Two scientists at Yale have developed a type of anti-laser that they feel could one day be used to help treat cancer.

There have been proposals in the past to incorporate laser weaponry into warfare. But up until now, there had been no practical solution for making a laser weapon small enough or powerful enough to actually use in the field, unless we ever happened to be battling cats. Then we’d be set. Finally, Lockheed Martin might have stumbled on the secret ...

California�s Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory announced that it has taken the world�s largest laser, housed in the National Ignition Facility, for its first ‘dry run.’ Yes, a laser so massive it needs to be housed in a 10 story building as wide as three football fields. But the big news here isn’t actually the massive laser, although it is pretty ...

You didn’t think it was going to be THAT practical, did you? Massive or not, the Laser Backpack is the most portable option you have for mobile 3D mapping. Funded by the US Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the Army Research Office, the backpack uses sensor fusion algorithms for creating textured 3D models. The backpack utilizes cameras, inertial ...

Okay, so I’m guilty of sensationalism, so shoot me… in the face… with a plasma gun! The ESO’s (European Southern Observatory) Paranal Observatory, which acts as home for the VLT (Very Large Telescope). This photo captures the VLT’s Laser Guide Star facility in action. The laser beam is part of the VLT’s adaptive optics system, which corrects for distortions caused ...

Star Wars and Star Trek have been locked in an intrinsically geeky battle since the beginning of modern geeky times. I’ve always been way more of a Star Wars guy, as I’m sure you can clearly tell from just taking a fleeting glace at this very blog, but as a master of the science fiction arts, I have to admire ...

Merging two of the things I’m most thankful for during this holiday season; music and lasers. We�re so glad that [Jared] spent the time to produce such a fine looking body for the instrument. The strings that would traditionally produce the sound on a harp have been replaced with laser diodes shining at Cadmium Sulfide photo resistors. When a beam ...

When the light turns red, a huge laser wall projecting apparitions of crossing pedestrians spans across the crosswalk. The concept is designed to keep crossing pedestrians safe from any overzealous drivers who otherwise might have ran the red light.

You know how something as simple as a laser pointer can become your pets newest favorite toy? The Bolt Interactive Pet Laser automatically juts around the room, providing your pet with minutes of fun. As you can tell from the kitty’s glassy-eyed state, she’s simply enthralled. Link [via]

It’s no wonder Dr. Evil wanted sharks with fricken’ laser beams attached to their heads. Just check out what a laser can do given the right project and tools, even on a tight budget. This step-by-step video tutorial teaches you how to turn a Bic lighter into a flame shooter which ignites shit using a laser beam. Light a fuse, ...