Department of Overlooked Technologies, Unusual Effects, and Forgotten Weapons
- Thread starter NHBL
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I've been looking into the posibilities of 1920's transisters. It would take cat's whisker crystal technology leading to intensive research into semiconductors. Point contact diodes would lead into exploring the effects of fields, currents and charges on the flow of current through a semiconductor. Doped Germanium would initially offer more success (the first point contact transister/triode) it would take a year to make 4000 of these early prototypes. Two years on plastic (epoxy resin) bead cases would be used to increase stability from the early metal cartridges.(Bell Labs)
Two years on from that a new type of transister, the NPN grown junction transister, would lead to cheaper manufacture and increased reliability. Based on techniques developed in 1917 by the Polish chemist Jan Czochralski, they suspended a small “seed” crystal of germanium in a crucible of molten germanium and slowly withdrew it, forming a long, narrow, single crystal. They fabricated p-n junctions by dropping tiny pellets of impurities into the molten germanium during the crystal-growing process. Then they began adding two successive pellets into the melt, the first with a p-type impurity and the second n-type, forming n-p-n structures with a thin inner, or base, layer. A year later, such “grown-junction transistors” surpassed the best point-contact transistors in performance.(Bell Labs)
Three years later a silicon grown junction transister would be prototyped. the team had worked night and day on the dual tasks of producing the silicon crystals with electrically satisfactory junctions, and developing methods of fabricating silicon transistors. Then it all came together. Using high-purity silicon material, the team grew a silicon crystal. They cut a quarter-inch bar from the crystal and attached the electrical contacts to it.
((-“Contrary to what my colleagues have told you…,” he began. His message stunned everyone who heard it: Silicon transistors were a fact. Texas Instruments was producing them.
After a moment of silence, someone in the audience yelled, “Did you say you have the silicon transistor in production?”
“Yes,” Teal answered, “we have three types of silicon transistors in production. I happen to have a few in my pocket.” Now came the props.
Teal turned and switched on an RCA 45-rpm turntable, playing the swinging sounds of Artie Shaw's “Summit Ridge Drive.” The germanium transistors in the amplifier of the record player were dunked in a beaker of hot oil, and the sound died away as the devices failed from the high temperature. Then Teal switched over to an identical amplifier with silicon transistors, placed it in the hot oil, and the music played on. One conference attendee was heard shouting into a pay phone in the lobby, “They've got the silicon transistor down in Texas.” The silicon age had arrived in Teal's coat pocket.))
Flip-flop bistable logic circuits had been designed in 1919, so it wouldn't take long to develop large scale logical operations given reliable, low power components.
Two years on from that a new type of transister, the NPN grown junction transister, would lead to cheaper manufacture and increased reliability. Based on techniques developed in 1917 by the Polish chemist Jan Czochralski, they suspended a small “seed” crystal of germanium in a crucible of molten germanium and slowly withdrew it, forming a long, narrow, single crystal. They fabricated p-n junctions by dropping tiny pellets of impurities into the molten germanium during the crystal-growing process. Then they began adding two successive pellets into the melt, the first with a p-type impurity and the second n-type, forming n-p-n structures with a thin inner, or base, layer. A year later, such “grown-junction transistors” surpassed the best point-contact transistors in performance.(Bell Labs)
Three years later a silicon grown junction transister would be prototyped. the team had worked night and day on the dual tasks of producing the silicon crystals with electrically satisfactory junctions, and developing methods of fabricating silicon transistors. Then it all came together. Using high-purity silicon material, the team grew a silicon crystal. They cut a quarter-inch bar from the crystal and attached the electrical contacts to it.
((-“Contrary to what my colleagues have told you…,” he began. His message stunned everyone who heard it: Silicon transistors were a fact. Texas Instruments was producing them.
After a moment of silence, someone in the audience yelled, “Did you say you have the silicon transistor in production?”
“Yes,” Teal answered, “we have three types of silicon transistors in production. I happen to have a few in my pocket.” Now came the props.
Teal turned and switched on an RCA 45-rpm turntable, playing the swinging sounds of Artie Shaw's “Summit Ridge Drive.” The germanium transistors in the amplifier of the record player were dunked in a beaker of hot oil, and the sound died away as the devices failed from the high temperature. Then Teal switched over to an identical amplifier with silicon transistors, placed it in the hot oil, and the music played on. One conference attendee was heard shouting into a pay phone in the lobby, “They've got the silicon transistor down in Texas.” The silicon age had arrived in Teal's coat pocket.))
Flip-flop bistable logic circuits had been designed in 1919, so it wouldn't take long to develop large scale logical operations given reliable, low power components.
I have found a site with an excellent timeline going back to Faraday's discovery of semiconductors. It goes into great detail at each milestone towards silicon chips and then modern digital processing.
http://www.computerhistory.org/semiconductor/timeline/1833-first.html
The following site offers an overview of electronics, components and circuits:
http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_3/index.html
http://www.computerhistory.org/semiconductor/timeline/1833-first.html
The following site offers an overview of electronics, components and circuits:
http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_3/index.html
Phonics
Before we get too back patty about the Roman alphabet and the English language lets look at an improvement on that:
http://www.thrass.co.uk/keyfacts.htm
http://www.unifon.org/
Easier to learn to read and write. A logical, phonetic language with practical application. Leads onto harder languages (like English!).
Before we get too back patty about the Roman alphabet and the English language lets look at an improvement on that:
http://www.thrass.co.uk/keyfacts.htm
http://www.unifon.org/
Easier to learn to read and write. A logical, phonetic language with practical application. Leads onto harder languages (like English!).
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This might sound too much ASB, but... what about Nikola Tesla's inventions?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla
In the first years of the 20th century, he tried to build a radio antenna that could transmit to the whole world, but it failed miserably. If this had happened, perhaps a better coordination between the countries (especially after the League of Nations establishment) could have developed.
Also, his investigations into the wireless transmission of electricity could have, if better investigated, translated into a way to send electricity from the electric power stations to the homes without using any kind of cables (a possible outcome of this is that Chile is poorer than in reality, since they are one of the main producers of copper).
His blade-less turbines could have also been used, and something not many people know is that Tesla had already found about X-rays before Röntgen published his discoveries. His arc lamp could have meant that incandescent lamps (much more consuming than fluorescent lamps, which are low-pressure mercury arc lamps) could have been less used, with the consequent save of money.
He had too some things that could have been used by the military: Tesla Coils as defensive structures (way too much imaginative, and already used in the Command & Conquer: Red Alert series) or VTOL aircraft (this would give the Air part of the army a bigger edge, since they would need smaller spaces for the landing and taking off, and thus the airport bombing that was used in WWII wouldn't have much success), for example.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla
In the first years of the 20th century, he tried to build a radio antenna that could transmit to the whole world, but it failed miserably. If this had happened, perhaps a better coordination between the countries (especially after the League of Nations establishment) could have developed.
Also, his investigations into the wireless transmission of electricity could have, if better investigated, translated into a way to send electricity from the electric power stations to the homes without using any kind of cables (a possible outcome of this is that Chile is poorer than in reality, since they are one of the main producers of copper).
His blade-less turbines could have also been used, and something not many people know is that Tesla had already found about X-rays before Röntgen published his discoveries. His arc lamp could have meant that incandescent lamps (much more consuming than fluorescent lamps, which are low-pressure mercury arc lamps) could have been less used, with the consequent save of money.
He had too some things that could have been used by the military: Tesla Coils as defensive structures (way too much imaginative, and already used in the Command & Conquer: Red Alert series) or VTOL aircraft (this would give the Air part of the army a bigger edge, since they would need smaller spaces for the landing and taking off, and thus the airport bombing that was used in WWII wouldn't have much success), for example.
True. Also, even if there is some damage, there is a big difference between tons on all of the fields and wetlands in an area, and spraying the insides of residences once a year. Note, the second is where the big drop in people getting malaria is from.
There were a few countries pre-WWI that used a 6.5 mm rifle round. If the US had had one of those as their standard rifle rounds in WWI (possible if unlikely), the BAR (assuming it was still invented, would probably have used it too. It would have been an OK, if still a bit heavy (even several lb lighter than OTL) assault rifle.
Another way to approach it would be by scaling up an SMG rather than scaling down an automatic rifle. Say something like a .357 with an unrimmed case. Someone who liked SMG's in WWI but wanted another 50-100 meters of range could have thought of it.
9mm Mauser was essentially as powerful as the .357 self defense loads and was used in several SMGs.
So long as we're on rifles. This guy actually invented a simple flintlock breechloader based on an improved early 19th century Hall action, but would have been producible a century earlier.
http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_experiments/breechml/breechml.html
The original Garand was built for a .270 (7mm) round. The Army pushed it up to .30-06 to ease supply issues since that gave the infantry rifle, the squad automatic, and the medium machine gun the same cartridge. The Army also wanted a long range "man-killer", something that the .270 or 6.5mm wasn't (and isn't).
If you look at the ballestic tables you will find that the 9mm para and .357 mag are remarkably similar in bullet energy. The .357 has slightly flatter flight and is slightly high in mv but it isn't enough of a difference to come up with an automatic system to handle the cartridge.
The Rheinmetal FG 42 is another example of a failed attempt to develop a fully automatic/semi-auto battle rifle around a full powered rifle cartridge. The weapon was for all intents andpuroses impossible to control on full auto. Another two technologies that never combined during WWII were the submarine and the bombardment rocket. Consider a Gato Class fleet boat equipped with racks carrying the typical type of bombardment rocket used by the US for softening up beaches. Such a sub could carry out attacks on isolated Japanese bases that could possibly threaten US shipping via aircraft. Instead of hitting the bases with carrier based aviation one or two Gato's could of hit these bases with lets say 2 to 300 six rockets at far less cost while risking far less personnel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FG_42
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FG_42
Another look at the Gatling...
It seems that, when the electric Gatling Gun of the 1890's comes up, people point out the weakness of black powder. Yet, suppose that someone in the Department of the Navy heard about it, and modified it for use with smokeless powder...or more likely mad a gun that would stand up to smokeless without bursting. Close in anti-torpedo boat weapon, which can grow into new roles...
It seems that, when the electric Gatling Gun of the 1890's comes up, people point out the weakness of black powder. Yet, suppose that someone in the Department of the Navy heard about it, and modified it for use with smokeless powder...or more likely mad a gun that would stand up to smokeless without bursting. Close in anti-torpedo boat weapon, which can grow into new roles...
Technology steps backwards
From about 1927, someone could have predicted transistors from theory (you just need to think about how a lattice scatters a wavefunction). One military application would be proximity fused anti-aircraft shells (assuming that you also know about radar) as transistors resist acceleration better than valves. Thus we can imagine that battleships and armies could have defended themselves effectively from aircraft during ww2.
From about 1927, someone could have predicted transistors from theory (you just need to think about how a lattice scatters a wavefunction). One military application would be proximity fused anti-aircraft shells (assuming that you also know about radar) as transistors resist acceleration better than valves. Thus we can imagine that battleships and armies could have defended themselves effectively from aircraft during ww2.
pacifichistorian
Banned
Could have been done in the 1820s, had the Congreve rocket been seen as anything beyond a toy. Air to surface, surface to air, & air to air rockets in the U.S. Civil War, anyone?
Mind you, DDT is bad, since it concentrates itself as it goes up the food chain...
DDT was enormously important in suppressing malarial mosquitoes in Africa...
Give me a break. Malthus & the Club of Rome don't know what they're talking about. Malthus predicted Britain would starve, not recognizing the birth rate was dropping in lockstep with the death rate, because it was happening as he wrote. 200 years later, the Club of Rome doesn't recognize Malthus got it wrong. What's their excuse? The trouble in Africa is the self-appointed do-gooders, like Bill Gates, doing everything they can to reduce the death rate, but nothing to reduce the birth rate by improving standards of living, which is what happened in Britain & was a direct cause of doing both. The neo-Malthusian green nitwits want just the opposite: lower standards of living in the developed world. Their ideal, apparently, is for everybody to live in a low-rent Hell like Africa, just like Malthus predicted if standards of living didn't rise (as they did...), rife with war, plague, & famine, & one Malthus didn't predict, genocide. No thanks.
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pacifichistorian said:
The man tries to redeem himself from the taint of monopoly capitalism, encourages (and, more importantly, funds) some pretty serious public policy work as a global citizen, and what does he get?
He's accused of running some sort of 'neo-Malthusian green nitwit' trilateral commission. Not even the most fervent Mac loyalist would reckon him deserving of such rot.
pacifichistorian
Banned
I didn't "accuse" Gates of anything, let alone being a "neo-Malthusian green nitwit". Nor am I a "fervent Mac loyalist". I am convinced his approach to solving Africa's problems is as stupid as the use of foreign aid to provide medicines which cap the death rate before doing something to bring the birth rate down. Or do you disagree this is exactly what the Gates Foundation has been doing?
pacifichistorian
Banned
I really have to wonder why you'd switch to IC after pulsejets, rather than simply fit pulsejets, or RATO, in drop pods for takeoff, then switch to ramjets (simpler still) for flight.
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Basic comprehension, dear fellow, I never accused you of being a 'fervent Mac loyalist', while you certainly did align Bill with 'neo-Malthusian green nitwits'. Everything else you say is just too much for me to want to process...
Mussleburgh
Banned
I know a someone who makes them in the US. He actually hand makes them! Sorry bit of a side track.
To be fair, what he said is that Bill Gates, et al, are doing everything they can to reduce the death rate, while doing nothing to (improve living standards, and therefore) reduce the birth rate. Whereas, these "neo-Malthusian green nitwits", whoever they are, apparently want to
I'm... somewhat confused by this. Since I personally know plenty of Greens, but don't know any who want to do this. All the ones I know want us to live less environmentally damaging lives, certainly... this does not imply a reduction in the standard of living. In fact it would be a better life in general. Possibly pacific is assuming that 'consuming less stuff = lower standard of living', for some reason.
It reminds me a little of one person's reaction when they found I was a socialist - "What? So you want everyone to be poor?" - which was just so... wrong I didn't know where to start.