Slashdot Mirror
The Science of the Lightsaber
Smartcowboy writes "Chances are that you have seen a lightsaber at one time or another, whether on the evening news or down at the local cantina. Therefore you know that a lightsaber is an amazing and versatile device that is able to cut through nearly anything in a matter of milliseconds.
Have you ever wondered how these remarkable weapons work? Where does the energy come from, and how are they able to contain that energy in a rod-like column of glowing power?
In this article, you will have a chance to look inside a lightsaber and discover the source of its incredible characteristics." I was sure the blade was made from the focused hate and disappointment of the last three movies.
The Jedi ones, I mean. Everyone knows the red ones run Windows.
Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
and apparently there's a lot of trick photography involved in those movies. First of all, the blade is just plastic segments, and you kind of flick it to get the blade to extend. By the way, it doesn't cut worth a damn. It seems that the "light" part of the lightsaber is just a flashlight bulb embedded in the handle and shining through the tube. Pretty disappointing really.
Now the sound effects on the other hand are pretty damn cool. Granted, they're a little tinny compared to the movies, but I figure that's just due to the way they mixed the audio in post-prod.
Some bring out the best in others, some the worst. Some bring out far more.
You see, he can't get laid so he has to masturbate
The fact that you are posting on /. suggests that you probably aren't doing any better ;)
I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
You would of fixed it if you could of! But, I wouldn't loose any sleep over it. Most people here don't know how it's supposed to be written anyways, and the ones who do could care less.
[heh; take that]
Especially when the article in question involves lightsabers. (And wishing that they were real. *daydreams at work*)
I'd rather have a working phaser than a lightsaber. The phaser is a ranged weapon -- works better for us geek weaklings who don't want to get our hands dirty. It also seems more versatile -- you can stun people, injure them, kill them or completely disappear them (let's see them CSI a vaporized corpse!).
In short, the phaser slices, dices and makes julienne fries.
I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
Great article.
Rule of Slashdot #0: You and people like you are not representative of the larger population. - A.C.
Don't be so possessive.
Michael Reed, freelance tech writer.
almost like a control rod that extended at the same time that the rod of light did
If you watch Episode 4, right after Vader kills Obi Wan, he's holding a silver-colored stick. So, perhaps this mechanical core doesn't retract at the same time?
You would've fixed it if you could've...
There, fixed that for you.
If you watch Episode 4, right after Vader kills Obi Wan, he's holding a silver-colored stick. So, perhaps this mechanical core doesn't retract at the same time?
Good eye. Once the Jedi were defeated, the few survivors had to make their lightsabers from spare parts. I think Obi Wan used one of those powered telescoping radio antennas from an old land speeder.
Prov 9:8 Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you.
"I know I'm just one of many Slashdotters in bitchbitchbitch mode"
go under user options and select a different mode from the drop down. be sure to click apply and then save.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
WHOOOOSH!
I can't be sure, but I'd put money on it you just took the bait, hook line and sinker. The 'correction' was a joke my friend.
WHOOOOSH! Indeed.
There is no -1 Disagree mod. Slashdot.org/faq defines mod options. USE IT.
Hmmm, I say, the lightsaber *is* casting a shadow.
I'm more interested in whether or not it has a reflection. Then I'll know if it's vampire technology or not. Just think the ultimate defence to a lightsaber might be wearing garlic around your neck!
These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
In true CSI fashion, they'd also have a program that would be able to analyze the residue and perform an exciting 3D reconstruction of what the person looked like, their position in the room at the time of vaporization, and the type of cereal they ate for breakfast that morning.
I'm so excited I just made water in my pantaloons!
In other news, Ralph Nader has brought a suit against the Jedi Council for negligence in the design of proper safety features in such a dangerous device.
Repeatedly he has brought to their attention several design flaws which they have consistently refused to take action on. Specifically the introduction of the timed dead man's switch to comply with EU regulations was done hastily and without forethought and has created a false sense of safety and resulted in more accidents with people who felt it was now safer to throw their lightsabers.
Nader is asking that the Light Saber's safety devices be "Beefed Up" in a few simple ways. First, the removal of the timer from the safety switch. Clearly one who is force adept and capable of guiding a light saber, can use a little extra concentration and keep the kill switch depressed with his force power, while guiding the saber to its target and back.
More controversial, is his request to move the switch entirely inside the light saber. This would effectively make it impossible for those who are not force adept to even activate a light saber, as constant force power would be required to keep the switch closed.
The Lobbying group Galactic Lightsaber Buyers and Trainers Association (GLBTA) has come out against Mr Nader's recomendations citing that it would prevent law abiding citizens from obtaining a useful tool, and leaving them only in the hands of criminals.
-Steve
"I opened my eyes, and everything went dark again"
Nah, no smell and no mess. Here's what ya need to do. Ya gets all the nadions out to the target, where they act as subatomic dance choreographers. They signal to every quark, lepton, boson, and what have ya to turn sideways, on three; and-a-one, and-a-two, and-a-three, now!
O' course, there's always some lag. The particles in the brain always have to think for a second, and the particles in the volcal cords are too busy yappin' to pay attention, so there's always a scream, but the final result is that the victim just kinda sidles out of time and space as we know them.
No mess, no smell, and it's guaranteed to work less'n the immutable laws of narrative causality dictate that the shooter's gotta be taken prisoner and exposed to green Orion slave chicks, brains living in jars, or possibly tortured by spending the night with the jar-inhabitin' brain of a green Orion slave chick.
Find environmentally and socially responsible products on http://buy-right.net