Unless you are a superhero, why do you want to create lightening?  I can understand using powerful laser guns to fight evil and right wrongs but to create lightening?  Didn't Benjamin Franklin already do that with a kite, a string and a key?

Well a team of European scientists came to South Bald Peak, New Mexico to do just that - create lighting with lasers.  No they are not looking to become superheros, but to test out their sophisticated pulse laser machines.  Apparently there are reasons for creating lighting besides burning down your enemies evil empire.  For instance, creating lightening allows engineers to test the durability of airplanes and power lines during these events.  There are other uses as well, studying the mechanisms underlying lightning strikes and other as yet undiscovered projects.

The lasers were able to create "plasma filaments" that created electricity just like Ben Franklin did all those years ago.  Unfortunately, the scientists were unable to create plasma filaments that touched the ground, limiting the usefulness of the current technology.

However, Jerome Kasperian, of the University of Lyon in France, and his colleagues intend to ramp up their mega super laser by a factor 10.  Then they will go back to shooting storm clouds with laser pulses to create lighting that hopefully will reach the ground.

Sigh, nothing superhero like here except they will be making our planes and power lines safer so that we all can live in "better world."

Entry was posted on Tuesday, April 15th, 2008 at 10:08 am under Strange.  Print This Post