A stasis field, in
science fiction
Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...
, is a confined area of space in which time does not pass. It is a variation on the related science-fictional concept of the
force field and also related to the concept of
suspended animation
Suspended animation is the slowing or stopping of biological function so that physiological capabilities are preserved. States of suspended animation are common in micro-organisms and some plant tissue, such as seeds. Many animals, including l ...
. The term and concept first appeared in
Robert A. Heinlein's 1942 novel ''
Beyond This Horizon''.
Scientific analysis suggests that such fields are highly improbable due to the principles of
quantum mechanics
Quantum mechanics is the fundamental physical Scientific theory, theory that describes the behavior of matter and of light; its unusual characteristics typically occur at and below the scale of atoms. Reprinted, Addison-Wesley, 1989, It is ...
and the
uncertainty principle
The uncertainty principle, also known as Heisenberg's indeterminacy principle, is a fundamental concept in quantum mechanics. It states that there is a limit to the precision with which certain pairs of physical properties, such as position a ...
.
Concept
The stasis field concept is a variation on the related science-fictional concept of the
force field. It is characterized by the absence of time passing inside the field.
Terminology
The term and concept first appeared in
Robert A. Heinlein's 1942 novel ''
Beyond This Horizon''.
Other terms for the same concept have also appeared, such as "bobble" in
Vernor Vinge
Vernor Steffen Vinge (; October 2, 1944 – March 20, 2024) was an American science fiction author and professor. He taught mathematics and computer science at San Diego State University. He was the first wide-scale popularizer of the technolo ...
's 1984 novel ''
The Peace War'',
or "zero-tau field" in
Peter F. Hamilton's 1996 novel ''
The Reality Dysfunction''.
Conversely, some works use the term "stasis field" to refer to fields that do not have the property of stopping the passage of time, for instance
Christopher Anvil's 1962 short story "
Gadget vs. Trend" and
Joe Haldeman
Joe William Haldeman (born June 9, 1943) is an American people, American science fiction author and former college professor. He is best known for his novel ''The Forever War'' (1974), which was inspired by his experiences as a combat soldier ...
's 1974 novel ''
The Forever War
''The Forever War'' (1974) is a military science fiction novel by American author Joe Haldeman, telling the contemplative story about human soldiers fighting an interstellar war against an alien civilization known as the Taurans. It won the N ...
''.
Narrative function
One of the ways stasis fields are used in fiction is as a form of
suspended animation
Suspended animation is the slowing or stopping of biological function so that physiological capabilities are preserved. States of suspended animation are common in micro-organisms and some plant tissue, such as seeds. Many animals, including l ...
.
Military applications also appear.
Analysis
Kevin Grazier and
Stephen Cass, in the 2015 non-fiction book ''Hollyweird Science: From Quantum Quirks to the Multiverse'', write that according to the modern understanding of the laws of the universe, a separate region of space where time stands still cannot exist due to the
uncertainty principle
The uncertainty principle, also known as Heisenberg's indeterminacy principle, is a fundamental concept in quantum mechanics. It states that there is a limit to the precision with which certain pairs of physical properties, such as position a ...
.
See also
*
Suspended animation in fiction
Suspended animation in fiction refers to the temporary cessation of life processes experienced by fictional characters, followed by their subsequent revival. This process is commonly employed as a plot device in science fiction narratives. It i ...
References
{{reflist
Science fiction themes
Fictional technology
Fiction about time