Imagine a laser so powerful it dwarfs the entire planet’s electricity output. That’s exactly what US scientists just unleashed with ZEUS, the Zettawatt-Equivalent Ultrashort Pulse Laser System. Clocking in at 2 petawatts (2 quadrillion watts), this beast delivered a pulse 100 times stronger than the world’s total power grid—for a mind-bending 25 quintillionths of a second.
Built at the University of Michigan, ZEUS is designed to mimic cosmic events like black holes and supernovas.
“This is a historic milestone in laser technology, opening doors to understanding the universe’s most extreme conditions,” said a spokesperson from the NSF ZEUS team.
Public reaction has been electric, with social media buzzing about sci-fi becoming reality—one user tweeted, “This is straight out of a movie! Are we ready for this power?”
Could ZEUS be the key to clean fusion energy or next-gen space travel? This breakthrough might just redefine our future, from sustainable power to exploring the cosmos. What do you reckon—hope or hype?
Sources: NSF, SciTechDaily
