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"It is change ... that is the dominant factor in society today... the world as it will be. This means that ... every man must take on a science fictional way of thinking.""
- Isaac Asimov
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| Superacid | ||
| Smart acids that could be created to ignore particular compounds and dissolve others. |
It is not entirely clear how Kosko uses this term; there are actual compounds that are referred to as "superacids." A superacid is defined as a "medium having a high acidity, generally greater than that of 100 wt.% sulfuric acid." A compound is sold under the name "magic acid."
| "Leaks!" Garcia said. "There are holes in the ship!" Alvarez followed him to the door and stopped short. Dozens of small gray holes covered the aluminum deck of the green tanker. The holes grew as he watched. The holes dripped gray goo at their edges and left only empty space in their centers. The larger holes grew faster than the smaller ones… Alvarez knew then that he was up against a superacid and that he would lose. |
| Technovelgy from Nanotime,
by Bart Kosko. Published by Avon Books in 1987 Additional resources -
|
In the book, it appears to be possible to design superacids to work on some materials and ignore others. The book demonstrates that such compounds are dangerous weapons outside the lab.
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| GNoME AI From DeepMind Invents Millions Of New Materials |
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'...Anything was possible in my imaginary environment.'
'Somewhere in space, a chrome and blue automobile raced the green light of Earth.'
'That explains how it was so easy for me to remain motionless in midair...'
'We had discovered that metal was relatively impervious to the telepathic effect.'
'Detailed plans for the construction of the Gundstetter-Halone warp drive were flowing.'
'Do not waste your priceless company on the unappreciative folds of a sleep pod...'
'...so we've promised him a generous pension from the royalties.'
'Hocus-pocus religions and archaic weapons are no substitute for a good blaster at your side.'
