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rxin@lemmy.blahaj.zone to Not The Onion@lemmy.worldEnglish · 9 months ago

Reflect Orbital sells sunlight at night, but don't trust that fancy video

mashable.com

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  • technology@lemmy.world
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Reflect Orbital sells sunlight at night, but don't trust that fancy video

mashable.com

rxin@lemmy.blahaj.zone to Not The Onion@lemmy.worldEnglish · 9 months ago
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  • technology@lemmy.world
It's... intriguing.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/19090299

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  • Shadowedcross@sh.itjust.works
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    9 months ago

    I don’t think this idea will see the light of day.

    • TranquilTurbulence@lemmy.zip
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      9 months ago

      They can stick that mirror where the sun don’t shine.

    • Mango@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Guess I’ll die another day.

  • don@lemm.ee
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    9 months ago

    Imagine a malicious person constantly aiming the light at at the house of someone they don’t like. Good thing it doesn’t seem to be feasible any time soon.

    • tal@lemmy.today
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      9 months ago

      “I want a spot, but I want all of my sunlight focused onto a spot about a centimeter across. I’ll give you the coordinates.”

      • deegeese@sopuli.xyz
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        9 months ago

        Because the sun is not a point source but a disk half a degree across, you can’t focus the sun tighter than about a 1km spot from a mirror in low earth orbit.

        • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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          9 months ago

          Okay but can we make that 1 km hot enough to burn everything inside of it?

          For science of course.

    • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works
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      9 months ago

      Welp I hate to break it to you, but the Ruskies actually already tried this one back in the 90s, and I’m fairly certain the business idea is based directly on that concept.

    • Ilovethebomb@lemm.ee
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      9 months ago

      In a tent would be even worse.

      • Plopp@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        Seems like a lot of planning to get the person you don’t like to live in a tent first.

        • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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          9 months ago

          There are ways.

          None so far as I’m aware that are actually legal, mind. But why let that get in the way of one’s dastardly plans?

          • Ilovethebomb@lemm.ee
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            9 months ago

            Possibly some type of incendiary device?

            • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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              9 months ago

              I was kind of thinking chemical. Unleash a pack of grumpy skunks and get them to spray everything.

              Freakish, sure, but plausibly deniable.

        • Ilovethebomb@lemm.ee
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          9 months ago

          I was thinking more they were on a trip somewhere.

  • DaCrazyJamez@sh.itjust.works
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    9 months ago

    So if they over concentrate does this turn into an ‘ant in a magnifying glass’ situation?

    • LesserAbe@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Was thinking the exact same thing. Also if this took off doesn’t seem like it would help the global warming situation. “Let’s add more energy to our planetary greenhouse!”

    • Possibly linux@lemmy.zip
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      9 months ago

      Could it be used to break up protests?

      • DaCrazyJamez@sh.itjust.works
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        9 months ago

        If by “break up” you mean on a molecular level, then yes.

      • potentiallynotfelix@lemdro.id
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        9 months ago

        Theoretically, but I don’t see protests or riots stopping because of light… riots happen in the day, too, and the violent ones are going to be masked up so more light won’t do anything to reveal their identity

        • Possibly linux@lemmy.zip
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          9 months ago

          It will be stopped if the protests are vaporized

    • Even_Adder@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      8 months ago

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6EHAjbizss&t=64

    • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Surely not. Mirrors are incapable of destruction. Why that would be dangerous! You could burn crops or boil away water reserves. Surely no corporation would so irresponsible!

  • A7thStone@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    commoditize sunlight

    Absolute ghouls

    • aname@lemmy.one
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      9 months ago

      It’s not like they are taking it away from you. Just selling you extra you don’t need

  • Ghoelian@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    9 months ago

    Isn’t light pollution like that just illegal?

    Edit: In the US, it is in some states, though not all. Haven’t found a source for Europe yet.

    https://www.ncsl.org/environment-and-natural-resources/states-shut-out-light-pollution

  • recklessengagement@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    I don’t like it when companies mess with the sky. Don’t fuck with my stars.

  • jackeryjoo@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    deleted by creator

  • HubertManne@moist.catsweat.com
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    9 months ago

    if someone stares directly at it will it hurt their eye?

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