YouTuber styropyro built a hand-held Death Star using eight 5W lasers, mounted with parallel beams onto a giant heatsink normally found in a custom-built computer, and powered with a large battery. This thing is capable of bursting balloons, setting fire to wood, and other such destructive nonsense.
Think of this...
And then watch the video for this...
And you now can contemplate the destructive power of that battle station! Errr...I digress...
So back to real life. Now the U.S. Navy's prototype laser cannon that's mounted on a warship and capable of shooting down drones is 30,000 watts. So watch the video I have embedded below (for your viewing pleasure!) and then you'll realize how powerful the U.S. Navy's laser actually is. Forty watt versus 30,000 watt. Let the destruction commence.
Think of this...
So back to real life. Now the U.S. Navy's prototype laser cannon that's mounted on a warship and capable of shooting down drones is 30,000 watts. So watch the video I have embedded below (for your viewing pleasure!) and then you'll realize how powerful the U.S. Navy's laser actually is. Forty watt versus 30,000 watt. Let the destruction commence.
Remember the movie Real Genius? It' real now.
ReplyDeleteThat is EXACTLY what I was thinking. Duck! Duck again!
DeleteI need to watch that movie again. Didn't they use a huge laser to make a house explode with popcorn?
DeleteKinda scary to think what kids can make in their garages these days. I worry what Chinese kids are building.
ReplyDeleteI want to go build my own ray gun. Though when will someone make a lightsaber?
ReplyDeleteDr. Michio Kaku went over the logistics of building a lightsaber on one of his science shows. The problem with a lightsaber is the battery that is needed to power it hasn't been invented yet. I think he pretty much solved everything else except a useable power source. I know Elon Musk is exploring different battery technologies for his electric cars (think Tesla). Perhaps sometime in the future, there will be a power source great enough to create a lightsaber. Without the force to keep it in check, it'd be one dangerous weapon.
DeleteOMG Real Genius! Thanks, Alex, for that image. Loved that movie!
ReplyDeleteThat's the problem with science fiction. Someone dreams it up. Then someone tries to build it. (That's how we got mp3s...)
I wonder how much it costs to build this laser gun.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I have one simple request. And that is to have sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads! Now evidently my cycloptic colleague informs me that that cannot be done.
ReplyDelete-Dr. Evil
I just have two questions. Is that homemade laser legal? I'm also wondering what advantage a laser has over other weapons in the Navy.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea on legality. Honestly, there probably aren't laws around that kind of thing. As for advantage? Speed, precision, accuracy, and destructive firepower, not to mention minimal harm to the environment. There's a reason why lasers are used in surgery.
DeleteGood points :)
DeleteWhy am I not surprised that some kid has built a laser gun in his folks' garage? What used to be outlandish science fiction some years ago is now an amateur's hobby. I wouldn't be at all surprised if a kid builds a light saber soon. Wish I had that kind of technical genius.
ReplyDeleteThat methylene solution burned really pretty! This kid has too much free time on his hands. He could be dangerous if he put his mind to it. Star Wars is sooner than we anticipate.
ReplyDelete