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Deflector Plasma Screen For Drones ala Star Wars
A plasma energy shield has apparently been developed by Chinese scientists to protect military drones.
(AI representation of energy sheild)
Utilizing a special kind of plasma, the energy shield is designed to resist potentially harmful microwaves from damaging delicate electronics...So, to this end, a team of researchers led by Chen Zongsheng, an associate researcher at the State Key Laboratory of Pulsed Power Laser Technology at the National University of Defence Technology, has developed what they have termed a “low-temperature plasma shield.” This shield, they claim, can protect sensitive circuits from electromagnetic weapon attacks up to 170kW at a distance of only 9.8 feet (3 meters).
...when charged particles encounter “attacking” electromagnetic waves, they immediately absorb the waves’ energy and become highly active. “If the enemy persists in attacking or even intensifies their power, the density of the plasma in space will suddenly increase, causing it to reflect most of the incoming energy like a mirror. At the same time, the waves that penetrate the plasma will be overpowered by charged particles, creating an avalanche effect,” the paper explains. (Via InterestingEngineering.)
Force shields, also called deflector shields, have long been a science fiction staple. The general idea was described in such early works as E.E. 'Doc' Smith's 1934 Triplanetary; see the entry for protective shield. The general term shield for a protective energy barrier was probably first used by Smith.
Besides the more famous Star Trek examples, older fans can remember other examples. Take a look at the Martian shield from the 1953 movie version of H.G. Well's 1898 novel The War of the Worlds.
(Martians protect themselves with shields in 1953 movie version)
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 3/8/2024)
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