Personal Shields

[John Hayward]

How come the team never uses the personal shields? Or did they only find the one? Which I find it hard to believe they only found one. But clearly the Ancients designed those personal shields to protect themselves from the Wraith sucking the life out of them. So then why don't we see Shep and his team at least carrying the shields with them ready to put on in case of a Wraith attack or capture?

[John Hayward]

I think there might have only been the one. McKay said, I think, that he found it in one of the Ancient labs, which suggests that they were doing research on it and stuff. It might have been a prototype or something.

[Colonel Carter]

Which makes me wonder then if McKay is the genius he claims to be, why he hasn't backward engineered the thing to make more.

For that matter, why hasn't he been able to backward engineer a ZPM?

[Dracus]

Why cant he reverse a ZPM? Because then the series would become sorta dumb. I mean, with one they can launch off, power sheilds, the big turrets.... whole 9 yards.

I think...

[John Hayward]

Not only that, but a ZPM isn't a machine. It's not exactly like he can just take it apart and figure out what goes where. McKay said of it in Rising, " I have since determined that it generates its enormous power from vacuum energy derived from a self-contained region of subspace time." He would have to be able to create the same vacuum. It would be like trying to create a cup full of water. Making the cup wouldn't be very hard. The problem is that making the water is probably quite difficult and complicated. ZPMs were the Anicents most advanced source of power (excluding the experimental Project Arcturus, which didn't even work).

[John Hayward]

But Jack could build one. Okay so he had the Ancient repository of knowledge. Too bad they can't find another one so McKay could witness one being built and make notes.

[cb49747]

I don't think Jack actualy built a ZPM, I think he just built something to boost enough power into the gate to create a connection to the asgurd home world.

[Colonel Carter]

I think it was kind of the equivalent to Orlin's Stargate in Sam's basement. Same technology using whatever resources are available. Obviously the Ancients had a far more advanced technology than we do today, but with Ancient knowledge they were able to figure out a way to use our primitive technology. The Stargate in Sam's basement was only a one time deal before it got completely burned up, same with Jack's ZPM.

So I do think it was a ZPM, just a ZPM using far more primitive technology. Just like the Stargate in Sam's basement was a fully functional Stargate, but using far more primitive technology. And the result was the same in both. Burn out. One time deal. One time trip through the Stargate.

[John Hayward]

I don't think what Jack built was a ZPM. Jack's device was powered by Naquadah. ZPMs aren't.

[Colonel Carter]

Again, make shift with lower technology, but it created the same effect as a ZPM, therefore it's a less evolved ZPM. Just like the Stargate in Sam's basement was a less evolved Stargate. You know I'm right. :bow

[ezboard import]

Then how come no one has been able to recreate the device if it's that simple? Is it not possible that Jack did create zero point energy? They never said how the device worked. Perhaps he harnessed enough for a one time trip.

[John Hayward]

I doubt it. Based on what has been revealed to us about ZPM technology (particularly from the Atlantis episode Trinity) a ZPM sort of creates a tiny little universe from which to draw power. We know this because the reason that Project Arcturus was different from a ZPM (and more powerful) was because it drew power from zero-point energy in our own universe.

Now, in Point of View the Carters discuss how the device Jack built in The Fifth Race works. They said (and we saw this in The Fifth Race, as well) that the device is powered by the energy module of a staff weapon.

Also, I would think that literally creating a tiny universe would be pretty complicated. Besides that, it might require technology that Jack didn't have at the SGC.

[John Hayward]

It obviously provided as much power to the Stargate as a ZPM can, thus allowing it to open a wormhole to another galaxy. But the device itself was completely different from a ZPM. A ZPM uses zero point energy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero_point_energy), whereas Goa'uld technology, as well as the device created by Jack (The Fifth Race) and reused by the Carters (Point of View), used naquadah to power it. They are two completely different kinds of power sources, they just both produce enough power to open an intergalactic wormhole.

[Colonel Carter]

A less evolved ZPM then. :tgrin

[John Hayward]

Unfortunately, I have yet to meet anyone in life as stubborn as myself. I just can't make myself say it. :p I would say comparing a ZPM to Jack's device is sort of like comparing the energy weapons on the Ori ships in Camelot with the rail guns on the Daedalus. They both serve the same purpose, but they're completely different technologies. I refuse to admit that the thing Jack made in The Fifth Race was a ZPM, in any way! :mad

Of course, it really makes absolutely no difference, but like I said- even when I want to I can't give up on things like this. :)

[Colonel Carter]

Unfortunately, I have yet to meet anyone in life as stubborn as myself.
Hi, nice to meet you. I'm extremely stubborn. Granted I'll give up arguing with someone after awhile if it's not going anywhere, but I don't change my point of view. :angel

[John Hayward]

Then we're obviously going to have to agree to disagree, which is fine by me. :)

[Colonel Carter]

No, you must succumb to my will! Muwhahahahaha! :evil

[John Hayward]

LOL :thbt

[Dracus]

...Well if were saying to make a new ZPM for atlantis, and you say its a less evolved ZPM.... It still would work with the super advanced atlantis stricture where the ZPM is at work :p

[shepard137]

the thin i dont get is why mckay didnt make one when he was hit my that machine that turned him into the equivalent of an ancient i mean he designed a hyperspace generator for the puddle jumper and even the ancients didnt do that nor did the replicators who emulated the ancients. so if he could do that why couldnt he make a new zpm or at least setup something for the asgard to finish for him.

[shepard137]

here is a drawing of mine of a personel shield
http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/94/ancientpersonalshieldcorj5.png