Marvel's She-Hulk # 7 Written by Soule and drawn by Pulido
Soule does a fantastic job of jogging though Marvel's pseudo-science and making some connections to real science! Someone has developed a new way to shrink objects. Unfortunately, the developer has an incorrect algorithm, which does not correctly account for shrinking living organisms. Living things can only be reduced in size for a short while before going KABOOOOM!
Questions:
1.) How can we shrink things?
2.) What is an algorithm?
3.) Would this technology be effected by living tissue as opposed to normal objects?
Answers:
1.) I covered this question more in-depth in my Ant-Man origins part 1 linked (HERE). At this point in the Marvel universe Ant-Man uses Pym particles to distort size. However, this new inventor uses a different method and one that is unstable for living things. My best assumption would be that the scientist is able to shrink the void between a atoms nucleus and its electrons. Reducing this would would give the power to reduce the size of items by a great scale. It is mentioned in the comic that this technique also reduces the mass. If the void is all that is extracted from the atom it would still have the same mass. To reduce mass and size would mean likely have to reduce the energy by a great amount somehow. Ultimately, all the subatomic particles can be broken down in to small pockets of energy that behave in a certain way. If the energy could be reduced from these particles and keep the same properties, then it could be reduced in size.
2.) An algorithm is simply a series of steps used to solve a math problem; you know, like the FOIL method in algebra (First. Outer. Inner. Last). Computers have to be told how to solve math problems and if the steps are not correct then things do not work. For a machine as advanced as a shrink ray, if the math is not right it could seriously turn things inside out.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/algorithm
3.) The only way I can think that the shrink ray would have an issue with living objects as opposed in inanimate objects would be do to the complexity of our cells and the vast diversity of elements. Living bodies need to be ever moving to supply nutrients to certain areas and apply stimuli to certain areas. The algorithm may not allow consideration for that, somehow. I am taking a shot in the dark here.
Soule does a fantastic job of jogging though Marvel's pseudo-science and making some connections to real science! Someone has developed a new way to shrink objects. Unfortunately, the developer has an incorrect algorithm, which does not correctly account for shrinking living organisms. Living things can only be reduced in size for a short while before going KABOOOOM!
Questions:
1.) How can we shrink things?
2.) What is an algorithm?
3.) Would this technology be effected by living tissue as opposed to normal objects?
Answers:
1.) I covered this question more in-depth in my Ant-Man origins part 1 linked (HERE). At this point in the Marvel universe Ant-Man uses Pym particles to distort size. However, this new inventor uses a different method and one that is unstable for living things. My best assumption would be that the scientist is able to shrink the void between a atoms nucleus and its electrons. Reducing this would would give the power to reduce the size of items by a great scale. It is mentioned in the comic that this technique also reduces the mass. If the void is all that is extracted from the atom it would still have the same mass. To reduce mass and size would mean likely have to reduce the energy by a great amount somehow. Ultimately, all the subatomic particles can be broken down in to small pockets of energy that behave in a certain way. If the energy could be reduced from these particles and keep the same properties, then it could be reduced in size.
2.) An algorithm is simply a series of steps used to solve a math problem; you know, like the FOIL method in algebra (First. Outer. Inner. Last). Computers have to be told how to solve math problems and if the steps are not correct then things do not work. For a machine as advanced as a shrink ray, if the math is not right it could seriously turn things inside out.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/algorithm
3.) The only way I can think that the shrink ray would have an issue with living objects as opposed in inanimate objects would be do to the complexity of our cells and the vast diversity of elements. Living bodies need to be ever moving to supply nutrients to certain areas and apply stimuli to certain areas. The algorithm may not allow consideration for that, somehow. I am taking a shot in the dark here.
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