GE engineer explains how lightsabers would (not) work

GE engineer explains how lightsabers would (not) work
Okay, folks, make sure you have some tissues handy because GE engineer Matt Gluesenkamp is about to break a lot of hearts. The laser just turned 50, and that got Gluesenkamp thinking about one of the most iconic representations of the technology: the lightsaber. He analyzes the tech it'd take to make them real. Is it possible? In a word, no.

So, let's break the lightsaber down first, according to Gluesenkamp: "Each has a power source, a lightsaber crystal, one or more focusing crystals, and a stabilizing emitter system. The power source is typically a diatium power cell, often with a capacity of several megawatt-hours." [Read more...]