Will laser blasters ever be possible? - Christopher Baird (Level 1)

Science fiction movies often show lasers as big weapons fighting in space. However, real lasers are very different. A laser is a special kind of light. Light from a normal lamp has many colors and goes in all directions. A laser beam is different because it is very organized. It has only one color and travels in a straight line. This straight line makes lasers very useful. We use them to help doctors fix eyes or to cut wood and plastic. They also help computers read barcodes at the store. Because the light is so straight, it can carry information quickly. Could a laser blow up a spaceship? Probably not. Real lasers have limits. If a laser gets too strong, it creates too much heat and stops working. Also, the air can make the light weak over long distances. Even though they are not like the movies, lasers can still be dangerous. You must be careful because even a small laser pointer can hurt your eyes.