Most powerful laser EVER

[Asheran Mojomaster]

http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/16/univ ... e-univers/

"Rest assured, we've seen some wicked frickin' lasers in our day, but apparently, even the two-kilowatt rendition that heats coffee in mere seconds can't hold a candle ray of light to HERCULES. Intentionally named in all caps by University of Michigan gurus in order to highlight its awesomeness, said laser contains 300 terawatts of power (or 300 times the capacity of the entire US electricity grid) and could "help scientists develop better proton and electron beams for radiation treatment of cancer." Still, we can't help but conclude with UMich's own description of this masterpiece: "If you could hold a giant magnifying glass in space and focus all the sunlight shining toward Earth onto one grain of sand, that concentrated ray would approach the intensity of [HERCULES]." Damn."

Holy Fuck.

[Siji]

But can it make tasty popcorn?

[Arborealus]

I wanna see the capacitor bank that drives it...

[Drinsic Darkwood]

I don't know a whole lot about lasers... but where exactly are you going to harness energy equivalent to the sun? Lasers are fucking awesome and what not, but I'd imagine those 300 terawatts could be put to much better use.

[Fash]

They aren't really expending 300 TW. They are putting a femto-second laser pulse through a huge chain of amplifiers and other things... They are able to charge and fire it every ten minutes.

[Kluden]

...yes...but seriously, the popcorn it could make from space is...enough to fill a house?

[Midnyte_Ragebringer]

...yes...but seriously, the popcorn it could make from space is...enough to fill a house?

hahaha...nice reference

[Siji]

...yes...but seriously, the popcorn it could make from space is...enough to fill a house?

That was my question, find your own!

[Aslanna]

I bet Al Gore developed this. All part of his plan to melt the ice caps to 'prove' global warming exists. Damn democrats. Can't trust em!

[Kluden]

That was my question, find your own!

I totally question stole, no doubt! But since Real Genius was the first thing that popped into my mind as well (pun intended), I had to expand on your question, so others would get it easier Oh, and because no one answered your question yet, so I took the opportunity to ask again.

[Asheran Mojomaster]

Yeah, its not actually using 300 TW, its using a much smaller amount compressed into a short burst. I really wonder how powerful this really is though. If they put something like this in space COULD it vaporize or instantly kill someone? Haha. I know it says 2 KW can heat a cup of coffee in a few seconds...could 300 TW in 10^-15 seconds produce instant massive heat?

[Sylvus]

...yes...but seriously, the popcorn it could make from space is...enough to fill a house?

From space, you say?

Space, Bitches. Space.

[Zaelath]

Yeah, its not actually using 300 TW, its using a much smaller amount compressed into a short burst. I really wonder how powerful this really is though. If they put something like this in space COULD it vaporize or instantly kill someone? Haha. I know it says 2 KW can heat a cup of coffee in a few seconds...could 300 TW in 10^-15 seconds produce instant massive heat?

Work = Power
--------
Time


Work in this case = 0.0009 WH

I think that would be enough to feel, maybe.

[Asheran Mojomaster]

Damn physics. Not so powerful after all .

[Nick]

Absurdly cool

[Zamtuk]

...yes...but seriously, the popcorn it could make from space is...enough to fill a house?

From space, you say?

Space, Bitches. Space.

Apparently the only place you can go to get away from the humiliation we give you yearly.