In an interview with Open Pike Night, the author said he was inspired by this NPR story and by this What If? XKCD essay.
Comment on Episode Discussion | Star Trek: Strange New Worlds | 4x06 "Off-Hour"
khaosworks@startrek.website 1 week ago
It was okay, except I don’t understand (a) why they had to use neutrinos of all things, when it’s a particle we know stuff about and that we know cannot possibly do any of these things and (b) draw attention to the implausibility by having Pike question it and © then try to justify it by saying that these are magic neutrinos that can do all sorts of stuff ordinary neutrinos can’t do. Completely unnecessary. Just make up some new particle!
And of all the characters to choose to put in jeopardy, they had to choose two of those that we know survive to the future.
But the neutrinos bit really threw my suspension of disbelief for a loop. This was worse than “red matter”.
jalanhenning@startrek.website 1 week ago - khaosworks@startrek.website 1 week ago
I did note that you could get a lethal dose of neutrinos given a supernova. It’s the “strong force neutrino” thing that gets me.
Stormygeddon@startrek.website 1 week ago
I’ll be frank, I still don’t like the Neutrino thing even if there were funny scenes about scanning for Neutrinos in DS9.
I assumed they used neutrinos because they’re closely associated with the Bajoran wormhole (and I think wormholes in general?).
I don’t mind there being some sort of Super Secret Special neutrino that only exists under circumstances that can’t really be replicated, but it is a very silly particle.