Gravity

Post by **Teaos** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 12:52 pm

Ok this is something that came up in the Xindi thread that I wanted to ut here since I think it is pretty interesting.

You ever noticed how everything in trek has the same gravity. When ever someone beams to a new species ship it is always the same apparent gravity. When ever they go to a planet it is the same gravity.

I'm no to sure but I thought Vulcan was supposed to have twice the gravity of earth yet everyone was walking around fine ever time we see them there.

Now I know this is because it is hard to pull off having higher or lower gravity. The acting looks corny and doesn't add anything. But it is still odd, just like how there are so many humanoids around (But at least they gave us a reason for that)

It would be great to see Harry Kim beam down to a new planet only to face plant into the dirt as the strong gravity breaks his legs.
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Jim · Post by **Jim** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:00 pm

And everyone speaks English...

Post by **Teaos** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:06 pm

No thats the universal translator at work.

Bryan Moore · Post by **Bryan Moore** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:07 pm

Universal Gravity Translator?

It is slightly ridiculous to think that we'd all have the same gravity. However, it would be the only way to account for the fact that the whole galaxy basically looks the same. Anything other than similar gravity would result in absurdly different looking aliens.

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:08 pm

Teaos wrote:No thats the universal translator at work.

Granted... but the one thing I never understood with the UT, when a race, even a "new" one wanted to say something in THEIR language (as an example, etc) it came out as their language... but they are speaking their language the entire time... so...

Post by **Teaos** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:10 pm

It is explained in one of the tech manuals. The UT picks up diflections in the voice and other signals that indicate in which way the speech is ment to be said.

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:17 pm

Teaos wrote:It is explained in one of the tech manuals. The UT picks up diflections in the voice and other signals that indicate in which way the speech is ment to be said.

Did I hyjack this thread?

Thorin · Post by **Thorin** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:24 pm

I have a quasi-realistic explanation.

Nearly all life (carbon based, at least), evolves on planets only in certain conditions - which is generally certain water requirements, energy received from the sun, etc. Now I'm not sure exactly how it would work out, but it's quite reasonable that all these planets that support "normal" carbon based life are earth-sized and earth-density, giving gravity the same as earth. As most life is very similar to earth's - in size (higher gravity = shorter people), and looks, then it also makes sense that these lifeforms have a similar gravity to humans.
So the thing you should really be picking at - is why does all life look the same. I suppose you could then go to "TNG - The Chase", and all life evolves from them beings from billions of years ago, and they would have chosen similar gravity planets as their own to plant their DNA/children.

Post by **Teaos** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:30 pm

That is a decent reason. But we are still left with the Vulcan gravity plot whole.

Still would be cool to see them every so often go to a planet with 0.4 gravity or 2.5 or something.

celeritas · Post by **celeritas** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:40 pm

well there was a DS9 episode where bashir falls in love with a low-gravity world woman...so planets with different gravity do exist in canon...

Thorin · Post by **Thorin** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:48 pm

Teaos wrote:That is a decent reason. But we are still left with the Vulcan gravity plot whole.

Still would be cool to see them every so often go to a planet with 0.4 gravity or 2.5 or something.

Every planet they see either seems to be an equivilent of earth or a gas giant!

Post by **Teaos** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:54 pm

Well to be fair most rock planets are rather close to Earth size.

Gas giant dont matter since you dont walk on them.

Post by **Captain Seafort** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:57 pm

celeritas wrote:well there was a DS9 episode where bashir falls in love with a low-gravity world woman...so planets with different gravity do exist in canon...

The gravity couldn't be that different, since she was able to operate (albeit with some difficulty) on DS9, and Bashir developed a process that would have allowed her to operate normally. If the gravity on her homeworld had been significantly lower, her bones and organs would have been crushed by their own weight.

Post by **Teaos** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 2:03 pm

Not only that but circulation becomes very hard with only a lsight change in gravity.

Thorin · Post by **Thorin** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 3:47 pm

Captain Seafort wrote:
celeritas wrote:well there was a DS9 episode where bashir falls in love with a low-gravity world woman...so planets with different gravity do exist in canon...
The gravity couldn't be that different, since she was able to operate (albeit with some difficulty) on DS9, and Bashir developed a process that would have allowed her to operate normally. If the gravity on her homeworld had been significantly lower, her bones and organs would have been crushed by their own weight.

I disagree - while obviously the internals wouldn't be as strong, there would be a point (for example, 0.4 of earth's gravity), where any lower wouldn't make you any weaker - because gravity is just acceleration, and you must be able to withstand acceleration at all points during your lifetime.