from Hacker News

Lasers Can Guide Dangerous Lightning Strikes to Safer Paths

by psuter on 1/16/23, 4:30 PM with 6 comments

  • by nashashmi on 1/16/23, 6:49 PM

    This article has a key explanation:

    “ The laser diverts lightning bolts by creating an easier path for the electrical discharge to flow down. When laser pulses are fired into the sky, a change in the refractive index of the air makes them shrink and become so intense that they ionise air molecules around them. This leads to a long chain of what the researchers call filaments in the sky, where air molecules rapidly heat up and race away at supersonic speeds, leaving a channel of low density, ionised air. These channels, which last for milliseconds, are more electrically conductive than the surrounding air, and so form an easier path for the lightning to follow.”

    https://amp.theguardian.com/science/2023/jan/16/scientists-s...

  • by zeristor on 1/16/23, 4:48 PM

  • by rolph on 1/16/23, 4:53 PM

    Also the opposite.

    this can be used for tremendous evil if it hasnt already.

  • by __turbobrew__ on 1/16/23, 5:25 PM

    How do they make sure they don’t blind aircraft?