On August 6, 1945, nuclear weapons were used for the first time. The death toll from the direct explosion in Hiroshima, as well as from its consequences, is estimated at 300 thousand people. The “Baby” bomb carried a charge with a power of 16 kilotons, this was enough to turn people within a kilometer radius from the epicenter of the explosion into ashes. The weapon claimed a colossal number of lives, and the event became one of the most terrible and destructive in history. As if this were not enough, every year Homo sapiens comes up with more and more advanced, effective and frightening tools for far from the most intelligent things. What weapons will the soldiers of the future use?? What will we use to kill each other in a few years?? Let’s figure it out.
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Almost every science fiction movie, book, or video game features a laser pistol or shotgun in one form or another. The first mention of this device is found in the sci-fi novel “War of the Worlds” by the English writer H.G. Wells, despite the fact that the first real prototypes of the laser were developed only in the middle of the twentieth century. Without going into technical details, a laser is a focused, directed beam of light; it is clear that its destructive power depends on the power of the source and the materials from which the installation is assembled. Development of appropriate weapons has been ongoing since the discovery of this type of radiation in the 50s of the last century. For example, already in 1984, USSR scientists developed a laser pistol “to disable the sensitive elements of enemy optical systems in open space”. Unfortunately, the idea was never further developed. However, experts from the United States paid more attention to it: in 2009, a rifle codenamed “PHASR” was adopted by the American army, which also serves to disorient and blind the enemy in combat conditions.
At the moment, it is not possible to fit the design of a laser system into the body of a Glock 17 so that it has sufficient power to burn through a piece of matter. But this doesn’t mean that one day we won’t witness a space battle a la “Star Wars”, in which giant space cruisers will shoot at each other with colorful lights. The US Navy already has the world’s first combat ship equipped with a laser cannon. USS "Ponce" (approx.: an excellent name for a ship, or indeed for anything), equipped with the so-called “Laser Weapon System”, is serving in the Persian Gulf, where further tests are planned.
Active Denial System (approx.: active denial system) is another development of the American security agency in the field of the use of “destruction rays”. Along with LaWS and PHASR, it does not require the use of any cartridges. The main weapon of the ADS system is electromagnetic oscillations at millimeter frequencies, created by a special generator, under the influence of which a person experiences panic, fear and pain shock, and redness and even burns appear on the skin.
CBU-105 is a new generation bomb, tested in the field only a few times, but, nevertheless, showed 100% “positive” results. The principle of operation is as follows: its shell, when thrown from a carrier aircraft, is divided into half a hundred anti-tank explosive devices, each of which has a built-in mini-computer. Subsequently, using high-precision sensors, each projectile determines its target, fixes on it and changes its flight path in accordance with the location of the enemy. You don’t know it yet, but you’re already dead.
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Speaking on the topic of equipment of the future, I can’t help but make a digression and mention one very realistic prototype of my favorite sci-fi weapon. Before this, we had already decided that it was impossible to recreate an exact copy of the lightsaber from George Lucas’ epic. However, the famous scientist and popularizer of science, New York University professor Michio Kaku, proposed an alternative, more plausible concept of Jedi weapons. It is based on the use of plasma as a replacement for the light loop. A small titanium fan is built into the metal handle of the hypothetical blade, which sucks air into the body. There, under the influence of electricity, it heats up to a temperature of several thousand degrees C°, after which it turns into a plasma state (approx.: some modern metal cutters work on this principle). The plasma, without lingering (so as not to heat the handle), is fed to an improvised blade made of special ceramic materials that can withstand extremely high temperatures (approx.: for example, ceramic tiles are used as lining for spacecraft so that the shuttle does not melt when entering the Earth’s atmosphere). Roughly speaking, the blade in this case is a hollow cylinder, with a winding of current-carrying wires sewn into it; holes are made along the entire side plane of this cylinder so that the plasma from the core breaks out, making the sword what it should be. And scatter around and kill all living things within a radius of 5 m. it will not be given by the magnetic field created by the above-mentioned conductor. And, it would seem, collect such a thing even now and go to distant planets for an adventure. But here the problem of power arises: to obtain plasma, a large amount of energy is required, but the entire structure must fit in the hand. Nanotechnology comes to the rescue. Creating tiny, atom-thick carbon nanofiber batteries that, in theory, can hold the charge of a standard AAA lithium battery could solve this problem. About a couple of billion of these would fit in a hypothetical handle. However, the concept of using nanofibers in this way in modern physics does not yet exist even at the prototype level, and is more like an assumption. So you’ll have to wait a little, or a lot, about a couple of decades.
According to military experts, a robotic supersuit will protect the soldier of the future. Project TALOS – another advanced prototype of the US Department of Defense. This is a kind of hybrid of what can be seen in the Iron Man comics and the Halo game series. It is clear that the development of any weapon is carried out in conditions of maximum secrecy, but some details are known. The armor consists of several layers: outer – it serves for direct protection, and is made of a special smart material based on the so-called liquid metal. The peculiarity is that its molecules, when hit by a bullet or fragment, are rearranged in such a way that the material changes its state of aggregation and turns into a solid frame with low bullet resistance. The advantages are obvious: in a liquid state, the metal weighs little and allows you to move freely, but when necessary, it will provide safety. The next layer is a robotic exoskeleton, for example, “HULC”.
Human Universal Load Carrier (approx.: universal human cargo transporter) was presented to the public in February 2009 by Ekso Bionics. This is a robotic titanium exoskeleton, the movement of its parts occurs due to hydraulic mechanisms. A built-in microcomputer activates them so that they work in time with the soldier’s movements. This reduces the strain on the muscles and also strengthens them, improving physical performance. HULC also allows the operator to carry up to 100 kilograms of weight without physical effort; it works for up to 8 hours in active use mode.
Some sources claim that TALOS itself is equipped with a special operating system that monitors the physical condition of a soldier and, if necessary, can warm or cool his body, supply additional oxygen and even cover wound sites with a special medical gel that will stop bleeding and wash them with an antiseptic. It also analyzes what is happening on the battlefield through a camera built into the helmet and provides the person with the necessary information. It will look something like this:
Situation: you go at https://hippobingocasino.uk/mobile-app/ night to the nearest stall for a red semi-sweet drink, then a shadow separates from the nearest tree, and out of nowhere this monster appears and asks for documents.
Developing the theme of exoskeletons. Japan is also conducting developments in this area, albeit with a more peaceful purpose. The prototype of the Cyberdyne development company is known under the name HAL and is already used in two hundred medical institutions in the country of the rising sun to treat diseases of the musculoskeletal system. The exoskeleton recently passed international certification and is already being used by some clinics in Europe. It works on a different principle than HULC. The built-in computer registers the weakest impulses sent by the brain to the limb using sensors connected to the skin, and based on this, coordinates the actions of HAL. This feature allows people with disabilities to operate it. What is most remarkable is that a disabled person, having put on such an exoskeleton, will not only be able to live in a more or less normal mode, but also, in the future, will regain his natural ability to move. These processes are quite difficult to explain: roughly speaking, the brain, having sent a signal to the damaged leg, will receive a return confirmation signal that the limb is moving, despite the fact that this is happening due to HAL. Thanks to this response, he will learn to send exactly those signals that set the leg in motion and, ideally, after a certain period of time, it will function normally. In addition to medicine, test samples are already used in clearing rubble, where great physical strength and endurance are required, including at the site of the disaster in Fukushima.
Experts from Harvard University took a completely different path; they decided to abandon the massive metal frame and create an exoskeleton based on soft robots. These “machines” consist of two main parts: hard – it contains the entire computing part and a special pump, soft – the part responsible for movement, divided into several compartments and filled with gas. The pump, pumping gas from one corner of the robot’s body to another, or completely lowering it and pumping it in again, allows it to move. A person with a robot attached to, say, his calf, which contracts in time with his movements, receives an additional supply of endurance. The robot relieves a certain amount of the load on the muscles, and working with a muscle in pairs expands its potential.
The latest exoskeleton model that I would like to highlight was developed by engineers at Solar System Express. RL MARK VI will allow future astronauts to make long jumps from outer space. The body is made of high-strength nanomaterials. The boots have built-in special small engines (Ironman like), as well as a pair of gyroscopes, which will allow both the person and the built-in automation to control flight safety. The first tests in real conditions, namely a jump from a height of 100 km, are scheduled for 2016.
We move from exoskeletons to robots. The first android was assembled by English ex-military inventors: Alan Reffell and William Richards. Eric was introduced to the public at the opening of the Engineers’ Club Exhibition in 1928; he could only move his arms and head. Since then, robots have evolved greatly: take BigDog, for example, a development of the American company Boston Dynamics – when you look at it, you immediately understand: “shit has become serious.”. Its development was completed in the mid-2000s, the body is made of titanium, and where a normal dog has joints, BigDog has hydraulic mechanisms. It brings benefits just by its appearance and the sounds it makes: scaring away enemies. Although its scope is not limited to this. The main idea during development was to give soldiers the opportunity to easily overcome difficult terrain on horseback. On such a colossus, American soldiers will be able to bring democracy even to the Himalayas. In addition, BigDog can be used to transport ammunition on the battlefield. It is almost impossible to knock the robot down; the built-in super-computer analyzes the received data at breakneck speed and is perfectly controlled with all four paws.
Another achievement of Boston Dynamics is the predecessor of the Terminator – the ATLAS robot. Working on the same principle as BigDog, it is not a prototype vehicle, but a real soldier of the army of the future, although according to the official version, this two-meter, 150-kilogram titanium-aluminum alloy beauty is intended for search and rescue operations. It was presented to the public only in 2013. Interestingly, ATLAS receives information from the outside through two cameras in its head: one “eye” works as a rangefinder, and the second as a classic stereo camera. The tactical advantage in a military conflict of the side that will have such fearless soldiers who feel neither pain nor fatigue is obvious.
The ASIMO robot, owned by Honda, looks a little more friendly, the first working prototypes of which appeared in 2000. It was created in order to make life easier for a modern person: he knows how to use the switches in the house, can bring the morning newspaper, take care of sick family members and even kick a ball with a child, and as soon as the battery charge is below a certain level, the robot itself will get to the nearest power station and start charging. In addition, he is able to go up and down stairs, move out of the way of a person’s movement, and when talking with him, the robot will constantly maintain eye contact. But the most interesting thing: several ASIMOs can coordinate with each other and work together.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98iQtQSbDuY
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Le super-soldat
Let’s touch on the topic of the most deadly and dangerous weapon – the soldier, as such. DARPA experts believe that it is possible to make him stronger without using a titanium suit, an operating system that will help him analyze situations around him, or an ultra-advanced rifle. Already in the early 2000s, they began to develop a project to create a super soldier, whose physical and mental abilities could be improved with the help of medicine. “My work will be considered a success when the International Olympic Committee blacklists all of our developments,” said former DARPA science chief Michael Goldblatt in 2002. At the moment, only a few drugs used by foreign soldiers are known for certain:
Modafinil – a drug that affects orexin neurons, which regulate processes responsible for wakefulness. The little red pill delivers the substance directly to the hypothalamus, and the person loses all desire to sleep. The US and British militaries use it during long-term operations, when soldiers are required to stay awake for 48 hours. Even after this time, the person does not lose clarity of mind and does not experience moral and physical fatigue. Previously, amphetamine was used for these purposes.
Propranolol – a drug that allows you to stay cool even in the most extreme situations. The American military leadership issues it to its soldiers in the hottest combat spots. However, this drug has a serious side effect – a person taking it may lose the ability to adequately perceive the world around him, up to the loss of awareness of what is good and what is bad.
The next stage, according to experts: the impact on the soldier’s muscles. Substance based resveratrol, contained in grapes, cocoa beans and nuts, scientists hope to create a real pill against muscle aging. In theory, this drug stimulates the work of mitochondria, bodies located inside the cell and responsible in our body for converting glucose into energy. With age, these processes slow down significantly.
Of course, this is all very cool: advanced weapons, robots, super soldiers. But, finally, I would like to remind you of one story. You know her even without me, don’t you?? The story of this Japanese girl named Sadako Sasaki. On August 6, 1945, she was sleeping peacefully in a crib at home. This house, by an unfortunate coincidence, was located in 1.5 kilometers from Hiroshima. During a nuclear explosion, the building was almost completely destroyed, and the baby was thrown into the street by the blast wave. However, she survived, and 9 years later she was diagnosed with skin cancer. The doctors couldn’t do anything, so all Sadako could do was hope for a miracle. Her friend told a legend that if you make 1000 paper cranes, then any of your wishes will come true. The story of a little girl who became a victim of the proceedings of adults in suits then thundered throughout the world. Many countries sent her paper figurines as support. At the time of her death at age 12, she had about 600 cranes. Friends completed her work by burying the girl along with all the thousand. The story of the unfortunate woman became a symbol of the horror of war.
Best comments
All American radiation developments are a pure money grab from the country’s budget. These developments are so far from practical application that it’s scary to say. Their main problem is the significant backwardness of the batteries from the nominal power required to destroy the enemy. And the fact that they are allegedly using lasers to shoot down planes is bullshit. At the physics department, the whole department laughed when they showed us footage sent from overseas, where the recording clearly shows the explosion of an airplane from the inside. Another 10 years at least, and then, provided that an alternative power source is created, we will see beam weapons. And it has a number of disadvantages (by the way, in Star Wars, these are not lasers, the laser is fast, endless and invisible), the main one is that the laser must focus at a certain distance for a certain time in order to start causing significant damage. To do this instantly – at this stage of development – he will need all the energy of the Earth. So don’t listen to the Americans, all they have on their hands is propaganda aimed at the anti-Russophobic bureaucrats in the Pentagon.
We won’t see pew-pew in space, especially with colorful lights. A laser beam cannot be seen in a vacuum because the light is not reflected from particles of the medium and does not enter the eye.
Light from the stars hits your eyes, so you see stars. If a laser hits your eye, you won’t see it for long and for the last time.
Tomahawks. Very huge stone hatchets of American Indians hold plasma, and there is a vacuum inside them ??
You wrote about your own, don’t you think? How does this relate to the article and my comment?? I didn’t say anything at all about the railgun, which in turn has nothing to do with the laser… And use facepalm for its intended purpose – slap the idiot in the face, that is, yourself.
Well, that means it will be pew-pew in silence, with invisible lasers) But in rooms and on planets, everything will be ok :3
Detailed article about laser weapons and why they are a myth
As for exoskeletons and other robots, they can only be used in peacetime. Soldiers will not be armed with all this stuff for two reasons:
1. too expensive. Any war is primarily about economics. And one such crap costs as much as a company of soldiers, and if there is no difference, then why pay more?. The old-fashioned invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the bombing of Yugoslavia, cost so much money that it was not clear who won in the end.
2. If the development is super advanced and unique, then the Vryatli command will risk arming even small detachments with such prodigies, because the enemy can seize all this stuff for study.
All these technologies are needed to fight the same army, but the problem is that only Russia has such an army, and open war can lead to pressing the red button. After which there will be no one to fight. And to drive Somali fishermen, such nano-technologies are not needed.
And returning to the issue of profitability. The Tomahawk missile costs more than 1000 jihadists, but its effectiveness is several times lower.
I never believed in all sorts of prodigies. The Great Patriotic War proved this. Our simple T34s against sophisticated panthers. On the T34, the damaged roller could be repaired at the height of hostilities, while on the Panther, in order to repair the damaged roller in the center, it was necessary to tow it to the garage and go through half of the chassis to get to the damaged roller. So simplicity and reliability are better than modernity, the expensive cost of development and weapons.
Technology is perfect when it is as simple as possible. That is why exoskeletons and walkers are exotic, which is unlikely to be widely used.
They ruined the universe with their clone wars. There was such a cool comic series about the clone wars. Gloomy, serious, interesting. And now stupid Ahsoka instead.
I have never seen such a perversion of a word. The devices are called “tokamaks”, from the name “toroidal chamber with a magnetic coil”, and inside them there is a plasma that is held by a magnetic field. Plasma particles have a charge, so they unfold along magnetic lines and do not contact the walls of the tokamak. I have no idea where the vacuum is.
1) well, there are many ways to protect against high temperatures, after all, we don’t burn when we return to Earth from Space.
1.5) well, yes, I agree that it will heat up and burn everything around, but it’s a fucking lightsaber. A weapon that, according to the film, could burn through any material in the Universe.
2) I think not
3) if you mean that it sounds strange. I thought for a long time about how to translate the phrase: “Reduce the ability to make moral judgments”. Perhaps I chose not the best option. If you’re talking about something else, then I don’t understand.