Force field (science fiction)
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In science fiction and fantasy literature, a force field is a barrier made up of energy to protect a person, area or object from attacks or intrusions. The idea may be based partly on the concept of a vector field, though in character they resemble the "warding spells," the defensive magic used by Druids and Shamans to prevent harm wrought by malice of evil beings.
Science fiction venues postulate a number of potential uses for force fields, especially in the television series Star Trek:
- A barrier to allow workers to work in areas that can be exposed to the vacuum of space, keeping the atmosphere inside while allowing certain other objects to pass through.
- Emergency quarantine of an area afflicted by some sort of agent (ex: poison gas) to prevent it from spreading.
- The extinguishing of a fire by forcing the reaction to use up all the available oxygen in the confined space.
- As a shield (in some cases large enough to cover an entire planet) to protect something from damage by natural forces or enemy attack.
- To create a temporary habitable space in a place not usually suited to sustaining life.
- As a security method to direct someone in a particular direction for capture.
- For cell doors in jails and prisons.
Research and development
The plasma window is a real-life technology that partially recreates the functionality of a force field, providing a separation between vacuum and gas that allows some radiation and energetic particles to pass through. However, there is currently only one scientifically valid method of creating a 'force shield': the use of electromagnetism to affect the movement of metallic objects. No power sources currently exist that could possibly create a field of sufficient strength to act as a protective device. Thus, force fields remain firmly in the realm of science-fiction.
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