In 2009, Dr Michio Kaku appeared in a TV show called Sci-Fi Science and, in one episode, discussed whether or not a lightsaber could actually be created. The short answer is probably. The programme examined Star Wars' most iconic piece of technology with great scrutiny to address all the possible problems with its production. One thing that took great thought was dealing with the immense heat that would be produced by a saber. A special hilt and container for the blade would have to be created to protect the wielder. Furthermore, a large amount of energy would be required to power such a device and there's not really a lot of room for a big power source in something you can stick onto your utility belt. The final design was turned into a blueprint, consisting of a ceramic hilt to contain the heat, a plasma torch to shoot out a super-hot blade and an electromagnetic coil to keep it under control. This would produce a glowing blade that could melt metal and would even clash against the blade of a fellow force user. Its all theoretical though. Perhaps this is a bit of an anti-climax. You've got this far in the list and pretty much everything in it does indeed exist in some form or other, whereas lightsabers have simply been marked as a "could happen". There is one little titbit left though. Havard scientists experimenting with photons in 2013 found themselves producing a new kind of matter; light with photons that had "hardened" into molecules such that they would physically hit each other when two beams were crossed. Admittedly, these strange lights aren't yet being emitted by handy little hilts you can grip in your hand but just know that somewhere in the world there are beams of light that actually clash against each other. You have to add the FFWOOOOM sounds yourself though. Want to write for What Culture Science? Click here to find out how you could get paid to write about what you love.Love all things science? Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for your next fix.
Peter Austin initially joined WhatCulture as an occasional contributor to our Film, Gaming and Science sections, but made the mistake of telling us that he'd been making videos in his bedroom for over a decade. Since then he's been a vital member of our YouTube team and routinely sets the standard for smart-casual wear in the office.