The ZKZM-500 is the subject of a July 2018 article in the South China Morning Post describing a laser gun purported to have been developed by Chinese researchers of the Xian Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shaanxi. The article described the device in conflicting terms, both as “non-lethal” but also capable of “instant carbonisation of human skin and tissues”.

Outside of China, universal doubt was expressed regarding the existence of such a weapon.

SCMP probably propaganda video: [0:45] https://youtu.be/07XpBUzlxxE?si=

    • Shurimal@kbin.social
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      10 months ago

      You don’t need to point it at eyes to blind someone. At these power levels a diffuse reflection from a matte surface is enough to blind. Basically, anyone accidentally seeing the laser’s light spot without protective goggles tuned to the specific wavelength of that laser will go blind. Laser weapons are ridiculously dangerous to anyone around, including the user themself.

      They only make sense in space warfare where a.) power levels used measure in megawatts so that going blind is the least of your problems, b.) not much surfaces around for the beam to reflect from, c.) windows on warships don’t make sense—in fact, crews on spaceships make little sense, too.

    • Scratch
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      10 months ago

      Such things should be banned! Imagine, burning someone with a laser!