Lasers, the stuff of science fiction, were first demonstrated in reality 50 years ago. At present they have become commonplace as they are used in buildings, cars, airplanes, for transmitting telephone calls and e-mail. They also help in sequencing DNA, fixing up people's eye-sights and to perk up occasions as diverse as PowerPoint presentations and heavy metal rock shows. But until recently using lasers to destroy enemy ships like in science fiction stories was still a distant dream.

Now this reality is not far away as researchers are developing new materials and techniques for generating different types of beams which are more powerful and precise, and can be used in a variety of new applications. The company Northrop Grumman revealed a high-powered laser last year that can be used in wars and is made of compact materials which can be transported easily. This laser is being tested by the Navy and the Army. The U.S. military has wanted to develop lasers that could be used as weapons on the battlefield since a long time but until recently the only way of producing lasers powerful enough to be used in battles was through a chemical reaction but that was discarded as impractical because of cumbersome logistical requirements for transporting chemicals and disposal of waste.

Source: Forbes Magazine