Scientists Successfully Change Lightning’s Direction – Groundbreaking Technology News
Powerful Laser Successfully Deflects Lightning Bolt, Providing Potential Storm Protection
In a groundbreaking achievement, a powerful laser has successfully deflected a lightning bolt by nearly 60 meters just moments before it would have struck a lightning rod. The findings, published in January, have significant implications, suggesting that lasers could potentially be utilized as a means of protection against dangerous storms.
Each year in the United States, storms claim the lives of an average of 43 people and result in insurance costs of approximately $1 billion for homeowners. This innovative use of lasers could potentially help mitigate these devastating effects.
To test the capabilities of the new hardware, scientists transported their 3-ton laser to the top of the Säntis Mountain in Switzerland, which stands at an impressive height of 2,000 meters. The strategic location was chosen due to the presence of a 400-meter communication tower, which reliably experiences lightning strikes at least 100 times annually.
The concept of laser lightning rods was first conceived in the early 1970s, according to Aurélien Houard, a research scientist at Swiss University EPFL Laboratoire d’Optique Appliquee and project coordinator. In a blog post on the French site Polytechnique Insights, Houard explained the historical background of this innovative technology.
The success of this experiment can largely be attributed to the remarkable speed of their laser, which is reportedly 100 times faster than previous models. This increased speed significantly enhances the laser’s effectiveness in intercepting and redirecting lightning bolts. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Houard emphasized that their laser is “100 times more likely to catch lightning.”
The potential applications of this newfound technology are immense. If further experiments prove successful, lasers may be utilized as a means of safeguarding against lightning strikes in various settings, including residential areas, public spaces, and critical infrastructure. By redirecting lightning bolts away from vulnerable targets, the deployment of lasers as lightning protection systems could potentially save lives and reduce the financial burden of storm-related damages.
As scientists continue to explore the capabilities of this advanced laser technology, it brings hope for a safer future in the face of destructive storms.
