Post by: ECrownofFire on November 02, 2011, 09:00:22 pm
200 fucking petawatts. 100,000 times the entire world's electricity output.
SCIENCE!
Post by: Aqizzar on November 02, 2011, 09:05:08 pm
Why would your example of how the laser works look exactly like the Death Star beam? Who do you think you're fooling, science? We've been here before, we know your tricks.
Post by: Necro910 on November 02, 2011, 09:07:41 pm
Post by: TheBronzePickle on November 02, 2011, 09:08:08 pm
Post by: Neonivek on November 02, 2011, 09:08:16 pm
Why? Why would you build this thing? How are you even going to use it, when it requires more electricity to run than the whole planet produces?
Why would your example of how the laser works look exactly like the Death Star beam? Who do you think you're fooling, science? We've been here before, we know your tricks.
Specifically Science is starting to slow down and thus the methods of experiementation gets more desperate.
Post by: Criptfeind on November 02, 2011, 09:09:07 pm
The idea is obviously to rip space-time so we can ask the future a question.Specifically, that question will be how to close the horror rift.
Post by: ECrownofFire on November 02, 2011, 09:09:23 pm
Why? Why would you build this thing? How are you even going to use it, when it requires more electricity to run than the whole planet produces?They plan to build up the electricity over time or something. The thing only fires for a trillionth of a second.
Why would your example of how the laser works look exactly like the Death Star beam? Who do you think you're fooling, science? We've been here before, we know your tricks.
As for the why?
SCIENCE!
Post by: Lectorog on November 02, 2011, 09:10:40 pm
"We do what we must, because we can."
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
They need to keep building increasingly ridiculous things, to create increasingly rediculous theories, and try to understand increasingly ridiculous phenomena. Scientists are almost as crazy as the universe.
I also do not believe this will actually work how they want it to. Kind of silly, all considered.
Post by: Criptfeind on November 02, 2011, 09:11:27 pm
Post by: 612DwarfAvenue on November 02, 2011, 09:12:04 pm
But jesus christ, between this and CERN going faster than light, chances are the Universe is gonna go "fuck you" and collapse.
Post by: Aqizzar on November 02, 2011, 09:12:17 pm
Quote
...a giant laser that can emit a beam with an amount of energy equivalent to all of the power the Earth receives from the sun combined...
Solution: Build a magnifying glass the size of the Earth. Bam, laser.
Post by: 612DwarfAvenue on November 02, 2011, 09:13:28 pm
Wait, I have a better idea.Quote...a giant laser that can emit a beam with an amount of energy equivalent to all of the power the Earth receives from the sun combined...
Solution: Build a magnifying glass the size of the Earth. Bam, laser.
Ahhh, troll physics.
Post by: Criptfeind on November 02, 2011, 09:14:09 pm
Post by: Necro910 on November 02, 2011, 09:15:07 pm
!!SCIENCE!!I believe destroying space itself would qualify. :P
But jesus christ, between this and CERN going faster than light, chances are the Universe is gonna go "fuck you" and collapse.
Post by: nenjin on November 02, 2011, 09:15:15 pm
Post by: Bauglir on November 02, 2011, 09:15:26 pm
That's a practical plan, yes? Never worry about traffic again.
Post by: Necro910 on November 02, 2011, 09:16:20 pm
In related news, I have just found the perfect hood ornament for my car.You'd probably destroy time and space itself, but yes. It would help get people out of the way :P
That's a practical plan, yes? Never worry about traffic again.
Post by: Osmosis Jones on November 02, 2011, 09:34:30 pm
BAM (http://blog.xkcd.com/2008/02/15/the-laser-elevator/) (Scroll down)
Post by: Flying Dice on November 02, 2011, 09:42:23 pm
In related news, I have just found the perfect hood ornament for my car.You'd probably destroy time and space itself, but yes. It would help get people out of the way :P
That's a practical plan, yes? Never worry about traffic again.
Hey, destroying spacetime is better than sitting through rushhour traffic.
The idea is obviously to rip space-time so we can ask the future a question.Specifically, that question will be how to close the horror rift.
Well what's the point of ripping a hole in the fabric of reality if you fix it before meeting any brainmelting cosmic horrors? Y'know, like Ayn Rand.
Post by: Osmosis Jones on November 02, 2011, 09:45:11 pm
Well what's the point of ripping a hole in the fabric of reality if you fix it before meeting any brainmelting cosmic horrors? Y'know, like Ayn Rand.
We just have to shoot a few copies of Atlas shrugged through the hole, and they'll give up :P
Post by: Bdthemag on November 02, 2011, 09:45:48 pm
Post by: ECrownofFire on November 02, 2011, 09:48:33 pm
Somehow I don't think that driving the insane even more insane would help.Well what's the point of ripping a hole in the fabric of reality if you fix it before meeting any brainmelting cosmic horrors? Y'know, like Ayn Rand.
We just have to shoot a few copies of Atlas shrugged through the hole, and they'll give up :P
Post by: Necro910 on November 02, 2011, 09:53:17 pm
Throw me in. And give me my axe.Somehow I don't think that driving the insane even more insane would help.Well what's the point of ripping a hole in the fabric of reality if you fix it before meeting any brainmelting cosmic horrors? Y'know, like Ayn Rand.
We just have to shoot a few copies of Atlas shrugged through the hole, and they'll give up :P
Let there be Fun.
Post by: MetalSlimeHunt on November 02, 2011, 09:55:50 pm
Why would your example of how the laser works look exactly like the Death Star beam? Who do you think you're fooling, science? We've been here before, we know your tricks.I'm glad I'm not the only one who saw Death Star in that. It's funny, I watched a show only two years ago claiming that making a laser work in that manner isn't possible. So much for that.
Well, at least we'll have a planet-killer when we inadvertently signal an alien species because of this thing's power output.
Post by: Itnetlolor on November 02, 2011, 09:56:13 pm
EDIT:
Plus, since when did Earth now become a Death Star?
Post by: MetalSlimeHunt on November 02, 2011, 09:57:36 pm
If you tear apart the vacuum of space, what's the vacuum equivalent inside a vacuum? One powerful sucker, I would suspect.I don't think you understand. There shouldn't be anything below the vacuum. That's the end. We will have truly ripped a hole into nothing. Which, for our sake, hopefully does not create a black hole or something equally horrible.
Post by: ECrownofFire on November 02, 2011, 09:58:21 pm
It's already been done before anyway, just not on this fucking massive scale.If you tear apart the vacuum of space, what's the vacuum equivalent inside a vacuum? One powerful sucker, I would suspect.I don't think you understand. There shouldn't be anything below the vacuum. That's the end. We will have truly ripped a hole into nothing. Which, for our sake, hopefully does not create a black hole or something equally horrible.
Post by: Montague on November 02, 2011, 10:09:24 pm
Another thought: If this laser is going to be that powerful, won't it melt itself when its fired? I thought one of the major physical limitations to the output of lasers was that they'd boil their mirrors away and not work. If not, could they retire the laser, put a big mirror into orbit and bounce it over the horizon to potentially melt hostile foreign people?
Along those lines... don't nuclear warheads generate temperatures similar to what this laser is designed to achieve? Do they just generate too much excess noise to detect these particles they hope to study?
Post by: kaijyuu on November 02, 2011, 10:09:32 pm
Post by: ECrownofFire on November 02, 2011, 10:12:09 pm
The real question is, is this laser going to be powerful enough? They might need to build 9 more of these and combine them into a single beam.The idea is that a laser is much more focused than a warhead.
Another thought: If this laser is going to be that powerful, won't it melt itself when its fired? I thought one of the major physical limitations to the output of lasers was that they'd boil their mirrors away and not work. If not, could they retire the laser, put a big mirror into orbit and bounce it over the horizon to potentially melt hostile foreign people?
Along those lines... don't nuclear warheads generate temperatures similar to what this laser is designed to achieve? Do they just generate too much excess noise to detect these particles they hope to study?
As for temperatures, that's why they're building prototypes :P
Post by: Itnetlolor on November 02, 2011, 10:15:03 pm
Here's what i have in mind:
(http://fractalfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/fractiontree170.jpg)
The Star Wars Death Stars were under-achievers.
EDIT:
Screw that. If it's worth overdoing it, it's worth over-overdoing it.
We need 10 ultima-lasers to be certain, forming the God's Laser Pen.
EDIT EDIT:
Then again, I think God would suggest making 9 more of His laser pens, and combine them together to make him a laser flashlight. He can blind the Devil from dimensions away for the hell of it.
We can go beyond the impossible and combine 10 GL-Flashlights and make Him a light saber that can nuke universes.
Post by: ECrownofFire on November 02, 2011, 10:22:10 pm
Personally I think fractal lasers would be more awesome.
Post by: Criptfeind on November 02, 2011, 10:28:49 pm
I don't think you understand. There shouldn't be anything below the vacuum. That's the end. We will have truly ripped a hole into nothing. Which, for our sake, hopefully does not create a black hole or something equally horrible.
Well. Since we rip open a hole of nothing and find a large amount of mass inside.
Well. I think that would be awesome.
Post by: Flying Dice on November 02, 2011, 10:31:25 pm
1 laser isn't enough; 10 lasers combining into a single super-laser aren't enough; we need 10 super lasers combined (from 10 lasers each) to form an ultima-laser.
Here's what i have in mind:
(http://fractalfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/fractiontree170.jpg)
The Star Wars Death Stars were under-achievers.
EDIT:
Screw that. If it's worth overdoing it, it's worth over-overdoing it.
We need 10 ultima-lasers to be certain, forming the God's Laser Pen.
EDIT EDIT:
Then again, I think God would suggest making 9 more of His laser pens, and combine them together to make him a laser flashlight. He can blind the Devil from dimensions away for the hell of it.
We can go beyond the impossible and combine 10 GL-Flashlights and make Him a light saber that can nuke universes.
The first three times I read that as "God's laser penis".
Post by: Itnetlolor on November 02, 2011, 10:35:49 pm
It's called dirt, dust, grime, and hair.I don't think you understand. There shouldn't be anything below the vacuum. That's the end. We will have truly ripped a hole into nothing. Which, for our sake, hopefully does not create a black hole or something equally horrible.Well. Since we rip open a hole of nothing and find a large amount of mass inside.
Well. I think that would be awesome.
Vacuums are normally filled with it.
Post by: Osmosis Jones on November 02, 2011, 10:37:12 pm
It's called dirt, dust, grime, and hair.
Vacuums are normally filled with it.
Ba-dum-TISH
Post by: ChairmanPoo on November 03, 2011, 06:19:48 am
Post by: RedKing on November 03, 2011, 06:44:25 am
Is it just me or is science (especially high-energy physics) getting more and more adventurous lately? Let me guess...the first test is scheduled for December 2012? Maybe this is just a cover story and they're going to use this to blast Nibiru.
Post by: sluissa on November 03, 2011, 08:33:01 am
EDIT: Read the entire thread looking for a reference to it, and I missed the one in the post right above mine. I'm an idiot. Although I was thinking more asteroid than planetary in size.
Post by: scriver on November 03, 2011, 08:38:34 am
I'm scared.
Post by: Roboboy33 on November 03, 2011, 09:28:33 am
Post by: Jopax on November 03, 2011, 09:36:43 am
Post by: Another on November 03, 2011, 09:38:04 am
"Tearing apart the vacuum" is technically right but on the particle level it is just creating particle-antiparticle pairs with photons. The dominant process could be described as nγ -> (e+) +(e-). Detection of any possible excess of matter over antimatter production will be really hard because of giant background.
On the thermodynamical side the explanation is that effective temperature will go higher than the characteristic temperature of annihilation (kT~0.5 MeV for electron-positron) so it will be like annihilation in reverse.
Post by: Pnx on November 03, 2011, 09:54:17 am
It makes so much sense now. The giant supercollider, getting into existential questions about the nature of neutrons, and now overcompensating with a big-ass laser.
Post by: Necro910 on November 03, 2011, 10:05:04 am
Wait, Science is having a mid-life crisis? It makes so much sense now.Now all we need is a pimp sportship! That can ram through asteroid fields without a scratch! AND A GIANT SPACE MEGAPHONE
It makes so much sense now. The giant supercollider, getting into existential questions about the nature of neutrons, and now overcompensating with a big-ass laser.
Post by: palsch on November 03, 2011, 11:18:48 am
Another thought: If this laser is going to be that powerful, won't it melt itself when its fired? I thought one of the major physical limitations to the output of lasers was that they'd boil their mirrors away and not work.This (or something like it; often it's not mirrors but other components that are fragile) is why major lasers like this combine multiple beams.
At no time will the full beam be passed through any given lasing chamber or material. At most you need one lens to focus the multiple beams. More likely you just aim them all at the same target as with inertial fusion lasers like the NIF.
Post by: Necro910 on November 03, 2011, 11:28:05 am
See: Death StarAnother thought: If this laser is going to be that powerful, won't it melt itself when its fired? I thought one of the major physical limitations to the output of lasers was that they'd boil their mirrors away and not work.This (or something like it; often it's not mirrors but other components that are fragile) is why major lasers like this combine multiple beams.
At no time will the full beam be passed through any given lasing chamber or material. At most you need one lens to focus the multiple beams. More likely you just aim them all at the same target as with inertial fusion lasers like the NIF.
Post by: RedKing on November 03, 2011, 11:49:07 am
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP
Post by: Leafsnail on November 03, 2011, 12:08:48 pm
Why? Why would you build this thing? How are you even going to use it, when it requires more electricity to run than the whole planet produces?Well, essentially they're delivering a pretty damn small amount of energy very quickly. Less than 2kJ, even (so uh... about 3 seconds of lightbulb). So an array of batteries would be fine.
Post by: scriver on November 03, 2011, 12:18:33 pm
My complete ass-pull prediction: We'll find that the fabric of spacetime is much like the skin of a balloon, and this laser will melt a hole in the cosmic balloon, causing it to fly around wildly for several seconds while making colossal rude noises.
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP
Well, then I'm happy I still have my childish humor left, as I'll get to die happily, laughing manically for the last second of my existance.
Post by: Loud Whispers on November 03, 2011, 02:29:53 pm
Post by: timotheus on November 03, 2011, 05:54:33 pm
Post by: nenjin on November 03, 2011, 05:57:47 pm
"Choose.....choose the form of the destructor!"
/Gozer
Post by: Jelle on November 03, 2011, 06:32:32 pm
I don't like this whole fabric of space time thing though. Either I'm uneducated or it's a very vague concept. A fabric? Like some sort of textile? Made out of what?
Anyho, yay progress!
Wait so if I understand this right, the goal is to reverse the process of matter and antimatter disapating one another by blasting a whole lot of energy into a very small area? Gah I don't know enough about this stuff, but it does sound interesting. Wether it'll work is something else. :D
Post by: MetalSlimeHunt on November 03, 2011, 06:37:36 pm
I don't like this whole fabric of space time thing though. Either I'm uneducated or it's a very vague concept. A fabric? Like some sort of textile? Made out of what?Reality.
Post by: Osmosis Jones on November 03, 2011, 06:41:11 pm
Basically, all this experiment is doing, as Another outlined on the other page, is turning energy into matter. In this case, turning it into matter for long enough to measure the properties of said matter. The science side of it is interesting, but ultimately not hugely revolutionary.
However, the thing about scientists is, we're geeks. When we have a chance to build a GIANT LASER that can overcome QUANTUM ANNIHILATION, we get excited :P
Post by: ECrownofFire on November 03, 2011, 06:54:36 pm
Just not on this FUCKING HUGE scale.
Post by: IronyOwl on November 03, 2011, 07:04:40 pm
Thank you, Science, and thank you, Scientists. Thank you for never being afraid to ask for vast amounts of money to build a groundbreaking death laser intended to annihilate space.
Post by: MetalSlimeHunt on November 03, 2011, 07:09:23 pm
Thank you, Science, and thank you, Scientists. Thank you for never being afraid to ask for vast amounts of money to build a groundbreaking death laser intended to annihilate space.I can only imagine what they had to say to the people who don't understand the exact science of this in order to get funding.
"Yes, we need a couple hundred million dollars to build this new laser."
"Wait, what is the laser for?"
"Well....we kind of need to blow something up with it."
"Really, what?"
".....Space."
"..."
"..."
"Fund it!"
Post by: UltraValican on November 03, 2011, 07:19:49 pm
Post by: Heron TSG on November 03, 2011, 07:25:30 pm
I don't want to be that guy, but the worlds governments really need to shut this down.As if you're not curious what lies below the below, in the darkest depths of irreality?
I am not much impressed by this project. It will just be some energy (200 kJoules = 50 gramm TNT, doesn't sound like militarily significant) that will be concentrated in tiny space. Experiments on laser ignited nuclear fusion already deal with more energy that is less concentrated and LHC - with less energy that has higher concentration.Not 200kJ, 200PW. Even for only a split second, you still need an incredible amount of voltage. More than the Earth currently has, unless they can ramp up the current like mad.
Post by: Lectorog on November 03, 2011, 07:25:30 pm
I don't want to be that guy, but the worlds goverments really need to shut this down.Why? It's probably not dangerous.
Post by: Pnx on November 03, 2011, 07:31:52 pm
Yes, what could possibly go wrong?I don't want to be that guy, but the worlds goverments really need to shut this down.Why? It's probably not dangerous.
Post by: Angel Of Death on November 03, 2011, 07:39:43 pm
Post by: ECrownofFire on November 03, 2011, 07:41:27 pm
Why does this even need to be researched? Nobody should never invent something capable of fucking up the whole world.Because it's not capable of fucking up the whole world?
Post by: Eagleon on November 03, 2011, 07:49:21 pm
200PWh in a trillionth of a second is quite a significantly 'split' second. So no, you don't need an enormous amount of voltage, just the ability to deliver it all at the same incredibly tiny timespan to the same place, which in many ways is much more difficult.I don't want to be that guy, but the worlds governments really need to shut this down.As if you're not curious what lies below the below, in the darkest depths of irreality?I am not much impressed by this project. It will just be some energy (200 kJoules = 50 gramm TNT, doesn't sound like militarily significant) that will be concentrated in tiny space. Experiments on laser ignited nuclear fusion already deal with more energy that is less concentrated and LHC - with less energy that has higher concentration.Not 200kJ, 200PW. Even for only a split second, you still need an incredible amount of voltage. More than the Earth currently has, unless they can ramp up the current like mad.
This. The vacuum of space is different from space itself, which would require gravitational distortion to tamper with at all. If you've heard of vacuum energy, this is taking that and pumping a ton of energy into it to make it more visible. Like a really short-lived burst from a guitar amp - the guitar isn't making a lot of noise, it's the energy we're putting through the 'speakers'. Really not that exotic.Why does this even need to be researched? Nobody should never invent something capable of fucking up the whole world.Because it's not capable of fucking up the whole world?
C'mon, guys, this is how psuedoscientific fear-mongering gets started, re. LHC fiasco, with people actually trying to ban the thing.
Post by: Fniff on November 03, 2011, 08:02:38 pm
But probably not. I'd mostly be screaming.
Post by: Il Palazzo on November 03, 2011, 08:05:48 pm
I don't want to be that guy, but the worlds goverments really need to shut this down.I'm totally behind this statement. I mean, the A-bomb did not ignite the atmosphere, CERN did not create a black hole, but one of these days we'll just run out of our luck and Something BadTM will happen.
Madness! It keeps changing! What could it mean?!Not 200kJ, 200PW.200PWh
Post by: Leafsnail on November 03, 2011, 08:06:43 pm
Post by: Cthulhu on November 03, 2011, 08:08:17 pm
I don't want to be that guy, but the worlds goverments really need to shut this down.
I think governments need to shut you down.
Post by: UltraValican on November 03, 2011, 08:20:14 pm
I'm not fucking with forces that very well hold space together.I don't want to be that guy, but the worlds goverments really need to shut this down.
I think governments need to shut you down.
Post by: IronyOwl on November 03, 2011, 08:25:45 pm
I'm not fucking with forces that very well hold space together.Nor do you understand them. I mean, do you want nuclear power banned because that's tampering with the forces that hold atoms together? What about coal mining, which fucks with the very earth under our feet? Fire, because it messes with the air we breath and the matter we build, eat, and are made of?
Post by: Il Palazzo on November 03, 2011, 08:26:46 pm
Don't listen to Cthulhu! He's got a hidden agenda! He's been waiting for this moment since eons before time!I'm not fucking with forces that very well hold space together.I don't want to be that guy, but the worlds goverments really need to shut this down.
I think governments need to shut you down.
Post by: PsyberianHusky on November 03, 2011, 08:27:21 pm
Post by: UltraValican on November 03, 2011, 08:28:41 pm
No, but theres a difference between screwing an area up and screwing the hole damn universe up.I'm not fucking with forces that very well hold space together.Nor do you understand them. I mean, do you want nuclear power banned because that's tampering with the forces that hold atoms together? What about coal mining, which fucks with the very earth under our feet? Fire, because it messes with the air we breath and the matter we build, eat, and are made of?
What am I saying? Onward to oblivion!!!
Post by: IronyOwl on November 03, 2011, 08:34:43 pm
Besides, if something this minor can screw up reality itself, we were bound to do it on accident sooner or later anyway. Best to just get it out of the way and say hello to the Rift Daemons right now.
Post by: UltraValican on November 03, 2011, 08:35:50 pm
That's the spirit!Its a shame we couldnt wait till the velocirapture...
Besides, if something this minor can screw up reality itself, we were bound to do it on accident sooner or later anyway. Best to just get it out of the way and say hello to the Rift Daemons right now.
Post by: Eagleon on November 03, 2011, 08:39:11 pm
Sorry, I was mistaken, it's probably just 200PW - the s is generally left off. Thinking of 200PW as 'a lot' without thinking of time-frame is like leaving off the per-hour in MPH, only more acceptable because generally what you're assumed to be talking about is joules per second if you don't have it indicated. Wattage is a measure of joules per second. So 1 trillionth of a second of 200PW is equal to about 1000 joules? I don't know, my conversions might be off and I'm not great with math, but it's certainly not going to burn a hole through the planet or anything, let alone space-time itself.Madness! It keeps changing! What could it mean?!Not 200kJ, 200PW.200PWh
Post by: Il Palazzo on November 03, 2011, 09:02:53 pm
So 1 trillionth of a second of 200PW is equal to about 1000 joules?It's 1MJ actually.
Still, you should keep in mind that Wh is a non-standard unit of energy that'd require conversion of 1Wh=3600J, so you shouldn't really use it there.
Fun fact, ~400PJ is what you'd get from e.g. completely annihilating your cat. Assuming it'd take a whole second, then you'd have a 400PW cat. It could power two such lasers easily!
Post by: Aqizzar on November 03, 2011, 09:08:09 pm
Fun fact, ~400PJ is what you'd get from e.g. completely annihilating your cat. Assuming it'd take a whole second, then you'd have a 400PW cat. It could power two such lasers easily!
So what you're saying is, the laser will work fine, as soon as we invent a total mass-conversion reactor. Sounds like a solid first step to me.
Post by: Il Palazzo on November 03, 2011, 09:10:02 pm
Post by: Osmosis Jones on November 03, 2011, 09:19:53 pm
Fun fact, ~400PJ is what you'd get from e.g. completely annihilating your cat. Assuming it'd take a whole second, then you'd have a 400PW cat. It could power two such lasers easily!
So what you're saying is, the laser will work fine, as soon as we invent a total mass-conversion reactor. Sounds like a solid first step to me.
A total mass conversion reactor... that runs on cats? So... if it ran out of control, we'd have a...
...Thermonuclear catsplosion?
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Eagleon on November 03, 2011, 09:22:48 pm
Fun fact, ~400PJ is what you'd get from e.g. completely annihilating your cat. Assuming it'd take a whole second, then you'd have a 400PW cat. It could power two such lasers easily!Your cat is two Tsar Bombas, just chilling out, making cute noises and scratching up your furniture every day. Just sitting around being a cat. Think about it, maaaaaaan.
Post by: Leafsnail on November 03, 2011, 09:24:30 pm
So what you're saying is, the laser will work fine, as soon as we invent a total mass-conversion reactor. Sounds like a solid first step to me.I dunno, are you not aware that there are already lasers that run at a higher power than the entire world's power output (http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/04/texans-build-wo/)? I mean this probably isn't gonna be that big a step up in terms of laser technology (the big thing seems to be "use a lot of these powerful lasers we already have").
Post by: Il Palazzo on November 03, 2011, 09:36:11 pm
As Eagleon said, the difficulty is in focusing that energy into a very tiny space and time frame.
Of course, saying that it's a Super Mighty Laser of Doom is better from the journalistic point of view.
Einstein taught us that each time we're taking a dump, we produce a potential few-megaton bomb.Fun fact, ~400PJ is what you'd get from e.g. completely annihilating your cat. Assuming it'd take a whole second, then you'd have a 400PW cat. It could power two such lasers easily!Your cat is two Tsar Bombas, just chilling out, making cute noises and scratching up your furniture every day. Just sitting around being a cat. Think about it, maaaaaaan.
ed: typo
Post by: Heron TSG on November 03, 2011, 09:42:14 pm
I dunno, are you not aware that there are already lasers that run at a higher power than the entire world's power output (http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/04/texans-build-wo/)? I mean this probably isn't gonna be that big a step up in terms of laser technology (the big thing seems to be "use a lot of these powerful lasers we already have").Apparently each of the 10 lasers will be about thrice as powerful as the most powerful current laser.
Post by: Aqizzar on November 03, 2011, 09:51:39 pm
are you not aware that there are already lasers that run at a higher power than the entire world's power output (http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/04/texans-build-wo/)?
Aw sweet, it's in Texas. Bow down before your evanescent cowboy overlo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=G_sBOsh-vyI#t=320s)
Quote
femtoseconds
Oh, nevermind. They're just makin' crap up.
Post by: MetalSlimeHunt on November 03, 2011, 11:52:27 pm
About that. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Femtosecond)Quotefemtoseconds
Oh, nevermind. They're just makin' crap up.
Post by: scriver on November 04, 2011, 02:00:08 am
C'mon, guys, this is how psuedoscientific fear-mongering gets started, re. LHC fiasco, with people actually trying to ban the thing.
I agree. Even though I'm scared shitless and yesterday lynched three local scientists (two geologists and a botanist) while screaming "I don't understand! I just don't understand!".
...But I think we should at least make sure the head guy really isn't an Old God cultist before we let him build anything. Preferably twice.
About that. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Femtosecond)Quotefemtoseconds
Oh, nevermind. They're just makin' crap up.
Oh come on. How am I possibly going to be able to believe a giant, universe-ripping laser making use of something with the name Femto in it isn't at all supposed to summon up demonic forces? That's just too famn obvious.
Post by: Jelle on November 04, 2011, 03:53:47 am
Post by: Lagslayer on November 04, 2011, 04:46:23 am
Keep up the good !!WORK!!.
Post by: PsyberianHusky on November 04, 2011, 06:43:34 am
Damn, Texas. You crazy!The firing mechanism will be a S&W
Keep up the good !!WORK!!.
Post by: Duuvian on November 10, 2011, 07:39:56 am
(http://images.tvrage.com/screencaps/31/6190/206623.jpg)
Also, he should probably be wearing goggles and be shooting ten lasers but I figured the face was enough.
EDIT: Also: (http://www.overmachogrande.com/graphics/lasers-party.jpg)
That came up from a search for 10 lasers.
EDIT2: I figure I'll throw this in here and say it's sort of similar to what this doomlaser will be like.
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_y83ikw1mFQo/R-CI0dy63oI/AAAAAAAAAH8/FBZBXYo4Pro/s400/space-lasers.jpg)
That might be your house someday.
Post by: Virex on November 10, 2011, 07:48:39 am
The Z machine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z_machine) can already pump out 80 times the world energy production for a duration 200 nanoseconds. It's not like we've never done extreme stuff like this before.I don't want to be that guy, but the worlds governments really need to shut this down.As if you're not curious what lies below the below, in the darkest depths of irreality?I am not much impressed by this project. It will just be some energy (200 kJoules = 50 gramm TNT, doesn't sound like militarily significant) that will be concentrated in tiny space. Experiments on laser ignited nuclear fusion already deal with more energy that is less concentrated and LHC - with less energy that has higher concentration.Not 200kJ, 200PW. Even for only a split second, you still need an incredible amount of voltage. More than the Earth currently has, unless they can ramp up the current like mad.
Post by: Drago55577 on November 14, 2011, 10:34:43 am
If you tear apart the vacuum of space, what's the vacuum equivalent inside a vacuum? One powerful sucker, I would suspect.I don't think you understand. There shouldn't be anything below the vacuum. That's the end. We will have truly ripped a hole into nothing. Which, for our sake, hopefully does not create a black hole or something equally horrible.
Equally horrible? We have blackholes, I suspect something that will take you to your worst nightmare.
Blackholes, zombies, and elves...
Post by: Drago55577 on November 14, 2011, 10:48:31 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: RedKing on November 14, 2011, 11:11:51 am
"We can put materials into states that you can’t access here on earth," said Mikael Martinez, the laser project’s manager. "You’d have to go out into space and hang out with an exploding star to observe what we plan to observe here in Texas."
Headline: "Scientists to explode stars in Texas" ::)
I love how the article emphasizes "It's not just a big laser, it's Texas-big!"
Wonder if Rick Perry wants to use it for border security.
Quote
couple hundred femtoseconds (that’s 10-15 seconds)I almost did a facepalm here till I realized that it's supposed to be 10-15, and the superscript just didn't carry over. I really hope it wasn't like that in the original article.
So have they set a date yet for
Post by: Drago55577 on November 14, 2011, 11:21:53 am
======D.F.S.S=======D.F.S.S=======D.F.S.S=======D.F.S.S======D.F.S.S=======D.F.S.S=======D.F.S.S=======D.F.S.S======
Post by: lyn on November 14, 2011, 02:03:18 pm
What if there are insane, highly advanced aliens like us out there? And what if they already have created a true vacuum? We're doomed!
Indeed, all space races will be held at gunpoint and conventional spaceweapons will be useless.
True Vacuum - Nuclear Bomb of the future.
Post by: JoshuaFH on November 14, 2011, 02:22:42 pm
Also, I wonder how long it needs to charge for, and with what power source?
"Hedwick! Start charging the laser!" and he plugs it into an ordinary power socket.
Post by: Virex on November 14, 2011, 02:34:18 pm
Post by: ChairmanPoo on November 14, 2011, 02:46:19 pm
I think they may use Marx generators (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marx_generator)
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/Groucho_Marx.jpg/200px-Groucho_Marx.jpg)
Post by: Il Palazzo on November 14, 2011, 03:35:18 pm
Post by: RedKing on November 14, 2011, 03:46:42 pm
The Marx generator will produce Engels-waves which should allow the inherently unstable isotope of Leninium to undergo a rapid Stalinisation in mere trockoseconds.Thus establishing the triumph of the People's physics over the decadent bourgeois vacuum. Down with capitalist emptiness! We will replace vacuum with the bounty of the Proletariat!
Post by: Osmosis Jones on November 14, 2011, 07:19:35 pm
The Marx generator will produce Engels-waves which should allow the inherently unstable isotope of Leninium to undergo a rapid Stalinisation in mere trockoseconds.
Sigging. So sigging.