Lasers were just the stuff of science fiction not long ago, but can now be found all around us in everyday life. You?ll find lasers in supermarket bar code scanners and in the CD and DVD players in our homes.
Not as common are the lasers that still fit the sci-fi genre. One place they can be found, though, is the Air Force Laser Effects Lab in Albuquerque, New Mexico. There scientists and engineers work with all types of lasers, including big hulking ones that can shoot down high speed missiles.
Scientists like Alfie Philipe also are creating new types of solid state lasers and ways to make them more portable. The fiberlasers under development can be bent around a corner or over a wall. "Much like a water hose in your yard," Philipe says.