Before anyone gets too excited, the scientists responsible for this discovery have no plans to use their research to create actual lightsabers (yet), but it’s still fun to think about.
A scientific team led by Professor of Physics Mikhail Lukin (Harvard) and Professor of Physics Vladan Vuletic (MIT) have created a brand new state of matter that binds photons together into a strand of “solid light”.
“It’s not an in-apt analogy to compare this to light sabers,” Lukin [said]. “When these photons interact with each other, they’re pushing against and deflect each other. The physics of what’s happening in these molecules is similar to what we see in the movies.”
I say if they’re not planning on making science fiction make the leap to science fact with this discovery, let Michio Kaku have a look over their notes. After all, he did a half hour special some years ago postulating the possibility of creating a working lightsaber. Why should he stop with just one theory, especially with this news?
About Reporter Michelle Lawhorn:
Michelle, a.k.a. Stormraven, is what can only be described as an eclectic nerd. Her interests and expertise range from Doctor Who to Lord of the Rings, cosplay to comics, and Bollywood to opera to name just a few. When not raving about her “fandoms”, she can be found working on projects as an Associate Editor at Haven Publishing and adding to her ever-growing list of Things to Cosplay. She can currently be found searching for more material to feed her newfound obsession with Star Wars.
Hey guys, not to be a nitpicky nerd or anything, but you have Ki-Adi Mundi and Mace Windu’s lightsaber colors reversed.
Hi Danny,
To be fair…we acquired this photo from another source that created the sabers.
Thanks for the insight into the colors.