America's Most Powerful Laser Obliterates All Records

[rcjordan]

#Tech #SciSky
University of Michigan's ZEUS Facility Unleashes 2-Petawatt Death Beam That Simulates Zettawatt-Scale Destruction

https://www.energy-reporters.com/news/americas-most-powerful-laser-obliterates-all-records-university-of-michigans-zeus-facility-unleashes-2-petawatt-death-beam-that-simulates-zettawatt-scale-destruction/

[ergophobe]

I had hoped that I would live to see transporters and warp drive, but not ship-scale phasers.

[littleman]

>transporters

I'm a Star Trek fan, but I've always been wary of the ideas behind that technology.  It seems to me that every time it is used the transportie dies and then gets a duplicate on the other end.  It scrambles your atoms, beams them through space and then reassembles them. No thanks. At least phasers are  more honest.

[rcjordan]

Israeli anti-missile laser system 'Iron Beam' ready for military use this year | Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/israeli-anti-missile-laser-system-iron-beam-ready-military-use-this-year-2025-09-17/

[littleman]

I wonder if we are going to have a lot of soldiers who have eye damage in the future.  From what I know about industrial level lasers eye protection is critical. It stands to reason that lasers strong enough to obliterate missiles are going to be so powerful that even the reflection from particles on the air may be able to do damage.

[rcjordan]

^{See first comment}

How a laser can damage the camera of your phone : r/Damnthatsinteresting

https://www.reddit.com/r/Damnthatsinteresting/comments/1n7cowh/how_a_laser_can_damage_the_camera_of_your_phone/