From Newsgroup: alt.tv.star-trek.tos
From Address: ANIM8Rfsk@cox.net
Subject: Re: necessity is the mother of invention
In article
,
Brad Filippone wrote:
> On Sep 12, 8:33apm, SparkoHeaps wrote:
> > On Sep 12, 5:31apm, Frank wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > > On 9/12/2011 6:45 PM, RichD wrote:
> >
> > > > So I was watching an old Star Trek, Kirk is marooned
> > > > in a desert (looks like New Mexico), battling a gnarly
> > > > alien. aHe jerry rigs a howitzer, then gathers up
> > > > minerals, and mixes them to manufacture
> > > > gunpowder. aOf course. he flattens the alien on
> > > > his first shot, and the galaxy is saved.
> >
> > > > Anyhoo, is that plausible, could one make
> > > > gunpowder in a survival situation like that?
> > > > With no chem lab equipment?
> >
> > > > --
> > > > Rich
> >
> > > Probably.
> > > I think you can find sulfur in pure form.
> > > Don't know if Chilean salt peter (sodium nitrate) is pure enough to use
> > > without recrystallizing, but I suspect it is.
> > > Charred, i.e. partially burnt, wood could serve as the charcoal source.
> > > Crude mix would not make the best gun powder but it should work.
> >
> > Mythbusters tried it
> >
> > http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/mythbusters-gorn-cannon-high-speed.html
>
> As I recall, the Mythbusters reason that it wouldn't work was because
> the bamboo cannon fell apart. My rebuttal to that is that they
> didn't use the bamboo that grows on the planet the Metrons put Kirk
> and the Gorn on!
>
> Brad
Agreed, the Mythbusters solution was unsatisfying, because it assumed
Earth materials.
--
"Please, I can't die, I've never kissed an Asian woman!"
Shego on "Shat My Dad Says"
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