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1500 questions
77
votes
1 answer
Short story about Neurosurgeon uses nanobots to cure patients, 'reprograms' ex-wife to fall back in love with him
I read this story sometime between 1989 and 1991 in a SF&F magazine (Asimov's Science Fiction? The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction? Amazing Stories?) and
I've looked for it for years, in archives, online, etc. with no success.
Can anyone…
David Hall
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77
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8 answers
Why would Vulcans be vegetarian in an era with replicators?
Most vegetarians on Earth abstain from meat because of the treatment of animals as a result of mass proceessing. However in a universe with replicators, there is no ill treatment. A replicator simply aligns the molecules in such a way as to create a…
Jack B Nimble
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77
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6 answers
What was Gandalf's plan for getting the Ring to Mount Doom?
I'm currently re-reading The Lord of the Rings for the umpteenth time, and a question occurred to me.
When Gandalf hears from Faramir that Frodo and Sam were heading for Cirith Ungol, he is shocked. Obviously, he hadn't planned to take them that way…
Daniel Roseman
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77
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7 answers
Why is killing someone using the Avada Kedavra spell considered worse or different than killing him with any other means?
What's the deal with Avada Kedavra? It kills its target, fine, but so do many other things.
Why is Avada Kedavra specifically banned, rather than banning "killing people"?
Why is killing someone using that specific magic considered worse or…
o0'.
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77
votes
3 answers
What happened to Yoda?
In the prequels and Clone Wars, Yoda is a spry and agile 870 year old. In just a short amount of time in Yoda-years he becomes feeble and decrepit, then suddenly dies. What makes a Yoda suddenly (in Yoda-years) become sickly and weak?
riv_rec
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77
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17 answers
When Jedi lose parts of their body, does their midi-chlorian count and strength in the Force diminish?
From what I understand, midi-chlorian count is a strong indicator of ability in the Force (though there are other factors as well). So it seems like when Anakin loses his arm or Luke loses his hand, their midi-chlorian counts (and thus their Force…
grautur
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77
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2 answers
How could Fred and George have figured the exact password to the Marauder's map?
The Weasley twins told Harry that the password to the map was: "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good". But how could THEY have known it? It's not exactly LOTR's Moria door with "12345" level of security—you do not have a plaintext password hint…
user5655
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77
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4 answers
Is Tolkien's Middle-earth in our Universe?
I started reading The Hobbit to my daughter last night having read most of Tolkien's books in my youth, but haven't read them again for some years.
In the first few pages of The Hobbit, Tolkien talks about Hobbits being less common 'these days' such…
Bogdanovist
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77
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7 answers
Why don't Wizards use wrist straps to protect against disarming charms?
Inspired by a tweet by rocket:
me: see the wrist strap stops you from dropping the wiimote
voldemort: this is brilliant
[later]
harry potter: expelliarmus!
voldemort: [wand dangling from wrist] lmao nice try
I know this is just a joke tweet, but…
Nzall
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77
votes
4 answers
When were female captains banned from Starfleet?
In the TOS episode Turnabout Intruder, a woman who wants to be a Starfleet captain states that
"Your world of starship captains doesn't admit women. It isn't fair."
Kirk agrees with her that it seems unfair.
Clearly about a decade earlier there…
user
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77
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2 answers
Was there ever a situation where a proposal from Worf was accepted?
I recently stumbled upon this video which is a 15 minute compilation of Star Trek: The Next Generation scenes where Worf makes proposals which immediately get dismissed:
That made me wonder if this is actually an accurate representation of how…
Philipp
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77
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1 answer
Why was a young actor in age makeup cast in the Battlestar Galactica miniseries, rather than an older actor?
In the first scene, the mid-sixties looking Armistice Officer is played by then 31-year-old Ryan Robbins. The part has no lines and the character never appears again (though the actor appears again playing a different part in Caprica).
Can anyone…
Chris B. Behrens
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77
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8 answers
Why do less-bright students end up in Slytherin?
The main trait of Slytherin house is ambition and cunning.
Malfoy fits the bill. Snape fits the bill. Harry Potter has both, to an extent.
But how can someone argue that Crabbe, Goyle or Millicent (or Pansy if Hermione is to be believed, though…
DVK-on-Ahch-To
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77
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1 answer
Who has been killed by a Terminator, a Predator, and a Xenomorph?
The in memoriam for Bill Paxton, over on meta, reads
(...) Bill Paxton, one of only two actors to have the distinction of being killed by a Xenomorph, a Predator and a Terminator (...)
Who's the other one?
SQB
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4 answers
If Dumbledore is the most powerful wizard (allegedly), why would he work at a glorified boarding school? Is there a role with more responsibility?
If Dumbledore is the most powerful wizard (allegedly), why would he work at a glorified boarding school? Is there a role with more responsibility?
user72889
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