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Thursday, October 28, 2010

Photo: Planes to Shoot Lasers to "Talk" to Submarines?


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Lasers that can create loud bangs under the sea might someday replace sonar for sending messages to submarines (pictured), Navy physicists announced in May 2009.

The self-focusing beams heat tiny amounts of water in the sea to create "little pistons of steam" that expand at supersonic speeds.

Photograph courtesy Commander Submarine Group 9, U.S. Navy