Dr. Kaku: A MISSILE-MELTING LASER LATTICE...
CARBON TUBES STRONGER THAN STEEL...
COMBINED INTO THE ULTIMATE ARMOR.
IT'S TIME TO GIVE THE ORDER -- SHIELDS UP.
I'M DR. MICHIO KAKU.
I'M A THEORETICAL PHYSICIST AND A SCIENCE-FICTION FAN.
JOIN ME AS I SHOW YOU HOW TO MAKE SCI-FI SCIENCE.
SPACE TRAVEL IS FRAUGHT WITH DANGER,
AND STARSHIPS ARE FRAGILE CRAFT.
DISASTER LOOMS ON EVERY JOURNEY.
COLLISIONS WITH ASTEROIDS...
HULL-PUNCTURING MICROMETEORITES...
AND PERHAPS DEADLIEST OF ALL,
HOSTILE ENEMIES ARMED TO THE TEETH.
BUT IMAGINE IF THERE WAS A SHIELD
THAT DEFLECTED ENEMY WEAPONS AND ZAPPED SPACE DEBRIS.
FORCE FIELDS ARE THE ONLY WAY
TO ENSURE YOUR SPACESHIP STAYS IN ONE PIECE.
AND I'M GONNA SHOW YOU HOW TO BUILD ONE.
BEFORE I START DESIGNING,
I NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT A SCI-FI FORCE FIELD SHOULD DO.
WHO BETTER TO ASK THAN THE SCI-FI FANS?
USUALLY, THEY'RE IMPENETRABLE BARRIERS,
SORT OF LIKE THIS ONE RIGHT HERE, YOU SEE?
IF YOU EVER SEE "STAR TREK,"
YOU HAVE TO SEE WHEN THE SHIP IS GETTING HIT.
"SHIELD'S DOWN 70%." "SHIELD'S DOWN 50%."
THE SHIELDS ARE ESSENTIALLY A FORCE FIELD.
A SCIENCE-FICTION FORCE FIELD
NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO KEEP SOMETHING AWAY
OR TO PROTECT YOU FROM BEING SHOT.
ENGINEERING A FORCE FIELD THAT PROTECTS A SPACESHIP
IS GONNA BE A HUGE TASK.
SUCCESS DEPENDS ON MY DESIGN FULFILLING TWO FUNCTIONS.
[ ROARING ]
FIRST, IT HAS TO PROTECT A SPACESHIP FROM ENEMY ATTACK.
IT HAS TO BE SUPER-STRONG.
IT HAS TO BE MADE OUT OF A MATERIAL
THAT NO ENEMY PROJECTILE CAN PIERCE.
TODAY'S MOST DESTRUCTIVE BALLISTIC WEAPONS
PENETRATE INCHES OF ARMOR.
MY FORCE FIELD HAS TO NEUTRALIZE
A THREAT POTENTIALLY HUNDREDS OF TIMES MORE POWERFUL.
BUT MASS-DRIVER CANNONS AND MEGABOMBS
ARE NOT ALL IT'LL FACE.
ALSO, IT HAS TO DEFLECT ENEMY LASER BEAMS
SO THEY DON'T BREACH THE SHIP'S HULL.
[ ZAP! ]
THOUSANDS OF DEGREES FAHRENHEIT IN TEMPERATURE,
TAKING A DIRECT HIT FROM A SCI-FI LASER IS FATAL.
MY FORCE FIELD HAS TO BLOCK OR REPEL
THIS DEADLIEST OF WEAPONS.
[ ZING! ]
MOST DANGERS SPACECRAFT FACE ARE FROM SOLID OBJECTS --
ASTEROIDS, METEORITES,
AND IF ENGAGED IN COMBAT, MISSILES AND CANNON FIRE.
THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO DEAL WITH ALL THESE THREATS --
VAPORIZE THEM.
I NEED A MATERIAL
THAT COMPLETELY DESTROYS ANYTHING IT TOUCHES,
NO MATTER HOW LARGE OR SMALL.
AND I'VE GOT SOMETHING IN MIND THAT JUST MIGHT FIT THE BILL.
[ WHIRRING ]
IT'S CALLED PLASMA.
THE SUN IS MADE OUT OF A PLASMA,
AS ARE THE MOST DRAMATIC OBJECTS IN THE GALAXY --
THE STARS AND THE NEBULAE.
WE ENCOUNTER IT ON EARTH, TOO,
IN THE FORM OF THE AURORA BOREALIS
AND LIGHTNING BOLTS.
NOW, AT FIRST GLANCE,
PLASMAS APPEAR TO BE CHAOTIC AND UNCONTROLLABLE,
BUT THEY MAKE A PRIME CANDIDATE FOR A FUNCTIONAL FORCE FIELD.
THAT'S BECAUSE THERE'S NO OTHER STATE OF MATTER
THAT CAN GET SO HOT.
IN THE CENTER OF STARS,
PLASMA REACHES TEMPERATURES MILLIONS OF DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
THAT'S DEFINITELY HOT ENOUGH TO VAPORIZE ANYTHING,
FROM THE SMALLEST BULLET TO THE LARGEST ASTEROID.
AND ON THE FACE OF IT,
APPLYING PLASMA TO MY DESIGN IS STRAIGHTFORWARD.
I'D INSTALL GIANT PLASMA GENERATORS
INTO MY SHIP'S SUPERSTRUCTURE.
AT THE FLICK OF A SWITCH,
THEY'D RELEASE A VIOLENT LIGHTNING STORM
OF SUPERHEATED PLASMA
INTO THE SPACE SURROUNDING THE SHIP.
BUT THERE'S A MAJOR PROBLEM.
THE PLASMA IS PATCHY, LEAVING BIG GAPS IN THE SHIELD,
AND IT QUICKLY ESCAPES INTO THE VACUUM OF SPACE.
MY SHIP IS COMPLETELY DEFENSELESS.
FOR PLASMA TO WORK AS A FORCE FIELD,
I'VE GOT TO KEEP IT MOLDED AROUND MY SPACESHIP.
I NEED TO FIND A WAY OF BRINGING IT UNDER CONTROL.
I'M DRAFTING THE BLUEPRINTS
FOR THE ULTIMATE SCI-FI FORCE FIELD.
[ HORN HONKS ]
AND I'M ON A HUNT FOR A WAY OF CONTROLLING SUPERHEATED PLASMA
SO I CAN MOLD IT AROUND A SPACESHIP.
IN THE BASEMENT OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY,
THERE'S A MACHINE THAT MIGHT HOLD THE KEY.
IT'S CALLED A STELLARATOR.
THE BLUE GLOW INSIDE THE STELLARATOR IS PLASMA.
IT'S NOT CHAOTIC OR UNPREDICTABLE
LIKE A LIGHTNING BOLT.
IT'S CALM -- TRANQUIL, EVEN.
IT'S PLASMA THAT'S BEEN TAMED BY A MAGNETIC FIELD.
PLASMA CONTAINS PARTICLES THAT RESPOND TO MAGNETISM...
[ ELECTRICITY CRACKLING ]
...AND THE STELLARATOR IS A GIANT ELECTROMAGNETIC CHAMBER.
WHEN YOU PUT PLASMA INSIDE, IT'S FORCED INTO A PATTERN
BY THE MAGNETIC-FIELD LINES PRODUCED BY THE STELLARATOR.
THE MAN WHO KNOWS EXACTLY HOW IT WORKS
IS PLASMA PHYSICIST THOMAS PEDERSON.
SO, YOU CAN USE THE MAGNETIC FIELDS
TO MOLD AND SHAPE THE PLASMA INSIDE THE CHAMBER?
THAT'S RIGHT.
I ACTUALLY HAVE THE SHAPE OF THE PLASMA HERE ON MY COMPUTERS.
IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT A SINGLE MAGNETIC-FIELD LINE,
IT WINDS AROUND
IN A COMPLICATED, THREE-DIMENSIONAL WAVE
THAT EVENTUALLY WILL COVER THE WHOLE MAGNETIC SURFACE.
AND BECAUSE THE PLASMA IS TIED TO THE MAGNETIC-FIELD LINE,
IT FOLLOWS THE PATH
THAT YOU SEE BEING TRACED OUT BY THE MAGNETIC FIELD.
MAY BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO SEE NOW,
BUT IF YOU FILL IN INSIDE THERE,
WE HAVE A PLASMA OF THAT SHAPE.
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL
PROFESSOR PEDERSEN'S STELLARATOR CAN DO.
BY ADJUSTING ITS ELECTROMAGNETS,
HE CAN SCULPT HIS MAGNETIC FIELD
INTO DIFFERENT SHAPES, WHICH THE PLASMA HAS TO FOLLOW.
SO, YOU CAN DESIGN THE MAGNETIC-FIELD LINES
ALMOST ANY WAY YOU WANT, AND THE PLASMA JUST TAGS ALONG.
THAT'S RIGHT.
ONCE YOU PUT THE PLASMA IN THERE,
IT'S A SLAVE TO THE MAGNETIC FIELD.
IT HAS TO TAKE THE SHAPE THAT WE GAVE THE MAGNETIC FIELD.
SO NOT ONLY CAN PLASMA BE TAMED, IT CAN ALSO BE MOLDED.
I THINK I COULD USE THE SAME PHYSICS
TO SHAPE PLASMA INTO A FORCE FIELD.
BUT TO COVER A SPACESHIP,
I'LL NEED TO MOLD PLASMA ON A SCALE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
I'D HAVE TO INSTALL HUNDREDS OF HEAVY-DUTY ELECTROMAGNETS
NEXT TO MY PLASMA GENERATORS.
AND BECAUSE THE SHIP'S AN IRREGULAR SHAPE,
I'D HAVE TO CAREFULLY ARRANGE EACH MAGNETIC FIELD
SO THAT IT OVERLAPS AND BENDS AROUND EACH CONTOUR.
SWITCH ON THE SHIELD,
AND THE SHIP IS ENVELOPED IN A PLASMA BUBBLE.
THE DESIGN WORKS.
BUT I CAN SEE A MAJOR PROBLEM.
TO COMPLETELY VAPORIZE
PROJECTILES OF ANY KNOWN SUBSTANCE,
THE PLASMA NEEDS TO BE
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
AND AT THAT TEMPERATURE,
THE PLASMA SHIELD MELTS THE SPACECRAFT IT'S PROTECTING.
CAPTAIN KIRK WOULDN'T WANT TO USE ONE OF THESE.
PLASMA'S JUST TOO DANGEROUS.
I'LL NEED SOMETHING THAT ZAPS ANY SOLID OBJECT
BUT DOESN'T DESTROY MY SPACESHIP IN THE PROCESS.
TIME FOR PLAN "B."
LASERS ORGANIZE PARTICLES OF LIGHT
INTO COHERENT BEAMS.
PUMP ENOUGH ENERGY THROUGH ONE, AND IT'LL ZAP ANYTHING
WITH A BEAM THAT'S THOUSANDS OF DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
BUT A LASER BEAM IS PENCIL-THIN.
TO PROTECT SOMETHING AS LARGE AS A SPACESHIP,
I NEED TO INCREASE THE AREA A SINGLE LASER BEAM COVERS.
WITH ONE LASER AND FIVE MIRRORS,
I CAN CREATE A PATTERN OF CROSSING LASER BEAMS.
BY ADDING MORE MIRRORS, MORE LASERS,
I CAN CREATE A CRISSCROSS PATTERN --
A LATTICE NETWORK OF LASERS THAT COVER A LARGE SURFACE AREA.
AND ANY SOLID OBJECT PASSING THROUGH THIS LATTICE
WILL BE VAPORIZED...
[ POPPING ]
...INSTANTLY.
IN PRINCIPLE, THE DESIGN WORKS.
BUT IN REALITY,
A LASER FORCE FIELD REQUIRES A MAJOR FEAT OF ENGINEERING.
TO COVER A SPACECRAFT, I NEED DOZENS OF LASERS
AND THOUSANDS OF MIRRORS PLACED STRATEGICALLY ACROSS THE HULL.
SWITCH THE SYSTEM ON,
AND THE LASER BEAM IS BOUNCED BETWEEN THE ANGLED MIRRORS,
CREATING A DENSE LATTICE AROUND THE SPACECRAFT.
ANY ENEMY MISSILE CROSSING THE BEAMS IS DESTROYED TOTALLY.
BUT AN ENEMY COULD BE ARMED WITH MISSILES OR BULLETS
SMALL ENOUGH TO GET BETWEEN THE GAPS IN THE LASER LATTICE.
I'VE GOT TO FIND A WAY
OF PREVENTING MY SPACESHIP BEING TAKEN DOWN
BY THIS SMALL-ARMS FIRE.
MY FORCE FIELD DESIGN IS SHAPING UP.
IT CAN DESTROY LARGE OBJECTS,
BUT IT'S STILL VULNERABLE TO SMALL-CALIBER WEAPONS.
I NEED TO ADD A SECOND LAYER TO MY FORCE FIELD --
SOMETHING SUPER TOUGH AND TIGHTLY KNIT
TO STOP EVEN THE SMALLEST PROJECTILES.
PERHAPS I CAN USE SOME ATOMIC ENGINEERING.
ON THIS TINY SILICON WAFER HERE AT M.I.T.,
I'M GROWING THE WORLD'S STRONGEST SYNTHETIC MATERIAL --
CARBON NANOTUBES.
THEY ARE EXTREMELY TINY.
THEY'RE ONLY 50 ATOMS ACROSS.
THAT'S 20,000 TIMES SMALLER THAN THE THICKNESS OF A HUMAN HAIR.
AND YET THEY ARE INCREDIBLY STRONG.
THIS FABRIC MADE FROM NANOTUBES WEIGHS LESS THAN A COTTON SHEET
BUT IS AS STRONG AS STEEL.
BRIAN WARDLE IS AT THE FOREFRONT
OF NANOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH.
Wardle: THIS IS A SHEET OF CARBON NANOTUBES --
A VERY, VERY LARGE SHEET OF CARBON NANOTUBES.
10 YEARS AGO,
SOMETHING LIKE THIS WAS CONSIDERED IMPOSSIBLE, RIGHT?
ABSOLUTELY.
AND HERE IT IS.
THIS NANO SHEET IS PART OF A CLASSIFIED MILITARY PROJECT.
IT'S AT THE CUTTING EDGE OF TECHNOLOGY,
SO PROFESSOR WARDLE CAN'T TELL US WHAT IT MIGHT BE USED FOR.
[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS ]
ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT IT'S MADE
BY RANDOMLY OVERLAPPING BILLIONS OF NANOTUBES,
EACH JUST 1/30 OF AN INCH LONG.
BUT PROFESSOR WARDLE CAN REVEAL
THE INGREDIENTS THAT MAKE THE NANOTUBE SUPER-STRONG.
YOU NEED CARBON, TEMPERATURE, AND SEED PARTICLES.
THE CARBON COMES INTO THE GROWTH CHAMBER
IN THE FORM OF A GAS THROUGH THESE HOSES HERE.
THE GAS IS SUPPLIED BY LARGE, PRESSURIZED CYLINDERS.
THE TEMPERATURE IS SUPPLIED IN THE OVEN HERE
THROUGH RESISTIVE HEATING, LIKE A TOASTER.
AND THE SEED PARTICLES ARE CONTAINED ON THIS WAFER.
CARBON IS RENOWNED FOR ITS STRENGTH.
IT'S WHAT MAKES DIAMONDS THE HARDEST MINERAL IN NATURE.
INSIDE THE OVEN, CARBON ATOMS FROM THE GAS
ATTACH TO THE SILICON WAFER,
AND THEN THEY FORM HEXAGONAL BONDS WITH EACH OTHER.
THIS IS THE SECRET OF NANOTUBE STRENGTH.
HEXAGONAL CARBON BONDS ARE SOME OF THE TOUGHEST
BECAUSE EACH CARBON ATOM JOINS TO THREE OF ITS NEIGHBORS.
THE CARBON NANOTUBES HAVE BEEN BAKING FOR A WHILE.
IS IT TIME TO TAKE THEM OUT OF THE OVEN?
LET'S SEE WHAT WE HAVE.
Wardle: NOW WE'VE GROWN BILLIONS OF NANOTUBES ON THIS WAFER.
MM-HMM.
GROWN INTO A FOREST.
I SEE. YEAH. LOOK AT THAT.
YOU SEE ALL THESE BLACK STRUCTURES --
SORT OF LIKE SKYSCRAPERS COMING OUT OF THAT SILICON WAFER,
CONSISTING OF CARBON ATOMS.
LOOKS A BIT LIKE FUZZ.
MM-HMM.
BUT THAT'S THE FOREST THAT HAS GROWN FROM THE CATALYST SEEDS.
AND WAIT -- IT'S SPELLING OUT SOMETHING.
IT'S...M.I.T.
FROM MY GROUP.
[ LAUGHS ]
TODAY, SCIENTISTS CAN MASS-PRODUCE NANOTUBES
AROUND 1/30 OF AN INCH.
BUT WITHIN DECADES,
THEY'LL BE MANUFACTURING NANOTUBES
HUNDREDS OF FEET LONG.
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS,
WOVEN NANOTUBES WILL BE AN IDEAL RAW MATERIAL
FOR MY FORCE FIELD.
A NANOTUBE FORCE FIELD IS LIKE A GOLF NET.
ANY SOLID PROJECTILE HITTING THE NET
WILL BE STOPPED DEAD IN ITS TRACKS.
THE NET IS SO STRONG
THAT IT WILL ABSORB ANY IMPACT AND NOT TEAR.
EVEN IF THE PROJECTILE WERE EXPLOSIVE,
THE NET WILL STILL HOLD.
NANOTUBE SHEETS
STRONG AND LARGE ENOUGH TO PROTECT A SPACESHIP
ARE PERHAPS ONLY DECADES IN THE FUTURE.
BUT ONCE SCIENTISTS CRACK THE SECRET
OF INCREASING THEIR LENGTH,
THEY COULD ADD ANOTHER PROTECTIVE LAYER
TO MY FORCE FIELD.
I CAN ENCASE THE SPACECRAFT'S EXTERIOR
IN A TRANSPARENT NANOTUBE CAGE.
IF THE SPACESHIP IS ATTACKED WITH SMALL-CALIBER CANNON FIRE,
THE CAGE IS TIGHT ENOUGH TO STOP THE THREAT.
BUT I HAVEN'T THOUGHT THIS ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
THE NANOTUBES COVER MY WEAPONS' PORTS.
I CAN'T FIRE BACK.
BUT THERE IS A WAY OUT OF THE PROBLEM.
USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, YOU CAN CREATE A ZIPPER.
COMPUTER-CONTROLLED,
THEY'D BE INSTALLED OVER EACH WEAPON'S PORT.
THEY'D INSTINCTIVELY OPEN WHEN I FIRED THE SHIP'S WEAPONS,
BUT CLOSE IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS
TO MAINTAIN PROTECTION.
MY DESIGN IS COMING TOGETHER.
BUT AS EVERY SCI-FI FAN KNOWS, PROJECTILES AND SPACE DEBRIS
ARE NOT ALL A FORCE FIELD WILL FACE.
WELL, IF A LASER OR ANYTHING ACTUALLY HITS THE FORCE FIELD,
IT SHOULD REPEL IT.
A GOOD FORCE FIELD SHOULD BE ABLE TO PROTECT YOU
AGAINST SPACE DEBRIS, LASERS.
IT PROTECTS THE SHIP FROM THINGS LIKE LASERS AND ASTEROIDS.
LASERS ARE THE ULTIMATE SCI-FI WEAPON.
IN THE MOVIES, THEY CAN DESTROY WHOLE PLANETS.
I'VE GOT TO FIND SOME WAY OF BLOCKING LASERS
IF I EXPECT MY SHIP TO SURVIVE A HOSTILE ENCOUNTER
IN DEEP SPACE.
MY FORCE FIELD STOPS ANY SOLID OBJECT
FROM DAMAGING MY SHIP.
BUT IT CAN'T STOP A LASER ATTACK -- YET.
IF MY FORCE FIELD ENCOUNTERS AN ENEMY SHIP
EQUIPPED WITH LASER WEAPONS, I'VE GOT PROBLEMS.
LASERS CANNOT BLOCK LASERS.
LASER LIGHT HAS NO MASS --
NO PHYSICAL PRESENCE LIKE IRON OR WOOD.
IT'S LIKE CROSSING TWO FLASHLIGHTS.
ONE FLASHLIGHT CANNOT BLOCK ANOTHER.
SO IF MY SHIP IS ATTACKED WITH A LASER WEAPON,
IT'LL PASS STRAIGHT THROUGH
THE LASER-LATTICE COMPONENT OF MY FORCE FIELD.
AND IT'LL ALSO PASS THROUGH THE TRANSPARENT NANOTUBE CAGE,
RESULTING IN TERMINAL DAMAGE.
MY FORCE FIELD NEEDS AN ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGY
IF I'M GOING TO FACE DOWN THE THREAT OF ENEMY LASERS.
PERHAPS THE MATERIAL I NEED ALREADY EXISTS.
THE LENSES OF THESE GLASSES
ARE COATED WITH A PHOTOCHROMATIC MATERIAL,
MEANING THAT THEY REACT TO LIGHT.
UNDER ARTIFICIAL LIGHT, LIKE FROM A CINEMA SCREEN,
THE LENSES ARE CLEAR.
BUT IF I SHINE SPECIAL U.V. LIGHT ON IT,
SOMETHING RATHER DRAMATIC HAPPENS.
AFTER JUST A FEW SECONDS,
THE EXPOSED PORTION OF THE LENS DARKENS.
THE MOLECULES OF THE MATERIAL REACT,
CHANGE SHAPE, AND GROW DIM,
DRAMATICALLY REDUCING THE U.V. LIGHT PASSING THROUGH,
EVENTUALLY BLOCKING IT COMPLETELY.
NOW IMAGINE THAT THIS U.V. LIGHT IS AN ENEMY LASER BEAM
AND THIS PHOTOCHROMATIC MATERIAL IS PART OF YOUR FORCE FIELD.
IF YOUR SHIP COMES UNDER ATTACK,
THIS MATERIAL WILL BLOCK THE LASER LIGHT
AND PROTECT YOUR SHIP FROM DAMAGE.
[ ZING! ]
I THINK I HAVE EVERYTHING I NEED
TO PROTECT A SPACESHIP FROM ATTACK.
IT'S NOT EXACTLY LIKE
THE STARSHIP ENTERPRISE DEFLECTOR SHIELDS, THOUGH.
[ ZING! ]
TIME TO TEST IT OUT ON THE SCI-FI FANS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THANK YOU.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
TODAY I'M GONNA UNVEIL FOR YOU A WORKING FORCE FIELD.
BUT BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
A FORCE FIELD IS ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS TO CREATE.
A LONE SCOUT SHIP PATROLS A REMOTE SECTOR OF THE GALAXY.
OUT OF NOWHERE,
AN ENEMY CRAFT APPEARS, CLOSING IN FOR THE ATTACK.
IF YOU ARE A STARSHIP COMMANDER ENGAGED IN BATTLE,
WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU SAY?
"SHIELDS UP."
FUSION REACTORS SEND 500 TRILLION WATTS OF POWER
COURSING THROUGH THE FORCE FIELD.
THE ENEMY LOCKS ON AND FIRES A PAIR OF ROCKETS.
THEY SPEED TOWARDS THEIR TARGET
AND STRIKE THE FIRST LAYER OF THE SHIELD -- A LASER LATTICE.
SO LASER BEAMS ARE AN IDEAL CANDIDATE --
A CRISSCROSS NETWORK OF LASER BEAMS
SUCH THAT ANY PROJECTILE THAT IS THROWN NEXT TO IT
WILL BE VAPORIZED.
THE LASERS INSTANTLY HEAT UP THE SURFACE OF THE ROCKETS
TO THOUSANDS OF DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,
CAUSING EXPLOSIONS
THAT DICE THE PROJECTILES INTO SPACE DEBRIS.
THE ENEMY SWITCHES TO PLAN "B."
IT OPENS UP WITH A BURST OF MEGABOMBS
FROM ITS MASS-DRIVER CANNON.
THE LASER BEAMS ARE NOT ENOUGH.
SOME PROJECTILES WILL GO THROUGH --
RIGHT THROUGH A LASER NET.
SO WHEN YOU PUT UP YOUR FORCE FIELDS,
FIRST, THE LASER BEAMS ARE FIRED UP,
CREATING A CRISSCROSS PATTERN,
SECOND OF ALL, YOU HAVE CARBON-NANOTUBE FIBERS --
THE TOUGHEST FIBERS KNOWN TO SCIENCE.
WOVEN INTO A RIGID SHELL BENEATH THE LASER LATTICE,
THE NANOTUBES STOP THE MEGABOMBS DEAD IN THEIR TRACKS.
THE ENEMY HAS ONE WEAPON LEFT TO TRY.
IT UNLEASHES A DEVASTATING LASER BLAST
THAT PASSES THROUGH THE LASER LATTICE, HITTING THE NANOTUBES.
BUT THIS FORCE FIELD CAN MORE THAN DEAL WITH THE THREAT.
PHOTOCHROMATIC MATERIALS CHANGE COLOR
WHEN THEY INTERACT WITH LIGHT.
IN THE SAME WAY, WE CAN USE PHOTOCHROMATIC MATERIALS
TO CHANGE THE COLOR OF THE FORCE FIELD
IF SOMEBODY FIRES A LASER BEAM AT YOU.
THE NANOTUBE'S PHOTOCHROMATIC COATING REACTS,
BLOCKING THE ENEMY'S LASER BEAM FROM PENETRATING THE HULL.
TIME TO FIGHT BACK.
THE FRIENDLY SHIP GETS INTO POSITION
AND READIES ITS WEAPONS.
THE NANOTUBE CAGE PEELS BACK,
EXPOSING POWERFUL LASER CANNONS.
OPENING FIRE, IT BLASTS THE ENEMY INTO SPACE DUST.
SO, HERE IT IS -- A COMBINATION OF LASERS, CARBON NANOTUBES,
AND ALSO PHOTOCHROMATIC MATERIALS.
THIS IS DESIGNED TO PROTECT YOUR STARSHIP
IN CASE YOU ARE ENGAGED IN BATTLE
AND YOU SAY, "SHIELDS UP."
[ APPLAUSE ]
BUT WHAT DO THE FANS MAKE OF IT?
IT'S DEFINITELY THE MOST PLAUSIBLE.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I COULD BASICALLY MAKE THAT.
IT SEEMS VERY PROMISING -- VERY, VERY PROMISING.
THE FACT THAT IT WORKS MAKES IT ELEGANT.
I NEVER THOUGHT THAT WITHIN THE NEXT FEW HUNDRED YEARS,
WE WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE A FORCE FIELD.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY
THAT WOULD JUST NEVER HAPPEN.