INVERSE
The car-sized laser can shoot up to 1,000 pulses per second.
LAST YEAR MARKED the 270th anniversary of Benjamin Franklin’s lightning rod — but it’s more than a relic of history. The Franklin rod remains in use today because the simple design exploits some powerful physics: A tall metal rod lures in lightning and chunky wires dissipate the storm’s energy into the earth, sparing humans and surrounding structures.
But thanks to recent physics breakthroughs, a wild new technology could end the rod’s lightning safety monopoly.
Max G. Levy 