- Nuclear pumped x-ray lasers. Now, you might ask: do these work? No. Are they cheap? Also no. Will we carefully investigate the science before wasting a lot of money? Buddy, you are not going to believe this.
Replies
- Hafnium nuclear-pumped isomers. Because you want all the fun of the nuclear x ray laser (that doesn't work) at home. - Nuclear bombers. Not bombers with nukes. Nuclear bombers.
aug 5, 2025, 12:10 am • 14 0 • view
US intel thinks USSR is working on nuclear-powered bomber, puts actual reactor in B-36 airframe just to fly around live for practice. USSR sees this and puts one in a Tu-95 (Tu-95LL) as counter move. What could go wrong?
aug 5, 2025, 12:16 am • 10 0 • view
I mean, we did build a working nuclear jet engine. We tested it! It totally would have worked, for certain values of "worked."
aug 5, 2025, 12:20 am • 11 0 • view
But....Footfall!!
aug 5, 2025, 12:21 am • 4 0 • view
You will never convince me that people ever thought nuclear-pumped x-ray lasers were a good idea for any reason other than the fact that they have the words "nuclear", "x-ray", *and* "laser" in the name. Heck, we already have x-ray free-electron lasers, and they actually work.
aug 5, 2025, 1:28 am • 3 0 • view
Now winkle "AI" in there somehow and you'll have a real winner. /s
aug 5, 2025, 1:29 am • 2 0 • view