Comments | sheps_atlantis: Food supply of Atlantis

black_raven135 in sheps_atlantis

Food supply of Atlantis

Jul 25, 2009 16:36

Recently as I watched UNDERGROUND, where they are seeking food supplies from the Genii for Atlantis,
and this was a continuing theme of the series, I wondered why not a floating greenhouse???
It would be simple enough..........e.g. a pontoon with a covering much like a greenhouse anywhere else.
They would also need a desalinization plant to cover ( Read more... )

Comments 11

kriadydragon July 26 2009, 02:08:20 UTC

I'm pretty sure Atlantis has things like a desalinization tank (they had to get their water from somewhere) and a built-in greenhouse. The trick would be finding edible fruits and vegetables, which, I think, would take some time (making friends with civilizations who had seeds for edible fruits and vegetables, testing various plants for toxins and such.) It would also take time to grow enough food for the entire expedition and that would also last for some time. They would need the right soil, the right tools, etc. So for the time being it was probably easier and quicker just to trade for food.

black_raven135 July 26 2009, 02:21:55 UTC

Right after I posted the entry I thought 'well of course they have desalinization' and then realized they had probably not brought any sort of seeds/seedlings with them.......
OK never mind.
I guess I need to go back to the drawing board.
Thanks for setting me straight.
:P

susnn July 26 2009, 02:31:59 UTC

In addition to increasing the variety and amount of the Atlantean food supply, off-world trading for foodstuffs also provided opportunities to build alliances and garner intelligence of any number of types, from best foodstuffs to wraith culling patterns, to left-over Ancient technology to providing resources that the putative trading partners could use.Even were Atlantis to become totally self-sufficient in food rations, they'd probably still use trading for food as an entree into other societies. Fan fic writers have made use of this rationale in any number of really great stories.

black_raven135 July 26 2009, 02:37:54 UTC

Point well taken......Thank you.
I knew the replies would be interesting.

karri_kln1671 July 26 2009, 03:43:03 UTC

I think the problem first season was as much a lack of personnel as anything else. They'd brought only a small contingent of personnel with them, all of whom had a purpose. Also, they had, at that point, explored a very limited portion of Atlantis -- the center, around the control tower, so they didn’t really have ready access to the ocean around them, beyond a nice view of it from the control room balcony. Additionally, they had brought a bare minimum of equipment, as well as supplies with them, which, coupled with their limited exploration of Atlantis, means they may not have had sufficient spare parts around to rig up a greenhouse. Nor did they have plant stock or seeds with them, so they'd have still needed to trade for supplies to get the greenhouse started ( ... )

black_raven135 July 26 2009, 03:48:10 UTC

Points well taken, thank you!!!!!!
It amazes me how much thought goes into it all
this from all as we view the City of the Ancients.
I continue to be amazed, as I was first time I saw it, how Sheppard's presence just activates it all.......
I loved that and continue to not only through watching the episodes but more through reading some of the ff........

tridget July 26 2009, 05:07:13 UTC

There was a fanfic story I read on this topic, but I have forgotten which one. There was a portion of the story in which somone consulted to Elizabeth Weir regarding the suplies she would need for the initial expedition and why each of the specified items would be of practical use. It was a very interesting part of the story. It contained many interesting ideas. Unfortunately I don't remember which story contained this scene. However, it had to be taking place in the time frame just before the expedition left earth.

perspi July 26 2009, 19:07:36 UTC

Perhaps it was City on the Edge of Forever by synecdochic?

Thread 6

anonymous July 26 2009, 04:59:17 UTC

Chalk it up to another failing of the SGA writers. They showed us a botany lab full of strange and mysterious plants but no greenhouses of tomatoes and zucchini you know they must have imported as soon as they re-established communication with Earth. Atlantis once supported a population the size of New York, they had to have hydroponics and greenhouses. The Ancients were rather short sighted about a lot of things but they were human and had to eat. Spreading your food supply across as many planets as possible is a necessity when your farmers may be culled at any moment, but you would have to have local produce to support that and carry you through emergencies ( ... )