Awesome Interactive Laser Demo (via) [more inside]
posted by nfg on Aug 6, 2009 - 19 comments

A baby star on Earth. The NIF (National Ignition Facility) is about to fire up lasers to demonstrate the real world possibility of nuclear fusion with a positive energy gain. BBC link with promo video narrated by Samuel L. Jackson. Also: previously.
posted by NekulturnY on May 5, 2009 - 76 comments

Malaria is one of the world’s most serious health problems. No single approach has yet to fully conquer either the disease or the disease vector, the mosquito. The most common electronic means of killing mosquitoes, the “bug zapper” is not particularly effective. Using lasers to kill mosquitoes has previously been thought of as completely ridiculous. Now the concept is being taken seriously.
posted by Tube on Mar 14, 2009 - 33 comments

Jared Tarbell is a computer artist whose Gallery of Computation has been previously featured on Metafilter . Several years ago he began working with the Epilog Mini 24 laser cutter, cutting out flat cardboard pieces and assembling them into complex geometric shapes. His Flickr set “lased” documents his work. Recently he made the transition to a more traditional artistic medium; oiled walnut , for his stunning piece 2222 holes.
posted by Tube on Feb 19, 2009 - 23 comments

Laser pointer import ban in Oz Seems there's been a rash of people aiming laser pointers at planes in Oz. With an incident of a pilot being "temporarily blinded", this action may be a little less...well, as Oz politicians put it, "amusing". Previously. [more inside]
posted by telstar on Mar 30, 2008 - 41 comments

The LED Museum has long been the Internet's premier source of absolutely obsessive LED and Laser analysis. Going strong since 1999, Craig Johnson's amassed quite a range of test equipment. Recently, he acquired a Playstation 3 Blu-Ray Laser Module. Did he mod it? Oh yes he did. (Warning: NSFC64)
posted by effugas on Jun 15, 2007 - 20 comments

Coffee + laser = instant awesome!
posted by loquacious on Mar 26, 2007 - 59 comments

You think these were bad? Wait till the terrists get these!
posted by pjern on Feb 20, 2007 - 30 comments

D00d, nice shades! Also found here and presumably elsewhere.
posted by lalochezia on Apr 2, 2006 - 19 comments

Laser-etched PowerBooks.
posted by nthdegx on Dec 7, 2005 - 25 comments

Holography For The Masses! A magical journey of making holograms with a $7.99 laser pointer and higher-power laser diodes.
posted by mr.curmudgeon on Aug 19, 2005 - 5 comments

The largest and most powerful laser facility ever designed is currently being constructed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, CA. I had an opportunity to tour this facility earlier this year, and the sheer magnitude of this engineering project is staggering. The precision required for ignition has been compared to "trying to hit the strike zone with a baseball from 350 miles away". Although the scientists and politicians responsible for the National Ignition Facility claim it will help lessen the danger of nuclear weapons, many critics argue it is merely an attempt to work around certain non-proliferation treaties.
posted by muddgirl on May 23, 2005 - 31 comments

Lightspeed is a fun little shareware game that I stumbled across today. It's one of those "bounce stuff off mirrors to light up stuff" puzzle games, but with nice graphics, and additional features like a level editor and such. Warning: windows only download, shareware fee to unlock many levels and features.
posted by majcher on Jan 22, 2004 - 5 comments

THIS is a light saber?!? "There really isn't anything out there, other than a baton and pepper spray, that can halt a dangerous suspect without doing him or anyone else harm," Herr said.

Ouch.
posted by rushmc on Dec 4, 2000 - 28 comments