Well, my pet explanation that is the correct one, is that a light saberis hot and dangerous, just like Han Solo, because it is a tightly-confinedring of ultra-hot plasma kept in place by ludicrously strong and helical magnetic fields and powered by ..... something. A light saber's plasmemits enough light and heat to slice through just about anything. Ohhh! If a dark saber is supposedto operate in a similar way, then it should be designedin a similar way, right? Well, I'm not so sure. Star Wars lore implies that a dark saber is just a light saberthat uses black plasma instead of another color,like blue or green. But, (guttural noises) I don't think that's right.
If you could see theatoms and the molecules that make up the airyou're breathing right now, you would find that everythingis more or less together. Nuclei in these atoms havetheir associated electrons, and everything's chill. But if we started addingheat to the equation, or applied a very strongelectromagnetic field, you'd find that thingsget decidedly less chill, as atoms and molecules havetheir electrons ripped from them and everything is bouncing around and gaining more and more energy. Ho ho, not chill!
This is now plasma, one of the four states of matter. Gas that is partially or fully ionized. And a plasma can have ahuge temperature range, from basically coldenough for you to touch, like the plasma inside ofa fluorescent light tube in your office buildingthat makes you look sick, to hand cutting and star hot, something you shoulddefinitely not just grab! Ohh! This kind of heat, if a dark saber has it, is why it needs to be something else. Can I get a robot hand, please? Anything with a temperatureabove absolute zero will emit radiation. For example, you, with ahuman body temperature, emit radiation in the rangeof about 10 micrometers, in terms of wavelength. This is infrared, and it'salso why infrared cameras are good at finding humans.
Like you. And maybe me. A star, on the other robot hand, is hot enough to emit radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum, from IR up through visible radiation and all the way to x-ray. The relationship betweenan object's temperature and the wavelength ofradiation it's putting out can be characterized by what's called Wien's displacement law, which sketches out agraph, as you see here. Hotter and hotter objects, if you look at the graph, emit shorter and shorter wavelengths, which is why some of the hottest stars are blue-hot, even white-hot.
Now, if a light saber and a dark saber are hot enough to cut and cauterize, then they should be star-hot, very, very, hot. And looking at a normal light saber, you can infer from it's color that it must be thousands of kelvin. And there's no room on this graph for "black" plasma. So, since the canon is wide open as to how a dark saber's actually made, I'm gonna suggest that it'sexactly what it looks like, a black hole blade, hoooo. I know that sounds extreme, and it would introducea number of problems, however, a black hole blade would explain a few crucialaspects of dark saber design. First of all, the look. You probably already know that a black hole looks the way it does because any light thatwould be reflected off of it and return to your eye, is instead funneled down into oblivion. Why, though? If you wanted to leave the earth, and I don't blame you, the minimum velocity youwould need to give yourself is the velocity that would take you infinitely far away from the planet without ever falling back down the gravity well.
Not even light, going the fastest speedthere is in the universe, can escape it. And therefore it gets thischaracteristic voidness. If a dark saber had asimilar inescapability, it might look right, just like we see it in Star Wars. But where is this glow coming from? And is this what kids call a glow-up? I have no idea. Because black holesgobble up the information that would let us observe them directly, we have to rely on indirectevidence of their existence, like their warping of space-time, or the changing orbits of planets and stars in their vicinity.
But black holes aren't always so passive. As we explained in a previous episode about turning Jupiter into a star, using a black hole, in the presence of this kind of gravity, material will swirl arounddown the gravity well, forming what's called an accretion disc, that gets hotter and hotter as that material smashesup against itself. Accretion discs, or round black holes, can get so hot, in fact, that they can outshine entire galaxies. Now imagine a dark saberwith similar properties. It would have thischaracteristic voidness, but then it might also have that glow around the edge of the blade, in the form of a mini accretion disc, as material, like the air that it's in, falls down into it andcreates temperatures that should be hot enoughto slice the Sarlacc, or another Star Warsword that begins with S. Ssssaba the Hut.
No. A black hole blade would also explain the dark saber's final curious property. It's attraction (bird squawking) it's attraction (bird squawking). In Stars Wars lore, the dark saber has an almost magnet-likepulling effect on other objects, most notably, other light sabers. And this could be ablack hole's doing, too. Technically, everything in the universe is pulling on everythingelse at all times, no matter the mass andno matter the distance. The moon is pulling on you right now, as is Pluto. As am I, no matter howfar apart we actually are. Most of the time, this pulling is so small that you don't even notice. But if you put a black hole in a sword, you'd feel it! A black hole on the scaleof something like a sword, would be really heavy, like, trillions andtrillions of kilograms heavy. And so, according to the force of gravity, if you held this much mass, just, maybe an arm's length away, you'd be subjected to anincredible pulling force, so much that you would need something like six billion of our best rockets to pull you in the opposite direction.
IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkFeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder IamLinkfeeder
Everything near a black hole blade would be incredibly attractedto it (bird squawking) And, as you can see, this is where we startrunning into problems. Unfortunately, a black hole dark saber creates as many problems as it solves. Aahh! (bird squawking) The heaviest actual swordever used in human combat didn't weigh all that much, maybe around 15 pounds or so. But a black hole, somehowshaped into blade form, would be a bit heavier (cheesy muzak) A bit heavier. A black hole blade wouldobviously be so massive, no one could ever swing it, no-one could ever lift it. And it wouldn't justattract other objects, like light sabers, at arm's length.
It would, it would rip you apart. For example, if you tooka black hole dark saber and put it on the oppositeside of the planet, it would still pull on youwith 70 pounds of force, even a planet away. So, you can imagine, if you were close enoughto wield this thing, it would spaghettify(long drawn out moan). The other big problem is shape. A source of gravity pullsinwards in all directions through an object center of gravity. Not an actual point, just the mathematical averageof where all the weight is. Now, what shape wouldyou expect these forces to make something?
Gravity has to make everythingin the universe a sphere. Well, why then isn't everythingin the universe spherical, a young Padowan might ask? Well, that's because gravity is very weak, the weakest of nature'sfundamental forces. You can beat it right now on this planet with a simple hop. So, it's just the casethat most smaller objects have internal forces and structures that are stronger than gravity. It's not until you have,like, the mass of a planet, that gravity starts spherifying stuff. In fact, that's one of theways we classify planets.
If a dark saber was really made from, or had the properties of, a black hole, there is very little chance that it would maintain this shape. It would probably immediatelyreturn to a sphere. And then it's not a saber anymore, is it? It's like a spheratawk. No, that's worse than therm scissor punch. That doesn't work. So, where does that leave the dark saber? Well, a black hole bladewould be able to explain the look, the glow and the cutting heat, in my estimation. But it would create the immediate problems of mass, shape and spaghettifying gravity. My idea only really half works here, but it's the best scientificanalog I could find, and it's better than "TheForce" or "kyber crystals", because those don't really have good explanations themselves. It's not a perfect explanation, Sir, but it checks out. Kinda. Because Science. Whaaaaay (jibberish). (upbeat techno music) Thanks again to StarWars Jedi: Fallen Order, for sponsoring today's episode.
You play Cal Kestis, a Jedi Padowan who narrowlyescaped the purge of Order 66 following the events of EpisodeThree: Revenge of the Sith. Fallen Order is availableon Xbox One, PS4 and PC on November 15th. Look, I'll be the first to admit that this is certainlynot a perfect explanation. It has a lot of problems. But then we'd be in very good company with most Star Wars technology.
Wild blasters just shoot plasma that, kinda like, expandslike a little fart out and does nothing. Why does anti-gravitytech work on spaceships? Why Ewoks? There's a lot of problems with everything. Yub-nub. (electronic beeps)
Comments
Post a Comment