Editing Stargate (device) (section)

==Concept==
Some early "portal" appearances in science fiction include [[A. E. van Vogt]]'s novella ''Secret Unattainable'' (July 1942, [[Analog Science Fiction and Fact|''Astounding'']]),<ref name=SFEsgate>{{cite encyclopedia|title=STARGATES|url=http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/Entry/stargates|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Science Fiction|publisher=Gollancz|access-date=October 11, 2011}}</ref> a radio episode of ''[[Space Patrol (1950 TV series)|Space Patrol]]'' that aired October 25, 1952 (in which it was called a "cycloplex" or a "hole in space"), and [[Robert A. Heinlein]]'s ''[[Tunnel in the Sky]]'' (1955) and its "[[Interstellar teleporter|Ramsbotham jump]]". In ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey (novel)|2001: A Space Odyssey]]'', Arthur C. Clarke uses the term "Star Gate" for the large [[Monolith (Space Odyssey)|monolith]] "sentinel" TMA-2, which is a classic stargate portal to another part of the universe.<ref>Clarke, Arthur. ''2001 A Space Odyssey''. The New American Library, Inc, 1968, p. 188.</ref>

The basic stargate concept is that it has at least two devices in distant positions, and when active, the rings of each become similar to a physical, singular gateway or [[door|door-frame]] between the two locations. The concept was developed by the writers of the feature film ''[[Stargate (film)|Stargate]]'', [[Dean Devlin]] and [[Roland Emmerich]]. Similar devices had been seen in previous fiction, and there has been contention as to whether they plagiarized the idea from a previous script submission from a student of Egyptology named Omar Zuhdi, who submitted a screenplay to them about ten years before the movie was made. Zuhdi pursued legal action regarding this, and the case was eventually settled out of court.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legalmetric.com/cases/copyright/okwd/okwd_595cv00090.html |title=Litigation Analysis: Oklahoma Western District Court 5:95cv00090 |publisher=LegalMetric |access-date=September 7, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100930025640/https://www.legalmetric.com/cases/copyright/okwd/okwd_595cv00090.html |archive-date=September 30, 2010 }}</ref>

Much of the inspiration for the functioning of the device is drawn heavily from [[theoretical physics|theoretical]] [[astrophysics]], particularly that of [[black hole]]s and [[wormhole]]s, a staple of science fiction, often used to create "shortcuts" through space. Although these may exist in reality, it is not widely held to be true that any such phenomenon could safely transport a human being,<ref name="nowormhole">{{Cite journal|author1=Nandi, Kamal K. |author2=Zhang, Yuan-Zhong |name-list-style=amp | title=A Quantum Constraint for the Physical Viability of Classical Traversable Lorentzian Wormholes |journal=J. Nonlinear Phenomena in Complex Systems () |volume=9 |issue=2006 |pages=61–67 |arxiv=gr-qc/0409053|year=2004 |bibcode=2004gr.qc.....9053N}}</ref> as such wormholes would most likely be created by excessive [[gravitation|gravity]] (e.g., from a black hole), which would destroy any potential traveler.<ref name="blackhole">{{cite web| url=http://cosmology.berkeley.edu/Education/BHfaq.html| title=Black Holes FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) List| first=Ted| last=Bunn| access-date=March 25, 2006| archive-date=March 16, 2006| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060316072849/http://cosmology.berkeley.edu/Education/BHfaq.html| url-status=dead}}</ref>