Laser Weapon Funding from Science Fiction Book?

Jan 14, 2013 09:00 PM ET // by TechNewsDaily

A 'Dragon Empire' book depicting a future war between China and U.S. allies aims to help fund a laser-powered EMP weapon in real life.

Adam Weigold | Lightning Gun, Inc.

Can a science fiction book's sales fund development of a futuristic laser weapon? A physicist hopes to find out with his "Dragon Empire" book that envisions such a weapon helping to fend off a Chinese invasion during a future war.

The Dragon Empire book imagines how lasers, hypersonic missiles, stealth aircraft and satellite weapons might influence a huge war between China, the United States and U.S. allies in 2025. But the book's real purpose is to help fund Lightning Gun Inc., a startup aimed at making laser weapons capable of knocking out guided missiles with electronics-disabling electromagnetic pulses (EMPs).

"I never had a good idea for an entire fiction book until I started to realize that if directed energy weapons did nullify the effect of guided missile technology, then all of warfare would be changed -- especially strategy and tactics," said Adam Weigold, founder and CEO of Lightning Gun Inc.

Weigold hopes to raise $20,000 on the crowd-funding website Kickstarter to get professional editing and marketing for the book's planned release in November. The book's sales would ideally represent one way for Lightning Gun to fund large-scale laser experiments by raising $2 million over the next few years.

More - Link >>> http://news.discovery.com/tech/alternative-power-sources/science-fiction-fund-real-weapon-130115.htm

Sources: TechNewsDaily.com , Discovery Channel News.

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