• Question: Do you think that it is possible to make a light saber (from starwars) thank you so very much for reading my long and tiresome speech

    Asked by spinigo to Mike, Pip, Tianfu, Tim, Tom on 26 Jun 2012. This question was also asked by redfox007, jamjam, mariaa.
    • Photo: Philippa Bird

      Philippa Bird answered on 26 Jun 2012:

      I was wondering about this myself in response to an earlier question, maybe one of the boys can elaborate further. Basically, you can certainly make a laser powerful enough to cut things like light sabers. However, I am not sure how they would react when being clashed against other lasers – they might just scatter light everywhere or go through each other, I don’t know if they would resist each other like light sabers. Then, I don’t know how you would stop the laser carrying on indefinitely into the distance – again a gap in my knowledge the others might be able to fill – can you programme a laser so it’s length is finite and controlled?
      Finally, lightsabers are not plugged into the mains, and I think it would be hard enough to find a laser that powerful that is battery powered and small enough that it will make a decent handle.
      So basically, I’m not sure, but I am inclined to say no. Sad, isn’t it!

    • Photo: Tom Lister

      Tom Lister answered on 26 Jun 2012:

      I think so. Might be difficult to store enough power in the handle for prolonged use…

    • Photo: Tim Stephens

      Tim Stephens answered on 26 Jun 2012:

      You can make a strong laser, but that will only project a spot on the wall or your opponent’s body. Photons (light particles) don’t interact strongly with one another, so you wouldn’t be able to clash blades with someone else’s light sabre. It might be possible to use some other substance to make something similar though – perhaps a plasma or something. I don’t know…

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