Stupid DARPA idea of the day

[asterroc]

Since when are high power microwave beams non-lethal? I guess since they don't bother specifying which specific wavelength.

Discussed more in my science blog, and rosefox's.

Comments

[galbinus-caeli.livejournal.com]

As you said, depends on frequency and power. Mostly they just heat up the surface of your skin. WWII seamen used to like to stand watch in front of the radar dish to keep warm.

And having read this general's reasoning, it makes sense. "If we aren't willing to use a non-lethal weapon on our own people, we have no right to use it on others."

[l0stmyrel1g10n.livejournal.com]

it's not immediately lethal. it just gives you cancer eventually.

[zandperl.livejournal.com]

Hey, they don't in any way specify what wavelength of microwave radiation. For all I know it could be the same stuff as what's in my microwave oven, and we all know what that does to cats.

[l0stmyrel1g10n.livejournal.com]

poor cats :'(

apparently it doesn't hurt ants, though. a few years ago we had an ant infestation in our mailbox so when we brought the mail up to the house, my mom put it in the microwave to kill them. after a minute they'd still be crawling around. it didn't take nearly that long to kill that snake...

once my mom didn't realize there was a Netflix DVD in the mail when she microwaved it. ever seen a microwaved DVD? XD

[zandperl.livejournal.com]

I've heard descriptions of CD/DVD nuking but never done. Good thing Netflix is so forgiving!

I've heard that roaches can survive nuclear blasts, but ants in microwaves are a new thing to me. Maybe their exoskeletons are metal and act as a Faraday cage.

[l0stmyrel1g10n.livejournal.com]

yeah, my mom was like "it was damaged when we got it!" and apparently Netflix believed her...