Navy Tests Powerful New Mystery Machine

by JGordon on Feb. 02nd, 2008
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It's very pretty: Perhaps the new invention is for performance art.
It's very pretty: Perhaps the new invention is for performance art.
Courtesy US Navy
On the last day of January, the United States Navy tested a strange and remarkable new machine, the purpose of which remains unclear to the writer.

The powerful new machine uses electromagnetic energy to hurl an object (something pointy and metal, it looks like) over 230 miles. The flying object can obtain airspeed seven times the speed of sound.

A demonstration of the device can be seen in thisvideo released with the story. It seems the machine was inadvertently aimed at a solid wall during the demo. The wall, lamentably, was demolished by the sheer kinetic energy of the flying object. Despite this embarrassing mishap, the navy seems very pleased with the invention, and hopes to have a “full-capability prototype” working within the next ten years.

Any ideas what this thing-launcher could possibly be used for? It looks like it could be awfully dangerous, should someone find themselves in the path of a launched thing – whatever they want it for, the Navy will have to be very careful with the new device.

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Anonymous says:

Sweeeeeeeet! The science of demolition is tight!! go KE

posted on Tue, 07/21/2009 - 11:21am

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