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Fuel Free Spacecrafts Using Graphene

Posted by samzenpus on from the to-the-stars-and-beyond dept.

William Robinson writes: While using a laser to cut a sponge made of crumpled sheets of Graphene oxide, researchers accidentally discovered that it can turn light into motion. As the laser cut into the material, it mysteriously propelled forward. Baffled, researchers investigated further. The Graphene material was put in a vacuum and again shot with a laser. Incredibly, the laser still pushed the sponge forward, and by as much as 40 centimeters. Researchers even got the Graphene to move by focusing ordinary sunlight on it with a lens. Though scientists are not sure why this happens, they are excited with new possibilities such as light propelled spacecraft that does not need fuel.

9 of 265 comments (clear)

  1. As history has shown us by Diac · · Score: 4, Funny

    All great discoveries can be summed up with three simple letters... WTF

  2. Re:Explanation seems to violate charge conservatio by binarylarry · · Score: 5, Funny

    Lets test your hypothesis by creating a slashdot poll.

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    Mod me down, my New Earth Global Warmingist friends!
  3. Re:Fuelless by cdrudge · · Score: 5, Funny

    If only there was a giant source of light in the galaxy constantly releasing more energy then we ever could hope to use that we could harness...

  4. Re:Fuelless by Mantrid42 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Look, if I can't be pedantic on /., where am I supposed to go?

  5. Re:Explanation seems to violate charge conservatio by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Clearly it collects the electrons from the hydrogen particles in the interstellar gas. Of course, the now-charged hydrogen gas follows it around until it gains critical mass and... FOOM! New sun!

  6. Re:Possibly misattributed to Isaac Asimov, but... by Crypto+Gnome · · Score: 3, Funny

    "The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not Eureka! (I found it!) but rather, 'hmm... that's funny...'" - Isaac Asimov

    Usually followed shortly thereafter by "I wonder: was that just a random event or will it do that a second time...."

    Sometimes followed by: "... Dialing 911 ..."

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    Visit CryptoGnome in his home.
  7. Achievement unlocked! by Jeremi · · Score: 5, Funny

    Do you ever get the paranoid feeling that someone is occasionally modifying the laws of physics in order to advance the plot?

    "Oh look, they're going to be stuck on Earth for an excruciatingly long time due to the exponential-propellent-scaling problem. Let's add a new capability to graphene that will give them a work-around for that."

    I claim that two years ago the exact same graphene experiment would have shown no unexpected results; but now in 2015 we see this suspiciously useful behavior appear. I'm not sure how to test my hypothesis though :)

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    I don't care if it's 90,000 hectares. That lake was not my doing.
    1. Re:Achievement unlocked! by pushing-robot · · Score: 5, Funny

      You're not supposed to talk about the expansions like that. This is a RP server.

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      How can I believe you when you tell me what I don't want to hear?
  8. As much as 40 cm huh? by mark-t · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm no physicist, but I'm pretty darn sure a spaceship's gotta move a whole lot further tan 40 cm to get anywhere.

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    File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'