Stasis field
A
stasis field is an imaginary phenomenon that is often used in
science fiction that slows the passage of time inside it, or stops it entirely.
Stasis fields in these fictional settings often have several common characteristics. These include infinite or near-infinite rigidity, making them "unbreakable objects", and a perfect or nearly-perfect reflective surface.
Particularly notable examples of stasis fields in science fiction include:
- Larry Niven's Known Space, in which stasis fields are sometimes found containing artifacts from civilizations billions of years extinct
- Vernor Vinge's Peace Authority series in which stasis fields (called bobbles) are always perfectly spherical and exist for a fixed duration set at their time of creation - bobbles cannot be "burst" prematurely.
There are real phenomena that cause
time dilation similar to a stasis field's. Velocity near
light speed or a powerful
gravitational field will cause time to progress more slowly.