h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Perhaps DaVinci's inventions where an inspiration for future designers, or even a case of "form follows function"

I could be wrong but i think that the chinese had a flying top based on an idea/appearance similar to Da Vinci's "Chopper" about 2000 years before Da Vinci. Look at a Sycamore Seed and the Idea for a flying device based on rotation will become apparent to the right sort of mind.
Also is there a renaisseance picture of the Virgin and child with a flying top of a similar design showing that maybe Da Vinci's idea is not unique it just survived.
Think of any archelogical dig that places some modern invention "Pottery Metal smelting" farther back into history.

Was it this DaVinci who first depicted a parachute? - and was this before man(kind) had flown?

Or am I dreaming again - it's been a long day . . . .

But if nature developed the principle of the helicopter, and DaVinci thought it could be used as transport, this doesn't make it an anachronism, it just shows that he was observant and imaginitive

If you look at DaVincis design for the Tank it bears more than a passing resemblence to a Turtle so i think it is safe to Say that He not only was observant but he obviously had other gifts such as lateral thinking (Think about it take a turtle shell and make it large enough to cover people, on second thaughts the tank is simply a fixed built version of the roman leigons using their shields to protect themselves from arrows.) and a mechanical ming to be able to create such accurate drawings. He is not the only one who was ahead of his time. Charles babbage designed his analytical engine the fore runner in a way to modern computers during a time when the relevant technologies were not advanced enough to build such a complex machine. Every generation produces such people that see things in a different way. i think it's safe to say that right now there are people right now whos ideas will probably revolutinise the world once it's realised what they are.

Quite likely science-fiction authors. Maybe in the far future we'll have computers with GPP-feature

On a similar line - IF we ever do get to exceed the speed of light - the engine will be called a "warp drive" - whether it works on the "warp drive" principle or not.

I think Science Fiction writers will have a lot to answer for in the future, especially where the names of machines are concerned.

What about Hyperspace Drive. The inventer could be a star wars (Sorry STAR WARS) fan and not a trek fan.

But any fan would know hat Hyperspace is a totally different dimension which could never exist - whereas Warp drive describes a scientifically "plausible" if not possible principle

I'd be interesting to ask a helicopter engineer how far removed a helicopter is from a sycamore seed. But you're right - that's a good explanation for the anomaly

-Martin

And 50 years ago the atom was the smallest particle known to science. Just because it hasn't been discovered does not mean it wont be. Im diasppointed that a member of this guide would make a statement like that (not really but it had to be said.
Remember open mind + No limits = infinite Possibility

Back to the Star Trek lightspeed-thing, I think warp drive works in a similar fashion, but using subspace instead of hyperspace.

I agree - and I definately think that, one day, it will be possible. If it isn't - then mankind is doomed.

Time for that anroak bit. If i remember from the time i was going through the Trekki phase the warp drive creates a bubble of alternative (Sub) space and rather that the ship moving through space it actually bends space so a physical distance travelled in the bubble is a lot smaller than the actual travelled. I could be wrong. Correct me by all means if you have other information

This is right. The ship uses a "Warp field" to warp space around it. The ship it's self is barely moving - it is dragging space through the "warp core".

Hyperdrives - now them I have no idea - wasn't it all to do with different dimensions etc. . . - As Star Wars was set in a Galaxy FAR FAR Away - they could get away with "less realism" me thinks.

Judging from the star wars movies i would like to suggest that maybe Huperspace is artifically generated worm holes between two points in space. It may explain the tunnelling effect seen from the cockpit.

Originally posted by finnjim: - "It may explain the tunnelling effect seen from the cockpit."

Nah - that was special effects mate

No, really?? I've been deceived

No that was real!! Star Wars was a show like cops

Yep, and Han Solo's career moves include a jungle hero