Surprising Science — May 7, 2010

Lasers of War

Northrop Grumman is testing a high-powered, lightweight laser that can be used by U.S. soldiers in combat settings. Use of lasers on the battlefield could change warfare significantly.

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Northrop Grumman is testing a high-powered laser that can be used by U.S. soldiers in combat settings. The “nd:YAG” laser is powerful enough to inflict damage, but it is made out of the materials are compact and transportable. The military has long wanted to develop lasers for the battlefield; they are precise, fast, and they don’t run out of ammo (as long as you have power).

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

An old Mongol drawing of a man with a bow and arrow.

The Past

“Devil’s horsemen”: Why Mongol horse archers were history’s most feared

Mounted on horses and armed with unique, powerful bows, the archers of Genghis Khan inspired terror wherever they rode.

The Future

UK test-fires its first high-energy laser weapon

It’s called DragonFire.

The Present

Russians reportedly building a satellite-blinding laser. How would it work?

As technology advances, the use of laser weapons in space becomes more likely.

Starts With A Bang

Most distant laser ever found in a galaxy 6.6 billion light-years away

Forget about the terawatt lasers we’re making on Earth. This natural one is thousands of times more powerful than the Sun.

Starts With A Bang

10 unbelievable but true facts about NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope

With launch, deployment, calibration, and science operations about to commence, here are 10 facts that are absolutely true.

Up Next

Surprising Science

Time and Again

By creating the first theoretical model of a wormhole 75 years ago, Albert Einstein and Nathan Rosen allowed science-fiction writers to consider the idea of time travel, writes Dave Goldberg.