I love science. For those of you who missed my grand opening explanation of what I write--it's science-based fiction. No, not science fiction, because I don't have that good of an imagination. Think more along the lines of Micheal Crichton or Greg Bear, only without the money, fame, respect or a publishing contract.
THE NEURAL NET is about adding the power of thought to sound waves and getting a weapon so strong and precise it can break the bonds of DNA. I wrote this book because I got obsessed with energy, waves and the fact that everything in our closed little universe is just that--waves of energy. Everything. Anyway, I finished this book over two years ago (it's still making its rounds) and in one scene the subjects are attempting to move a 200 lb. slate rock by combining the energy of their thoughts (via the neural net) with the power of a sound wave. Here's a quote from one of the more cynical characters:
“Aw, I don’t know, Peter. To be frank, I’m just not sure I can believe in all this stuff. Our thoughts controlling things. Sound being used as a physical force to. . .to make things grow and levitate rocks. It just sounds like a bunch of new age crap. Sorry,” he added half-heartedly."
Yes, I believe this is all possible. Yesterday I ran across this article in Livescience and got very excited: http://www.livescience.com/technology/061129_acoustic_levitation.html
"Xie and his colleagues employed an ultrasound emitter and reflector that generated a sound pressure field between them. The emitter produced roughly 20-millimeter-wavelength sounds, meaning it could in theory levitate objects half that wavelength or less. After the investigators got the ultrasound field going, they used tweezers to carefully place animals between the emitter and reflector. The scientists found they could float ants, beetles, spiders, ladybugs, bees, tadpoles and fish up to a little more than a third of an inch long in midair. When they levitate the fish and tadpole, the researchers added water to the ultrasound field every minute via syringe."
A wave by any other name...be it sound, light or fish...is still a wave.
6 comments:
Hi, I have only one little boy, 2 and a half, and time is my constant enemy. I am curious how and when you fit in your writing?
But at the same time I worry that I will look back and wish I just played with the play doh and the dinosaurs??
Yes, time is the issue with little ones, isn't it? I actually have twin boys who are just about to turn a year old, and what I've done is kept them on the same schedule. So, they take two naps a day at the same time, and that is when I write. When they are up, I'm just mommy. No, this doesn't leave me much time to write at this point, but I also have an older daughter who reminds me daily that they grow up way too fast and I will always be a writer, but they will not always be little.
Definetly make room every day for play doh!
"We must control the levitation force carefully, because they try to fly away," Xie said. "An interesting moment was when my colleagues and I had to catch escaping ladybugs."
This quote from the article made me laugh out loud. I work with scientists, and this comment, especially the part where Xie says ...an interesting moment was when....
My own writing is based in spirituality with strong elements of science blended in. (Ever read Science and Spirit magazine?) Fascinating blog post. And the info about Neural Net is very exciting!
You get to work with scientists? Lucky you :-)
No, I hadn't heard of that magazine but I checked it out and it seems interesting. I'll peruse it a bit when I have time, they also have a discussion forum which is great.
I like to hear when writers are blending science and spiritually, because they are portrayed mostly as opposing beliefs when they shouldn't be.
I think that the perceived "opposing belief" systems stems from religions attempts to control the masses through ignorance and subterfuge. Having science explain "the mysteries of God" might threaten certain patriarchal systems. I, on the other hand, relish the "peek behind the curtain," if you will. I want to know the whys and the why nots. But that's just me.
"Subterfuge." Interesting choice of words. It seems as if you believe religions are duping people on purpose? I'll have to think about whether I agree with that or not...my belief right now leans toward religion controlling people with guilt and fear. Though I think we all do need to believe in a higher power or order, so that we can have hope, I haven't been able to find anything that makes sense to my heart (faith) and my mind (knowledge). I think that will be a life-long quest in which science will be my tool to arm my mind and introspection will be the tool to arm my heart. I'm just enjoying the discovery process.
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