David Hambling, Contributing Writer, New Scientist

Science Fiction Inspires DARPA Weapon

April 24, 2008 at 12:00 am PT

The late Arthur C. Clarke is famous for having popularized the geostationary communications satellite in 1945. Now the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is working to turn one of his more dangerous ideas into reality. Clarke’s 1955 novel “Earthlight” climaxes in a battle between a lunar fortress and three attacking spacecraft. At the height of the battle the defending commander unleashes “The Stiletto,” which resembles “a solid bar of light” and pierces one spacecraft “as an entomologist pierces a butterfly with a pin.”

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Tagged with: DARPA, David Hambling, New Scientist, Pentagon, weapons

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