Scientists Are Turning Mr. Freeze's Iconic Weapon into Reality

the ice ray gun a tool that could turn anything to ice with a mere pull of a trigger this technology is confined to the pages of Batman's comic books only being wielded by Gotham City's chilling villain Mr Freeze until now at the department of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of Virginia a curious experiment brought forth a revelation researchers stumbled upon the possibility of cooling using hot plasma but how do you cool something with plasma it's a paradox perhaps but one with a fascinating scientific explanation plasma is unique filled with untethered electrons ions interacting in energetic harmony though commonly known for its sweltering temperatures scientists discovered something entirely unexpected it can chill before it Heats a phenomenon that seemed almost to defy the laws of thermodynamics by experimenting with helium plasma and directing it at various surfaces scientists uncovered a cooling effect that occurs upon impact but what makes plasma so special the three most common forms of matter we encounter every day are solids liquids and gases unlike these states plasma is a rarefied phenomenon on Earth but Reigns Supreme in the vast Universe we often refer to stars as Big Balls of Fire but they are more balls of scintillating plasma plasma is the fourth state of matter it is a state of matter in which an ionized substance becomes highly electrically conductive to the point that long-range electric and magnetic fields dominate Its Behavior when you witness the eye-popping flash of a lightning strike or the Warm Glow of a neon sign you're staring at plasmas dazzling display so how do they make it work the mechanism behind this cooling relates to the sudden evaporation of an ultra-thin surface layer in a hollow needle encased in ceramic they fire plasma from helium gas it strikes a gold-plated surface along with a microscopic lightning bolt or a laser beam precisely zapping hot spots on a Surface the intense energy of the plasma jet focuses on a localized point and in the process it tears away the top layer of the material the energy required for this extraction leaves a chilled effect behind it's a process that is similar to the sensation of coolness we can feel when water evaporates from our skin but at a microscopic and more intense level this newly discovered method of on-demand cooling can be fine-tuned and targeted enabling it to be adapted into a freeze ray device by adjusting the type of gas used the metals and surface Coatings that a plasma targets scientists can manipulate how the plasma interacts with different properties this groundbreaking discovery opens the door to fascinating applications and here's how we could use it cooling Electronics in spacecraft and high altitude Jets electronic devices aboard spacecraft or jets often overheat due to the lack of efficient cooling mechanisms traditional cooling methods don't work effectively in the vacuum of space or the thin air of high altitudes the discovery of Plasma's unexpected cooling effect offers a potential solution to this challenge it could be developed into a localized cooling system targeting hot spots within the electronic components to prevent overheating enhanced Energy Efficiency using plasma to cool Electronics might lead to more energy efficient systems traditional cooling methods can be heavy and consume a lot of power a lightweight on-demand surface cooling device using plasma could reduce weight and energy consumption thus increasing overall efficiency medical and Industrial applications in medical technology targeted cooling could be used for specific treatments or procedures in industrial applications the ability to locally cool specific parts of Machinery could lead to enhanced performance and longevity potential climate control applications although this is more speculative there could be potential applications in cooling systems for buildings or Vehicles offering a new way to manage temperature in various environments beyond the Practical applications this discovery adds to the understanding of plasma and Its Behavior shedding new light on a phenomenon that seemed to contradict known laws of physics it will undoubtedly fuel further scientific inquiry into the mysterious properties of plasma the fourth state of matter it might be a while until we see a real freeze ray gun like the one we're familiar with but this discovery captures the essence of comic books and turns it into a real world Innovation with potential applications that could significantly impact various fields from space travel to Everyday technology [Music] everybody

Channel: Interesting Engineering

Views: 5,691

Keywords: engineering, science, technology, interesting engineering, interesting, plasma science, state of matter, cosmic wonders, star physics, fourth state of matter, ionized substance, electric fields, magnetic fields, on demand cooling, freeze ray tech, advanced physics, matter explained, scientific discoveries

Id: L22sdG0hAYI

Length: 6min 9sec (369 seconds)

Published: Tue Aug 15 2023