Featured Image Credit: Hacksmith Industries
Topics: Science, Technology
Lucy Devine
You might think lightsabers are reserved for video games or Buzz Lightyear.
But apparently not, as one YouTuber and his team created the 'world's first lightsaber' - and it's kind of terrifying.
The tool can cut through metal and at first glance, kind of looks like a glorified blow torch.
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But it's certainly the closest thing to 'lightsaber' we've ever seen, and burns at a whopping 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
Created by Hacksmith Industries, the lightsaber has been a work in progress.
In fact, the company has been evolving the design for years and in 2020 managed to achieve a retractable, plasma-based lightsaber.
You can watch the lightsaber in action below:
"Every single component of these sabers was custom built, including electronics, gas transfer assemblies, switches, gas management elements, and the whole body of the main saber itself (which looks like a steam-punk sci-fi hybrid device in the best way)," said Hacksmith Industries.
To create the plasma-based design, the team evolved their previous 'proto lightsaber'.
"We re-engineered the nozzle and valve systems, and the fuel mix, in the hopes of creating 'laminar flow' in the gases, making an exceptionally clean, bright, and long/stable flame," Hacksmith Industries explained.
"By adding different salts to the plasma, we can change the beam's color. "For example, boric acid will make a green beam like Yoda's lightsaber, sodium chloride produces a bright yellow like Rey's, and strontium chloride will generate a bright red for those who prefer to walk on the dark side.
"... Although many assume these are simple 'oxygen cutting torches', the precise combination of oxygen and other fuels enables the creation of a stable flame that is hot enough to cut through steel! Adapting the nozzles, fuel mix, and valve/control systems for these devices took months of research."
It certainly is an incredible achievement - and social media users were blown away by a video doing the rounds on X.
One person commented: "[It's] an incredible achievement that brings us one step closer to the fantasy world of Star Wars."
While another said: "It's scary to think such a thing can be made and now who knows what people can do with it."
A third added: "I would have cut off some of my fingers, before I could finish saying 'may the force be with you'."
And a fourth said: "The world's first retractable proto-lightsaber sounds like an incredible innovation. It could revolutionize how lightsabers are used, making them more practical and versatile for various situations. It would be fascinating to see how such a technology is developed and implemented."
Another joked: "Is it on Amazon?"