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Scientists develop 'Star Trek phaser'
TG Daily ^ | 11/19/2009 | Emma Woollacott

Posted on 11/19/2009 10:29:57 AM PST by markomalley

Its inventors are comparing it to the Star Trek phaser: a way of exploiting an on-off 'switch' in nematodes that paralyzes them when they're exposed to a beam of ultraviolet light.

The animals stay paralyzed even when the light is turned off. But when exposed to ordinary light, they become unparalyzed and wake up. It's the first time that photoswitching has been demonstrated in a living animal.

The report describes the development and successful testing of a photoswitch composed of the light-sensitive material, dithienylethene. The scientists grew the transparent, pinhead-sized worms - C. elegans - and fed them dithienylethene.

When exposed to ultraviolet light, the worms turned blue and became paralyzed. When exposed to visible light, the dithienylethene became colorless again and the worms' paralysis ended.

While some of the worms died, many lived through the paralyze-unparalyze cycle.

The scientists aren't actually sure how the switch causes paralysis. But the study demonstrates that photoswitches may have great potential in turning photodynamic therapy on and off, and for other applications in medicine and research, they say.

The study appears in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS).


TOPICS: Science
KEYWORDS: alientech; phaser; science; startrek; stringtheory; stunner; ufo
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1 posted on 11/19/2009 10:29:57 AM PST by markomalley
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To: markomalley

I’m still waiting for the disruptor.


2 posted on 11/19/2009 10:31:31 AM PST by Malsua
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To: markomalley

Unless you’re a worm, you won’t be phased by this news.


3 posted on 11/19/2009 10:31:37 AM PST by Hegemony Cricket (The emperor has no pedigree.)
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To: Slings and Arrows
Tribble research can't be far off
4 posted on 11/19/2009 10:32:06 AM PST by a fool in paradise (I refuse to "reduce my carbon footprint" all while Lenin remains in an airconditioned shrine)
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To: markomalley
The animals stay paralyzed even when the light is turned off. But when exposed to ordinary light, they become unparalyzed and wake up. It's the first time that photoswitching has been demonstrated in a living animal.

Yawn. If it can't vapourise a tritanium wall, it ain't a phaser.

5 posted on 11/19/2009 10:32:33 AM PST by Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus (There are only two REAL conservatives in America - myself, and my chosen Presidential candidate)
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To: Hegemony Cricket; Revolting cat!

Set phasers on stune


6 posted on 11/19/2009 10:36:16 AM PST by a fool in paradise (I refuse to "reduce my carbon footprint" all while Lenin remains in an airconditioned shrine)
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To: markomalley

Kinda lame considering you can’t really control the “Stun” and “Kill” settings...


7 posted on 11/19/2009 10:37:56 AM PST by NMEwithin
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To: markomalley
"Here, quick! Drink this so I can stun you with my Phaser!"

Somehow, I think this needs more research.

8 posted on 11/19/2009 10:38:43 AM PST by Dead Corpse (III)
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To: markomalley

So once you eat the dithienylethene beber, you can be stuned.


9 posted on 11/19/2009 10:39:10 AM PST by Talisker (When you find a turtle on top of a fence post, you can be damn sure it didn't get there on it's own.)
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To: markomalley

I'll take this over a phaser.

I don't need a "stun" setting.

10 posted on 11/19/2009 10:39:14 AM PST by SIDENET ("If that's your best, your best won't do." -Dee Snider)
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To: markomalley

When it melts rock, welds tritanium doors shut, can be used as a plasma cutter to reopen that door, goes from mild stun to disintegrate and can be set to overload taking out an entire deck just by flipping a couple of switches, then I’ll buy four.

Until then, I’ll stick with my 1911, thanks.


11 posted on 11/19/2009 10:39:54 AM PST by Dr.Zoidberg (Warning: Sarcasm/humor is always engaged. Failure to recognize this may lead to misunderstandings.)
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To: markomalley

12 posted on 11/19/2009 10:39:58 AM PST by Disambiguator
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To: markomalley
Saving the Universe from nematodes.


13 posted on 11/19/2009 10:42:09 AM PST by paulycy (Demand Constitutionality.)
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To: Disambiguator
I can't believe it took 12 posts for that picture to show up.

LOL.

14 posted on 11/19/2009 10:43:34 AM PST by SIDENET ("If that's your best, your best won't do." -Dee Snider)
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To: a fool in paradise

15 posted on 11/19/2009 10:52:05 AM PST by Peter Horry (Those who aren't responsible always know best.)
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To: Quix

Up your alley ping.


16 posted on 11/19/2009 10:52:08 AM PST by Red Steel
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To: Dead Corpse
Lots of things "need more research" ... a fact which I find quite comforting.

That doesn't mean initial findings (often with no obvious use) aren't cool.

17 posted on 11/19/2009 10:55:58 AM PST by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: Red Steel

Reportedly such things have been in operational use by black ops folks for decades.


18 posted on 11/19/2009 10:57:17 AM PST by Quix (POL Ldrs quotes fm1900 TRAITORS http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2130557/posts?page=81#81)
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To: SIDENET

Exactly.
Never bring a phaser to a gun fight.


19 posted on 11/19/2009 11:05:44 AM PST by kidd (Obama: The triumph of hope over evidence)
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To: Peter Horry

YIKES.


20 posted on 11/19/2009 11:08:02 AM PST by SIDENET ("If that's your best, your best won't do." -Dee Snider)
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