this post was submitted on 10 Aug 2025
648 points (99.1% liked)

Mildly Interesting

23143 readers
304 users here now

This is for strictly mildly interesting material. If it's too interesting, it doesn't belong. If it's not interesting, it doesn't belong.

This is obviously an objective criteria, so the mods are always right. Or maybe mildly right? Ahh.. what do we know?

Just post some stuff and don't spam.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] kautau@lemmy.world 127 points 2 months ago (3 children)

I’ve always thought a stupidly expensive but cool and helpful device would be a tabletop mosquito/fly/wasp killer that shot lasers at said insects. I’m very happy to see there is an underwater version that seems to be really effective

[–] Knossos@lemmy.world 101 points 2 months ago (4 children)

They exist in trials. The human danger is too great though I think. If the laser thinks your eye is a fly for a split second, game over for vision.

[–] IAmNorRealTakeYourMeds@lemmy.world 47 points 2 months ago (2 children)

screw that, we'll just wear sunglasses indoors and look supercool and mosquito free

[–] PunnyName@lemmy.world 19 points 2 months ago (3 children)

Don't mess around with the guy in shades, oh no.

[–] IndiBrony@lemmy.world 10 points 2 months ago (2 children)

🎶 I wear my sunglasses at night 🎶

[–] Bloomcole@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades

[–] GratefullyGodless@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Damnit! Now I've got the song stuck in my head.

[–] Jerb322@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

You've got it made with the guy in shades, oh no.

[–] ToffeeIsForClosers@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Spotted a Canadian!

[–] zqps@sh.itjust.works 9 points 2 months ago (3 children)

A laser that can kill a fly in the fraction of a second has to deliver enough energy to fry your retina even though a dozen sunglasses. Also consider that the laser is focused down by the lens in your eye which greatly amplifies its power.

[–] aramova@infosec.pub 12 points 2 months ago (1 children)

That's not how specific wavelength safety goggles work. You can get both near UV blue light 440nm 5 watt goggles, and infrared depending on the laser.

Problem is they tend to shift the color of light for everything so much that they aren't pleasant to wear for a long time.

My worry would be getting hit on the skin, a 5 watt 440nm laser hurts, and it's a deep burning pain that doesn't go away.

[–] zqps@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Why even pretend my reply was about safety goggles? Obviously a huge difference vs regular sunglasses.

[–] IAmNorRealTakeYourMeds@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I thought it was obvious I meant laser safety glasses.

[–] zqps@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 months ago (2 children)

With the line about looking cool wearing them indoors??

they ain't mutually incompatible

[–] MouldyCat@feddit.uk 1 points 2 months ago

yeah well I'll just wear two dozen sunglasses. that'll make me twenty four times as cool as you, Mir Science Man.

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

A angle laser is nowhere near as fun as an array of lasers anyway

[–] sartalon@lemmy.world 8 points 2 months ago

So many ways to engineer out that hazard.

Last I understood was it's been patented 10 different ways from Sunday, and prototypes are just sitting on shelves, collection dust.

[–] phx@lemmy.ca 6 points 2 months ago

So now the fish are lice free, but blind? D'oh!

[–] Zaphod@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 2 months ago

I think it wouldn't be a device to have on passively. Just something to turn on when you need it, like a vacuum. So you can just put safety glasses first.

[–] StopSpazzing@lemmy.world 6 points 2 months ago (2 children)
[–] Wispy2891@lemmy.world 18 points 2 months ago (1 children)

LOL, $600 for something that is unproven and has a high chance of being just a scam?

[–] StopSpazzing@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Shhhhhh. I'm sure it will be a legit as StarCitizen!

[–] finalarbiter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 months ago

Hey at least SC has a playable demo that's occasionally fun to play (I got a free code with a piece of computer hardware a while back and haven't spent a penny on the game otherwise)

[–] kautau@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Neat! Though I’ll probably wait until people say it works well and doesn’t accidentally burn out your retina