Ancient technology in Stargate

The Ancients (also known as "Alterans" and "Lanteans") are a fictional advanced race in the Stargate franchise, and are depicted as the precursor to modern-day humans. Their most notable creation in Stargate mythology is the entire Stargate network. Ancient science and technology, with a few exceptions, is shown as being superior to that of other races. The Ancients are portrayed as being extremely advanced in the areas of healing, power generation, and biology. They are also credited with designing a number of fictional weapons, primarily for use in the centuries-long war with the Wraith in the Pegasus Galaxy. Ori technology in Stargate is shown as similar to that of the Ancients, since they are also depicted as ascended beings. In Stargate chronology, all Ancient technology was created prior to their ascension, with the exception of the Velona weapon, assisted by the character Orlin, and the weapon created by the character Merlin to destroy ascended beings. However, not all the artifacts credited to the Ancients are depicted as a complete success.

Power sources

Ancient technology has varied in power and capability over the passage of many millions of years. The multi-million-year old vessel Destiny possesses an early hyperdrive system that manages FTL travel in normal space with the use of multiple modular drives. Although much slower in terms of speed than the later hyperdrive systems that utilized hyperspace windows, Destiny possesses the ability to convert plasma discharges from the chromosphere of a sun into energy without damage, giving it the ability to recharge at any point in travel. This unending power supply allowed the Destiny to travel much farther than any other ship, even though their method of FTL was much slower compared to modern hyperdrives.

Zero Point Module

An Ancient power source used to power their cities and outposts. ZPMs supposedly extract vacuum energy from a small artificially-created region of subspace,^[1] based on the concept of zero-point energy.^[2] ZPMs are depicted as more powerful and efficient than fictional Naquadah generators or any conventional energy source on present day Earth, and are shown as lasting for thousands of years.^[3]

The first ZPM is found by Jack O'Neill in the SG-1 season 7 finale "Lost City" at an abandoned outpost, and used to power Ancient weaponry left behind on Earth to repel Anubis' attack on Earth. The same ZPM allows Stargate Command to open a wormhole to Atlantis in the Pegasus Galaxy.^[4] Another is found on Earth in an alternate timeline and allows Earth to send supplies and reinforcements to Atlantis.^[5] The finding and recapturing of ZPMs is a recurring theme on Stargate Atlantis, being a necessary asset to protect the city from attacks and invasion, to power the city (e.g., for space travel) and to accelerate Earth ships in-between galaxies. However, they also have destructive powers, which has been misused by Camulus,^[6] the Trust,^[7] and McKay aboard an Asuran City ship.^[8]

Most of the Atlantis characters and aliens pronounce ZPM as Zee-P-M (with an American accent). The team's Canadian scientist, Rodney McKay, on the other hand, pronounces the abbreviation in the standard Canadian (and all other non-US English speaking territories) fashion, Zed-P-M.^[9]

Other power sources

• Project Arcturus: Experimental project to extract vacuum energy from the current universe, which could replace Zero Point Modules, based on Doranda. It failed and several Ancients involved died trying to shut it down. The Atlantis Expedition discovers the device, but run into the same problem: the device constantly generates new and exotic particles that would make it impossible to stabilize, which causes the destruction of 5/6 of the local solar system.^[10] The Atlantis team later experiments with shunting the exotic particles to another universe. However, the other universe is inhabited, and an alternate McKay travels to Atlantis to stem the damage being done to his universe.^[11]
• Ram scoop like devices: The Ancient starship Destiny is powered by a series of devices similar to ram scoops on each "fin" at the rear of the ship. The vessel flies through the corona of a star to recharge its reactors. The shields protect the vessel from the intense solar heat while this process occurs.
• Submerged Geothermal Station: A small facility the Ancients constructed to find an area where volcanic activity was close to the surface. Once found, the Ancients made use of the planet's geothermal energy. An umbilical cord is tethered from the facility to Atlantis to deliver power.
• Supervolcano Geothermal Facility: A large Ancient outpost was discovered on Taranis, a planet in the Pegasus galaxy where the Orion was also stored. This outpost contained an Ancient shield and utilized geothermal energy from a dormant supervolcano. Excessive use of the facility destabilized the volcano, resulting in an eruption which rendered the planet uninhabitable.
• O'Neill's jury-rigged device: The first time that Colonel Jack O'Neill had the knowledge of the Ancients downloaded into his mind by an Ancient Repository of Knowledge, he used this knowledge to build a complex device that interfaced with the power supply for Earth's Stargate. The device provided the requisite amount of power for the Stargate to create a wormhole to another galaxy by depleting the liquid Naqahdah energy cell of a staff weapon, which allowed O'Neill to travel to an Asgard-controlled location in the Ida galaxy. The device he built to power the Stargate for this purpose worked only once until a second Samantha Carter arrived from a parallel universe, and the two Carters managed to figure it out so that the Alternate-Carter could return to her universe via the Quantum Mirror and contact the Asgard (by travelling to the Asgard's home galaxy via Stargate) to stop the Goa'uld Apophis from conquering Earth, similar to what Daniel Jackson had witnessed when he discovered the Quantum Mirror on an abandoned planet.

Shielding

Shields were used by the Ancients aboard their ships and outposts. Ancient shields prove to be almost impenetrable, as long as sufficient power is maintained to operate them. In contrast, the shields of other races, such as the Goa'uld and Asgard, are weakened directly by outside forces, like enemy fire and natural phenomena, causing them to fail or diminish in capacity rather quickly in cases of extreme stress. Various types of shields include:

• Prison cell shield: Ancient prison cells are known to employ shields between their bars to prevent occupants from escaping, as shown within Atlantis as well as their ships. Atlantis' sister ship was shown not to have this capability but this is most likely due to the severe lack of power available.
• Aurora-class shields: The shield of Aurora class warships contours around the ship, like an extra hull, instead of an ordinary bubble.^[12] These shields are incredibly powerful, and have a yellow gold-like color. The Orion's shields, operating at well-below full power, were able to withstand a supervolcano's eruption for 4.1 seconds, while using the eruption to propel it out of its hangar.^[13]
• Atlantis' shield: The massive dome-like force field protects the city from enemy attacks,^[4] extreme weather,^[14] and water pressure when submerged in the ocean.^[4] The power required to operate the shield depends on the load it is being subjected to. When interfaced with a Puddle Jumper's cloak generator, it acts as an invisibility shield and draws less power than it normally would, though it offers no protection other than invisibility. During normal operation the shield can be sustained by one ZPM. The shield draws a substantial amount of power when under strain. The shield could only be sustained by a single ZPM for just days when under heavy attack from a Wraith fleet,^[5] but for 10,000 years under the pressure of thousands of feet of water with only three ZPMs used in sequence.
• Personal shield: A palm-sized shield generator worn on one's person that projects a defensive barrier. It deflects any objects propelled at it, and has inertial dampeners. The shield is activated by the ATA gene, and controlled by the user's mind, though the user must be trained in mind-control to override the conscious desires in the use of the device; for example, the user may believe they do not need the shield, but their subconscious may still believe they require protection, causing the shield to remain active until the danger passes. Once a person activates the device, only that person can use it.^[15] However, on at least one occasion, a personal shield is worn by several users. The shield can prevent the user from eating or drinking while the device is active,^[15] but experienced users have been known to eat and drink while wearing it. The wearer still requires air to breathe, and thus is not protected from drowning or being buried alive.^[16] Three personal shields have so far been encountered. One was discovered in Atlantis and used by Rodney McKay, but its power source is depleted by an energy-absorbing creature.^[15] Another was used by a McKay from a Parallel universe to cross over to our universe.^[11] The third is used by Lucius Lavin, although its power source was later depleted.^[16]
• Stargate shield: Much like the Iris on the Earth Gate, Atlantis' Stargate is protected by a shield that can be activated at a touch of a button to prevent any matter from materializing beyond the event horizon. Unlike the iris, it is translucent and one can see the suppressed kawoosh and impact of objects prevented from rematerializing.^[4] The Shield has yet to be breached by anything, but a "back-door" is coded into the shield's control system by Dr. McKay, allowing him to deactivate it remotely from an off world location and preventing anyone else (including the inhabitants of Atlantis) from reactivating it.
• Puddle Jumper shield: The Atlantis Puddle Jumper cloaking devices can be modified to create a shield instead. The shield drains much more power than the cloak does, however.
• Destiny's Shield: Stargate Universe's Destiny appears to have a far more primitive Ancient shielding technology than Atlantis and other Ancient ships. Whereas Atlantis' shield appears to specialize in containing atmosphere, Destiny's shield is far inferior in this capability. Though Atlantis appears not to be airtight itself (stated several times throughout Atlantis that the shield is necessary for space travel), the shield retains the atmosphere with ease. The shield is battle tested in Season 1 Episode 11 and it is put under severe strain in the short fight with the aliens encountered; however Destiny is very damaged, with the power lines damaged enough for the ship being capable of storing less than 40% of its maximum reserves, thus the shields also aren't at full power. The shield's obvious purpose is to withstand extreme temperatures when diving into a star's corona to recharge itself, though the recharging itself also powers the shields. However, with all available power devoted to shields during a battle, they can take a lot: during a battle simulation Destiny was running, all available power was devoted to the shields and they were said to be able to hold out for 44 minutes against nine alien ships and were only penetrated when six more ships showed up and joined in the firing.

Transportation

The Ancients were the first race known to develop interstellar transport technology, being able to make intergalactic trips millions of years before human life was ever seeded in the Milky Way and Pegasus galaxies, and possessed multiple methods of achieving this from ship mounted engines to devices that could transport people. They also possessed short-ranged transportation for non-interstellar use.

Starship drives

Intergalactic hyperdrive

The Ancients were the first race to build an intergalactic hyperdrive. The Ancients have the most powerful hyperdrives known to exist; Atlantis (and presumably other city-ships) can travel several million light-years in mere hours when powered by a full complement of ZPMs. By comparison, the Asgard-built intergalactic hyperdrive on an Earth Daedalus-class starship takes 18 days to make the same trip, four if similarly powered by a ZPM.

Interstellar hyperdrives

Unlike their city-ships, most Ancient vessels are powered by the more conventional interstellar hyperdrive, which cannot traverse intergalactic distances in a reasonable time frame but can move across a galaxy with relative ease. The hyperdrives equipped on the Aurora-class could be modified to make an intergalactic trip if necessary, possibly meaning the interstellar hyperdrives of other Ancient vessels could be modified in a similar manner; though they were usually ill-equipped to make such a trip and it is unknown how fast they would be (but likely far slower than an Asgard ship). Like their intergalactic counterparts, Ancient interstellar hyperdrives are far more powerful than those of other races. McKay designed an interstellar hyperdrive for a Puddle Jumper, but it was only reliable for about two trips and drained the Jumper's power quickly. (SG1: Ark of Truth) (ATL: "Rising", "Aurora", "Tao of Rodney", "Lifeline", "Enemy at the Gate")

FTL drive

The Ancient starship Destiny and its Seed ships use an unidentified form of faster-than-light propulsion that must remain active for at least 4 hours uninterrupted to prevent damage; this indicates that it undergoes considerable strain entering and exiting FTL travel. This FTL travel is described primarily as being distinct from hyperspace - an example of this is that hyperspace is depicted as a tunnel, whereas the Destiny FTL drive is depicted as if the ship is pushing through something, creating a trailing energy effect along the hull, similar to St. Elmo's fire. The FTL-drive itself spans the entire breadth of the stern of the vessel. In contrast to a hyperdrive, which opens a window in subspace upon activation, the FTL drive rapidly accelerates the vessel to faster-than-light speeds. Due to the inertial dampeners, the only visible effects of the drive is a stretched, blurry sensation felt when the drive is accelerating. When active, the ship's shields must be active too in order to protect it from objects the ship may encounter in its path and the speed of the ship itself. If the shield were to fail mid-flight, the ship would disintegrate. The drive is apparently extremely resilient (a characteristic of all Ancient technology), having remained in operation for well over fifty million years, indicating that the drive can continue to function unhindered without all of its components operational.

Wormhole drive

An experimental technology installed on Atlantis, capable of traversing vast distances in moments. In "Enemy at the Gate", the expedition uses it at the risk of instantly vaporizing the city, allowing Atlantis to reach Earth in time to defend it against an attack by a ZPM-powered Wraith hive ship. The drive essentially functions in a similar manner to a stargate, in that it creates an artificial wormhole that envelops the entire city, transporting it almost instantaneously to its intended destination. The research into the drive was abandoned by the Ancients due to the enormous power constraints and the highly likely possibility of destroying the city. When the Atlantis Expedition was en route to Earth to defend against a Wraith attack, the stardrive failed on the edge of the Milky Way galaxy. With no remaining options to complete the journey, Dr. Radek Zelenka suggested to Richard Woolsey that he complete Dr. Rodney McKay's calculations that would theoretically safely engage the city in a wormhole "jump". Woolsey agreed and Atlantis safely transported into orbit around Earth in the midst of the Wraith's attack on Earth.

Sublight drive

A type of sub-FTL seen only in the episode "The Return", under which an Ancient warship with damaged hyperdrive, the Tria, traveled consistently at 99% of the speed of light. They however had a ZPM onboard and patched it into their sub-light engines allowing them to push to 99% the speed of light and maintain it for 10,000 non-relative years (about 12 years on the ship). They were attempting to return to Earth to rejoin the Ancients from Atlantis. As a result of traveling at that speed, they had experienced very limited passage of time. They encountered the Daedalus in the intergalactic void while the Earth ship was testing the nearly completed Midway Station.

Ancient Stardrive

The Ancient Stardrive is a drive unique to Ancient city-ships such as Atlantis. It is apparently a combination of both a sublight drive and a hyperdrive. Spanning the entire underside of the city-ship, it is capable of propelling the immensely heavy vessel away from the planet's surface, into orbit and through hyperspace. Considered one of the quickest drives in existence, Atlantis has traversed the distance from its home in Pegasus to the edge of the Milky Way galaxy in mere hours, a feat which takes the Daedalus approximately 18 days to complete. In additional spaceflight, the drive is also crucial for liftoff and entry to control the city-ship to ensure a smooth take off and landing.

Ring transporter

Originally developed and used by the Ancients, but later used by the Goa'uld, the Tok'ra, and the Ori. The rings are roughly half the diameter of a Stargate and function under similar principles. The matter within the first set of rings is swapped with the matter in the second set of rings. A single set of rings can also be used to transfer matter over short distances. All matter inside the rings is dematerialized and transported via matter stream to another set of rings in a different location where it is then rematerialized. The five or eight rings levitate slightly off the ground and stack on top of each other during operation. Each ring transporter platform weighs 12.9 tons, but what components are used in the "platform" is unknown.^[17]

After a completed transport, the rings move back into their storage platform and deactivate. The rings themselves do not transport. Some ring platforms are portable and can be moved when inactive. They have sensors that detect other active transport rings in an area. Transport rings are also used to enter and exit spacecraft, with one set of rings inside the craft and another set of rings mounted outside the hull. This is commonly seen with the Goa'uld Tel'tak cargo ships and Al'kesh,^[18] and some of the Earth ships.^[19] It is possible to intercept a matter stream that is in transport by interposing a set of mobile rings between the sending rings and the planned receiving rings. However, such an intercept requires that the entire matter stream be captured by the intercepting rings; otherwise, the transported people will not fully reintegrate, resulting in death. In the original Stargate film, O'Neil used the rings to decapitate one of Ra's foot soldiers by pinning him under the rings as they were activated, causing only the soldier's head to be transported.

Stargate

Also known as Astria Porta in Ancient, and to the Goa'uld and Jaffa as the "Chappa'ai" (Cha-Pa-Eye).^[20] were created and distributed by the Ancients across several galaxies, along with Dial-Home Devices^[18] to control them, forming the Stargate Network.^[21] A traveller may use any Stargate to travel almost instantaneously to any other Stargate in the system, so long as he knows the "address," a combination of at least seven symbols (six for the absolute 3D position and one for the point of origin, in order to calculate the relative position) that must be entered on the DHD (and assuming that the traveller is aware of stellar drift and can compensate for its effect on gate travel). Gates with a DHD communicate with each other through updates. The only gate that has to take stellar drift into consideration is Earth's gate since it does not have a DHD. Eight symbols must be used to dial a stargate that is in a different galaxy (the extra symbol referred to in SG-1 as being "like an area code"). The nine-symbol address is a specific combination used to dial the Destiny, a massive Ancient vessel that was part of a project to explore the universe, before the Ancients ascended. A Stargate is a two-way portal in some respects; while it can only be physically entered from the side from which it is activated, data transmissions are duplex, as shown by communications with off-world SG teams. Simultaneous physical access is impossible. The Stargate is often considered to be the Ancients' most famous creation, as the Ancients are often called the "Gate Builders".^[22] Because the Goa'uld are scavengers, they claimed that they were the builders to make the populations of the planets they enslaved worship them as gods.

Other

• "Eye of the Gods": A large obelisk located not far from the Stargate of the Sodan world, it transports people to another location where a similar transporter is located to get back. An energy signature is detected within the column of stones, although it remains unknown how the device functions.^[23] A control crystal is required to activate the obelisk. Without the crystal, the obelisk can be transported to, but cannot transport people back.^[24] Morgan le Fay uses similar obelisks to transport Merlin and those with him to various planets throughout the Milky Way, which also contains command overrides for the DHD and is able to distinguish between a regular human and an Orici.^[25]
• Atlantis transporters: The cityship in Stargate Atlantis does not appear to be equipped with ring transporters but instead has transporter rooms (initially mistaken for storage cupboards) which would seem to be an upgraded version of the technology as they work in a similar manner. They may also be compatible with ring transporters similar to the way that separate era stargates are compatible.
• Beam transporter: Outposts built by Ancients after their return from the Pegasus Dwarf Galaxy possessed transporters that were similar to Asgard transporters. Such devices were used to reveal treasures to SG-1 after passing several tests.^[20]

Weapons

Asurans

The ultimate product of extensive Ancient research into smaller and more effective weapons for use against the Wraith, the result being microscopic nanites capable of attacking and destroying Wraith cells. They were programmed with an aggression that surpassed even that of the Wraith, and the ability to replicate to far greater numbers to increase their effectiveness. They replicated at such a rate that they took even the Ancients by surprise. As they became more advanced, the molecular machines began interlocking and assembling themselves into more complex constructs, and eventually they reached the point where they exactly emulated the Ancients in appearance. They desperately pleaded with the Ancients to have the aggression removed from their base code, but since the Ancients included a directive in the coding that prevented the Asurans from harming them, they continued the experiment. After the Ancients concluded that the Asurans would never become the weapon the Ancients desired to create, the Ancients launched a massive attack on the Asuran homeworld in an attempt to destroy the Asurans, and then erased all traces of the Asurans in the Ancients database. Even after this, a few nanites survived and began replicating, bringing about a second-birth of their kind.^[8] They are finally destroyed by the Tau'ri with the help of the Wraith and the Travellers. However, it should be noted that a small contingent of replicators under Dr. Weir were not destroyed, but were eventually sent through a stargate into space, so they couldn't do anything more.

Dakara superweapon

An extremely powerful device hidden inside a monument on Dakara, which was later turned into a Goa'uld temple. It was once used by the Ancients to re-create life in the galaxy after a devastating plague.^[26] It is capable of destroying all life in the galaxy as well. Anubis intended to use it to repopulate the galaxy according to his own designs. However, Jacob Carter recognizes that it is also the galaxy's only hope against the Replicators. The weapon uses an energy wave that decomposes matter into its constituent parts. He (along with Selmak), Samantha Carter, and Ba'al reprogram the device to emit an energy wave matching that of the Replicator Disruptor, and send it through all the Stargates in the galaxy at once, and wipes out the Replicators. In "Threads", Anubis conquers Dakara and almost completes his plan to wipe the galaxy clean, but is stopped by Oma Desala. Confronted by how close they came to annihilation, the Free Jaffa Nation agrees to dismantle the device. However, in "Counterstrike", the weapon is used again to fight the Ori. The Jaffa High Council uses it to eliminate the crew of an Ori mothership, so they can capture it. Their attack is successful, but the Orici Adria is protected from the weapon by her personal shield, and takes the Ori mothership to Dakara where she fires a weapon that annihilates the Dakara superweapon.

Drone weapon

An extremely powerful projectile weapon, shaped like a meter-long squid, capable of autonomously targeting and destroying its target, even if it is moving extremely fast. These are the Ancient's main type of weapon. In the Pegasus Galaxy, drones are rare in the aftermath of the loss of the Ancients' war against the Wraith. Only a few dozen remained in Atlantis, which were used up during the siege by the Wraith.^[5] A larger supply is found in another city ship, which is later used to replenish Atlantis' armory.^[27] They are also found on Puddle Jumpers^[4] and Aurora class battleships.^[28] The Asurans also use drones. In the Milky Way, thousands of drones have been discovered in Ancient outposts such as the Antarctica outpost.^[29] Drones are partially intelligent weapons that are capable of seeking, tracking, and engaging targets on their own accord. They are normally controlled by an Ancient Control Chair that reads the operator's mind and can send thousands of drones swarming to attack an entire fleet at once.^[29] They appear to be guided by a central control system using various available sensors,^[27] and can be controlled either by continuous operator control^[5] or in a fire-and-forget manner.^[27] Aurora-class ships have a dedicated control chair for the drones, with the second meant to fly the ship.^[30]

An active drone is enveloped in a bright yellow glow. Drones fired from a control chair require a ZPM for normal operation,^[29] though a Mark II Naqahdah generator set on a controlled overload can provide the necessary power (but will fail after three uses).^[5] Drones require an outside power source, and will shut down in mid-flight if this power source is disabled. A drone was observed causing a relatively small explosion on impact,^[27] while a swarm enveloped a Kull warrior while on its way from Anubis' attacking fleet.^[29] Conversely, two Drone Weapons are enough to completely destroy a Goa'uld Ha'tak if it hits a critical spot^[31] and a single drone can seriously damage a Wraith cruiser.^[32] Drones have the ability to shield itself from impact with matter to a certain degree, allowing them to literally tunnel through larger enemies such as ships before returning to detonate. Drones have also been observed passing through ships, with unused ones heading back to their launch site,^[29] and can be used under water.^[33]

There is a smaller variant called mini-drones. It is theorized that the drones are used to guard certain areas against people without the ancient gene, as was the case on queen Harmony's planet where only the wearer of a special ancient "key" (pendant) can control the mini-drones from the "test site" where the Ancients developed mini-drone technology, which was perfected in Pegasus while the normal sized drones were invented in the Milky Way.^[34][35]

Mini-Drones

Mini Drones are essentially miniature versions of the Drone Weapons used by the Alterans. They were encountered in the episode "Harmony", when Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard and Doctor Rodney McKay discovered an Ancient Obelisk that controlled the Mini Drones. The ATA (Ancient Technology Activation) Gene and a special Pendant are required to use the Obelisk and activate the Mini Drones.

Replicator Disruptor

The most effective weapon against Replicators, and the only one completely effective against human-form Replicators, it disrupts communication between cells, rendering each one inert. When fired, any Replicator in its blast radius falls apart into its constituent units. The weapon is created by Jack O'Neill, who had the entire Ancient Database downloaded into his mind at the time, in conjunction with Asgard computers.^[36] However, the Replicators are able to become immune to the device, requiring the recalibration of the disruptor.^[37] The actual prop was piston-driven and had a trigger device inside. Because the model shop knew that actor Richard Dean Anderson would play with it off-screen, they made it extra-robust.^[38] Area 51 produced a version of the Replicator Disruptor specifically to combat the Asurans. (see "Anti-Replicator Gun").

Sangraal

Also known as the Holy Grail or (as in the episode "Camelot") the Bloodstone, is a weapon designed by Merlin to neutralize ascended beings, including the Ori, but cannot target a specific group of ascended but rather wipes all of them out within the weapon's range. The weapon consists of several devices working together, with a red stone as the "key" to make it work.^[25] According to Daniel Jackson, the notion of the Grail as a cup or chalice was a late addition to the myth, but some chroniclers originally described the Holy Grail as a stone that fell from the heavens.^[39] Exactly how it works is unknown, but the Asgard have surmised that it's an energy transfer device, similar to a Zero Point Module, except that the energy is channelled not from sub-space into ordinary space-time, but rather into the dimension occupied by Ascended beings. The effect of this again theorized by the Asgard as two standing waves canceling each other out, with the result that the Sangraal would essentially 'negate' the Ori. The Sangraal is launched through the Supergate by Dr. Jackson^[40] and confirmed to have destroyed the Ori (Although Adria, the 'child' of the Ori, subsequently ascended to take their place).^[41][42]

Lagrangian Point Defense Satellite

Enormous satellites floating in deep space, equipped with an energy beam weapon powerful enough to cut a Wraith Hive-Ship in half. Puddle Jumpers can dock with it. The satellite can be charged by multiple types of power sources, storing power in its capacitor until it has enough energy to fire. During the war with the Wraith, Atlantis was guarded by a network of satellites placed at Lagrangian Points to protect the city. However, they were destroyed one by one, until eventually only one remained, damaged and without power. When the Wraith decide to attack Atlantis again after the Atlantis Expedition had taken up residence there, a team led by Rodney McKay repairs the satellite to use against the incoming Wraith fleet. The repairs allowed the weapon to destroy one Hive-Ship using secondary power lines, but the systems overloaded after the first shot and it is soon destroyed by a barrage of Wraith weapons fire.^[5]

Personal Weapons

• Lantean Pistol A side arm carried by the crew of the Aurora in their virtual reality. This weapon also appears to have been mimicked by the Asurans. It appears to have a stun setting and presumably one to kill too.
• Lantean Grenade A small oval device that is opened, twisted, then closed to activate. Although the two devices seen in 'The Defiant One' are found on a Wraith corpse, the golden colour, inorganic design and the fact that the grenades seem designed to kill rather than stun lead to a high probability that these are in fact of Lantean origin.

Other

• Ark of Truth: Invented by Amelius, and is built to brainwash someone into believing whatever is programmed into it, as long as it is true. The Alterans left the device behind in their home galaxy rather than use it against the Ori followers, because it contravened their belief in free will. SG-1 eventually travels to the Ori galaxy to find the device, so as to convince the Ori army that the Ori are not gods. They find the Ark underground on Celestis with the guidance of Morgan le Fay. Although Adria's soldiers capture the device, Daniel Jackson manages to activate it and convert the Doci, whose telepathic link in turn converts all the Priors in the Ori galaxy. They bring the Ark to the Milky Way and it converts all the Priors there also, causing Adria to lose the power she previously gained from her worshipers, rendering her no more powerful than any other ascended being. The Ark is eventually taken to Area 51 for study.^[43]
• Attero device: An extremely powerful weapon built by Janus, which emits subspace interference to destabilize the region of hyperspace used by the Wraith. As a result, any ship using a Wraith hyperdrive is destroyed upon entering hyperspace. It was abandoned by Janus because it emits radiation which causes energy to quickly buildup within any active Stargate in Pegasus, leading to its destruction in a powerful explosion equivalent to twelve nuclear bombs. The device is reactivated by a renegade Asgard faction unconcerned with the loss of lives, but is eventually shut down by Dr. McKay, then destroyed by a Travellers ship, so it cannot be used again. The control key, however, is taken by the Asgard.^[44][45]
• Explosive tumor machine: An extremely powerful bio-weapon created by the Ancients. The device emits radiation which causes the body to gather specific elements in a tumor behind the victim's lung, which eventually explodes. The device is activated by two scientists in Atlantis, one of whom dies. The other is saved by Carson Beckett, though Beckett himself is killed when the excised tumor explodes.^[46]
• Gate overloader: A weapon able to target a Stargate and turn its naquadah to a deadly weapon. The weapon would send massive amounts of energy through a Stargate to be stored in the receiving gate, which would keep absorbing energy until it can't hold any more, eventually exploding with devastating power. The resulting blast would be big enough to destroy Colorado, and the ensuing dust cloud would destroy all life on Earth. It is capable of maintaining an active wormhole between two Stargates indefinitely, until the target gate is destroyed. It is used against the Tau'ri by Anubis, although the SGC is able to dispose of the gate, transporting it to space before it explodes. The weapon itself is destroyed by Teal'c, Bra'tac and Rya'c.^[47]

Miscellaneous technologies

Shrine of Talus

A device with an unknown purpose, which is powered by a super heavy element giving off an unknown form of ionizing radiation. A parasite that causes "Second Childhood" is affected by the radiation, allowing those suffering from the ailment to become themselves for a day before a quick death from immune system failure or leaving the range of the shrine's radiation.

ATA Gene

The Ancient Technology Activation gene (ATA) is a specific gene present in all Ancients, and some of their human descendants, which acts as a key to much of their technology; if the user does not possess the gene, the technology will not activate. The ATA gene instructs various cells in the body to produce a series of proteins and enzymes that interact with the skin, nervous system, and brain, allowing the gene carriers to operate Ancient technology.^[48] Though rare naturally in most humans,^[49] Dr. Carson Beckett develops a retroviral gene therapy (using a deactivated mouse retrovirus) to transfer the Ancient gene expression to humans,^[15] but the treatment only has a 48% success rate.^[50] The necessity of the gene in utilizing Ancient technology varies. In some cases, like use of the Control Chair, the gene is required for continued use, while other devices simply need to be initially activated by someone with the gene, after which anyone can use the device. Gene expression is stronger in some carriers, allowing them to use Ancient technology instinctively while others require training and practice.^[48] The individual's ability to operate ancient devices are ranked by a system devised as the CIA (Chair Interface Aptitude). It seems people with it naturally occurring seem to have a higher CIA (such as Sheppard and Beckett are higher than McKay).^[51]

Natural gene carriers from Earth include Major General Jack O'Neill,^[29] Lt. Colonel John Sheppard (he apparently has a very strong form of the gene, and operates Ancient technology almost instinctively), Dr. Carson Beckett,^[48] Sergeant Markham (who was killed in action),^[52] Dr. Kusanagi (who was mentioned but never seen), and Joe Spencer.^[53] Gene carriers by therapy include Dr. Rodney McKay (as the first human trial),^[15] Colonel Dillon Everett,^[54] and some of his troops. Gene carriers of unknown source include Lieutenant Miller,^[55] Dr. Abrams,^[56] and Major Lorne.^[57] The gene therapy did not work on Dr. Radek Zelenka.^[50] The status of Dr. Daniel Jackson as a carrier is uncertain. He utilized Ancient technology after encountering the Ancient Repository that Merlin used in his laboratory. This technology modified Dr. Jackson's genetic make up, so he could resist the effects of being transformed into an Ori Prior, as well as allowing him to house Merlin's consciousness. Whether it modified his genetics to include the Ancient gene, or whether he already possessed it, is unknown. However, the Goa'uld Anubis was able to use Ancient technology due to him being partly Ascended,^[58] suggesting that Daniel may also be able to use Ancient technology as he was an ascended being. Whether his ascension or the repository were responsible for his ability to use Ancient technology at the time is unknown, as he has not used any ATA gene-based technology since. Lt. Aiden Ford asked for the gene therapy during the nanovirus crisis,^[50] but it was never said if he got it after the crisis. After Ford used a Puddle Jumper to leave Atlantis,^[59] series' writer Martin Gero explained in an online message^[60] that he does not have the gene, because "The Jumpers, while near and inside Atlantis, are pretty much on autopilot when it comes to landing and taking off."

Series writer and producer Joseph Mallozzi has stated in his blog that the ATA gene did not factor into any Stargate Universe story lines.^[61]

"Arthur's Mantle"

A device built by Merlin that pushes matter 'out of phase' with normal reality, making everything within its area of effect invisible and intangible. It also doubles as a computer. The device was used to conceal his research on the Sangraal, a weapon capable of destroying ascended beings. The console was concealed in the Avalon cave under Glastonbury Tor, England. The device was named by Merlin's trusted aides, the Knights of the Round Table. In order to access the data from its computer, the user must be out of phase, to prevent the ascended Ancients from discovering it. The device itself is accessible from either dimension, allowing a person to enter and exit. Although being out of phase hides the user from both the Ancients and conventional observers, those wearing Sodan personal cloaking device, which operate on a similar principle, can observe affected matter, though they cannot interact with it. The device is accidentally accessed by Colonels Carter and Mitchell, who were rendered out of phase by the device. With the eventual help of Daniel Jackson, they manage to return to normal; however, its power source is permanently depleted in the process.^[24] The device is then exploited as a defensive weapon by Colonel Carter, first on a village under threat by the Ori^[62] then on the entire planet Earth in an alternate reality.^[63]

Communication device with stones

A dome-shaped device with a blue crystal spire designed to facilitate communications across vast distances. The device works in tandem with palm-sized oval stones. When inserted into one of twelve slots on the base, the stones allow the user's mind to take over the body of whoever last touched the stones on the other end, provided someone with the ATA gene activated them.^[20] The reverse is also true if those on the receiving end make use of a similar device. The device draws its power from subspace (the same way a ZPM does), and works seamlessly even when communicating over billions of light-years apart. The Destiny's FTL drive is shown to disrupt the connection when it either deactivates or engages, but the stones reestablish contact within seconds.

In addition to their regular function, two communications stones can form a psychic link between the last two people that used them. SG-1 retrieved one of these stones from the same planet where the quantum mirror was discovered. The stone was kept in Daniel Jackson's lab and inadvertently activated by Jack O'Neill. Another stone was purchased at a yard sale by Joe Spencer, a barber from Indiana, who was then able to see O'Neill's memories as he recalled them while writing his mission reports.^[64]

One of these devices was discovered under Glastonbury Tor, and it was subsequently used by Dr. Jackson and Vala. It transported their minds to the Ori galaxy into the bodies of a married couple, Harrid and Sallis.^[20] Their minds were sent back by a similar device, but the transfer was cut short by a Prior. Col. Mitchell and Teal'c eventually destroyed it by throwing it into the Stargate's unstable vortex, bringing Daniel and Vala back.^[65] Several months later, Vala Mal Doran contacted the SGC from the Ori Galaxy using the device thanks to the Ori underground resistance, and warned SG-1 about the nearing Ori invasion of the Milky Way. However, the link was cut by her husband Tomin.^[66] Another communication device was found in the Pegasus galaxy, switching Dr. Keller's mind with that of a thief. Both Keller and the thief were able to use each other's bodies despite the lack of a second device. Unable to find any shut-down switch, Ronon shoots it to break the link.

In Stargate Universe, Stargate Command has apparently devised a more compact version of the communication device. This version is a boxed-shaped device with room for five stones in an 'X' formation. The stones are simply placed on the flat panel of the device to activate it. It can be deactivated by removing the power source attached to the base. The team aboard the Destiny has access to one, as does Stargate Command, allowing for regular communication between the expedition and Earth. Like the original, the transfer works both ways and will only deactivate when deprived of power (which is much easier with this version). Due to the vast distance between Earth and the Destiny the transfer will only work if both devices are active, and deactivating either device will terminate the link. In addition, stones must be placed on both devices for a transfer to occur, as shown when Young had to bring in an additional person to switch with Chloe after they both used the device (Telford had been the only one present on the other end). However, connections across a shorter distance (as in the same or adjacent galaxies) still work with only one device present, as seen when Young switched body with a Blueberry Alien. These Aliens seem to have developed a similar device, however Col. Young later discovers that Dr. Rush was secretly keeping a stone with him for personal use, which they found and used to switch bodies with Vanessa James. This issue was compounded when she did not have her imprint erased from the stone she was inadvertently switched with a member of the alien race who ended up sabotaging Destiny.

The SGU device has been shown to glitch when Destiny jumps to FTL travel, allowing for minds to be inadvertently returned to their host bodies.

The SGU device's link is also terminated upon either linked individual entering an active Stargate, or at least one going to Destiny.

It is also revealed that the death of one person using the stones, also kills the person on the other end. (As an edit, a more current episode shows that the physical body of the person dies while the mental being of the person gets lost and "floats" around.) The mental part was able to be reconnected with by the stone user to fall asleep. The person(s) mind(s) would then download into the stone users and will disappear and be lost if it is not taken out of the body i.e. through a neural link in a control chair. In SGU one of the characters has two other characters minds downloaded into her brain through the stones (who were thought to be dead) and were taken out through the chair on board.

Control Chair

A chair-shaped neural interface which allows the user to remotely control systems on whatever facility the chair is installed in, such as the Ancient City Ship or smaller Ancient outposts like the one in Antarctica. The chairs, like most Ancient technology, requires the Ancient Technology Activation gene.^[4] They are primarily used to fire and control Drone Weapons,^[5] though they are also shown to be used to pilot spacecraft in addition to more minor systems such as holographic projectors and power distribution.^[12] They are normally powered by a Zero Point Module, but can be powered by Mark II Naqahdah reactors in a "controlled overload", which provides just enough energy to activate the chair three times before the reactor burns out.^[5] Two chairs have been encountered in the Milky Way – Proclarush Taonas and the Antarctica outpost on Earth.^[29] In the Pegasus Galaxy, chairs are located in the tower of Atlantis^[5] and its sister cities.^[27] Ancient Aurora-class starships each have two chairs, one for weapons and the other for piloting. The one for piloting looks different than the ones for drone control. In Stargate Universe series, the spaceship Destiny has a primitive version of the control chair, which also acts as the ship's repository of knowledge.The Ori warships also use a similar control chair which may be keyed to the Priors genetics or neurophysiology. The range of ship functions controlled by the Ori command chair is not known.

DNA resequencer

A genetic manipulation device, which "resequences" to an extreme state of human advancement, granting the subjects what appeared to be superhuman powers. Nirrti attempted to use the machine to create humans with superpowers, called "hok'taur", Goa'uld slang meaning "advanced human", to take as hosts.^[67][68][69]

The device works by altering a subject's DNA and consequently increasing their brain activity from roughly 10 up to 90 percent (based on the popular but inaccurate myth that humans only use 10 percent of their brain at any given time).^[68] Depending on the length of time for which they were subjected to the machine, various characters were shown to have abilities such as telekinesis and telepathy,^[67][68] super-human senses and strength,^[68] supernatural health and self healing,^[68][70] perfect memory, and the power to heal by touch.^[67][70] The show's ascended beings possessed similar supernatural abilities of the same order but in far greater magnitudes and proficiencies.^[71][72] It was confirmed in Season 9 of SG-1,^[68] that through extreme evolution, such as that provided by the DNA Resequencer, a being would gradually acquire Ascended powers until genuinely Ascending themselves.^[68]

The prop consists of three components. Two of the components are physical but the third is computer-generated. The first component is a pedestal that rests on the floor, elevating the actor in the device and drawing attention to him or her. Above the user was the second component, an orange globe, which appeared to be the technological part of the device (at least the first time the device appeared).^[73] Later, in the editing process, the third component was added: a computer-generated energy field which appears to paralyze the user, and a computer-generated representation of DNA surrounding the user.

A device with similar capabilities was found in an initially submerged part of Atlantis,^[74] although it differs considerably in appearance. The disposition of the command console on a pedestal and under the blue light emitter of the "resequencing" field suggest it was designed for self-modifications.

Holographic sentry

A hologram was used as a security measure by Merlin in his vault in "Avalon" and at his library in "Camelot". The hologram was capable of interacting with people and certain other projected objects, particularly holographic swords, but bullets would pass straight through it when fired at it. The hologram was designed to resemble a medieval knight, to test the worthiness of those who entered. If the program had determined the visitors to be "worthy", the treasures and hidden technology inside the cave would be revealed. When SG-1 gained access to the cavern, the sentry was eventually defeated by Cameron Mitchell.^[20] Another holographic knight guarded Merlin's library on Camelot, where his research on an anti-Ori weapon, the Sangraal, was kept. Instead of battling those who trespass within the library, the hologram, which was known to the locals as the Black Knight, emerge in the village to incite terror and discourage re-admittance. When SG-1 visited Camelot in search for more information on the weapon, the hologram almost killed Col. Mitchell, before Daniel Jackson was able to destroy the control crystals governing the program.^[39]

Repository of Knowledge

The Repository of the Ancients is a device that stores all knowledge of the Ancients. The interface is a metallic circle, with a dark window in the middle, and is usually attached to a wall. The console is designed to allow a human to place his/her head into it, whereupon the device grabs them by the temples and downloads the entire database into their mind. The transfer of knowledge from this device can cause serious problems for beings whose physiology is not prepared to take the mental strain. The device was used on two separate occasions by Jack O'Neill, both times threatening his life; during both of these times, he was able to build a powerful generator.^[22] He was also shown to be able to create a weapon capable of defeating any Replicators^[36] and use healing powers.^[29] A variation appears in "The Quest". This version is smaller, does not latch on to the user's head, and has additional, hand-sized input devices at its base. It interfaces with a replication device to allow users to build devices from the molecule up. It was used by Merlin to create the first Sangraal. Merlin downloaded his mind into the device when he could not complete work on the second, allowing Daniel to finish it. It also allowed Daniel to use telekinetic powers.^[25][40] In Stargate Universe series, the spaceship Destiny has a primitive version of the control chair, which also acts as the ship's repository of knowledge.

Stasis Chamber

A device designed to put the occupant into a state of suspended animation. The device slows the user's bodily functions to a near halt but does not stop them. Thus, over long periods, the person can potentially age to a point where being removed would be fatal.^[75] One such device was located inside the Antarctic outpost and used by Colonel O'Neill, who put himself in stasis to stop the Ancient knowledge in his brain from killing him.^[29] Another chamber was encountered on Atlantis, where an alternate version of Elizabeth Weir had survived for 10,000 years, reawakening every 3,300 years to rotate among Atlantis' three ZPMs.^[75] The clone of Carson Beckett enters another such pod to prevent death that was caused by cellular deterioration from the cloning process. A third stasis chamber on a planet contained Khalek, a clone Anubis created by using his own pre-Ascended DNA.^[68] Another such device is found containing Merlin himself, who stayed in suspended animation for about 1,000 years (since the time of King Arthur), when SG-1 enlists his help to re-create the Sangraal.^[25] Similar devices are used in Aurora-class ships, for use on extended voyages. These stasis chambers are egg-shaped and require the user to lie down. The pods can be modified so that the occupants can participate in virtual reality, allowing their minds to remain active during long voyages. The pods interface with the ship's computer, so the crew can work on tasks while asleep. An older variety of stasis chamber can be found on the Ancient Ship Destiny, one of the chambers was damaged due to prolonged damage from attacks by the drone ships, Eli Wallace was left behind to fix the chamber while Destiny had to traverse an extended void between galaxies, with 3 weeks of life support left before it ate into the power requirements for the chambers and the FTL drive. Eli's fate is unknown ^[28]

Time dilation device

A device capable of altering the speed at which time passes in an area around itself. The first Ancient time dilation technology was in the Pegasus galaxy, where the Lanteans had constructed a refuge on a planet known as the Cloister, which had one entrance. The entire 'valley' region was engulfed by the time dilation field that accelerated time within its position in order to allow the inhabitants to learn how to ascend. The field was a potent defensive mechanism as it prevents objects from entering the bubble from orbit, as they would be destroyed from the stresses generated by the field. The device is powered by a ZPM.^[76] A second form was later seen in the Milky Way, used by Morgan le Fay as one of her tests for persons searching for the Sangraal. This model had a set field around the location of the mountain, which almost froze objects that entered the field and was the reason why many human villagers were lost on the quest as they had become trapped in the field. However, as part of the test, a set path is present that allowed movement without being compromised.^[25] And a third was installed by the Asgard into the Odyssey, (along with an Asgard core and many other systems) which Colonel Carter used in Unending to protect the Odyssey from the Ori, while she could find a way to isolate the Asgard core from the hyperdrive and shut the core down as it was giving off a signal the Ori could trace through sub-space.

A similar device was discovered a few years earlier. This was much larger, which dialed several planets through the Stargate to form a subspace bubble. The machine was flawed, as it only creates a short-term time loop, which forces the planets that the device dialed to relive the same ten hours again and again. It is powered by the ionized atoms in the atmosphere caused by the geo-magnetic storms on the planet. Two capacitors start to hum and emit static electricity that is channeled to the Stargate. The Ancients originally created it to stop a plague that was wiping them out, although it eventually only forced them to keep doing the same thing over and over. In the end, they were forced to shut down the device.^[77]

Other

• "Ascendometer": An Ancient device used to measure a person's synaptic activity. Designed to work alongside the DNA Resequencer, the scanner analyzes a subject's current physiological status and feeds the information back into the resequencer. It was able to locate the areas of the brain that were used for advanced abilities such as telekinesis, and was apparently used by the Ancients during their pursuit of Ascension. One of the scanners was discovered in the lab where Anubis created and experimented on Khalek, a clone created by Anubis using his pre-ascension DNA. After the SGC brought Khalek back to Earth for study, the scanner was brought with them and used to monitor his development. The device was nicknamed "ascendometer" by Colonel Mitchell.^[68] The device was later sent to Atlantis and used on Rodney McKay after he accidentally manipulated his own DNA.^[74]
• Clava Thessara Infinitas: Ancient for "Key to Infinite Treasure", a circular tablet that supposedly holds the location of a cache of Ancient weapons. Daniel Jackson believes it to be a hoax. In "Memento Mori", the Goa'uld Athena abducts Vala Mal Doran and probes her mind in an attempt to find the treasure. In "Bad Guys", SG-1 goes to a planet in search of it, only to end up being mistaken for hostage takers in a museum. In "Dominion", the Clava Thessara Infinitas is used as a pretense in a plan by SG-1 to capture Adria.
• Containment vessel: A device that encapsulates its contents in a layer of subspace. One such device is found on Atlantis in "Hide and Seek". The Ancients had modified the device to attract and trap an energy creature as part of their research into Ascension.
• Heliopolis "Book" A device detailing the meaning of human existence, found on PB2-908. Its design is similar to a DHD, but the only button on it is the red hemisphere in the center. Once pressed, an orange beam of light shoots out from the center and produces 3D holographic displays of elements, said to be a language anyone can understand. It has a shield that can absorb fire from Goa'uld staff weapons, as displayed in the episode.
• Inertial dampeners: A field of artificial gravity found in ships and personal shields to minimize the effects of inertia. They are activated first before ships take flight, and can be adjusted.^[14]
• Interdimensional visibility device: Cylindrical device, though its complete purpose remains unknown, the device is known to have the ability to allow humans to perceive alien creatures that exist in other dimensions. The creatures do interact with our dimension in a limited way, as they appear to be resting on solid objects. Anyone who touches the device receives the extra-sensory perception, and becomes able to detect the creatures. This ability is spread via physical contact. It emits a type of radiation that appears to attract the creatures, and is controlled by reordering the crystals that power the mechanism in various positions. The Ancients constructed the device to study these extra-dimensional creatures. The device was later brought back to Earth by SG-1, after which several SGC personnel began seeing the creatures. The effect was transmitted outside the base, though SG-1 was eventually able to contain the outbreak.^[78]
• Kino: A spherical data-gathering device about the size of a softball found aboard the Destiny in Stargate Universe. It has audio and visual recording abilities, as well as a wide range of other scanning devices. It hovers under its own power. The Destiny apparently carries a large supply, dispensed from a device resembling a gumball machine. The devices can be controlled by a primary panel near the dispenser or through handheld remotes. It is the Ancient equivalent of a MALP, as it can be sent through an active Stargate and controlled remotely to gather data about the planet. Eli Wallace discovered the Kinos and named them after the Russian Kino-Pravda newsreel series.^[79] Eli uses the room housing the device as his personal quarters.
• Magnetic harmonic resonance: A device created by Janus in order to hide a secret laboratory on Atlantis and discovered by Rodney McKay and Daniel Jackson. The device is activated by emitting a series of tones tuned to a specific resonance frequency which destabilizes the atomic structure of an object. Magnetic fields are used to preserve the shape of the object, and to prevent material making up the object from getting swept along with other objects passing through it. The only known example of this technology has been to create a wall hiding the entrance to Janus's lab.
• Personal cloaking device: Consists of a triangular crystal worn around the arm,^[23] allowing a user to exist out of phase. They can still see and interact with each other. Apparently, the cloaking device works similar to the Ancient device known as "Arthur's Mantle", as the cloak's user will be able to interact with someone rendered out of phase by the Mantle, though they would still pass right through them if touched.^[24] The devices were mostly used by the Sodan, though the SGC acquired several after the Sodan were exterminated by the Ori. Schematics for an Ancient cloaking device were found in Janus's secret lab, suggesting he may be the one who designed the device.

See also

• Ancient starships in Stargate

References

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