Physics: Mirrors and lasers.

Mirrors are not perfect tho DrR. That’s the thing.

Mirrors are not ‘perfect’ nor do all lasers burn things. For a laser to burn a mirror you need a mirror with a relatively low reflectivity and a 3W laser.
For those interested, the problem with ‘perfect’ mirrors is when you build up the mirror layers the individual layers are put under stress causing curving of the mirror face….as i am finding out at the moment!

So I was thinking – can you reflect light with some other kind of field other than a physical sheet of solid?

Perhaps a plasma contained within a flat magnetic field would reflect light?

Pretty sure you can design a matrix of electric field etc to reflect light. For example I think they designed one with a negative reflective index a few years ago?

Edit: linky

But photons have no charge, so how would they bend in an electric field?

EDIT: Oh the optical properties are refractive.. I see… Still vulnerable to vapourisation tho?

we could build one and find out!

What mirror for moorland riding?

Forget the Enterprise vs Star Destroyer nerdfest…

Fight Club!

Sharks with frikkin’ lazors (sic) vs Dolphins equipped with seamines

Who would win? And why?