fandomhigh | Physics, Monday, Class #4, Period 4

As the students entered, they would probably notice that Sam was muttering under her breath as she held her cell phone to her ear and paced. After a few minutes, she closed the phone with a snap and turned to face the class. "Good afternoon. I'm sure some of you will be thrilled to know we won't be blowing anything up today. For those of you who are disappointed, well, there will be other weeks for that."

"Today we're going to talk about means of communication and how they work." Sam passed out handouts explaining the wonders that were ballpoint pens, cellular phones, universal messaging, instant messaging, telephones, e-mail, and smoke signals. "I may have forgotten some, and if I've left out your favorite, please feel free to let me know."

She paced to the front of the room and leaned against the desk, arms folded. "So, my question to you is this: If you were going to be captured or just leave after trashing someone's apartment, which do you think would be the most efficient and versatile form of communication? Or, in other words, which would you prefer to have with you to contact someone and let them know that you were, in fact, not dead? Or even that you might need help to stay that way? Why? Are there modifications you would make?"

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Feel free to come up with ones she hasn't thought of, but be prepared to defend your answer.

Romeo held up his pen as he answered. "I don't think technology can do much better than a pen and a stamp to mail a letter with," he answered. "It's cheap, portable, easy to replace, and will work almost anywhere. Cell phones are faster, but you run the risk the person you wish to find is out of range."

Sam nodded. "What do you do if someone's in another dimension, or if the mail service is either non-existent or on strike?"

"But would a cell phone or email work across dimensions, either?" Romeo asked, then considered. "I know they do here, but here is ... special."

"If the mail doesn't work you can leave the note in a place where you'll know they'll find it, or send it by private courier."

Re: Discussion Question

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"You left out radio," Rodney pointed out. "It could prove to be essential if aliens, for example, were to disable the satellite communications grid."

"It definitely could," Sam agreed, not at all thrown by Rodney's mention of aliens. "I also left off use of the morse code and semaphore flags. What happens when you're trying to contact someone who's out of range?"

"Morse code is good, too," Rodney nodded and ignored the thing about flags. "As for range... as long as enough places have or can build the proper equipment, it'd be a simple matter to relay messages."

"I would want the pen," Kevin said. "Mostly because I know how it works and you don't have to worry if it gets wet or you drop it in the sand."

Sam may have looked at Kevin a little funny. Pens didn't work so well in water or sand, last she knew. "Okay, that's fair. What do you do if you don't have paper?"

"Well, maybe you can leave a note on like a receipt or a dollar bill or something," he suggested with a shrug.

"A phone usually works?" Ichigo tried.

"What if you don't have one?"

"Borrow one?" he suggested, because who in this time didn't have a cell phone? "Or leave a note."

"The communicators we have at home are a bit more advanced, but I was still pretty impressed the cell phones of this era," said Hoshi. "I thought they would be rather primitive compared to what I'm used to, but they feel that way."

"Since I don't know the technology of your era, do you have a better suggestion for what to use, from your time?" This absolutely wasn't learning about the future. Possible future, maybe.

"I'd suggest one of our communicators," said Hoshi, pulling her own flip-top device out of her backpack. "It transmits on a subspace frequency so it's got a range like a satellite phone, plus it has a built-in homing transponder to help locate the owner. The only thing it doesn't really have is text messaging."

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"I am rather fond of email," Tosh said. "We don't have that yet back where I'm from."

"What if you don't have a computer--or a blackberry--with you? Or end up somewhere in the middle of an electrical or electromagnetic blackout?"

"Telephone would probably be my next course of action," Tosh replied. "Or perhaps a telegram."

"I believe I would prefer the use of a cell phone," Worf replied. "However in my time period it has been replaced by a communicator which can use subspace frequencies and is much more efficient and allows direct contact as well as tracking capabilities."

He paused for a second before adding: "However I do not see how this relates to physics."

Sam sighed. "Because each of these devices was, at one time, theoretical, and created based solely on what people thought would happen based on the laws of physics. However, it's also possible to--much as I hate to say it--get so carried away by the love of technology that you forget that the most practical answer is not always the right one for your situation. Which, no, probably isn't strictly physics, Worf, but it's a lesson I hope you'll take with you regardless."

"That I will," Worf said stiffly. "I will make sure to take that to heart. Ma'am."

"If I could choose any method of communication?" Sokka answered, "I'd want telepathy. I mean, partly because it's just awesome, and partly because it could never break."

"Try something technological, Sokka," Sam laughed. "Although I can't say I blame you for your choice."

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"Intermech communication frequencies," Bumblebee said quickly, then paused with a somewhat sheepish look. "...Though that wouldn't work for humans."