Reply To: A new way of generating electricity

[vansig]

Aeronaut wrote:
I used the word fiction in that case to mean that which has not yet been proven. Predicting surface conditions of a gas giant is science fiction.

nope. different animal.

it is quite possible to predict some aspects of ‘surface conditions of a gas giant’, relying on what we know of the physical principles at play, without venturing into fiction. we just have to be careful how we discuss it. scientific synthesis builds its castles, not on sand, but on firm bases. if gas giants have a surface, then we can discuss probable pressures and temperatures, compositions, chemistry, heat flows, and such, at this surface, with suitable models in hand for the physical processes. we can duplicate those conditions in a lab, and verify pieces, all without needing to journey there, ourselves. it is speculative, theoretical modelling, yes. and we don’t get the whole picture, this way, but we do stay out of the realm of fiction.