Re: Ninja chemistry?

In message <48455e8a$0$90271$14726298@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Peter Knutsen <peter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes


I don't know all that much about the history of chemistry, and it's probably slightly silly to try to define something with a time period, but I figure that the felinoid ninja learned chemistry in the monastery that is the equivalent of mid 19th century. Once he left it, he might have learned more, to update his skills (the planet this takes place on should have a cyberpunky feel, so mid 21th century or so), but I don't think he has, because more advanced chemistry usually ends up requiring a big, expensive lab.

Mid 19th century was a time when there were lots of changes in chemistry, leading to the industrial revolution. There are some technologies that could plausibly have been discovered earlier than they were here.

The big changes about that time were the introduction of electricity and precision tooling that allowed mechanically interchangeable parts to be mass-produced.

Electricity could have been discovered much earlier than it was, there are reports of things that might have been electric batteries in classical times. Imagine what would have happened if the Romans had developed electric lights and electric motors.

are likely to be more familiar with bioluminescence than we are because they are more likely to be out when it is the only source of illumination.

Good point! Thanks.

Secondly, another chemical reaction to release heat, inside a web of (plastic) tubes that goes around most of the felinoid's body, to make immersion in water more endurable. I basically know that such a reaction is possible (I believe it is called an "exothermic reaction"), but what parameters are realistic, in terms of temperature increase and duration? The ideal would be a modest temperature increase that persists for a long while, i.e. a slow reaction.

Again, I don't need a recipe, just a quick doability check.
Again it's feasible. There are reversible reactions that would allow the

One thing I've worried about is how well it will work, in water, though.

It will generate the heat but unless there is insulation wrapped around the tube and its wearer the heat will leak away very fast.


depleted tube to be regenerated by boiling it in water too. There are commercial hand-warmers that use supercooled sodium acetate in this way. That's definitely possible using even medieval technology.

I think a reversible process is overkill, but then again felinoids do like fish, and they make a point of being universal apex predators (species pride, and egoes that are the size of small moons, on average), which means sometimes going underwater just to make the point ("we can prey on anything whatsoever").

I think that the fishers would use some sort of oil to waterproof their fur. That's likely to be visible to a casual observer so an oiled felinoid in a fishing port might be unremarkeable, anywhere else they would be noticed.


Perhaps such heating webs, re-usable as you describe them, are standard issue for sports-hunting felinoids, rather than special ninja gear?


But still, how much heat does it give off, and for how long?

Moderate warmth for half an hour or so. Definitely not enough heat to dry wet fur. If this felinoid is based on a house-cat then they aren't voluntarily going to get wet.


Thirdly, are there any other neat ninja chemistry tricks that won't be too scientifically outrageous. Bonus points if they fit into the felinoid theme somehow (i.e. by solving a problem that a housecat-inspired species would be likely to have, or would be likely to worry about - e.g. the opposition's ability to detect or track you by scent).
Take a lead from the UK's hunt saboteurs. I believe they use aniseed extract (anethole) to confuse dogs.

One thing I forgot to mention is that both the felinoid and his human buddies are huge fans of recreational drugs. The setting can vaguely be described as Star Wars-like, but not for kids, and in keeping with space operatic traditions, most drugs work across species, although with some exceptions (catnip has no effect on humans, for instance).

One possibility could be a stink bomb (analogous to smoke bombs and flash bombs), or perhaps a cocaine bomb, assuming cocaine can temporarily nullify a guard creature's sense of smell...

More likely a stink bomb that overwhelms the guards sense of smell.


Oh, one more thing: he'll be carrying some kind of drug that speeds up his metabolism, as an emergency measure to get warm after the swim, in case his human compatriots forget to show up with the industrial strength blow dryers, but I'm figuring this could just be a regular medical drug. I think I once read that ephedrine has a useable effect (some side effects too, sure, but it beats dying, which is what will happen to a soaked and exposed felinoid). So I don't actually need a ninja-chemical solution to this issue.
Coffee. Works for me.

Imagine you're skinnier than a super model (although shorter - male felinoids average 165 cm). Then subtract all subcutaneous fat (unlike humans, the felinoid species isn't adapted to water at all), add a little muscle (you don't need much, weighting almost nothing) and then add a layer of very non-water-resistant fur that is perhaps slightly longer than a typical house cat's (4-7 mm average length, depending on racial type).

Also tone down your exertion capacity. Humans and wolves are pack hunters, able to tire out prey before the kill. Felinoids aren't. They aren't cheetahs, but they can't build up the stamina to run marathons (as the saying goes, among felinoids, the first human to run a marathon died. The only felinoid who ever tried it also died).

You've just spent an uncomfortably long period of time swimming through a canal filled with cold, polluted water, after having infiltrated a heavily guarded corporate data center. While swiming, your fur has soaked up a lot of water, slowing you down.

You get out of the water, very exhausted, fur soaked, adding at least a kilogram to your mass (or more?), and it's a windy night. You're not close to dying, yet, but to survive you must get dry and find shelter.

Assuming caffeine works the same way on felinoids as on humans (I've heard that it is actually very toxic to both cats and dogs), would it have much of an effect?

Not enough. I don't see any plausible drug speeding up metabolism enough to dry fur. A wet felinoid would also smell, so I think you will need a solution that keeps them dry.


I think something stronger is needed.


The heating web could perhaps be worn by the felinoid, but not activated until he gets out of the water. He exits the canal (assuming he can get out of the water unaided. Felinoid are very strong for their weight, but cope very badly with even minimal encumbrance), crawls to shelter (get out of the wind ASAP), and turns on the web.

I still like the industrial size blow dryers, though, and blow dryers are commonly available, in all sizes, where felinoids live (they do very much like their fish, and many are recreational hunters. Even non-fishercats have blow dryers in case they are surprised by rain).


Blow-driers imply the availability of electricity. That doesn't fit well with mid 19th century.


--
Bernard Peek
London, UK. DBA, Manager, Trainer & Author.

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