Thinking about Energy Sources

[SubIgnition]

My biology class got me thinking recently; if you think of a construct as a cell, or perhaps create one to serve as such, could it not be possible for a construct to convert energy from its environment for its own use?

I say this just because there are so many sources of energy in nature. I don't know if it's even feasible that you could program a construct to draw from its environment. An example of what I am thinking of is a construct that you want to stay in a specific location for an extended period of time-- for the purpose of explanation let's assume a construct that you want to stick to the ground and broadcast an emotion. Would it not be possible to also tell the construct to draw heat from its environment and use that as energy?

Some other ideas include static electricity, the molecular movement of water, kinetic energy (rain), and wind.

Or am I just crazy?

[neveza]

I don't believe in multiple sources, I just think it comes from one vast amount area, probably spread about in the air.

You can program an construct to take in more energy.

[innerfire]

Its an interesting idea, but there's nowhere near enough data on psi/energy and how it works to find out what it can be converted to or from. So I really don't feel right giving an answer either way :\

[The Devil's Advocate]

I could see it drawing power from ambient psi, but all cells have very specific methods of converting energy from one form to another. An animal cell cannot directly convert light the way a plant does. It lacks chloroplasts and the other photosensitive organelles that enable plants to utalize various wavelengths of light directly. Instead our cells go through Cellular respiration (Glycolysis, Krebs cycle, Phosphorylation) which produces ATP (adenosine triphosphate) These molecules are formed from Glucose and Glycose which we consume. ATP is shipped to whichever cells need more energy than they're making and broken down into ADP (adenosine diphospate) and a free phosphorus. The breaking of that bond (the third phosphate) releases chemical energy. This energy is used to fuel other cellular activity. (American Science dictionary, 2002)

The process by which green plants, algae, diatoms, and certain forms of bacteria make carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water in the presence of chlorophyll, using energy captured from sunlight by chlorophyll, and releasing excess oxygen as a byproduct. In plants and algae, photosynthesis takes place in organelles called chloroplasts. Photosynthesis is usually viewed as a two-step process. First, in the light reactions, the energy-providing molecule ATP is synthesized using light energy absorbed by chlorophyll and accessory pigments such as carotenoids and phycobilins, and water is broken apart into oxygen and a hydrogen ion, with the electron of the hydrogen transferred to another energy molecule, NADPH. The ATP and NADPH molecules power the second part of photosynthesis by the transfer of electrons. In these light-independent or dark reactions, carbon is broken away from carbon dioxide and combined with hydrogen via the Calvin cycle to create carbohydrates. Some of the carbohydrates, the sugars, can then be transported around the organism for immediate use; others, the starches, can be stored for later use. (American Heritage Science Dictionary, 2002)


Note: the bio lecture is intended as a reference point. I'd rather not loose anyone.

What does this mean for Psi? Well unless there is such a system for conversion of energy within psi, AND the neccissary components to create such a conversion it is unlikely a psionic 'cell' would be able to directly absorb another energy type. We would have to find a conversion medium. The psionic equivalent of chlorophyll.

It is, however, possible to program a psionic construct to utalize ambient energy. As an example: One layer of my shields removes programing/intent from (essentially cleans) all incomming psi. Then passes it on to the next layer below which then absorbs it and uses it to strengthen the shields without drawing nearly so much from me. It is not completely efficient, but it does function.

~The Devil's Advocate

"photosynthesis." The American Heritage® Science Dictionary. Houghton Mifflin Company. 07 Feb. 2007. <Dictionary.com dictionary.reference.com/browse/photosynthesis>

"cellular respiration." The American Heritage® Science Dictionary. Houghton Mifflin Company. 07 Feb. 2007. <Dictionary.com dictionary.reference.com/browse/cellular respiration>

Note: 2007 is date accessed not published. Published year is in individual paragraph citation.

[SubIgnition]

Actually, that particular topic was just covered in my biology class. Interesting stuff.

I've done more thinking; the first step recommended for a beginner is energy manipulation: learning what psi is and how to collect it and direct it. Most of the energy manipulation discipline is essentially directing, manipulating and controlling psi. I can think of an analogy for this: building a series of pipes and a pump that the energy flows through.

Leading into my latest pondering: it's all over forums that the arts are very intensive, and virtually everyone has a definite limit on how much energy they can handle. Too much energy can be dangerous, and you need to get rid of the excess. But what about constructs?

Could you theoretically 'funnel' energy from a source into a construct or inanimate object? I envision this as either directing the energy around you or by keeping it flowing so that you are never directly handling too much..

Note that I'm not suggesting anybody go and try this. That wouldn't be smart.

[innerfire]

I've pondered that idea (the one using constructs anyways), in my design I called them "extensions," and depending on someone's ability to make energy storage constructs it could theoretically work, however:

1) Any kind of mutation or damage recieved to the constructs could horribly screw things up, so if it doesn't blow up on its own its certaintly a huge target for attacks.

2) Energy Storage constructs in the first place take some doing to get right, mine still usually breakdown after a short while

3) You still have to generate that energy at some point, and quite logically, most people's energy generation is at least slightly below their "capacity" so to speak, so someone doing this couldn't keep supplying enough energy to fit the higher capacity brought on by the extensions. Eventually they'd be holding nothing and be worthless.

4) Even at a lower amount, running energy through the body at a constant rate for a prolonged period of time will cause strain. It will probably take longer, but you will still run into problems.

[The Devil's Advocate]

As someone who has a shield that essentially 'stores' energy, they are not overly efficient batteries. It is theoretically possible, but usually the 'excess energy' is 'excess foreign energy'. Which is usually shuffled off to somewhere else (a techinque called grounding)

~The Devil's Advocate

[SubIgnition]

Thoughts of the day:

if psychokinesis uses psychic energy to manifest physical effects, is the reverse possible?

and is there a possibility of accidentally commiting suicide via biofeedback?

edited, because i noticed you could have misinterpreted my questions

[The Devil's Advocate]

Not something I'd recomend discussing in detail. It may or may not be possible. We can use psi to exert force, but the mechanism by which that force is exerted is currently unknown.

~The Devil's Advocate

[Stiles Mornay]

I've done that sort of thing, making constructs and program them to draw in ambient energy and convert it to their own energy so they can keep going so I wouldn't have to repeat the whole process as I do with expendable constructs. Seemed to work so well I had to dispel them so they wouldn't evolve beyond the programming I gave them over time. My most recent such experiment involved a couple of things outside of Psionics, yet crafting through Psionic methods. It pretty much lived on a certain type of ambient energy, would get stronger if it was in an environment more saturated with the certain stuff than in other environments, would get weaker if it was in an environment that barely had enough of the stuff just to support it. Last time I checked, it's still living rather quite well.