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Articles / Astronomy
US Army's New Weapon Shoots Laser Guided Lightning
Posted by d_nov on July 2, 2012 at 8:03 am | Hits: 952 | Comments: 0
It works through a series of rather basic principles of physics. The ultra short duration laser creates an electromagnetic field around itself which is powerful that it strips electrons from the air molecules around it. This makes the air conduct electricity really well, so the laser essentially acts as a conductor that sends electricity in the right direction. Since this only works on things that conduct electricity, collateral damage can be minimized.
The Army has show that sending an a huge electric current through the air is possible, but it's not yet very practical compared to conventional ammunition - it's a lot more expensive to mass produce and needs a strong portable power source. Once the technology is further developed, however, it could be very useful - the reduced collateral damage is always a plus and a reusable power source should save some tax dollars on ammunition in the long run. Using electricity to subdue the target could make this a great non-lethal option somewhere down the road.
By Denis Ivanov
Source: popsci.com
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Drunken Monkeys Raid Resorts, Steal Alcohol (Video)
Drunken Monkeys Raid Resorts, Steal Alcohol (Video)
(These monkeys steal alcohol from people at a tropical resort and get drunk. There are some interesting parallels between drunk monkeys and human under the influence of alcohol.)
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Category: Life On Earth
Open Mouthed Boa Constrictor (Image)
(This flash map will show you earthquakes detected recently around the world.)
Posted on April 15, 2013 at 2:25 pm in Earth Sciences.
0 Comments. 60 Hits.
(The amount of ice melting on the Antarctic Peninsula has increased dramatically in recent decades.)
Posted on April 15, 2013 at 2:16 pm in Earth Sciences.
0 Comments. 43 Hits.
(Shodan is the world’s first computer search engine that lets you search the Internet for computers. Find devices based on city, country, latitude/longitude, host name, operating system and IP. “Shodan is a search engine for hackers both good and bad. Sho)
Posted on April 9, 2013 at 7:35 pm in Technology.
0 Comments. 618 Hits.
(After 17-years living below ground, billions of cicadas belonging to Brood II are beginning to emerge across much of the eastern United States. )
Posted on April 8, 2013 at 5:32 pm in Living World.
0 Comments. 41 Hits.
(By translating shapes into computerized images, this system can turn any surface into a touch-screen.)
Posted on April 1, 2013 at 8:28 am in Technology.
0 Comments. 0 Hits.
(Two forthcoming European Physical Journal D papers challenge established wisdom about the nature of vacuum. )
Posted on March 26, 2013 at 4:55 am in Physics.
0 Comments. 69 Hits.
(New developments in microscopy have allowed researchers to image individual bonds within a molecule — seeing down to the atom scale. Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/scientists-can-now-see-individual-atoms-2012-9#ixzz2ONqAybqc)
Posted on March 23, 2013 at 10:06 am in Physics.
0 Comments. 90 Hits.
(Mars One co-founder tells CBC about its proposed one-way trip to the Red Planet)
Posted on March 18, 2013 at 12:39 am in Astronomy.
0 Comments. 78 Hits.
(A defense contractor better known for building jet fighters and lethal missiles says it has found a way to slash the amount of energy needed to remove salt from seawater, potentially making it vastly cheaper to produce clean water at a time when scarcity )
Posted on March 17, 2013 at 9:50 pm in Technology.
0 Comments. 196 Hits.
(New research suggests it may be possible to learn complex tasks with little to no conscious effort, just like in The Matrix. Whoa, indeed.)
Posted on March 17, 2013 at 6:28 pm in Technology.
0 Comments. 116 Hits.
(NASA technicians have just finished the mirror backplate support structure, a folding wing assembly designed with to safely collapse the beryllium mirror during flight, and expand it again in orbit.)
Posted on March 16, 2013 at 2:26 pm in Astronomy.
0 Comments. 352 Hits.
(The new find solves a puzzle about where these big-fanged felines arose)
Posted on March 16, 2013 at 8:36 am in Earth Sciences.
0 Comments. 131 Hits.
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