Real weapons-grade lasers on the horizon

[Destructavator]

I'm not a science major, to be honest a good deal of what you've said is way over my head, but regarding your last point:

The article quoted in this thread talks about the hypotheses of doing nuclear fusion at "cold" temperatures through laser pressure (ITER that I've linked will try to do "hot" fusion), but cold fusion is already being considered not doable for energy production by scientists and that's not a really option right now.

...The game takes place 80 some years in the future, do you think much of this will change by then?

BTW, I think its great you're joining us in these discussions, as the game aims more for "hard" science-fiction (more realistic) and tries to avoid the "soft" (fantasy-ish) type of sci-fi.

[odie]

I'm not a science major, to be honest a good deal of what you've said is way over my head, but regarding your last point:

...The game takes place 80 some years in the future, do you think much of this will change by then?

BTW, I think its great you're joining us in these discussions, as the game aims more for "hard" science-fiction (more realistic) and tries to avoid the "soft" (fantasy-ish) type of sci-fi.

Actually Destructavator,

Going by how Nuclear bombs x2 were used on japan in WW2, to today's use of nuclear fission (safer too), that took us a solid 50 60 years.

If we were to consider exponentially going into a particular field such as tachyon / laser, we might be able to reach its commercial usage in say 30-40 years (considering we have MUCH faster computers and better research abilities).

Hence, to compound that by another 40 years (80 years from now), i thnk its possible to achieve laser grade weapons in the size of your norm DF cartridges, possibly even furthering it in just a couple of wks (out of desperation and world-wide focus of resources on just that development).

How plausible does that sound to us? If so, we have already established our 'reasoning and logic' for going the 'laser WAY".

[romanovzky]

Nuclear fusion might be a reality at ITER. It will be the first commercial scale reactor in operation (still with experimental purposes but with the aim of doing it commercially doable). But ITER will only be operational at 2018 (big machine, cutting edge technology, all new...) so we will be waiting a little to see how it comes out.
With this it's evident that if for us it is a near future reality, for ultra high tech aliens it most be a reality.
About the cold fusion, there are some theoretical problems  that nobody could prove wrong (and there's not enough experimental data to prove wrong) that sustain the impossibility for chain reactions at cold fusion. Without a chain reaction fusion you can't produce energy, if this theoretical conclusion is in fact true then you can't produce energy by cold fusion, and this is valid here, mars, moon, other galaxies, etc (physics' laws are universal).

About the laser weapons, off course we can always believe that technology will involve in some way to miniaturize the size of machines (such as the apparatus used at that laser experience) but much of the times size is power and energy, and highly energetic lasers require high energetic apparatus.
I'm not ruling out the possibility of mobile laser technology, just point out the difficulties of such technology.

[odie]

Nuclear fusion might be a reality at ITER. It will be the first commercial scale reactor in operation (still with experimental purposes but with the aim of doing it commercially doable). But ITER will only be operational at 2018 (big machine, cutting edge technology, all new...) so we will be waiting a little to see how it comes out.
With this it's evident that if for us it is a near future reality, for ultra high tech aliens it most be a reality.
About the cold fusion, there are some theoretical problems  that nobody could prove wrong (and there's not enough experimental data to prove wrong) that sustain the impossibility for chain reactions at cold fusion. Without a chain reaction fusion you can't produce energy, if this theoretical conclusion is in fact true then you can't produce energy by cold fusion, and this is valid here, mars, moon, other galaxies, etc (physics' laws are universal).

About the laser weapons, off course we can always believe that technology will involve in some way to miniaturize the size of machines (such as the apparatus used at that laser experience) but much of the times size is power and energy, and highly energetic lasers require high energetic apparatus.
I'm not ruling out the possibility of mobile laser technology, just point out the difficulties of such technology.

Just being curious romanovzky,

Are u majoring in physics at masters or bachalor degree lvl? Or do u specialize in some sort of physics / quantum research??

[romanovzky]

By this summer I'll have my B.Sc. level. In September I'll start my M.Sc. level (1 academic year, 0.5 mixed year (academic, investigation) plus 0.5 year for dissertation(and investigation)).

Nevertheless I've been granted a fellowship for Investigation Integration in an investigation center for theoretical particle physics at my university.

At M.Sc. I'll focus mainly on Theoretical Physics, Fundamental Particles and such.

[odie]

By this summer I'll have my B.Sc. level. In September I'll start my M.Sc. level (1 academic year, 0.5 mixed year (academic, investigation) plus 0.5 year for dissertation(and investigation)).

Nevertheless I've been granted a fellowship for Investigation Integration in an investigation center for theoretical particle physics at my university.

At M.Sc. I'll focus mainly on Theoretical Physics, Fundamental Particles and such.

Wow. That is really a pure hardcore physicist studies! U intend to become a nuclear scientist?? Or do u intend to do energy researching?

Or after tat would u simply want to be an engineer of sorts?

[romanovzky]

I intend to become a Physicist, and do research on physics. My area of interest so far is particle physics, and since LHC experiment will work at the same time I'll be being introduced to research I guess I'll in theoretical particle physics. But hey, there are other problems in physics:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsolved_problems_in_physics

I also have some curiosity about quantum gravity, quantum chromodynamics, and other subjects.

Time will tell

[odie]

I intend to become a Physicist, and do research on physics. My area of interest so far is particle physics, and since LHC experiment will work at the same time I'll be being introduced to research I guess I'll in theoretical particle physics. But hey, there are other problems in physics:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsolved_problems_in_physics

I also have some curiosity about quantum gravity, quantum chromodynamics, and other subjects.

Time will tell

Ooooo, it would be so exciting if someone can make a breakthru in quantum physics..... its rumoured (of course unproven) tat when one can go beyond it, and travel at the speed of light, u can be everywhere at anypoint in time and space AT THE SAME TIME! lol. Woooooo

Talk about a whole new way to do FTL!

Okie, digressed from main topics. lol.

So, based on your expertise, laser based stuff will sound logical and possible in 80 years time rite?

PS: I am going offtopic, so i ma opening another thread for u to read something..... see offtopic section.

[geever]

... can be everywhere at anypoint in time and space AT THE SAME TIME!

That's the privilege of The Kwisatz Haderach.

-geever

[Darkpriest667]

I intend to become a Physicist, and do research on physics. My area of interest so far is particle physics, and since LHC experiment will work at the same time I'll be being introduced to research I guess I'll in theoretical particle physics. But hey, there are other problems in physics:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsolved_problems_in_physics

I also have some curiosity about quantum gravity, quantum chromodynamics, and other subjects.

Time will tell

my major isnt in science or physics.. Its actually history.. But perhaps you would care to explain how entanglement is possible... Seems entanglement and a few other things have really thrown the physics people into two groups... those that believe quantum physics and those that dont.

[romanovzky]

I'll aim my explanations of off topic stuff for the off topic thread (entanglement included if asked there).

About lasers, there are some real promising technological breakthroughs being developed, at many branches.

So I can't role out the possibility of mobile highly energetic lasers, but I'll be skeptic for now. Producing high amounts of energy requires big machines, and I don't know, for now, any real doable technology for a mobile usage by now. But things change very fast sometimes, and we must be aware of it's going on.

The main idea is, portable lasers of that energy scale need energy production for that scale. And the former is way very difficult. 

[odie]

I'll aim my explanations of off topic stuff for the off topic thread (entanglement included if asked there).

About lasers, there are some real promising technological breakthroughs being developed, at many branches.

So I can't role out the possibility of mobile highly energetic lasers, but I'll be skeptic for now. Producing high amounts of energy requires big machines, and I don't know, for now, any real doable technology for a mobile usage by now. But things change very fast sometimes, and we must be aware of it's going on.

The main idea is, portable lasers of that energy scale need energy production for that scale. And the former is way very difficult. 

Ooooo, May i remind all of us that the ancient computer (bak in 1960s and 1970s) are so big it takes a couple of rooms to store?

And fast forward just <50 years, aint computers so small we can put into our pockets now?

[A Few Good Mutons]

Isn't that impossible? Or do I understand it the wrong way?

Nothing can produce more total energy than it consumes.  Any apparent surplus is actually liberated potential energy.

[Hertzila]

Which is why I asked that. And after reading the article again I understood that they are basically inventing the reactor power plant thingy we already have.

About the lasers, why have I always understood that it's not the energy consumption itself that is the problem with laser weapons (sure the batteries would be huge but we could make them) but the energy that comes out of the laser as wasted thermal energy. And it's the cooling system (and its size) that really prevents the use of laser weaponry.

[shevegen]

I actually wonder if that is even feasible. Sometimes research is just impossible because current knowledge hardly allows to progress.

A laser sounds cool, but today as a real laser ray dealing damage from a mounted plane for example?
Sounds like distant future tech, seriously.