Inferno (219)

[PG15]

You guys know way too much about this sort of stuff.

[Jarnin]

The scientific fallacy in that argument is your (and Jarnin's) assumption that the destabilization of the super-volcano requires the addition of energy.

Here's a different analogy: Suppose you have a gigantic pressure cooker the size of that super-volcano. The massive pressure within represents a lot of potential energy. If you were to carefully siphon some of that pressure in a controlled and limited fashion, you would be able to tap into a powerful, yet renewable energy resource. However, if you get greedy and try to extract too much energy at a time, without regard for safety protocols, you risk causing a massive sudden release of the trapped pressure, leading to a catastrophic explosion. And nowhere in this scenario was any energy ADDED to the equation.

I suppose my argument is flimsy as long as we have no clue how they were extracting energy from the volcano.

You're assuming that they're "extracting pressure" which they can somehow turn into power. I'm assuming they were extracting heat, which they can use to spin turbines to produce electricity.

I guess the point I never got around to was that they didn't need to have the "scientific" problem in the episode at all; it was tossed in there to make the team look like brilliant heroes.
The people could have simply been trying to contact Atlantis because the super-volcano they lived in was about to blow, and they wanted our help. Instead they made them really ignorant, so our guys looked really intelligent.

I liked the ep. I think it was probably in the top 3 this season. I'm just getting tired of unneeded complexities being tossed in the show to explain something that could have been done in a simpler manner.

[Wyrminarrd]

Great episode all around. They managed to introduce a new ship and getting it into the hands of the Atlantis team without making them seem greedy or selfish.

I really hope that they choose to use the Orion for a preventive strike against that hive ship, would be grea for Atlantis to go on the offensive for a change. Perhaps they could locate an inhabited world between them and the wraith and try and make it look like the people of that world are the ones fighting back? It would delay the wraith for some time.

[Oblivion147]

Was the Orion mentioned in the Spoilers? I'm a bit of a junkie for that sort of thing and can't remember reading anything about it.

I hope they keep it around for a while like the Pegasus in BSG!

[Whatazarian]

I suppose my argument is flimsy as long as we have no clue how they were extracting energy from the volcano.

You're assuming that they're "extracting pressure" which they can somehow turn into power. I'm assuming they were extracting heat, which they can use to spin turbines to produce electricity.

Technically, both arguments can work and be explained with basic thermodynamics, heat makes materials rise, so hotter molten magma would be rising, and putting more pressure on the surface (crust that forms the volcano above it). If you extract this heat, you will decrease the pressure on the crust and since convection takes so in the mantle/core area due to the high density and viscosity of the substances, that heat/pressure wouldn't really be 'replaced' depending on the mantle of the planet (another error SG science made is assuming all planets mantle, core etc.. are similar to earths).
Since according to the laws of thermodynamics matter/energy cannot be created or destroyed but change form, depending on the age of the planet, and thus the amount of radioactive activity in the core creating energy, the pressure on the crust would've decreased and perhaps this would've caused a cave in and started geological activity.

This is all probability type stuff mind you, the likeliness of all this happening is so impossible that we can safely conclude the SG science section writers have no idea about physics, geology, or any major science..

As for someone in earlier sections of the thread saying McKay was a 'super scientist', anyone with a doctorate in physics, and especially astro physics, would have a basic understanding, and appreciation for all major sciences, and something like geology would be part of their elementary education (it can be used to teach about convection currents, waves etc..)

Edited to add..

Sorry about the rant, I hope it makes sense and I hope I haven't made any scientific errors, it's like 3am and i'm tired.

Also, this was a good episode, I felt it was one of the more realistic episodes in the S-G universe, where the survival of the team didn't involve a MacGyver like solutions (except McKay's idea, which was a MacGyverish solution).. i.e Teyla and Ronon were simply beamed up, no need for improbable heroics/cliches for them. I'd give it a 3.5/4 or 7/8 rating and probably the 3rd best episode of the season behind critical mass and The Siege Part 3.

P.S I love MacGyver

[Buzz Lightyear]

I suppose my argument is flimsy as long as we have no clue how they were extracting energy from the volcano.

You're assuming that they're "extracting pressure" which they can somehow turn into power. I'm assuming they were extracting heat, which they can use to spin turbines to produce electricity.

You're right that we have no precise idea how the Ancients were using the volcano to power the shield. However, if we're making assumptions, it seems more logical to assume the shield generator is using the already available pressurized gas from the volcano, rather than go through the more cumbersome process of converting the heat from the volcano to electricity. And volatile gas under pressure is always at risk of exploding.

[Buzz Lightyear]

Well I can't be bothered reading 5 pages of replies, but it's good to see that alot of people liked this ep. I didn't know that the 'Orion' was gonna be an Ancient ship - from the spoilers I read, I thought it was another Earth built ship. Should be good though, esp. if McKay, Zelenka et al can get it fully operational (with some help from Hermiod perhaps?).

Gotta wonder though, (spoiler for 2x20 Allies)

Spoiler:

with Michael on the way with a Wraith hive ship,

they'd want to make sure they hide it somehow...I'm sure that even though the Wraith (some of them) know about Atlantis, they wouldn't want the Wraith knowing they had an Ancient ship...

I think you just posted spoiler information for episode 2x20 Allies. I've added spoiler tags to my quote above.

[SmallTimePerson]

I loved this ep, its my favourite S2 ep so far...

What type of hyperdrive do you think the orion has, intergalactic or intersteller. I only ask because the aurora had interstellar and it would take ages to get anywhere (i.e. back to atlantis) if ity didn't have intergalactic

[Mio]

I suppose my argument is flimsy as long as we have no clue how they were extracting energy from the volcano.

You're assuming that they're "extracting pressure" which they can somehow turn into power. I'm assuming they were extracting heat, which they can use to spin turbines to produce electricity.

Well, they were the Ancients. I doubt they'd have used something as primitive as driving a turbine. It's probably some elaborate direct energy to energy conversion thing. For all we know, the Ancients may have actually had the energy converter itself inside the magma, and the waste it gives off contributes to the pressure. Still, would have been nice to know....

[Steve_the_Wraith]

ok so atlantis has the Orion and now the daudalus. It looks like Atlantis is a bigger priority than Earth with 2 ships on its side. Earth just gets the Prometheus which according to spoilers

Spoiler:

gets destroyed and is replaced with the Odyssey. Still thats one ship for earth and 2 for atlantis have to have one more for earth

Well not necessarily if the Orion has the same engines as the Aurora then it can't leave Pegasus so the Daedalus will still be required for supply runs

BTW regarding earth...

Spoiler:

It does have 2 ships, the Odyssey and the Korelev

[Davidtourniquet]

Glad to see stargate's making homes for the andromeda crew.
Lexa Doig: SG1
Actress who played Doyle: Inferno: Atlantis

[GoldenSG-1]

Glad to see stargate's making homes for the andromeda crew.
Lexa Doig: SG1
Actress who played Doyle: Inferno: Atlantis

gotta love canada lol

Well not necessarily if the Orion has the same engines as the Aurora then it can't leave Pegasus so the Daedalus will still be required for supply runs

BTW regarding earth...

Spoiler:

It does have 2 ships, the Odyssey and the Korelev

Spoiler:

Ok so there are 5 ships 2 for each side and 1 to go back and forth thats alittle more fair. I just read that the russians have a ship of their own cool

[adk06]

So I just watched the first 5 minutes of Inferno
anyway I just saw first 5 minutes of Inferno already i'm excited cause I just saw the ship ORION and it looks amazingg. Just thought i'de share it with you

[civilbloodshed]

I guess by now it would be rather superfluous to say how much I loved this ep. But for the record, I'm completely certain Carl Binder is fully ware of what the fandom wants. Well, mostly...

As for the ship, ain't this mother on loan? It's not really ours, but the whoever are letting us use it because we saved their butts and we can fix it up all nice and shiny. It's totally theirs though; Elizabeth would definitely make sure they gave it back when the times comes.


And Allies? Dudes,

Spoiler:

Michael is SO coming back for Teyla to make her his half-wraith queen. Totally.

[CYBEREAGLE19]

theres already a thread for discussing inferno, and a thread for discussing the new ship orion