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How frequently is the winner of the election not the person/party that received the most votes? Most modern democracies select the government somewhat indirectly. The UK votes in 650 (currently, the number changes over time) separate constituencies each selecting a single MP by a first past the post method. Those MPs...	In the US the President has lost the popular vote 4 or 5 times,1876, 1888, (1960 depending on how you count the unpledged elector vote), 2000, and 2016.
Why does US confirm conducting strikes such as the one that targeted Qassem Soleimani? After the recent strike targeting Qassem Soleimani I am wondering why does US performs these attacks so bluntly while nowadays it is quite fashionable to deny involvement . I assume that in order to able to deny they should ...	America is a superpower, and reacting covertly to what are obviously challenges to its power in Iraq is actually more dangerous than responding decisively. The US public very much believes in retributive justice and this seems to extend to an international context. A denial would be easily seen for what it was, and the...
Are there any legislature that has a seat-switch system similar to the NI Assembly? The Northern Ireland Assembly has a "seat-switch system" (co-option) that allows for MLAs to be replaced without holding by-elections. As the BBC explains : Co-option is the only option when there is a gap on the benches of the Nort...	There is in Switzerland
Is there anything stopping an impeachment trial from being filibustered? So, in American politics, there is the tradition of the filibuster, where a legislator prevents a legislative activity from moving ahead by standing up and continuing to talk indefinitely, which has, over the course of time, evolved to a point whe...	They cannot filibuster.
Why would low-skilled British workers go to Sydney and Melbourne (in large numbers)? News from earlier this month The Australian government has turned down the UK’s offer of a post-Brexit trade agreement that included visa-free work and travel between the two countries. Trade minister Simon Birmingham said full fre...	It is not hard to see Australia as somewhere where the grass is greener if you are stuck in an unskilled job in the UK.
How are levelling seats allocated in Scandinavian elections? In Scandinavian countries such as Denmark and Sweden, their parliaments tend to be comprised of district seats (allocated based on vote count within the district) and levelling seats (allocated based on vote count nationwide). It's not clear to me how they a...	Leveling seats are allocated to candidates in order from the list submitted by the party before the election, for the leveling seats specifically, unless voters provide a new list by consensus which is applied instead.
Why does Bernie identify as Democrat, while everyone else says he is a Socialist, when he is actually a Social Democrat? Pretty much just that. I never knew why. Some people have said "because of the two-party system" but I don't really know what it means by the system, because there are definitely more than two partie...	Bernie Sanders is actually just loosely associated with the Democratic Party.
Why did the UK not trade more with countries outside the EU? The UK is leaving the EU in the process called Brexit. For companies in the UK, the interaction with customers in the EU will become more difficult for the customer. I suspect that it also becomes more difficult for the company in the UK, but that is not rel...	Leaving the EU does not make trade more favourable between the UK and other countries, it only makes it less favourable with EU countries.
In Marxist Theory, is use-value dependent on the amount of labour that goes into the creation of a commodity? In Marxist theory, is use-value dependent on the amount of labour that goes into the creation of a commodity? If so, is the relevant labour the amount of abstract social labour or useful-labour? I am asking ...	Things that are useful don't have use-value, they are use-values.
Does any department of the United States government have an official definition of cyberwarfare? I was able to read about cyber-warfare and how the United States regularly uses the term. However, the term is said to still be ambiguous with the former Cyber Security Coordinator for the Obama Administration saying that...	The term cyber warfare may also be used to describe attacks between corporations, from terrorist organizations, or simply attacks by individuals called hackers, who are perceived as being warlike in their intent.
Why should there not be witnesses in the 2020 impeachment trial? Why are the Democrats fighting for witnesses and why are the Republicans fighting against witnesses? Isn't it standard procedure to have witnesses in a trial? Like my title suggests, I'm wondering what the argument is to not have witnesses for the impeach...	The argument against witnesses is essentially "Given what's charged in the articles of impeachment, more facts is a waste of time."
Is the Senate Compelled to Acquit Trump? Given congress's recent decision to bar witnesses and evidence from being presented as part of President Trump's impeachment trial, are members of the Senate compelled to acquit based on lack of evidence? It seems akin to a prosecutor being prohibited from bringing evidence agai...	The Senate can rule however it wants regardless of the evidence.
Why are Presidential primaries usually a landslide for the incumbent? An incumbent President has only been denied his party's nomination five times, and only once did the incumbent initially become President via election. Why are Presidential primary elections usually landslides for the incumbent if they are running? <...	An incumbent has already won the election once, has a proven track record and national recognition, and has clout within his party that can sway people to support him.
Does the "viability threshold" in a caucus apply only to the 1st preference? Currently, only about 71% of the Iowa caucus results have been reported. Joe Biden's vote total is sitting at about 15.6%. If, after the remaining results are reported, his total drops below 15%, does he still receive delegates? Or for a mo...	Candidates must receive 15 percent of the final alignment vote to earn any of a precinct's state delegate equivalents, which will determine the number of pledged delegates awarded to each candidate.
Why is China interested in Socotra Rock? I have read about how China is trying to claim Socotra Rock (a submerged rock 4.6 meters below sea level) . However, this is not recognized by international law since the rock is 12 nautical miles from China's territory and is also claimed by South Korea, leading to tension . ...	While there may be military and political motivations as well, at least one of the primary motivations behind these territorial claims is likely Chinese overfishing .
Why are US budget implications estimated "over 10 years"? The federal budget in the US is proposed and approved annually. However, analysts and commentators very often explain budgetary measures "will cost X USD over 10 years" or "cuts program P by X USD over 10 years". A few examples: A question here on Poitics.SE ...	10 years is a bit of a compromise between long enough to capture effects and short enough to still have some accuracy.
Can a US President realistically pardon enough people to sway an election? Slightly inspired by this question , is there a limitation on the number of pardons a president could offer, such that it could sway the outcome of the next election? Take for example, Florida, typically a swing state, with an incarcerated po...	Yes , the pardoned might sway an election, but indirectly, and only if the pardoned persons have certain attributes:
Why did George H.W. Bush's approval rating drop so harshly during the second half of his presidency? During the presidency of Bush his approval rating reached a high of around 85 % as he was close to 800 days in the office before beginning a continous downward slide that put him as low as 27,6 % by day 1308 of his pres...	Might also be that the shine came off Gulf War 1, where everyone was happy at a job well done, but then gradually got disappointed that Saddam hung in and that the Shia revolts were left out to dry.
Which countries with single payer healthcare ban duplicative coverage? A single payer healthcare system is a system where all citizens have government health insurance. Now most countries with single payer healthcare allow people to buy supplemental private insurance, though some have restrictions on what that supplem...	The list of countries where duplicate coverage is not available is: Austria Belgium Canada Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Slovenia Sweden Switzerland Turkey Under most provincial and territorial laws, private insurers are restricted from offering coverage that duplicates that of the publicly funded plans, but they can ...
Is there any rule or law stopping Bernie Sanders from running as a third party candidate? This is a yes or no question. If the answer is yes, please explain why. If the answer is no, please explain how come. Note that I'm not asking whether it would be wise, immoral, stupid or "virtually guaranteeing Trump a victory" ...	yes, Sanders might be able to be a third party or independent candidate in some states, and no, he couldn't be one in other states.
Why are states easily won by Bernie Sanders in 2016 not supporting him in 2020? In Oklahoma, for example, the results of the 2016 primary gave Sanders a 10% lead over Clinton, while in Minnesota, the gap was even larger at 23%. In his home state of Vermont, Sanders won by over 70%. This election cycle, however, ...	Voter turnout was low among younger voters, and excitement for Sanders might have been dampened in places like Vermont where he was expected to win easily - his supporters there may not have felt as compelled to vote there as in the previous cycle. In Minnesota, an endorsement of one of Sanders' opponents by a popular ...
Why doesn't the US have a "Center Party"? As I understand the US system, there is the Democratic Party & Republican Party, whose members come from two wings: the moderates (center), and the left (Democratic) or right (Republican). This suggests that it'd be ideal for the political center to form its own "Center Party"...	The way that the Electoral College is structured in the Constitution basically makes it difficult or even impossible for a major third-party to coexist with the two major parties.
Do voters get to elect their governors and mayors in unitary states? I've read the introduction to the Wiki page, but I still don't get it: is there such a thing as regional elections in unitary states, for example Ukraine? President Zelensky appointed one governor, another — so it's how it's done in all unitary states...	Yes they do (in most cases).
Is "emergency socialism" a neologism, or does it have significant and deeper historical context? With Trump and other politicians talking about a form of a stimulus package for every adult in America as a means to address a dire situation, a turn of phrase has been popping about news articles and the like: "emergency s...	The term "emergency socialism" seems to have some very limited currency prior to this year, for example in a document from 2017, dicussing the history of Socialism in the UK:
Can the European Central Bank "print money" to partially mitigate the economical effects of the coronavirus infection spreading? SARS-CoV-2 infection managed to bring a significant part of the economy to a halt and it is expected for lots of companies to have cash flows problems (e.g. impossible to pay the suppliers). ...	The Federal Reserve lends to banks and other depository institutions--so-called discount window lending--to address temporary problems they may have in obtaining funding.
Why have some governments banned outbound international flights in response to COVID-19? Why have some governments banned outbound international flights in response to COVID-19? For example, the Philippines initially announced (but later reversed) a ban on outbound flights: Airports in Luzon [large island in Philipp...	Airports are just not good places to be during pandemics, for anyone, and restrictions on outbound flights as well as inbound will minimize the dangers those locales pose.
What is the difference between the terms 'government' and 'cabinet'? Does this sentence make sense? 'Arseniy Yatsenyuk, said a day earlier that the opposition might sit down with the government for talks if Prime Minister Mykola Azarov's Cabinet is dismissed.' ( source ) Aren't "Cabinet" and "the government" the s...	The cabinet is the assembly of so-called cabinet-level officials , often labeled ministers or secretaries.
Is the President of the United States obliged to answer questions in press conferences? Each time I see a press conference where President Trump is there, the reporters ask questions and he always answers them. Is he forced to do so by any law or something, or does the President just answer because it is part of democr...	He is not obliged to hold them at all, much less answer questions, or any specific questions.
Which Israeli city is recognized by other countries as its capital? I'm not interested in the official Israeli view, which is Jerusalem. Do other countries have an official stance on which city they recognize as Israel's capital? As a side question, does the Palestinian Authority recognize Jerusalem as Israel's ca...	The UN (though, not a country, a good starting example) officially doesn't recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital : China recognizes East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine.[60] So, it varies widely by country.
Did China have a good reason to not ban international travel during the COVID-19 lockdown when it banned travel to and out Wuhan inside of China? Did China have a good reason to not ban international travel during the COVID-19 lockdown when it banned travel to and out Wuhan inside of China? I hear sensationalized news ...	If China hard closed their borders back then , that would have disrupted international commerce and also the lives of countless foreign citizens.
What are the practical and effective feedback mechanism that normal citizens can use to present their views to the government? As a normal citizen, one of the problems in our political system is that the government lacks positive feedback from normal citizens, like me. For example, let's say the government introduces ...	Parties that introduce or support legislation that ordinary voters like tend to get more votes, which reinforces that party's position in the government. You did not mention where you come from and keep the question pretty abstract, but in Germany it is quite easy to talk to both state and federal legislators of your v...
Are US elections won by a majority of people? In The Hidden Election (1981), American conservative political activist and commentator Paul Weyrich was quoted as saying : So many of our Christians have what I call the goo-goo syndrome: good government. They want everybody to vote. I don't want everybody to vote. ...	When the Voting-Eligible Population (VEP) turnout rate is less than 50 percent, the election is decided by less than a majority of the people.
Why is the drinking age usually higher than the age of consent & driving age? If we look at the world map, most countries in the world have a legal drinking age of 18 . Comparatively the legal driving age in many countries is as low as 16 , and the age of consent is roughly similar at about 16 . Why is the legal dr...	Someone who drinks is less cognizant of risks and and less responsible, often in proportion to the amount they drink, and so communities try to ensure that one is fully mature before they are allowed to drink without restriction or parental consent. Age of consent is often set fairly low because historically 14-16 was ...
FDA Vaccine Approval - has or can the FDA approve multiple vaccines for the same virus? Currently there are several competing companies that are trying to develop a vaccine for SAR-Cov-2. As each company has said that they are going to engage in at-risk-production if they think that they have a "winner" (begin mass pro...	Two were developed simultaneously for Shingles.
Has a leader ever been so successful the opposition "switched sides"? (Not sure if this should be on the History SE) I'm thinking of something like this: say Alice is the Prime Minister, and Bob is the Leader of the Opposition. Alice does something which Bob strongly approves of, and Bob switches from being a member o...	John Bohlinger was the Republican Lieutenant Governor of Montana, became a Democrat in 2013. There are numerous cases of congressional members in the US (both House and Senate) switching parties.
Why isn't the Republic of Ireland a member of the Five Eyes Security Alliance? I observe that Rep. Ireland is a notable absentee from the group, despite being one of our 'Anglo Mates', and sharing the same views regarding Global security. EU membership aside, why is this? <Q> Ireland has had a policy of neutrality as f...	Ireland has demonstrated a very different viewpoint from the UK and US and their primary allies.
What powers does a US president have between the end of an election and the inauguration of the next president? I read a tweet earlier asking the hypothetical question of "what could Trump do between November and January if he lost the election?" In the UK, the election is lost and the winners enter 10 Downing Stree...	The President’s authority to exercise power begins immediately uponbeing sworn into office and continues until he is no longer theofficeholder.
Why haven't Ukraine and Russia declared war? Ukraine and Russia have technically been at war since 2014 but neither has declared war publicly. What's the reason not to declare war if it even mentioned in the Wikipedia? <Q> I think the main reason is probably because, if it's an "irregular war," other nations with in...	The short answer is that the practice of declaring war is no longer regarded as necessary; and as the other answers mention, it may provoke the other party, or force other countries to get involved.
Who are China's allies? The US has NATO/EU and other South/East/South-East Asian countries as its direct allies either by ideology or by pacts. Also, most US allies are either high-income countries or technologically/militarily advanced. In contrast, I don't see many countries that are close to China and/or able to re...	China enjoys favorable public opinion in many countries.
Is there mass unemployment in the USA or is there not? When reading statements of Donald Trump, e.g. this Tweet , there is a better employment rate than ever in the USA right now. But many news sources in Europe report, that there is mass unemployment. What is the actual state? Are there numbers that can be interprete...	Trump has indeed claimed something along the lines of "there is a better employment rate than ever in the USA right now". Essentially, there is a massive discrepancy between the unemployment numbers published by BLS vs. the unemployment claims reported by the DOL (Department of Labor).
What are Arguments in Favor of Qualified Immunity for Police Officers? Currently there is concern about police brutality and overreach. One suggestion I've heard often is ending qualified immunity, and there are many videos with convincing arguments for removing the legal doctrine or scaling it down. I'm having troub...	Both sides agree that using QI lowers the cost of police protection by insulating the police from groundless or harassing law suits.
Why doesn’t the Republican majority in the United States Senate reintroduce their heathcare legislation? Republicans have been touting to "repeal and replace Obamacare " ever since Obamacare was first passed under the Obama administration. In 2017 the republicans put out their healthcare bill on the Senate floor which...	With Democrat control of the House such a bill would have no chance of becoming law. A less informed, and more cynical answer than the previous posts: The republicans have no real plan, they are just against anything a democrat is for, and at this point have painted themselves into a corner by promising a narrow set of...
Does the Chinese Consulate in Houston have to comply with the closure order? According to Politico : The head of the Chinese Consulate in Houston won’t commit to closing the office — a direct threat of defiance to the State Department’s demand that it be shut down by Friday. In a wide-ranging interview with POLITIC...	When a receiving country orders a consulate to be closed, they will be given a reasonable period of time (generally a few days) to take the necessary actions to do so, including gathering documents, terminating lease agreements, and arranging for staff to leave the country.
What are some representative European political news sources? In an effort to become more exposed to perspectives from outside the US, I've sometimes looked for European news sites to read from. I read El Mundo for a while but I think it's a little more slanted than I was hoping for, though I'm not sure. I know about t...	The Irish Times , leans slightly liberal RTE is the public broadcaster (equivalent to the BBC for the UK), fairly neutral but not independent. tageschau.de , the news website of the ARD public broadcast service. Le Figaro is another well known newspaper, this time with a strong conservative orientation. The Süddeutsche...
Why are Deep South states said to vote so lop-sidedly Republican, when they have high percentages of African Americans? States like Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana, have in the range of 40% African Americans, who, from what I can tell, vote about 90% Democrat. Yet these states vote reliably Republican. What is the...	There is a slight but significant racial turnout gap and Republicans consistently win low percentages of the black vote .
Are British Prime Ministers forbidden from cycling? In The Guardian, 'Cycling ambitions for England move up a gear with No 10 plans', : Johnson is, famously, a keen city cyclist himself, even if high office means he now has to be ferried about by car. I wasn't aware of any restrictions on who could cycle, nor do ...	He was forced to give up cycling around London when he became foreignsecretary and then prime minister because of security precautions. The car that the Prime Minister uses comes with a number of security features designed to protect the Prime Minister in the event of an attack, such as armour plating and bulletproof g...
Would a President get to fill a Supreme Court vacancy just after he lost an election in November/December? Suppose an incumbent President loses an election in November and a supreme court vacancy were to emerge right after his loss but before the swearing-in of his successor. Would he be able to fill this vacancy espec...	There are no rules or limitations about when, where or who a President can nominte to a Supreme Court vacancy other than that the acting President must make the nomination and the current Senate must confirm the nominee by majority vote.
Is it important to know the final vote count (tally) of an election very soon after Election day? I realize that political parties and their candidates would like to know what the vote count is as soon as possible after the polls close. But I'm also aware that vote count is not finalized for at least 10 days after the ...	Thus, there is no requirement for the vote count to be known ‘very soon’ (within a day or two).
Why hasn't the UK sanctioned Hong Kong officials, like the USA? On August 7, 2020, the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned 11 individuals e.g. Chief Executive Carrie Lam , Secretary for Security John Lee Ka-chiu , Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng and Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Er...	It could have something to do with the importance of the US in international finance, but the UK is important that way, too.
Why did China target Australia for economic sanctions? China initiated an anti-dumping investigation against Australian wine. Previously, China had increased tariffs on Australian barley. Why did China do this? Is there merit to this claim? <Q> It's because they previously saw Australia as a weak link in the Wester...	There's also been increasing Aussie unease about Chinese political activities in Australia .
Do governments deliberately time unpopular policies or announcements to when the population is distracted? In a recent Economics Explained video "Emergency PSA - The End of YouTube in Australia" at 0:27 and 5:39 , there was a claim that a specific Australian policy may have been timed to be announced while the gener...	Presidents tend to issue executive orders, and specifically ones thatare likely to generate negative publicity, in coincidence with otherimportant events that distract the media and the public.
Why was the 18th amendment constructed with way it was? ...The manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors...is hereby prohibited The 18th amendment is pretty clear in its intent, but my question is why? Why did the amendment ban alcohol outright instead of simply giving Congress the power to regu...	Congress was given the power to make all the necessary laws, but only within the context of alcohol being banned.
Is California more liberal than Vermont? I was thinking about why California is more liberal, or at least more Democratic than Vermont. Here are a bunch of reasons that are strongly correlated with liberalism in the US. Demographic reasons: California has 60 times as many people. Its population density is over thre...	So it depends on how you look at it - in terms of raw numbers, California is more liberal.
Are Americans with strong ideological views less likely to be independent? I asked another question that sounds similar. I was thinking about political independents. I was wondering if they are less likely to have strong views on issues. This would make sense because political parties have largely become ideological ...	Independents – particularly the 7% of Americans who don’t lean towarda party – are less politically engaged than partisans.
Why didn't the Gulf countries diversify their economy in the last 100 years so that they can become less dependent on oil? In the Gulf, oil was discovered in the early 20th century. This is the 21st century and these gulf countries are still far behind diversifying their economy. Why? Why didn't the Gulf countries div...	Tourism is a possibility, but many people from outside the Middle East either dislike the restrictions on alcohol and sexual activity or disapprove of the migrant labor conditions used to support the tourism industry.
What science fiction novels have well developed alien languages? I've got Native Tongue on my shelf, which is notable for having a language embedded in the story that can be spoken. What else should I add to my reading list? I'm in particularly looking for books with developed languages, not just a few exotic place ...	The Languages of Pao , by Jack Vance in which the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis is a central plot theme, where the language of the Pao people is manipulated to alter their perception. I'm thinking of Neal Stephensen's Anathem , which has a very well-developed language that is mostly english, but many of the names of objects a...
What are the different works for Film and Television based on the works of Philip K. Dick? I recently finished watching the great series "Total Recall 2070" that was based on Philip K. Dick's universe. Philip K. Dick's absurdist blendings of philosophical problems with Sci-Fi has a unique flavor, so I'm looking for an...	Amazon has produced another series called Electric Dreams , which is an anthology-type series of episodes inspired by Dick.
What was "Bob" in Twin Peaks? I understand that Bob somehow possessed Leland Palmer, but what exactly was he and what was his relationship to the Black Lodge? What was his origin? <Q> He was described as 'a demonic being' who feeds on pain and suffering by inhabiting humans and manipulating them to commit violence. <...	He originated from The Black Lodge, which was a place of evil in another dimension. In a less philosophical matter, Bob is actually a technician (the actor), that appeared at the bottom of a shoot by chance.
What is the chronological order of the novels in Asimov's Foundation series? I've been meaning to read the Foundation series but haven't quite been able to figure out which book to read first. Does anyone know the correct chronological order of the books in the series? Are there any drawbacks to reading the Foundation ...	The chronological order is: Prelude to Foundation
How to keep suspension of disbelief with older works? How to keep suspension of disbelief when reading/watching science fiction works written quite some time ago which are happening in what was future then, but is present or even past now? The things people imagined then that would exist in future may not really exis...	When the book was written is just one more thing to take into account when reading a book, in addition to who wrote it and where they wrote it.
Which was the first novel set in universes where P=NP? I wonder whether anyone has written a novel set in a universe where P=NP , in the event that there is more than one, which was the first? In this universe all problems that could be verified in polynomial time (NP) (given the solution) could also be solved in po...	In the fanfic Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality by Eliezer S. Yudkowsky, Harry gets a time machine and tries to factor the product of two large prime numbers using this machine, with a somewhat weird result.
Are there any plans for a new Babylon 5 series or movies? I loved the series and all the movies, and I even watched ' Crusade ' which was awesome. But it's been a while since I've heard of any new Babylon 5 movies . On the other hand, the series creator Michael Straczynski may have some additional clout from rec...	It appears that there are no current plans to continue:
When did Obi-Wan Kenobi learn that Anakin was "dead"? Obi-Wan left Anakin for dead, and one movie later (in A New Hope ) he was saying Anakin had been killed by Darth Vader. What exactly did Obi-Wan know about Anakin and Darth Vader before A New Hope started? <Q> Obi-wan was lying to Luke. <S> He knew full-well tha...	Certainly he knew that Darth Vader was not literally dead, but Anakin Skywalker was.
Is there a novel using a Dyson Sphere as setting? In the ringworld-novels of Larry Niven the author uses a giant ring around the sun as setting. The concept that is going more extrem in this direction is a Sphere around a sun. That concept is called Dyson Sphere . Does a work of SF explores this concept? <Q> Yes, th...	The setting of Halo:Wars was a Dyson Sphere. I'll just throw out the Virga series by Schroeder, starting with the first book in the series, Sun of Suns .
What is the precise definition of 'Steampunk'? What's Steampunk? I've heard the term tossed around but I'm not sure what it means. I've seen some Steampunk websites and pictures of costumes at SF conventions but I don't get what the movement is about. Can someone explain what it is and which books/movies/shows are St...	Steampunk is widely called "Victorian science-fiction."
Who is the inventor of cyberpunk? Is there one person or creator cited as the inventor of cyberpunk? <Q> Cyberpunk (the genre, not the name) wasn't actually invented by any single person, but emerged from the works of various authors who contributed to its definition and evolution; Gibson was indeed one of its greatest...	The term "cyberpunk" is almost universally associated with William Gibson and, to a lesser extent, to some other authors; but Gibson didn't create this literary genre, end he even didn't create its name , which was first used by Bruce Bethke as a title for one of his short stories.
In the Dune series, why are they not using computers and programming related technologies? I've never quite understood this about the series. They have space travel, but most other things about their universe seem primitive compared to ours. <Q> The punishment for violation is death. <S> From the glossary in the orig...	They are using mentats , the human equivalent of a computer, which came with analytical capabilities - the equivalent of programming, and with mnemonic abilities - the equivalent of computer data storage (databases). It is connected to the Buthlerian Jihad - the crusade against computers and AI technologies that left t...
Why is the destination of the Discovery in 2001: A Space Odyssey Saturn in the book and Jupiter in the movie? So, in the book in 2001 , it says the monolith is around Saturn, and in the movie, it says it's around Jupiter. Also, in 2010 , they both agree that it's around Jupiter. Why is that? <Q> The book and the film...	In general, I suspect that the decision to shift the Discovery One 's destination to Jupiter for the film was probably based on a number of factors including special effects, accuracy and narrative simplicity.
What influence did H.P. Lovecraft have on science fiction? The main focus of Lovecraft's works are indeed... aliens . Lots and lots of aliens. Some visited Earth and lived on it. Some battled between themselves. Some built cities. Some destroyed cities. Some created civilizations (some of which collapsed and left ruin...	Lovecraft certainly wrote science fiction, some of it clearly influencing later writers.
How is the universal translator device in Star Trek supposed to work? It is stated that Star Trek characters can talk freely with aliens using the universal translators, later built-in their com badges; but is it also mentioned somewhere how this device is supposed to work? <Q> It isn't consistent. <S> The existence of...	The translator would use AI, probably artifical, and similar to what is available in Google translate, (but much better, as it's set in fictional universe, but close it will be in this time frame) from a starting point, take a speech sample from the new alien, and use different search algorithms to match, on different ...
Are any Sci-Fi video games considered canon? I believe the question speaks for itself, but to elaborate, I cannot think of any video games based on an existing IP that are actually considered canonical. For example, there exists a large library of Star Wars novels that are considered canon by Lucasfilms, but I know of ...	If you want to find games that generate canon for a universe, you almost have to look for worlds that started with games.
In Paolo Bacigalupi's The Windup Girl, what real world device does a kink spring correspond to? In "The Windup Girl," there is frequent talk about kink-spring devices. Googling kink-springs doesn't turn up anything. Is this a real technology or has it been made up or is this just the same as the torsion spring in a pla...	It's similar to the wind-up tech used in olden toys and watches. Apparently it may one day be possible to create springs with the kind of energy densities that occur in the book: Carbon Nanotube Super Springs It's made-up technology that is not actually possible in the real world (or rather, cannot be made capable of s...
What is the origin of the phrase "on the gripping hand?" Where does the phrase "on the gripping hand" come from and what does it mean in the context of that work, The Gripping Hand ? I'll add that I just finished reading The Mote in God's Eye and this is not the origin of the phrase, as I had suspected. <Q> This no...	The way I understand the history, the concept of a “gripping hand” did originate in The Mote in God's Eye (published in 1974).
Why did people look at each others hands in The Book of Eli? In the movie The Book of Eli , some of the characters look at each others hands the first time they meet. I don't recall any explanation of this behavior in the movie. What were they doing and why? <Q> They looked at each other's hands to see if they were ...	They were checking to see if the other persons hands were steady, or were they shaking.
What was the origin of Star Trek's Borg? Was there any explanation of the origin of the Borg from Star Trek? I've seen most of the TV shows but not read any books - is it explained there? <Q> This was covered in David Mack's Star Trek: <S> Destiny series of books. <S> Whether this is considered canon or not is up fo...	I would assume that the Borg were at some point a primitive life form (it is not clear to me what the Borg actually are ) which through practiced evolution through assimilation - and at some point they became technologically advanced (and therefore worthy of the name)
Is there a website that shows which SF book/film awards there are? What website references the SF awards that are awarded to science fiction books and films? <Q> There's a website devoted to tracking and reporting on SF awards, so I suggest you start there. <S> The awards they currently list are: Aeon AwardAndre Nor...	Locus tracks just about every SF Award ever given at The Locus Index to Science Fiction Awards
What resources exist to help SF fans meet other fans, face-to-face? Where can SF fans who want to attend informal fannish gatherings find such gatherings? Meetup.com can be spotty, and there are lots of groups that don't have a presence there. <Q> Conventions! <S> I've been going to SF conventions since the 1970s...	Reach out to nearby users on GoodReads .
Heinlein book(s) with FTL travel? I'm a new Heinlein fan and also an FTL (faster-than-light) fan. Did he write any books where FTL was possible? All the ones I've read so far have been intra-system (Sol) only. <Q> Methusaleh's Children featured an experimental FTL drive by one of the characters that was essential t...	I believe Starship Troopers had FTL, but I am unclear as to how it works. The Number of the Beast , The Cat Who Walks Through Walls , and To Sail Beyond the Sunset all have a universe-hopping device that serves as an FTL stand-in In addition to those already mentioned: Friday Citizen of the Galaxy
Are The Three Laws of Robotics explicitly defined in one of the Asimov's stories? I want to know if The Three Laws of Robotics are explicitly defined in one of the Asimov's robot stories. In which one? I am asking this question because I remember reading something about the laws being compiled by his editor. <Q> Accord...	The Three Laws are listed in full in many of his robot stories.
What was Asimov's contribution to real-world robotics? Isaac Asimov is one of the (if not the most) important figures of robotics in science fiction. Has he had an influence on the development of real-world robotics (in science or industry)? <Q> Well for starters, he coined the term 'robotics'. <S> EDIT: <S> I w...	As mentioned above, he did coin the term "robotics."
What was the robot's name in "Lost in Space"? I don't recall him ever actually being called anything but names by Dr. Smith. <Q> <A> I remember (watching the show in reruns as a kid) the robot as the "B-9 Environmental Control Robot". <S> On his "packaging" (a box or a metal cabinet, I think) you can see the name G.U....	He was usually referred to as just "Robot", but officially named Robot B-9.
Is there a novelization of Pandorum? Is there a novelization of Pandorum? If not, did anyone else write about the inhabitants of a generation ship going feral? <Q> Like most of RAF's work it is well worth reading. <A> " Orphans of The Sky " by Robert A Heinlein. <S> It is very different from most of his other book...	" Universe " by Robert A Heinlein is a story along these lines. " Mayflies " by Kevin O'Donnell tells the story of a generation ship, built as an escape from a dying Earth.
Fictional languages: How prevalent is it in SF stories compared to fantasy stories? I've come across numerous instances of the development of well-developed fictional language in fantasy stories. How common is it for well-developed fictional languages to be developed in science fiction writing? I'm thinking specifical...	You're unlikely to find many well-developed languages in fiction, because an author's job is normally to tell a story, not to develop a language.
What are the visual differences between Boba and Jango Fett's armor? Or, how exactly can you tell them apart? Is the armor completely the same except for the color, or are there some other differences? <Q> Here is a nice side-by-side that illustrates all of the differences. <A> Jango (on the right) has fresher, clea...	Boba's visor is also thin and Jango's is thicker.
What Sci fi story featured a linear accelerator for space launch? Trying to find a story that I read a couple years back -- Can't recall if it was an online short or something in print, though I'm fairly certain it wasn't more than novella length. The protagonist built a linear accelerator based on a mountain top and ...	In a long book series format, there is FireStar by Michael Flynn, where the main character develops a single stage to orbit launcher, but scams her competitors into competing with her, and one builds the Boomer, a fuel ramjet gun that launches up a mountain side (and booms them into orbit).
How did the Skylark deal with the Einstein light-speed limit? In Skylark Three by E.E. "Doc" Smith, the Skylark has an acceleration of five times the speed of light, and in The Skylark of Valeron , it has nearly unlimited acceleration. Is there any indication of how the light speed limit was overcome? It seems to ...	The Skylark Three had a Fenachrone style drive, which accelerated every particle in the ship and its contents equally, so
What FTL drives in science-fiction are the most scientifically plausible? Science-fiction has used wormhole travel, hyperdrive, teleportation, even sub-FTL flight combined with time travel o get characters there and back again. Even hard science-fiction writer Larry Niven has used faster-than-light drives, and he admit...	Another possibility is the hyperspace of Asimov's Foundation series, in which hyperspace is a single point that can be jumped through to any point in the universe.
Who are Blake's 7? In the TV series Blake's 7 , there were varying numbers of crew members of the Liberator and Scorpio , but never 8. With Blake, there was Avon, Vila, Jenna, Gan and Cally. By the time Dayna, Tarrent and Soolin arrive, Blake is gone, so they are hardly 'his' 7. If you include Orac and Zen there ...	The original seven, referred to in the title, are Blake, Avon, Vila, Jenna, Gan, Cally and Zen.
Who rules the universe at the end of the Dune saga? Back in the day, I read the first 2 1/2 or so Dune books and I'm wondering who ends up ruling the universe at the end of the series. I know there was a Sandworm Atreides emperor who ruled for a few millennia and then he committed suicide due to galactic stagnation....	No named character rules the Universe at the end of the Dune saga.
How does the Impeller Wedge in the Honor Harrington series work? I may have missed it somewhere, but how does the impeller wedge in the Honor Harrington series work. I am only a couple of books in, but I don't quite understand how the impeller wedge works to offer both propulsion and an invincible shield for part of th...	The Honorverse wiki says of the Impeller drive : The impeller drive created a pair of stressed gravity bands above and below a ship, known as the impeller wedge.
What is the origin of all Star Wars movies? Please dispel (or confirm, but I doubt) this thing I keep hearing about Star Wars. I heard that all 6 Star Wars movies had been written many years before their filming, even before the first movie came out. This is something that came to me over the years in bits and pieces. ...	According to The Making of The Empire Strikes Back , Lucas wrote out a guide that eventually became the original trilogy, but after submitting it to Fox, they said cut it down to the size of one movie, which became A New Hope .
What stories are set in George R.R. Martin's 'future history' universe? (the setting for Dying of the Light) Dreamsongs vol 1 lists the following in the intro to Section 3: The Hero (mentioned) Dying of the Light (first novel, mentioned) Included in Dreamsongs Vol 1 A Song for Lya This Tower of Ashes And Sever ...	"Men of Greywater Station" (Mentions Fyndii)
In the Star Wars universe, how are midichlorians supposed to work? Taking aside whether connecting a mystical energy to a biological basis is a good idea or not, how is it supposed to work? I know that generally the more midichlorians, the more Force potential. Is it explained in one of the expanded universe books? <Q>...	Midichlorians are a type of organism that have a closer link to the most fundamental elements in the universe.
When did the terms science fiction and sci-fi enter our vernacular? I know there's some debate on exactly when "science fiction" itself became a genre, but I'm curious if anyone knows either 1) when the term science fiction was coined and 2) when sci-fi became accepted, too. <Q> You can have statistics on the terms u...	From Wikipedia: Gernsback started the modern genre of science fiction by founding the first magazine dedicated to it, Amazing Stories , in 1926.
Who invented or theorized the replicator? I've been told that a scientist theoretically invented the idea of a replicator, like the one used in Star Trek. Can anyone confirm this, or cite the first use of a replicator-type technology in science fiction? <Q> In one of the Tom Swift novells, started in 1910 (!!! <S>...	R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) Seems to be the first time there was talk about self replicating machines. Primo Levi’s short stories about the ‘mimer’, from 1966 (English translations appeared in the 1990 collection The Sixth Day and Other Tales ), are quite notable early examples, although certainly not the earlie...
What was LOST About? I watched every episode. I discussed every episode. In the end it all would be explained, but I'm confused as to what happened in the last episode: They were all dead from day one and in some kind of limbo performing activities that were generated by their own imagination. No time travel, no UFO...	The Island was a sort of container (bottle) for some important energy - if the light goes out then bad things happen (e.g. end of world, end of goodness, end of afterlife). I see two possibilities: Limbo Split realities due to time travel (the island having been sunk in one reality), travel of consciousness between the...
Are there subgenres for science fiction with accurate science vs. made up science? Are there terms that describe a science fiction story that strictly adheres to, I guess, plausible science concepts and technology versus science fiction were the science is really just made up and is theoretically impossible? I know a l...	The usual term is " hard science ."
What is the law regarding magic in the BBC TV show Merlin? I started watching Merlin and I've noticed that it isn't clear what law Uther exactly imposed. Is being a magician outlawed (Gaius is still alive because he stopped using magic), or Is using magic outlawed? If using magic is outlawed, why did they look...	If you can do magic, and are discovered, you are put to death.
Other than River Tam, are there any other Psychics in the Firefly 'verse? Since it's introduced quite early in the series, I was surprised that no further psychics turned up in Serenity (if there's one there's two). Are there any other instances of psychics in the Firefly universe (or 'verse) in the rest of the canon?...	The only potentially canonical source that directly states the possibility of more psychics is the roleplaying book Serenity , where Psychic is a trait any character can pick up.
Is the Klingon language fully realized, or just a handful of disconnected phrases? I watch Big Bang Theory a lot and notice they sometimes speak to each other in Klingon and I remember at one point seeing a poster, when I was little, with a bunch of Klingon phrases for like, "where is the bathroom" and "please kill m...	It is a full-fledged language, in the sense that it has a developed grammar and thousands of words, though it is lacking vocabulary for some things.

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