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NC State Creates Most Powerful Positron Beam Ever

eldavojohn writes "A fairly large breakthrough took place earlier this month with the most powerful man-made antimatter electron beam ever being created at North Carolina State University. Professor Hawari who worked on the project explains its benefits: 'The idea here is that if we create this intense beam of antimatter electrons — the complete opposite of the electron, basically — we can then use them in investigating and understanding the new types of materials being used in many applications.'"

22 of 214 comments (clear)

  1. Obligatry by Avitor · · Score: 5, Funny

    Whatever you do, don't cross the streams...

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    My /. Karma is a bum rap.
    1. Re:Obligatry by cytg.net · · Score: 2, Funny

      "The reactor is a huge recruiting tool," Hawari said. "After they get exposure to the reactor and the facilities online at their own universities, many of them become excited about the possibility of coming to NC State for hands-on experience.""

      - excited or radient ?

    2. Re:Obligatry by opieum · · Score: 2, Funny

      Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Antimatter the same crap that Star Trek says is bad. Malon Frieghters (people in hazmat suits without helmets real smart bunch there) polluted space with that stuff in Voyager, Warp Cores on starships explode when antimatter leaks and all that fun stuff and here we are making laser beams of the shit? Yep I see lots more military applications there than I do "Scientific"

    3. Re:Obligatry by snoyberg · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yes, Star Trek says it's dangerous, therefore it MUST be a bad idea to investigate it...

      And anyway, as a Trekkie, I can tell you that you're completely wrong; they use "anti-matter" drives. According to Star Trek, anti-matter is just as "bad" as gasoline: if something bad happens they both blow up.

      --
      Thank God for evolution.
    4. Re:Obligatry by Nefarious+Wheel · · Score: 4, Funny
      "...many of them become excited..."

      Do the students emit photons when they relax?

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      Do not mock my vision of impractical footwear
    5. Re:Obligatry by markov_chain · · Score: 2, Funny

      Definitely the latter. "The students practically radiate with curieosity" "The students' eyes scintillate with joy"

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      Tsunami -- You can't bring a good wave down!
    6. Re:Obligatry by obeythefist · · Score: 4, Funny

      Nah that was Theta radiation dude. Whatever that is. Go brush up on your particle of the month. Some people here wouldn't know a chronatron from a tribble.

      Also, when do we get the stories of the police using weaponised versions of the antimatter gun on students?

      "Don't positron me bro!"

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      I am government man, come from the government. The government has sent me. -- G.I.R.
    7. Re:Obligatry by guywcole · · Score: 2, Funny

      According to the Stephen-Boltzmann law, yes.

      Hey, did I just hear something fly over my head?

  2. Opposite of electrons... by newgalactic · · Score: 4, Funny

    So, will it make my Ironman watch run backwards? OR block out all neural activity?

    1. Re:Opposite of electrons... by monkeyboythom · · Score: 2, Funny

      Actually, it blocks out all positive thinking. Sheesh! Some scientist you are...

  3. Omitted text from the article by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Professor Hawari who worked on the project explains its benefits: 'The idea here is that if we create this intense beam of antimatter electrons -- the complete opposite of the electron, basically -- we can then use them in investigating and understanding the new types of materials being used in many applications.'"

    He added: " We are not quite sure how long it will take to miniaturize the technology for shark mounted applications, but we expect this to be investigated thoroughly in the future"

  4. I for one . . . by cashman73 · · Score: 3, Funny
    I for one welcome our new Tarheel Overlords! :-)

    In seemingly unrelated news, Duke University ceases to exist, somehow evaporated by a wave of unknown positron emission energy. But little seem to care, since Duke sucks anyways!

  5. Use it on drug resistant bacteria by cryfreedomlove · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'd like my doctor to have one of these new fangled ray gun thingies just in case I become infected with some of that super duper bacteria I keep hearing about.

  6. She can't take much more of this! by HaeMaker · · Score: 4, Funny

    I've seen Scotty create beams of antimatter with two phasers and a tricorder, big whoop.

  7. Re:So who will mount these on sharks? by Foobar+of+Borg · · Score: 2, Funny

    Jesus Christ, dude. Will you please let this fucking "joke" die?
    In Soviet Russia, joke fucks YOU!
  8. uh o by moogied · · Score: 3, Funny

    The reactor is a huge recruiting tool," Hawari said. "After they get exposure to the reactor and the facilities online at their own universities, many of them become excited" My god.. there making mutants.
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    So basically, -1 troll/offtopic is really slashdots way of saying "I hate that you thought of something before me."
  9. I have a radical idea... by PixelScuba · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...We'll cross the streams.

    1. Re:I have a radical idea... by jollyreaper · · Score: 4, Funny

      ...We'll cross the streams. No, don't. The pee goes everywhere.
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      Kwisatz Haderach
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  10. Re:Jesus Christ in a Chicken Basket by clarkcox3 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I think you mean NUKYULAR!

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  11. I'm not impressed by gordgekko · · Score: 3, Funny

    I won't be impressed until scientists are able to create an inverted tachyon pulse that solves any problems caused by spatial anomalies.

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  12. Re:Antimatter electron? by Nefarious+Wheel · · Score: 2, Funny
    Sigh... such a lack of precision today. Nothing anti-matters anymore.

    Yes, positrons are considered anti-matter. But you can call it what you want in your own Jeffries tubes.

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    Do not mock my vision of impractical footwear
  13. Re:Hmmm... by Bravoc · · Score: 2, Funny
    Hehe - I got it!

    Let's fill this guys house with a whole shitload of unpopped popcorn see... and then we can take this beam see... and like point the beam at it and like... er... no, wait a minute