Help on space-faring lifeforms

[DelActivisto]

I'm trying to develop a new short story while taking a break from my main novel. I've invented a space faring species that is literally space-dwelling - they do not need ships. They are their own ships.

The explanation is that they evolved to a certain point, and then their world become unlivable. They had already evolved as bionuclear organisms, like the bacteria found near natural nuclear reactors on earth that feed on radiaactive elements. They engineered themselves to have biomechanical DNA and nuclear power sources. They also engineered a method of containing the radiation within themselves to power their entire body, a propulsion system, and external shielding technology to protect themselves from interstellar radiation.

What internal system would a living creature need to shield themselves from their own power source? Would a special metal alloy suffice to contain the nuclear system?

On the outside, what kind of shielding tech would they need to protect themselves from external radiation? Space suit research didn't help me that much. Is there a metal or material that resists radiation?

I can always just throw the "wow, we've never seen this material before, let's call in Unobtanium or something" explanation out there, but if there's a remotely scientific explanation for any of this, I'd like to use it instead.

Thanks!

 

[DragonAether]

A good thing against radiation is lead, but only for gamma rays, I saw that there was a project for an habitat that used water between the two layers of metal plating, but lead is a good material. For porpulsion I suggest you to use natural solar sails, or the Bussard ramjet or if they are a sort of multi-dimensional gods they could easily have a built in warp drive.
The use of the Bussard ramjet release them from the need of any kind of fuel, for the reactor I suggest a material with a long period of decay like tellurium-128 that would make them nearly immortal, but you can search on wikipedia the best isotope for you.

(Are they gigantic space-snails?)

 

[DelActivisto]

A good thing against radiation is lead, but only for gamma rays, I saw that there was a project for an habitat that used water between the two layers of metal plating, but lead is a good material. For porpulsion I suggest you to use natural solar sails, or the Bussard ramjet or if they are a sort of multi-dimensional gods they could easily have a built in warp drive.
The use of the Bussard ramjet release them from the need of any kind of fuel, for the reactor I suggest a material with a long period of decay like tellurium-128 that would make them nearly immortal, but you can search on wikipedia the best isotope for you.

(Are they gigantic space-snails?)

I dreamed them up the other night. Well, actually it was a few months ago. They're spikey, long black creatures with six double jointed legs on either side. I was thinking of giving them a propulsion system at the end of their legs, but I couldn't come up with a nuclear power propulsion system. Most of that relies on the nuclear system powering something else. Nuclear power is great at generating electricity and energy, not so good at producing thrust.

I'll look into tellurium. Thanks!

 

[DragonAether]

What about a rocket nozzle right in the butt?
The Bussard ramjet is slow but functional, it uses energy to accelerate heated hydrogen collected from the space around that has a small amount spread everywhere.
I ended the Star Trek: Discovery serie, give a glance to the spore drive, and to the alien used for it.
The alternative is to merge their body with an Alcubierre warp drive and due to their heavy mechanization is something to consider in my opinion.

 

[DelActivisto]

What about a rocket nozzle right in the butt?
The Bussard ramjet is slow but functional, it uses energy to accelerate heated hydrogen collected from the space around that has a small amount spread everywhere.
I ended the Star Trek: Discovery serie, give a glance to the spore drive, and to the alien used for it.
The alternative is to merge their body with an Alcubierre warp drive and due to their heavy mechanization is something to consider in my opinion.

Yeah, that way they can fart their way across the galaxy.

I think the Ramjet is probably too bulky for these guys. They're not that big, maybe the length of a bus. The faster I have them go, the more I verge into unrealism. Problem with warp technology is that it's pretty hypothetical. Wormhole technology is more plausible, IMO. Been watching a lot of Stargates recently.

 

[DragonAether]

Actually alcubierre is pretty plausible if I remember correctly, just have to produce a lot of negative energy, like a lot but that's the main problem of any kind of FTL travel technology.
Forget about unrealism you got gigantic nuclear space farting snails there.

 

[Dan Jones]

On the outside, what kind of shielding tech would they need to protect themselves from external radiation? Space suit research didn't help me that much. Is there a metal or material that resists radiation?

Coconut shells. No, really. Look it up.

Your aliens could be like giant hermit crabs in mega coconuts! I’d definitely read that.

 

[DragonAether]

That would be freaking awesome, nearly indestructible, they could use the shell to perform reentries in planets atmospheres to then conquer every life for.

 

[ralphkern]

There are lots of ingenious means of propulsion life has evolved.

For space travel, one of the most elegant would be solar sails for a living creature. Huge, majestic sails as they frollic around a star, basking in its warming glow.

 

[DragonAether]

There are lots of ingenious means of propulsion life has evolved.

For space travel, one of the most elegant would be solar sails for a living creature. Huge, majestic sails as they frollic around a star, basking in its warming glow.

I think that is a good way to add a bit of majesty to those creatures, they are pretty slow.

But the best propulsion way will always be the fart, nothing can beat it.
I will go to Mars using only farts.

 

[DelActivisto]

Actually alcubierre is pretty plausible if I remember correctly, just have to produce a lot of negative energy, like a lot but that's the main problem of any kind of FTL travel technology.
Forget about unrealism you got gigantic nuclear space farting snails there.

More like metal dragon snakes, but yeah.

 

[zmunkz]

What internal system would a living creature need to shield themselves from their own power source? Would a special metal alloy suffice to contain the nuclear system?
...
On the outside, what kind of shielding tech would they need to protect themselves from external radiation? Space suit research didn't help me that much. Is there a metal or material that resists radiation?

Given radiation is a constant external AND internal danger for these creatures, I’d think they need an adaptation to withstand/survive radiation, rather than rely on internal and external shielding. Maybe just a much more robust immune system that can identify damage from ionizing radiation and repair the cells or contain them so they don’t become cancerous.

 

[sknox]

Um, why do they have legs? I can't help but wonder.

As for propulsion, I recommend handwavium. Because I don't think hard science is going to come through for you on this one.

 

[EJDeBrun]

I can't help but wonder if a colony type lifeform would work for you? Space jellyfish? With some kind of gas bubble? I don't know. There's also the immortal jellyfish which I think might be an interesting thing to explore. Like the life energy of your organism is spent in travel and captured within itself and when it gets low it rebirths? (am I getting weird?)

 

[DelActivisto]

Given radiation is a constant external AND internal danger for these creatures, I’d think they need an adaptation to withstand/survive radiation, rather than rely on internal and external shielding. Maybe just a much more robust immune system that can identify damage from ionizing radiation and repair the cells or contain them so they don’t become cancerous.

Ideally the shielding technology is evolved enough that it renders radiation from inside inert, and deflects external radiation. Also as I'm writing it, they live living in asteroid belts - lots of little caves everywhere that shield them from cosmic radiation.

The bacteria that live off natural nuclear reactions turn radioisotopes into chemical energy (I'm guessing). That basically means the radioactivity doesn't hurt them, since they use it power themselves!

Um, why do they have legs? I can't help but wonder.

As for propulsion, I recommend handwavium. Because I don't think hard science is going to come through for you on this one.

Yeah. I usually focus on relationships and situation dynamics in my writing I'm learning, so being lite on the science is probably ok. I was wondering what other people thought, though. It's kind of like inventing something, except all i have to do is think about it.

They have legs of sorts. They're relatively short, covered in stocky black spikes, and are very maneuverable for use in walking and for thrusters. That's just they way they appeared in the dream, and they were pretty cool, so I kept them that way.

I can't help but wonder if a colony type lifeform would work for you? Space jellyfish? With some kind of gas bubble? I don't know. There's also the immortal jellyfish which I think might be an interesting thing to explore. Like the life energy of your organism is spent in travel and captured within itself and when it gets low it rebirths? (am I getting weird?)

I could do that. I haven't really thought about how a nuke powered lifeform would reproduce. Maybe they give birth to a baby, and protect it for a while and find some raw radioactive material which the infants then assimilates before they're able to fly on their own.

"Look, Timmy! I found Plutonium this time - your favorite!"

 

[Phyrebrat]

Why can’t they ‘need’ the radiation in some way? Kind of like extremophiles.

pH

 

[DelActivisto]

Why can’t they ‘need’ the radiation in some way? Kind of like extremophiles.

pH

Now that just sounds dirty.

Actually that's a neat fix. In fact, if the species used external radiation efficiently, to sail around the universe, I could ditch the internal nuclear power.

Thanks for ideas folks, really appreciate. Off to do some writing now!

 

[DragonAether]

Now that just sounds dirty.

Actually that's a neat fix. In fact, if the species used external radiation efficiently, to sail around the universe, I could ditch the internal nuclear power.

Thanks for ideas folks, really appreciate. Off to do some writing now!

I was wondering why they didn't used external radiation for power, it's a good idea, the problem in space has always been limited fuel or limited energy, with that biological strategy they would have infinite power anywhere. The only problem is that for interstellar travel the quantity of available energy drops.

 

[Venusian Broon]

Why can’t they ‘need’ the radiation in some way? Kind of like extremophiles.

pH

More then you think - take a look at: Desulforudis audaxviator

Desulforudis - Wikipedia

Essentially it requires Sulphur and Hydrogen - the hydrogen produced by the decomposition of water by radioactive decay of Uranimum etc...So it needs radiation to live!


So taking such an approach for a space faring animal, I would suggest an ice water shell, because:

1) High energy cosmic rays would be the source of radiation that converts a bit of their ice water into hydrogen for them to breath, space is full of these rays...
2) ...there should be other routes for getting hydrogen, there's plenty of the stuff floating up there - not so much heavy metals.
3) An ice water shell actually is the best form of protection from these high energy cosmic rays (forget lead, it may stop all forms of normal nuclear decay: gamma, alpha and beta, but to stop the high energy cosmic rays you'd need a prohibitively huge thickness of the material). Water is very plentiful, useful for cells and because it's got smaller atomic nuclei, much lighter and paradoxically it works better at stopping cosmic rays. So the main 'squidgy bits' could be better protected from radiation damage by being cocooned in an ice water shell.

Obviously it probably shouldn't get too close to the sun - otherwise they will get a bit too 'Icarus' - 'cause their shell would melt off them . So I'd imagine they'd be out in the Oort cloud, snaffling sulphur and other materials on the big comet-like Oort bodies (like the animals that feed on dead whales at the bottom of the ocean?)

A star going supernova would propel these communities everywhere, a bit like tsunami's and big storms picking up animals and pushing them half way around the globe, so they would probably be everywhere in the universe.

 

[DragonAether]

A star going supernova would propel these communities everywhere, a bit like tsunami's and big storms picking up animals and pushing them half way around the globe, so they would probably be everywhere in the universe.

That's a cool idea, but they would be very old creatures or fast reproducer. I mean they would move only after billions of years, not that exciting creatures.