What could a scientist in the Star Wars galaxy be working on or researching for my story?

I’m trying to write a story about a scientist who is working on something in the era of the New Republic. He does not believe in the Force. I just need something for him to be researching. It really isn’t that important to the story; it just has to sound cool and scientific. Also it can’t have already been done in Legends or Canon. I want a fresh idea.

It cannot be

• A time machine
• A teleporter
• A matter replicator
• A singularity Weapon
• Any type of droid
• Anything to do with holograms
• A food synthesizer
• Anything to do with the Force or Midi-chlorians
• A shrink ray
• A freeze ray
• pico and femtotechnology
• A Dyson sphere or any type of megastructure.
• Liquid metal armor or a nano morph
• Any improvements on the hyperdrive
• Limb regeneration
• Hyperspace nullifier
• Holodeck
• Knowledge Transfer (Instant learning like in the Matrix)
• Philosophers Stone
• Kinetic weapons
• Solar sail
• Anything to do with kyber crystals
• Gene editing
• Improvements on deflector shields
• Mech suit
• Exosuit
• Gender change
• Anything to do with anti-aging
• In canon, during the Empire, scientists were researching methods to control droids, lasers that can punch through deflector shields and ship scale disintigrators. These ideas are therefore taken.

Any ideas?

darn that ones taken....

And that one....

Hmmmmm

@maxie: limitless energy?

Theoretical Astrophysicist.

High-Energy Astrophysicist.

Weapons Research and Development Physicist.

Weapons Research and Development Engineer.

I hear those moisture farms need better technology.

Quantum high complex universal theory multiversal molecular infinity

Sub universal atomic Quasar Theorist Physics

Quantum mechanic Higheb4D to the R carry the 1 to the 2nd power

There’s a few ideas

A Quasar Quantum Quark Fizzer

just put the word Quantum in-front of something it makes it sound scientific thats what scientists do irl

or u could use nano tech theres that

Space Gastronomist/Nutritionist

He could be researching on how different alien species perceive flavor and how food establishments can efficiently cater to such diverse palates.

Enhanced scanning technology for deep exploration through solid mass.

Does anybody have any other ideas? I’m trying to look for something that was never researched until the era of the New Republic like kyber crystals weren’t until the Empire used them for a superlaser and even then, they had been used in weapons formation in the past. I’m looking for something that presumably hasn’t been thought of in the 25,000 years of time where almost everything has already been done.

What about an antimatter weapon?

Vibration/frequency-based shields/armor?

Hard light stuff a la Green Lantern?

Perhaps he can be an environmentalist and creates a device that will terraform planets into his liking. This could be used as a gift or a curse. Forcing nature to change for men. You could hint on climate change, industrialization, the evolution from changing environments, etc.

@gunmetalgrey:

Antimatter as a Weapon was featured in Legends. Canon just uses the term Hypermatter.

When you say vibration armor/shields- do you mean something like Black Panthers suit?

Hard light? Hmm. I don’t know. What uses could that serve?

@maxie:

I see.

Could work either way. Something that absorbs the kinetic energy of a projectile a la vibranium, or something that smothers it completely with vibrations at a certain frequency to destroy it. Like breaking glass with an opera singer's voice.

You could project a tactile hologram and interact with stuff at a safe distance, stuff that even droids or drones can't handle, maybe involving extreme temperatures or even something corrosive. Could also be a versatile weapon that could be either lethal or non-lethal, depending on the shape you project. It could also be used to quickly create lightweight structures; bridge the gap across a chasm instantly with some kind of long and flat beam shape.

Anti-time space constructor.

A machine that replicates a living environment, but in such a way that time does not pass while within it.

You could enter and apparently nothing but a second has passed, but for you it could have been hours, weeks or even months. Such an artifact could be used for studying or extended periods of training, since you don't age whilst inside its constructed anti-time envyronment, but you do learn. It could also be used for rest or pleasure, since you can exit your life for a while, just to get back to it as if nothing had happened... The possibilities are extraordinary.

@buckwheat: You mean... the hypertonic lion tamer?

*Points if you get the reference*

@stormdriven: Yeah, something like that. Except you don't age inside it.

Damn I tgought I was been original!

@buckwheat: I’m glad you got the reference about the hyperglycemic crime chamber though

How to make a good ham sandwich.

I was down to 3 ideas. A Guided recirprocating deflector shield from someone on abovetopsecret forums, Synthetic coaxium from FFG forums and The Dynamics of an Asteroid Field on Sjgames. I decided against the shield because it was too wordy and could be a game changer. The coaxium I felt ruined the rarity of hyperfuel and the asteroid belt analyzation was good but their are likely billions of asteroid fields in the galaxy. Who the hell cares about plotting one.

Unless it's an automated system that uses sensors to chart, navigate asteroid fields once you've entered and while flying through. So the only one field problem wouldn't be an issue.

Most charts would have to be adaptive, contently updated as asteroid fields are static and not set. Meaning asteroids are constantly moving in a field often colliding with each other. Breaking apart and changing direction. That's what makes traveling through them so dangerous. You couldn't just make a map and say this is the path through the field.

Edit: For a normal person it would seem chaotic environment. Trained force users would have an easier time piloting through for the same reasons why they usually are such good pilots. The automated system could make the calculations for predictive analysts for non force users to better pilot their way through one.

Forget asteroids. Real asteroid fields aren’t full of close together objects.

Okay so my archeology idea didn’t work. My scientist is called upon by the New Republic to investigate why the supermassive black hole is more active than usual and sucking in things from a further range. I just need something for the scientist to be studying before he is called away. It has to sound fresh and cool.

@maxie: If you already got the ball rolling in terms of what he's being called on to do, my initial idea of something to do with intergalactic biological studies is out the window.

How about research dealing with the unknown regions?

He's preparing for a manned expedition to a sector of the unknown regions that according to his probes, which should be completely empty based on initial scans, but after breaking down the information relayed to him, there's some sort of anomaly (you can think of some anomaly I got nothing there) that is unprecedented (hasn't ever been logged in the known galaxy before by anyone, including ancient sith or jedi records.).

Just because he doesn't believe in the force doesn't mean he still takes some time understanding what the factions that have screwed up the galaxy countless times base their beliefs on or what knowledge they possessed. He can possess a holocron or two and treat them like any other holodisc or tome.

@arc_conductor: That could work. I can always make up an anomaly. Thanks!

This time I found an idea. For real this time. Thanks for all your help!!!

I decided to go with a quark star. It’s better than a black hole because we don’t even know if they exist. Perfect for expansion However, I still need something for him to be working on before he deals with the quark star. I’m looking not for a gadget or piece of tech. I’ve decided everything technological that we can think of, can be done. Speeders with deflector shields? Sure. We haven’t seen them but they can easily be done. I’m looking for something that would still be an emerging field of science. Something a Type II/III civilization would do next.

@maxie:

The secret to understanding women?

My Star Wars story will now involve a scientist who is studying the ancient servers of the Holonet. As he learns about its beginnings, he thinks of ways he can make the Holonet better for everyone. What improvements can he make to the Holonet?

Im going about this all wrong when it comes to asking what idea I want. Im looking for a science thing that my scientist could study. On Steven Jackson games forum, someone suggested the migration patterns of Purgills. It would have been perfect except for the fact that it might lead someone to Ezra and Thrawn. That story will be told in the future. I want something unique but also a science that my scientist can study as his main work. Not an invention.

Someone on writingforums.org knocked some sense into me. The Star Wars galaxy has had 1,000’s of years to develop stuff so all science left to do is theoretical or observational. I’m going to have him study asteroids. Thanks for putting up with me.

I’m making one last round on all the forums I posted on. I’m looking for something highly advanced.

A catapult that flings TaunTaun dung

A spaceship...

A growth ray...

A base on an astroid...

All the things you said couldn't be it combined into something new!

I decided extragalactic science; stuff outside the main galaxy would be a good venue. Based on astronomical ideas, what odd and unusual objects might a scientist encounter in the starless void of space in between galaxies? Creative ideas welcomed!

An extragalactic catapult that sits outside the main galaxy and flings Sarlac poo around. It turns out that all life and matter started out as Sarlac poo.

Light waves detected outside of the galaxy that are invisible to the naked eye. When outfitted with a prism or detector built into a helmet or implanted cybernetically, Republic forces (or whichever faction your scientist is working for) can use blasters that fire invisibly to the enemy (and anyone else not using the detection device).

Ok Ok my scientist is studying sub-Hyperspace, the dimension in which quintessence can be turned into Phantom Energy and then travel to destroy star systems in real time. This is how Starkiller Base fires it’s weapon after draining a sun. (I’m sure Disney will explore it more in due time). However, in the mean time; I wonder what other things my scientist can study about it. Applications I’ve considered would be a sub-hyperdrive which would allow for instantaneous travel like Star Trek: Discovery’s Spore Drive. It also could be used for instant communications. Good stuff but too much of a gamechanger to tinker with. What else could my scientist be studying about sub-hyperspace?

I know I’ve been going nuts with these posts but I’m very curious about what a scientist could do in SW

I was asking for ideas on what a scientist could be working on in the Star Wars galaxy. However my list of can nots are more akin to what an engineer would be working on. Then I guess that’s what I really meant. So that being said I ask. What can an engineer in the Star Wars galaxy be working on?. He works for the canon New Republic.

Things he can’t be working on

1.) Dyson sphere- Believe it or not it already exists in SWTOR

2.) Matrioksha Brain- Computers aren’t that advanced. (HOWEVER, if you have a generic Star Wars name for this- I will take it. Matrioksha is Russian nesting dolls and would obviously not be applicable for Star Wars

3.) A Giant Underground City- Sullust has tons of these.

4.) Kransnikov Tube- Would be too much of a gamechanger for travel

5.) Ford-Svaitar mirror- Too much of a gamechanger for travel

6.) Nicoll-Dyson Laser- We already have the Death Star and Starkiller Base

7.) Space elevator- They have those

8.) Shellworld- Waste of time. Plenty of planets to work with

9) Alderton Disk- Too big

10.) Ringworld- Exists on Ringo Vinda

11.) Underwater cities- Plenty of those

12.) Any type of space habitat.

Any ideas?