Less Radiation

New Scientist magazine reported last week that the US military have got a prototype of a new weapon. It’s a high-power laser that ionises the air between the weapon and target, the plasma channel this creates then acts as a waveguide for a stream of microwave radiation, this radiation then destroys the electronic ignition/trigger system in a vehicle or bomb. Clever stuff indeed, we’re just glad we’re not operating the bloody thing!

On a brighter note, this week’s New Scientist reports that the Obama administration are getting rid of some of the more pie-in-the-sky defence ideas. Apparently they’ve given up on some of the more wild ‘Star-Wars’ defence shield ideas. The massive-laser-mounted-on-a-plane idea has been shelved for now.