SUPERMAN by AnonymousPoster

OTHER SCIENCE FICTION SERIES

SUPERMAN

POSTED BY: ANONYMOUSPOSTER
UPDATED: Wednesday, December 29, 2004 04:17
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Saturday, October 9, 2004 3:54 PM

Here is a detailed description of how his powers work!

The cellular structure of a Kryptonian is similar to that of all humans. However, a certain chemical makeup in the ribosomes is capable of absorbing solar energy and storing it. Once the ribosomes achieve saturation levels of this radiation, they begin to re-radiate the energy in the form of a bioelectric forcefield. Each individual cell within the field's radius becomes reinforced in such a way that the cells are not only protected from external harm, but internal forces as well. It is this last which is key to Superman’s great powers. Since the individual cells are wholly invulnerable, they are capable of operating at levels of efficiency that would destroy normal humanoid cells. These "super-cells" lend an enhancing effect to all bodily systems...muscular, metabolic, nervous, and so forth. The continual absorption of solar energy provides a constant power source for these enhanced systems. Thus, Superman is capable of incredible feats.

His physical strength is greatly magnified by the combination of his more-efficient muscular system and the enhancement of his skeletal system's structural integrity, but is primarily augmented by the sheer force of his solar forcefield. He can lift 100,000 tons with serious effort. The conjectured upper limit of his physical strength has been determined to be approximately 250,000 tons with great effort, and causing strain damage to himself equivalent to a normal man lifting 500 pounds. Continual exertion will deplete his solar energy, and greatly exceeding his normal lift will drain him more rapidly. At the level of complete solar depletion, Superman can lift/exert no more than 100 tons of weight or force.

Similarly, Superman's enhanced metabolic rate, muscular speed, and nervous system grant him incredible speed. His Kryptonian structure and the solar energy paths that course along his neurophysical structure allow him to react at many times normal human speed. He can read a complete encyclopedia set in seconds, wash a sink full of dishes in the blink of an eye, or run from New York to Paris in a matter of minutes. He can move faster than the human eye can perceive if necessary, but this requires extra effort. His reflexes are quick enough to allow him to dodge incoming automatic laser fire.

Superman's perceptions are similarly rapid, allowing him to see individual bullets fired from high-speed automatic weaponry in flight and outrace them easily. Moving at extreme speeds for extended periods of time rapidly drains his solar reserves. In a full drained state, his reflexes are only sufficient enough to dodge semi-automatic projectile weapons and read the encyclopedia set in under 10 minutes.

Naturally, the basic forcefield effect renders him invulnerable to large amounts of damage. He can withstand a 1-megaton nuclear explosion without ill effect, and has been able to tolerate the molten conditions in the Earth's core with only discomfort. A 40 Megaton nuclear explosion knocked him unconscious for over an hour. He could not, however, survive the conditions inside a star, but can safely approach to within several miles of Earth's sun, probably due to a feedback loop of solar energy powering his bioelectric field.

Superman can easily survive conditions in deep space, but he does need to breathe, eat, sleep, and excrete. Superman can hold his breath for a maximum of 12 hours, and requires 2 hours of sleep a night to function at peak mental efficiency, as well needing to dream at least half an hour a night, or experience the psychological effects of sleep deprivation as would any other person who missed a night of sleep. When his solar energy is depleted, his resistance to physical punishment drops to approximately one-quarter the normal amount. Withstanding large amounts of damage continuously over time will rapidly deplete his solar reserves.

Due to the highly charged nature of his solar storage systems, his immune system deals with most normal poisons and diseases quickly and with no ill effect. Radiation and similar harmful energies are similarly neutralized.

The enhanced structure of Superman's sensory organs combined with the increased capacity of his nervous system provides for the greatly enhanced senses. His range of hearing extends from the subsonic through to the point where signal modulation in broadcast communications can be sensed and demodulated into "sounds". His visual reception range covers the entirety of the electromagnetic spectrum.

The difference between human and Superman's vision is that Superman has the capability to see a much wider band of the electromagnetic spectrum; while humans only sense a very narrow band of the spectrum we call visible light. Superman can change the spectrum he perceives at any given time, by changing the chemical receptors in the rods and cones of his retinas. He can adjust his photovoltaic detection as an act of will to sense longer wavelengths down to the infrared, and higher energy light, up to X-ray and gamma radiation.

Kryptonian muscle tissue when super-charged with solar-energy, can generate a powerful gravitational field. These fields in combination with Superman's personal bioelectric field give him the ability to negate gravity, allowing him to fly. When in flight, he's fully suspended by this energy, almost completely repelling earth's gravimetric influence over him. He becomes his own center of gravity, and no longer has to physically leverage against the gravity of whatever planetary body he's on, or any object. By telekinetically controlling his motion, Superman is capable of Mach speeds in excess of Mach 10 in atmosphere. He can fly to the moon in minutes, but faster than that outside of atmospheric interference. His control of his flight is perfect and he can perform aerobatic feats such as hovering, flying backwards and even lifting great weights while flying.

Superman can use the gravitational fields generated by the muscles in his eyes to produce a gravity lens, allowing him to focus far beyond the range of the human eye. Combined with Superman's sensitivity to light, he can magnify an image a virtually countless number of times. Superman can see through solids objects by using a combination of these telescopic and microscopic visual abilities to see through the atomic structure of an object and focus past it, as a camera focuses beyond the dust on a lens. Certain dense materials, notably lead, obstruct this ability.

Superman has the ability to expel stored (solar/electromagnetic) internal energy in the form of focused beams of radiation from his eyes. He emits light along various frequencies in high energy bursts that flash-melts materials in seconds, weaken structural integrity over a smaller area, such as melting the barrel of a gun but leaving the handle untouched. Superman can control his heat vision and direct it wherever he wants to. He directs it with his eyes.

In actuality, Superman could not emit the directly from his eyes. The energy is actually built up on the surface of the bio-energetic field surrounding his body and emitted from there. This allows his body to be protected from the energy and absorbing stray electromagnetic energy back into his body. Superman's energy reclamation aura is so efficient that any radiation, even those emitted from him, once in the environment are able to be reabsorbed.

The heat beams are psionically controlled and that control is reflexive, so he can shut it off without accidentally damaging anything that he does not want to. He can emit the radiation visibly or invisibly at lower settings. His energy has a high visibility profile if emitted at higher levels.

Both Superman's Kryptonian physiology and the fact that his engrams are stabilized by a solar-frequency hologram reinforcing his neural matrix allow him near-perfect recall of events he pays specific attention to or that have emotional significance or are particularly striking.

Superman is a talented mimic, and can reproduce most sounds that he can hear. He can modulate his voice to transmit on radio or microwave/radar frequencies, and can expel a minute amount of air in space at a warm enough temperature and speed to carry sub-vocalized sound directly to one or more targets.

Superman requires solar energy to function at peak capacity, or his powers fade to greatly reduced levels, some disappearing entirely if his solar reserves are empty. Superman cannot absorb energy from the lower frequency orange O-class stars and cannot process the higher-frequency White K or blue F classes. Blue B and yellow G type stars are ideal.

Superman's body stores and processes solar energy at a rapid rate and for a variety of effects, which are explained in his other powers. His storage capacity is sufficient to let him function at full capacity for up to 14 days depending on his physical condition and state of rest. While under a star of the right class (G-type dwarfs in the blue-white through yellow spectrum are ideal) and within a planetary atmosphere, he replenishes energy at a constant rate.

If forced to expend large amounts of energy over a relatively short time, or to maintain constant exertion over longer periods of time, he tires and his power begins to diminish. Constant exertion will revert him to normal humanoid levels after 14 days without rest. The power recovers at the rate of normal rest, and a full recharge can be accomplished with two days of no more than moderate, normal-level exertion. A process of solar recharge is also known, but requires massive amounts of fusion energy of solar/light-based superpowers.

The fatal flaw in Kryptonian cellular physiology is the unique radiation given off by kryptonite. In the most minute amounts, the radiation waveforms and high-energy particles emitted by kryptonite can react catastrophically with the very ribosomal chemical that grant a Kryptonian powers. The briefest contact can strip these powers, and further begin a fatal poisoning that totally shuts down cellular activity in the affected areas.

As kryptonite radiation makes its way through the bloodstream, a Kryptonian becomes instantly weak and ill in its unshielded presence, and prolonged exposure will render him or her unconscious (after 30 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the sample, and the current state of his solar reserves), and will eventually (after two to four hours) reach all parts of his body and bring death, usually as the body's immune system attempts to expel the deadly toxin. However, the rate of recovery once removed from the emissions is as rapid as the rate of damage, and the Kryptonian will be back to normal in under an hour after exposure in optimal conditions. Kryptonite emissions can be blocked by lead and other super-dense materials.

Further, the radiation signature of the red sun of the Krypton system (and similar M-class stars) instantly causes the ribosomal structures to lose their stored energy, reducing a Kryptonian to normal humanoid levels.

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Saturday, October 9, 2004 4:05 PM

CONFEDERATE

Very well put together explanation. However, a red star is M class not F (which is usually blue to white).

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Saturday, October 9, 2004 4:45 PM

ANONYMOUSPOSTER

Quote:
Originally posted by Confederate:
Very well put together explanation. However, a red star is M class not F (which is usually blue to white).

Thank you, I fixed it!

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Saturday, October 9, 2004 4:49 PM

ANONYMOUSPOSTER

Four billion years ago a race of sentient humanoids lived on a single planet before all others in the galaxy developed any intelligent life. Those aliens left their world, explored the stars, and found none like themselves. Their civilization thrived for ages - but they knew that one day they would be gone, and nothing of them would survive. To preserve their heritage, their scientists seeded the primordial oceans of many worlds where life was in its infancy with encoded DNA fragments that made evolution no longer random on these worlds. The "seed codes" genetically changed the seeds of life in a way that the seed would grow in the following millions of years according to the life conditions, but also according to a search pattern fixed in the genetic template so that through planned mutations evolution was directed toward a physical development similar to their own. Because of this controlled mutation mechanism, most habitable planets in the galaxy evolved with many physically similar lifeforms (e.g. fish, trees, insects), and on many of those worlds with at least one sentient species with a humanoid configuration (bilaterally symmetrical, upright posture, two arms, two legs, brain located in head).

Anatomically, a significant percentage of those races are externally identical to humans, right down to such minutiae as racial groupings, hair patterns, fingernails and even cartilaginous foldings of the nose and ears. The reason they are so astonishingly similar to the human race is because the human form represents the basic way that evolution most likely takes for the dominant mammalian lifeform on an average Earth-like planet under the influence of the seed codes and the other humanoid races developed under very specific and unique environmental conditions.

Virtually indistinguishable from terrestrial humans, right down to the exact same broad range of racial phenotypes and individual physical characteristics, the Kryptonians are one of those species.

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Sunday, October 10, 2004 10:32 AM

CREVANREAVER

I just want to say this is some really interesting and informative stuff you've posted AnonymousPoster, you rock!

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Monday, October 11, 2004 12:30 PM

CONSCIENCE

Quote:
Originally posted by CrevanReaver:
...AnonymousPoster, you rock!

Indeed, you do rock AnonymousPoster. However Christopher Reeve was the greatest "rock star", bless his memory, the memory of the one true SUPERMAN.

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Saturday, October 16, 2004 2:50 PM

CREVANREAVER

It's threads like this that made me appreciate AnonymousPoster. I'm really glad AP informed us of this information!

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Wednesday, October 20, 2004 7:37 AM

ANARKO

Maybe this is the explanation they'll use in the new Superman movie.

http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=8&t=7644

Hopefully the official website for the movie will have some kind of section where the explain how his powers work. It would be interesting to see the way the use science to explain things like Superman's flight, invulnerability, strength, etc.

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Wednesday, October 27, 2004 5:48 AM

ANARKO

Overall it is an amazing explanation, however I've found some nitpicks.

Quote:
He can lift 100,000 tons with serious effort.

He's shown lifting this much normally without any strain. In fact, during the 90's, DC mentioned that he's probably capable of lifting what I believe to be 4 million(billion?) tons. Recently, a very trusted source said that he's generally written with the idea that he could lift a whopping 40 billion tons under Earth's atmosphere if he chooses not to restrain himself.

Quote:
A 40 Megaton nuclear explosion knocked him unconscious for over an hour.

Slightly outdated. I believe he's taken nukes afterward with no signs of major injury, if any at all.

Quote:
He could not, however, survive the conditions inside a star, but can safely approach to within several miles of Earth's sun, probably due to a feedback loop of solar energy powering his bioelectric field.

Negative-he could survive in the Earth's sun, though it causes strain and mental distability accompanied by an increase in his powers.

Quote:
Superman can easily survive conditions in deep space, but he does need to breathe, eat, sleep, and excrete.

No, not anymore. Solar energy provides him with the energy that he might have needed from sleep or food. He only sleeps and eat out of habit. Any waste is probably burned by his body or release in another form(Heat vision was one theory).

Quote:
Superman can hold his breath for a maximum of 12 hours, and requires 2 hours of sleep a night to function at peak mental efficiency, as well needing to dream at least half an hour a night, or experience the psychological effects of sleep deprivation as would any other person who missed a night of sleep.

Superman's been shown to hold his breath for what I believe to be weeks. Given enough a decent reserve of solar energy, it was even stated that he wouldn't even need to breath.

Quote:
He can fly to the moon in minutes, but faster than that outside of atmospheric interference.

Last three or so times that he's been shown to fly to the moon, he's done so in seconds.

Quote:
Superman requires solar energy to function at peak capacity, or his powers fade to greatly reduced levels, some disappearing entirely if his solar reserves are empty. Superman cannot absorb energy from the lower frequency orange O-class stars and cannot process the higher-frequency White K or blue F classes. Blue B and yellow G type stars are ideal.

It was also said that he could absorb energy from any star that was not near the last stages of decay(Like that of a red sun). Blue or white stars would provide more energy, though have the same trouble as he would flying into the Earth's sun.

Quote:
As kryptonite radiation makes its way through the bloodstream, a Kryptonian becomes instantly weak and ill in its unshielded presence, and prolonged exposure will render him or her unconscious (after 30 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the sample, and the current state of his solar reserves), and will eventually (after two to four hours) reach all parts of his body and bring death.

The effects could defiitely be quicker, depending on the quantity of the kryptonite.

Quote:
Further, the radiation signature of the red sun of the Krypton system (and similar M-class stars) instantly causes the ribosomal structures to lose their stored energy, reducing a Kryptonian to normal humanoid levels.

He loses energy from a red sun due to the low levels of energy it provides to his body.

It's mostly accurate around Superman near the early to mid 90's, though his current form certainly has gotten much stronger. However, once again its still an amazing explanation. I'll consider it to be the official explanation with the changes I mentioned above.

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Wednesday, October 27, 2004 6:07 AM

ASTRIANA

My only potential beef with this very well thought out explanation is based on your definition of kryptonite.

I'll wait for the definition before I explain what I feel is the discrepancy...

~Astriana~
~Mostly-Invisible Long-Winded Goddess of Inter-Board Communication and Diplomacy a/k/a El Jefe Magnifico's Mistress... of Communications and Harems~

...I'm still free,
You can't take the sky from me.

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Wednesday, December 29, 2004 4:17 AM

ANARKO

I just can't wait till the new movie is released. With Bryan Singer helming the film, it will blow away any superhero movie we've seen so far.

http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=8&t=7644

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