Enterprise 11-20-02

[Mark]

[Rosanna Rosannadanna voice]

Oh. Never mind.

[/Rosanna Rosannadanna voice]



Johnathan

Oh, it was well worth bringing up. I don't think we'd ever discussed them last season and I was kinda wondering about the whole process. Seems like we always (myself included) either dismiess the ST science as impossible, implausible or just sensible to overlook (for the sake of enjoying the show), but with this Protein Resequencer thing I think it might be worthwhile to examine their choices a bit more closely each week. Can waste theortically be molecularly changed/manipulated to produce useful fuel for the body? I know that matter is matter, and ttreated waste is introduced back to the environment, but is such a quick-and-easy process somewhere on the horizon?

 

[Chun-tzu]

Hmm, is protein resequencing possible? What follows are the random spoutings of a student who is avoiding working on his psych paper.

I'm no biologist, but the way you'd have to do it, I'd think, is with biogenetic technology. Kind of like the sci-fi cloning process, but the important part would actually be accelerated growth. In any kind of cloning/accelerated growth, you'd still need the raw materials, i.e. the waste products that are supposedly resequenced into food. But as far as I know, accelerated growth is just a convenient plot device used in science fiction, and not even theoretically possible.

 

[Umbran]

Can waste theortically be molecularly changed/manipulated to produce useful fuel for the body?

Well, let's put it this way - fertilizer. You put waste into the system, you get food out. What nature can do with fungi, molds, bateria, and plants, can in theory be done in a controlled way by man.

 

[Mark]

Well, let's put it this way - fertilizer. You put waste into the system, you get food out. What nature can do with fungi, molds, bateria, and plants, can in theory be done in a controlled way by man.

Yup, Umb. Hence the line after the one you quoted...

Can waste theortically be molecularly changed/manipulated to produce useful fuel for the body? I know that matter is matter, and ttreated waste is introduced back to the environment, but is such a quick-and-easy process somewhere on the horizon?

How quickly can that process be accelerated at this time?

(Silly, Umb...)

 

[Orius]

Personally, I wish they'd avoid using (arguably) overused Star Trek formulas without adding something significant. It just felt like a recycled plot that wasn't that worthy of recycling and wasn't recycled that well. How many times has something affected the Enterprise, or Voyager, with only Data or Spock or the holographic Doctor being immune to its effects and saving the ship? The episode wasn't horrible, and did have some moments, but I can't say it was any better than mediocre.

Oh yeah. This episode was amusing in its own way, but also loaded with some massive Trek cliches. As soon as I saw that T'Pol was unaffected (about 10 seconds into the episode), I rolled
my eyes.

Still, some of the obsessions were fun to watch, especially Tripp's, Malcom's and Phlox's. And Malcom's obsession turned out to me the most useful.

I am SO glad they don't have a Holodeck on the ship.

I bet the writers aren't. Now they can't do a "The Holodeck breaks down...again!" episode EVERY season.

 

[Crothian]

I bet the writers aren't. Now they can't do a "The Holodeck breaks down...again!" episode EVERY season.

And the Holodeck fantasy shows. Picard was a 1930's PI. Bashir was James Bond. Paris was a Flash Gordon clone.

 

[John Crichton]

Oh yeah. This episode was amusing in its own way, but also loaded with some massive Trek cliches. As soon as I saw that T'Pol was unaffected (about 10 seconds into the episode), I rolled
my eyes.

Well, in all fairness to the writers it's fairly well known that Vulcans are somewhat resistant (at least moreso than humans) to radiation.

 

[kreynolds]

What an odd radiation that only effects the Bridge Crew.

If affected everyone but Tapal. She even said that everyone she had encountered was behaving strangely, and she eluded to more crew members than just the bridge crew.

 

[kreynolds]

1. The trinary system is spewing "black hole radiation" for half a light year or so in all directions.

It was spewing radiation to a great distance in only three directions. The last direction wasn't as extensive. Tapal even states this towards the end of the episode.

2. The Enterprise is approaching the trinary system under impulse power.

It's generally a bad idea to navigate near a black hole at warp, especially since the navigation systems of the day didn't auto-correct your course because of obstacles and/or dangers.

3. If they turn back now, it'll take two days or so to escape the area of effect.

It's a big area. If they go through it, it will take less time, but this brings me to the next point...

4. There's a radiation-free zone between the three stars.

That's because the radiation wasn't spread out evenly (also, see first answer). Our own sun doesn't even emit radiation in a perfert circle. Solar winds can interfere with it.

5. If the Enterprise weaves its way through the debris and goes between the three stars, they'll be clear in 17 minutes (apparently because they can go to warp once past the three stars).

No. They would clear the area in 17 minutes because they were already deep into the field, and the field did not extend equally in all directions. Tapal even stated this to Archer (also, see first answer).

Anybody else lost?

Nope. I payed attention.

Seriously though, I do remember that in TNG, they avoided black holes like the plague because Enterprise wasn't capable of escaping gravity wells at all. Not even by a long shot. Voyager, on the other hand, was a more advanced ship, and actually managed to escape a black hole, though it nearly destroyed their ship, and IIRC, they were making repairs for at least a few episodes (well, ok, they were always making repairs ).

 

[kreynolds]

My biggest gripe was the shower scene. Is there something in the ship's water that counteracts the black hole radiation?

A cold shower can do wonders. Seriously though, making someone terribly uncomfortable will quickly sober up just about anyone. Hell, even a cold shower can save the life of someone that tries to OD on a sedative (gets the adrenaline flowing and the blood pumping as your body forces itself to remain warm. This in turn raises your metabolism significantly). If you can keep them awake, they'll be fine long enough to get help.

Of course, I'm not a doctor or anything, but I know a thing or two about cold showers (take that however you want).