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Force Field. No, Really

tqft points out news of "a working force field, using plasma. Now to scale the sucker up." Here's the Brookhaven press release. I can think of so many uses for this.

47 of 434 comments (clear)

  1. An enormous breakthrough for parents by artemis67 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Finally, a solution to the "Dad, he keeps touching me!" dilemma.

    1. Re:An enormous breakthrough for parents by CptChipJew · · Score: 5, Funny

      The one problem though, is that this device runs at about 15,000 Kelvin.

      Wait, now that I think about it, that would really teach those damn kids to stop messing around.

      --
      Vonal Declosion
    2. Re:An enormous breakthrough for parents by indros · · Score: 4, Funny

      Also probably a good first line of defense as birth control as well. Make sure the swimmers don't reach their destination!

    3. Re:An enormous breakthrough for parents by caino59 · · Score: 1, Funny

      actually, isn't that "father, please stop touching me!" ?

      *clash of cymbals*

      i'm goin to hell...

    4. Re:An enormous breakthrough for parents by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      The one problem though, is that this device runs at about 15,000 Kelvin.

      Bah, that's only 14,727 degrees Celsius.

  2. I've already seen a working force field by Hogwash+McFly · · Score: 5, Funny

    There was a guy down the street from me who was in a force field. Can't remember his name but he had a black and white striped shirt, white face paint and he didn't speak that much.

    --
    Mother, do you think they'll like this sig?
    1. Re:I've already seen a working force field by Amarok.Org · · Score: 2, Funny
      do I get a prize for guessing correctly?

      No, but you get a prize for being an idiot and driving the joke completely into the ground.

      --
      -- "Other than that, how was the play Mrs. Lincoln?"
    2. Re:I've already seen a working force field by MaestroSartori · · Score: 5, Funny

      Apparently, he was keeping quiet about it until the patent came through...

    3. Re:I've already seen a working force field by TopShelf · · Score: 4, Funny

      Be very careful - this sounds like a French spy who's been trapped successfully. Sometimes they try to escape by climbing a rope, so be sure that field has a lid to it...

      --
      Stop by my site where I write about ERP systems & more
    4. Re:I've already seen a working force field by sharkey · · Score: 4, Funny
      ...he had a black and white striped shirt, white face paint and he didn't speak that much.

      Easily breached using the proper Force-Field Deactivation Device.

      --

      --
      "Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.
    5. Re:I've already seen a working force field by BrynM · · Score: 2, Funny
      Sometimes they try to escape by climbing a rope
      But every time they escape, we just push them back in with a strong spray of air. It seems they can't run ageanst wind very well.
      --
      US Democracy:The best person for the job (among These pre-selected choices...)
  3. Now what I need.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    are some borg implants so I can walk through the force field unaffected.

  4. Uses? by Surak · · Score: 4, Funny

    I can think of so many uses for this.

    Like keeping PHBs out of the server room? ;)

    1. Re:Uses? by Smallphish · · Score: 5, Funny

      Just what I need in my server room. Another heat source at 15,000 Kelvin. . .

  5. am i reading this wrong by Neophytus · · Score: 3, Funny

    or is all its blocking at the moment air? then again 14k kelvin might keep us out.

  6. Protect your *nix by Tukz · · Score: 4, Funny

    Finally a decent way to protect your *nix server
    from physical contact!

    Yipee!

    *snicker*

    --
    - Don't do what I do, it's probably not healthy nor safe. -
    1. Re:Protect your *nix by urrbanlleg-end · · Score: 2, Funny

      Just use an AMD CPU in your server, that should generate enough heat to drive this thing...

  7. Blast... by foxtrot · · Score: 5, Funny

    I asked the guy how he did it, but he won't tell me.

    Hasn't anyone explained to him the wonders of open force?

    -JDF

  8. Torps by izto · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yes, but can it stop plasma torps? what about phasers?? :-)

  9. Force fields have existed for ages by fredrikj · · Score: 4, Funny
    1. Re:Force fields have existed for ages by CatKnight · · Score: 2, Funny

      "In the olden days, electricity and magnetism were counted as two separate forces (for a total of five), until it was discovered they were two aspects of the same thing (still charges and moving charges), and could be described mathematically in one theory, namely Maxwell's equations. Particle theorists have since combined the weak force with electromagnetism into a single theory called electroweak, so if you count that way there are three forces. Of course, particle theorists are gung-ho about combining all the forces into one huge Grand Unification Theory, which will give us just one force."

      Hmm, integrating all of the fundamental forces of the universe into one neat package? Aren't there supposed to be anti-trust laws to prevent this? Bill Gates must be jealous as hell.

      --
      The Stone Age did not end for lack of stones, and when the oil age ends it will not be for lack of oil. --Bjorn Lomberg
  10. Well well by madmarcel · · Score: 0, Funny

    Phah! Primitives!
    Using my portable force-field
    I managed to block all the trolls
    and hence...I got first post :P

    (It also blocks noxious ga^H^Hodours - much appreciated by my other half ;)

    But ehh...(I probably misread this...)

    Unfortunately it appears this new forcefield technology only works in very hot conditions
    - 50x room temperature :o

    Now all we need is heat-and-flame-resistant people...

  11. Spam? by 955301 · · Score: 5, Funny

    They use the word plasma so many times in the last sentence of the first link, that for some strange reason (closely related to my sense of humor, I'm sure), I'm reminded of Monty Python and Spam:

    A much faster, more complex version of a previously introduced "spam window" (see New Scientist, 12 April 2003), the spam valve is the latest example of novel uses of spam for particle-beam applications; other recent ones include spam acceleration of antimatter (Update 634), a spam lens (Update 508), and spam deflection of high-energy beams (Update 540).

    Niiieeeeeeeeeeeeee!

    --
    You are checking your backups, aren't you?
  12. Unnecessary by MondoMor · · Score: 0, Funny

    The nerds standing near it and working on it will generate sufficient repulsive force to keep any "physical contact" impossible.

    Voila! Free force field for the price of a shitty ThinkGeek T-shirt!

  13. Re:Strange Room Temperature by Baron_Yam · · Score: 2, Funny

    Silly Americans... still converting to Fahrenheit. ;)

  14. RTFA: NOT, NOT, NOT a "force field" by 1u3hr · · Score: 5, Funny
    1) It's a "plasma valve". Not a force (ie magnetic or something ethereal), the magnetic "force" confines the plasma.

    2) The plasma valve is INSIDE a copper container.

    If you think this is a "force field" then you might also be interested in the "ray gun" in your television tube.

    An interesting story nonetheless, spoiled only by the fatuous ignorance of the submitter and editor.

    1. Re:RTFA: NOT, NOT, NOT a "force field" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Oh, and the plasma valve would take your finger off if you touched it. Oh well. This is real life that we're stuck with, after all.

      Well, then what you've got there is a *Klingon* force field. Duh!

  15. Re:Reason to use this? by nomadic · · Score: 0, Funny

    Can you guys think of any reason to use this? I sure cant! probably expensive too. Sorry if its answered in the artical , i just barely skimmed it.

    Don't apologize, you did well. If you had actually read the full article in-depth, we would have had to confiscate your slashdot id.

  16. It's already obsolete by jdfox · · Score: 3, Funny

    Because I brought my DINOSAUR! Who EATS force field dogs!

  17. Re:Strange Room Temperature by mothrathegreat · · Score: 2, Funny
    I think he probably got the general message after the first 10 people told him he is crap at maths ;)

    --
    Extended Warranty? How can I lose!
  18. Re:What this could be used for by MondoMor · · Score: 1, Funny
    Think launch bays that really can be opened up to have a shuttle pass though, and leave the air inside the bay intact.
    ...while incinerating the shuttle and its passengers as they pass through the shield! That's GENIUS!
  19. plasma windows? by Alien+Being · · Score: 1, Funny

    We'll have it ported to Linux in no time.

  20. Re:Dont try this at home by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    If you tried this in say a jail cell, you would fairly quickly cook the occupant. ... if the occupant touched the field, his finger would cease to exist...

    Still, i'll take the plasma field over the 6'5" grinning black man with the jar of vaseline in his left hand and 10" in his right.

  21. Flying cars next? by Junior+J.+Junior+III · · Score: 0, Funny

    Install this as ground FX on my car, can I levitate finally?

    --
    You see? You see? Your stupid minds! Stupid! Stupid!
  22. Re:15,000 kelvins are 50 times room temp? by Pulzar · · Score: 1, Funny

    15,000 is a lot more than 50 times room temp. Assuming the room temperature is 26 degrees, thats 26+275 degrees above absolute zero, around 300 kelvins. I think the writer meant 500 times room temperature. I dont think plasma is 1500 kelvins.

    And, the award for the worst math skills on Slashdot goes to...

    --
    Never underestimate the bandwidth of a 747 filled with CD-ROMs.
  23. Re:Finally! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    It's because you keep showing up on their gaydar. Does the word 'latent' mean anything to you?

  24. Re:Dont try this at home by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    You got vaseline? lucky dog!

  25. What's next? by BobRooney · · Score: 3, Funny

    I suppose next we'll be hearing about a new sort of sci-fi device called a "laser". Perhaps this "laser" can be used with the "force field" to sculpt pictures of world leaders onto the face of the moon...

  26. Yeah but... by mikosullivan · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... does it make that cool "Bzzzzt" sound when you walk into it?

    --
    Miko O'Sullivan
    1. Re:Yeah but... by Arcturax · · Score: 2, Funny

      More like a sizzle given it is at 15000K

      --

      --Won't that be grand? Computers and the programs will start thinking and the people will stop. - Dr. Walter Gibbs
  27. Re:It's not "degrees Kelvin"!! by stoops · · Score: 2, Funny

    you sure it's not "degrees Kelvin"?

    i don't know about you, but when someone asks me my height and weight i always say "130 weight units pound" and "70 height units inch".

  28. Moonanites rule the Universe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    We are the Moonanites and we are far superior to your pitiful earth force fields. An air / vacume barrier. Our two demensional technology is so far advanced that no earthling could possibly understand. We laugh at your silly barbarian ways. HA HA

    Now smoke up and get your drink on while shoplifting this stereo deep with in your body.

  29. Re:You are smoking crack by Dr.Enormous · · Score: 5, Funny

    Or how about we don't convert away from an absolute temperature scale before dividing things all over the place?

    If you convert to C first, you've just assigned an arbitrary zero to the scale and cut off about 90% of room temp, but only about 2% of the force field temp, so of course when you then go dividing by 50 it doesn't work out.

    Remember kiddies: arbitrary scales are all well and good for addition and subtraction, but don't go messing around with multiplication and division; you'll end up a pregnant murderer who supports terrorists.

  30. Re:You are smoking crack by TheKodiak · · Score: 2, Funny

    How about not being a moron? Would you like an analogous operation? Let's say you're doing .1 kph over the speed limit (which happens to be, say, 30kph) and a guy zooms past you at 60kph. Would it be fair to say he's driving 300 times faster than you are?

    Celsius includes an arbitrary constant. If you multiply a celsius measurement, you're multiplying the constant and creating a new scale.

    Not that it really makes much sense to say "x is y times hotter than z" in the first place, but at least there are things that scale roughly linearly with Kelvins. Nothing scales linearly with degrees Celsius.

    In fact, that's an even better example - I don't think you can follow this one, but other readers might be able to hack it. PV=nRT. So if I have a quantity of gas at -1C, and it occupies 1L of space, and I heat it to 1C - WTF! OMG! I HAVE CREATED FUCKING NEGATIVE SPACE! I AM THE MASTER OF SPACE AND TIME!

    --
    -=Best Viewed Using [INLINE]=-
  31. Re:The Brookhaven Press Release by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I think your government has spread quite enough democracy and freedom for this decade. Take a rest guys. Rome wasn't conquered in a day.

  32. Re:Zap Field by tantrum · · Score: 3, Funny

    Where can we find some pix?

    Let me get this right.. you want a picture of a vacuum surrounded by air. Now that sounds like a nice picture.
  33. Re:Zap Field by ebh · · Score: 5, Funny

    I've got a good picture of it here.