Hello. I was wondering if any of you wonderful people know anything about lasers. I'm trying to work out if a particular concept is possible. Can someone build a large laser (about the size of a house) and use it as a destructive weapon? Could it, for example, cut through metal, and if so, at what range? What would the optimum diameter of the beam be? And how much energy would something like that require?

By the way, the reason I ask is I am trying to write a novel. The villain has built a giant laser powered by rubies. I need to know if such a thing is possible. Please help!

I just Googled on 'laser weapons' and there are lots of hits.

This is just one

Why would your laser be powered by rubies? They are going to be very costly compared to batteries or normal electrical current, even if you could get power from them - can you get power from gem stones?

Who cares that they're expensive? Hehe... they can be stolen...

Thanks anyway. I kept finding complicated explanations that looked like you needed a degree in Physics to understand, but that site looks reasonable.

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By the way, the reason I ask is I am trying to write a novel. The villain has built a giant laser powered by rubies.

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The plot is straight out of "Diamonds Are Forever". Whilst I do wish you all the best with your novel I believe that the critics would rip it to pieces simply because of the James Bond similarity.

In fact it's supposed to be a parody of the Bond films! Anyway, the satellite in Diamonds Are Forever was powered by diamonds.

have you named the villains yet?

Yes. Why, you want me to include your name?

Oh... [CENSORED]! Thanks for warning me! Now I need a major rewrite. Neodymium, you say... What form does it take? Is it supposed to be in a rod, powdered, a prism, or what?