Ray guns

Not exactly the ray guns you see in the movies or cartoons, but you get the idea. You can still die from it.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn4049-gamma-ray-weapons-could-trigger-next-arms-race/

@metal-brain said
Not exactly the ray guns you see in the movies or cartoons, but you get the idea. You can still die from it.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn4049-gamma-ray-weapons-could-trigger-next-arms-race/

More of a ray grenade, if I'm reading it correctly?

@metal-brain said
Not exactly the ray guns you see in the movies or cartoons, but you get the idea. You can still die from it.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn4049-gamma-ray-weapons-could-trigger-next-arms-race/

If it puts out at least 60 times the energy in, why can it not be used as an energy source and not just weaponry?

@sonhouse said
If it puts out at least 60 times the energy in, why can it not be used as an energy source and not just weaponry?

What's the physics behind the amplification? Is it explained, even superficially?

@wolfe63 said
What's the physics behind the amplification? Is it explained, even superficially?

I think you get excess energy in the form of gamma rays when you zap I think some Hafnium isotope with low energy x rays. Then the fit hits the shan and it pumps out gamma. Something like that anyway.
I was just thinking if there is 50 or so higher level of energy going out then if we can trap those gamma rays into heat or something we could have a source of energy.
When they say low level of X rays, not sure exactly how much that is. Could it happen with a normal medical X ray machine output? Not sure.