed to be contraduictory tot he entire idea of ascention.

Back to the topic at hand alternative power, fusion makes good sense however could it be that such a power source is still technilogically in it's infantcy thus not warranting use? Or perhaps it's so far removed from what the rest of the galaxy uses that theres no way to accelerate the work on it?

[therealdb]

Anyways the first episode showed several power sources they are using around the world including a fusion reactor they've built in Europe and it even showed them power it up briefly.

ive been to this reactor, its in Oxfordshire, UK

it isnt that big, and to start it up it has a huge power requirement, but they got their own generator, and anyway, theyr planning on building a new one in France

but yea, its real alright, although expensive to create atm, but IT IS REAL

[PG15]

You do know that McKay said at the end of the show that it was a fluke that he wasn't turned into goo automatically after first being zapped, right? It's not a matter of "I want to save Atlantis so I might as well try my hand at this machine, even if I could die in a few hours/ascend", it's "I will turn into goo the moment I get zapped, so forget it".

[Jimbo-DR]

I'm sorry, but all the specials I've seen say that an actualy FUSION reaction has never been achieved on Earth on any viable scale. It is the reaction constantly going on in all stars(We did a subject of this last year in chemistry), and it was theorized that we lacked one ingredient: The suns enormous gravity. Do you guys have a link that actually proves that this is a real up and running fusion reactor.

[sperry1975]

I think the two words "horrible writing" just about sums it up.
As far as the suggestion that "being able to manufacture ZPM's on demand kinda takes the challenge out of the show." It would only take the challenge out of a show if the writer was incapable of thinking up new challenging ideas.
Yes it's true that earth can't manufacture 1 ship after another on a month to month or week to week basis and therefore we can't “have everything we want.” Believe it or not the finances of the US government couldn't afford to hardly pay for 1 ship a year which is about what they are doing on the show already. All I want to see from this show is a little better writing with more research done in advance.
To give you another example of bad writing due to lack of research. The missiles they were originally using on there ships were slower than any missile I've ever seen. If the writers would have simply checked into the present technology they would have found that the missiles would need to travel far faster than they actually did. Now would that have taken the fun out of it or make it less challenging if the missiles traveled at there actual speed and reached there target? I don't think so and here why. It's simple really, if the missile impacts the shields and is not powerful enough or doesn't direct enough energy towards the enemy vessels shields then it will have little to no effect on the shields. Take the first battles with the Ori for example. Both of earths BC304s hit those ships with everything they had and didn't even put a dent in there shields. Or look at the example displayed in the movie “Independence Day” were not even a nuke could get through there shields. So what does that mean the writer has to do? Simple answer, take a little charcoal for the brain fart and most importantly... take the time to do more research.
One more thing before I end this. I'm not posting this to knock on the show itself or the actors. I'm saying this in the hopes that people in the right positions will get there act together and get the Jazzzz back into the show. The show started out based on the movie and the technology that earth used in the movie was entirely plausible with the exception of the Stargate. Now when the show started out it started out in the same way. Then slowly they were able to get more alien technology and develop better technology of there own. The idea of starting with present technology's without downgrading it, such as with the missiles or available power, then getting one item of alien technology and using it to with the hopes of retrieving more is what made the idea of the Stargate movie so cool to begin with. Then they simply added to it when they started the show by saying there's more than one Stargate, more than one false God, more than one alien race, etc. So being more realistic doesn't take away from the Jazz of the show it adds to it. Need I give more examples?

[sperry1975]

The name of the show was called: Building the Future The name of the episode: The Search for Ultimate Energy if you check with Discovery channel I'm sure they would be happy to sell you a DVD of the episode. When you watch it note that on the show they did make a statement about how they are in effect harnessing energy like the sun (or something along those lines) and that there wouldn't be a public used fusion reactor for another 50 years, so even though they CAN get it working it has some kinks to work out before it can be make available to the public.

[Mister Oragahn]

You do know that McKay said at the end of the show that it was a fluke that he wasn't turned into goo automatically after first being zapped, right? It's not a matter of "I want to save Atlantis so I might as well try my hand at this machine, even if I could die in a few hours/ascend", it's "I will turn into goo the moment I get zapped, so forget it".

Test it on mice then, until you get it right.

Of course, first time a human from Earth activates it... and it works.

Odd?

My sensors report a large dose of Plot-Super-Convenience radiations...

[sperry1975]

Test it on mice then, until you get it right.

That's a great idea, lol. Imagine if they put that into a show... though they might not like the clean-up after words.

[Cory Holmes]

Fusion power has some great advantages along with some outstanding disadvantages. It's all a matter of pros and cons and if you're able to live with said cons.

Also, fusion power has been seen on the show. In S3 of Atlantis, in the Return Part 2. McKay was seen in front of a fusion reactor while at Area 51. It could be that they're trying to integrate alien technology to simplify and improve the process.

[Dev Corvin]

In 10x13, Carter mentions that to dimension-shift the entire planet using Merlin's device, they'd need 700 gigawatts, provided by either a ZPM, or 80% of the United States' power generation capacity.

So yeah, we do have power sources on earth that, in total, are comparable to a ZPM, they're just being used. To power an entire country.

[Vala_M]

They could always have that ascending machine get shorted out or destroyed like they always do with ships.

Vala,