My purpose in writing this article is to begin a discussion about a very controversial topic – making all weapons based on gunpowder obsolete. This introduction is rather complicated so bear with me. It also requires that a technological breakthrough takes place, i.e. – an invention, before it can be realized. Some may find this just wishful thinking, science fiction, or fantasy. In defense, I would like to quote Arthur C. Clark’s three laws of prediction, namely:
1. When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.
2. The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.
3. Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
First, some background: everyone is aware what guns have wrought in today’s society. I do not have to elaborate on that. Many people over the years have sought to ban guns in one form or another. They have all failed in their quest. I am convinced that the main reason for their failure is the premise that everyone should give up their guns except the people in power, i.e. – the police forces and the armed forces. In this way, the people who are predisposed to subjugating everyone else will have the clout to do so without any possibility of opposition. So, the next time some politician proposes a ban on all handguns, ask him/her if that includes all guns including those in possession by police, and see what he/she says.
I am also convinced that the only way to get rid of guns once and for all is to make them useless, void, immaterial. This movement has to come from the majority of the people who don’t have guns or the power to make laws or the ability to spend large sums of money to lobby the government to maintain the status quo. It requires an invention, yes, but many inventions in the past originated in someone’s garage. Perhaps this forum might kindle some ideas.
Now, on to the technology: everyone is aware that guns depend on gunpowder. Over the years, many gunpowder formulations have been invented. They all have one thing in common: a compound whose molecules have a weak bond between the Oxygen atoms and the rest of the compound. A relatively low temperature will break this bond and O2 will be readily available to combine with other chemicals to produce much heat and pressure. Please review the write-up on Wikipedia dealing with https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_nitrate. Also, a review of the write-up for https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordite may be helpful.
The Wikipedia write-up on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetism states that:
“Electromagnetism is the interaction responsible for practically all the phenomena encountered in daily life, with the exception of gravity. Ordinary matter takes its form as a result of intermolecular forces between individual molecules in matter. Electrons are bound by electromagnetic wave mechanics into orbitals around atomic nuclei to form atoms, which are the building blocks of molecules. This governs the processes involved in chemistry, which arise from interactions between the electrons of neighboring atoms, which are in turn determined by the interaction between electromagnetic force and the momentum of the electrons.”
Since the molecular bonds in the oxidizing agent in gunpowder is based on electromagnetism, some form of electromagnetic radiation, i.e. – radio wave, might make this bond stronger and prevent the disassociation of the Oxygen atoms thereby preventing the ignition necessary for the firearm to work. This is where the invention comes in and, yes, it is not available at the moment. However, I am certain that someone will figure it out now that the seed of an idea is out-of-the-bag.
Therefore, it is easy to imagine an iPhone 6 (the biggest thing to happen to iPhone since iPhone) with this capability built-in that can be activated any time a person feels threatened by the possibility of injury by a gun thus rendering all standard weapons within a certain radius ineffective.
Please feel free to comment.
1. When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.
2. The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.
3. Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
First, some background: everyone is aware what guns have wrought in today’s society. I do not have to elaborate on that. Many people over the years have sought to ban guns in one form or another. They have all failed in their quest. I am convinced that the main reason for their failure is the premise that everyone should give up their guns except the people in power, i.e. – the police forces and the armed forces. In this way, the people who are predisposed to subjugating everyone else will have the clout to do so without any possibility of opposition. So, the next time some politician proposes a ban on all handguns, ask him/her if that includes all guns including those in possession by police, and see what he/she says.
I am also convinced that the only way to get rid of guns once and for all is to make them useless, void, immaterial. This movement has to come from the majority of the people who don’t have guns or the power to make laws or the ability to spend large sums of money to lobby the government to maintain the status quo. It requires an invention, yes, but many inventions in the past originated in someone’s garage. Perhaps this forum might kindle some ideas.
Now, on to the technology: everyone is aware that guns depend on gunpowder. Over the years, many gunpowder formulations have been invented. They all have one thing in common: a compound whose molecules have a weak bond between the Oxygen atoms and the rest of the compound. A relatively low temperature will break this bond and O2 will be readily available to combine with other chemicals to produce much heat and pressure. Please review the write-up on Wikipedia dealing with https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_nitrate. Also, a review of the write-up for https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordite may be helpful.
The Wikipedia write-up on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetism states that:
“Electromagnetism is the interaction responsible for practically all the phenomena encountered in daily life, with the exception of gravity. Ordinary matter takes its form as a result of intermolecular forces between individual molecules in matter. Electrons are bound by electromagnetic wave mechanics into orbitals around atomic nuclei to form atoms, which are the building blocks of molecules. This governs the processes involved in chemistry, which arise from interactions between the electrons of neighboring atoms, which are in turn determined by the interaction between electromagnetic force and the momentum of the electrons.”
Since the molecular bonds in the oxidizing agent in gunpowder is based on electromagnetism, some form of electromagnetic radiation, i.e. – radio wave, might make this bond stronger and prevent the disassociation of the Oxygen atoms thereby preventing the ignition necessary for the firearm to work. This is where the invention comes in and, yes, it is not available at the moment. However, I am certain that someone will figure it out now that the seed of an idea is out-of-the-bag.
Therefore, it is easy to imagine an iPhone 6 (the biggest thing to happen to iPhone since iPhone) with this capability built-in that can be activated any time a person feels threatened by the possibility of injury by a gun thus rendering all standard weapons within a certain radius ineffective.
Please feel free to comment.
