Dogs barking. Loud parties. Naked sunbathing in the backyard. You just can’t win with some neighbors, but at least these minor annoyances wouldn’t cause you to fear for your life. When one man got the idea to strap a giant “Death Ray” to his car and began firing it around his neighborhood, you can bet noise complaints were the last thing on his neighbors’ minds.
A Real Mad Scientist
What kind of person would be crazy enough to build such a dangerous device? None other than Kevin Kohler, YouTube’s own “Backyard Scientist.” Kevin’s reputation for wild experiments was known far and wide, yet with this latest effort, the amateur scientist was really looking to push the boundaries.
Unauthorized
He started by reaching out to the aerospace company Northrop Grumman in search of a high-quality laser. Unfortunately, the representative on the phone told him the model he was looking for was only available to the military or U.S. government.
I Know A Guy
And so, Kevin had to get creative. Reaching out to a contact in China, he dropped a cool $1,500 on a state-of-the-art laser, though the item that arrived didn’t exactly look like the centerpiece of a so-called “Death Ray.”
Looks Can Be Deceiving
Despite producing 200 watts of power, the laser fiber was only 100 micrometers in diameter. To put that into perspective, that’s about the size of the average human hair. Yet don’t let that fact fool you.
Watch Your Eyes
The beam produced by this laser was both incredibly powerful and invisible — in Kevin’s words, it could literally burn out your retinas without you even realizing. Of course, who wouldn’t want to see that in action?
Test Run
Well, maybe not the retina-burning part, but Kevin was quick to build a makeshift laser system to test its power for himself. Placing a block of wood just a foot or two from the laser, Kevin threw on his protective glasses and fired.
Burn, Baby, Burn
In just a matter of seconds, the laser burned a hole a half-centimeter deep into the wood! Naturally, Kevin was eager to see what else he could burn with his newest “toy.”
Laser Beats Rock
A rock became his next victim, and, just like with the wood, the laser burned through it like scissors through paper. But if this tiny laser could do so much damage to rock and wood, imagine what it could do to metal.
Poor Abe
Well, Kevin didn’t have to imagine it, as he then used the beam to melt a zinc penny and superheat a copper one until it was red hot. Yet zapping a few household items was a waste of the laser’s potential — Kevin knew he needed to think bigger.
Getting Creative
That’s why he decided to convert an old RV satellite mount and remote control into a fully functioning laser aim. This, however, was nothing compared to what Kevin did to the laser itself.
Tech Savvy
Using a variety of telescopic reflectors, voltage converters, and other technical doodads, Kevin created a laser enclosure to focus and strengthen the beam — now, the real fun would begin.
Not Exactly a Vaccine
In light of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Kevin decided his first target would be “the corona” — a bottle of Corona beer, to be exact. With just a quick blast from the laser, the bottle was blown to smithereens!
Smells Like Toast
Next up was a “laser sandwich,” which was just a piece of ham and a slice of marble rye stapled to some plywood. The bread got a quick, precise toast from the laser, though, unexpectedly, the ham was so translucent that the beam instead burnt the wood behind it.
Off With Her Head!
Even the Queen of England herself stopped by for a quick haircut courtesy of Kevin’s laser. Unfortunately, it looks like he took a little too much off the top for ‘ol Liz’s liking. (Brits, you may want to look away now).
Literally “Lighting Up”
Kevin finished off his test by blasting a lighter, which turned into a literal flamethrower as the lighter fluid within ignited. The experiment had proven a fun one, yet what’s cooler than firing a laser during the day?
Break Out the Big Guns
Why, firing one at night! Mounting the laser to his car, Kevin and his team headed out to an open field with one mission in mind: shooting the beam into space!
All Systems Ready
Fortunately, there were no airplanes in the area for miles, making this the perfect time to fire. With an infrared camera at the ready in order to make the beam visible, Kevin primed the laser and fired.
Death Ray
Boom! The laser was massive and as bright as could be. But before the beam could ignite the nearby tries, Kevin tilted it up into the night sky.
Shoot the Moon
The beam seemed to go on forever, stretching miles into the air like a gigantic spotlight. Kevin pointed it at everything from stars to distant planets — even the moon got a taste of the powerful laser.
In the Name of Science
In the end, Kevin was really just out to show how lasers work and prove how cool they could be. Sure, building a homemade “Death Ray” was a pretty dangerous stunt, though it was nothing compared to the antics of another well-known daredevil.
