In the 1970s, the United States wanted to use a powerful, atomic bomb-initiated X-ray laser to defend against ballistic missiles. The Excalibur project was never completed, and even today, thoughts of large, powerful laser devices seem like something out of a science fiction novel. Right? Recently, the HiLASE laser centre has become a meeting place for scientists from all over the world to discuss the technological possibilities of using powerful laser sources for future applications. Read the full article on astro.cz.
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The 'craters' left by different types of laser bombardment of meteorites, taken with an electron microscope, and measurements of their relief with a Keyence microscope. By Martin Ferus. Taken from astro.cz.