The real reason lasers are illegal.

[Davi5678 (Dave)]

http://what-if.xkcd.com/13/

[brian nordstrom (As avatar)]

There is no way in ( on ) the the world that every person could shine a laser pointer at the moon at the same time , mate !
Do you know why ? tell me why .
Solar sails ? .
Tell me and this thread will continue , and I am sure lots will dig in .
Oh yea David , my computers anti virus software did not like that thread , it shut it off quick ? .
Anyway David , get back to me on the reason why its an impossibility . and will never work . . .
Cool .
Brian.

[Davi5678 (Dave)]

Try entering the html into your browser, not sure why your anti-virus would trigger.

[Davi5678 (Dave)]

lots of mirrors

[brian nordstrom (As avatar)]

Smoke and Refractors , mate .
Woaw ! , about 1,000,000 mirrors at 25 metres in diameter , see you in the year 3000 . .
Brian.

[Kunama]

This thread just reminded me of my visit 20+ years ago to the Lunar Laser Ranging Facility at Orroral Valley ACT where we fired up the laser first to hit a small target across the valley and then at the moon.
I had forgotten all about it. Thanks for posting!

[brian nordstrom (As avatar)]

Cool Matt , thanks , I have seen the same thing , something like 1/2 a second for the return signal to be seen ( not by our eyes of course ) , I had forgotten as well .
This was set up by Apollo 15 ,,? .
Brian.

[tlgerdes (Trevor)]

Apollo 11 anniversary: Lick Observatory scientists recall landmark experiment 40 years ago

http://news.ucsc.edu/2009/07/3111.html

Lloyd is family. Barry's sister-in-laws second husband.

[mishku]

tee hee hee!! xkcd is HILARIOUS.

my favourite what-if scenario: what if you had a mole of moles?? (giant meat planet!!)

[andyc (Andy)]

The xkcd "what if..." series has to be my favourite recent appearance on the Net. Superb mix of physics and absurdity.

Yoda's Force energy might not be a lot but at least it would be green...