• @trachemys
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    1210 months ago

    I would have thought shooting the laser would just cause lightning to strike the laser emitter itself. But they can tweak the laser to make the air ionization start some distance from the emitter. So, they can make the lighting strike something else. There is a neat picture in the article showing lighting going along, then following the laser beam down for a bit, then leaving the laser beam and going to a tower. People first tried this in 1999.

  • @Fedizen
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    810 months ago

    Later: Swiss scientists use lasers to cause lightning strikes

    • @kautau
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      110 months ago

      Nature powered Tesla coils

  • @[email protected]
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    810 months ago

    Is there any feasible tech that can harvest energy from a lightning bolt? Maybe a molten salt type thing?

  • @VanillaDrink
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    710 months ago

    We’re one step closer to controlling the weather. That is, if you don’t believe we hadn’t already accomplished that with HAARP.