War is arguably the worst trait of humanity, and it’s one that we’ve been indulging in for hundreds of thousands of years in one form or another. Today’s conflicts are far different compared to what they once were, where we now simply use the very latest technology to ensure a swift and decisive victory over our enemies.
In fact, much of the technology that we use on a day-to-day basis in the modern era was inspired and invented during the Second World War, where it was more necessary than ever to win the fight. It’s a theme that has continued on almost a century later, and which has given rise to tech that seems like it came straight out of the future.
The Railgun
Once only found in science fiction, the railgun has been given a lot of attention by militaries around the world, but most specifically by the United States. Where a normal artillery shell would be fired out using explosive force to propel the shell forward, a railgun instead makes use of magnetic fields to push a tungsten rod out at incredible speeds. Tungsten, being the hardest synthetic material known to man, makes for the perfect ammunition for a railgun, and it’s speculated that a large enough rod could cause the same devastation as a nuclear weapon, minus the fallout.
Sonic Weaponry
While it can hurt our ears to be too close to a loud source of noise, we might think that the worst we can get is a ringing that goes away for a few hours. Noise, however, can and has been successfully weaponised across the world, from the United States to China. Amplified to the right level, sound can cause serious damage to the human body, causing permanent hearing loss, and even death.
Quantum Stealth
Currently in development by the US Military, quantum stealth is a method of bending light around an object, turning it virtually invisible to the naked eye, similarly to the Predator’s invisibility tech that entranced audiences at the time. It’s still very much in testing phases, but the eventual hope is that soldiers will be able to enter enemy territory without being seen, although its military applications are almost endless, although it wouldn’t be much use when playing online casino gambling in Nigeria.
Unmanned Vehicles
Unmanned vehicles aren’t a new concept by any means, any militaries around the world have been deploying them on a regular basis; sometimes for war, but usually for stealth missions. But a new generation of unmanned vehicle is currently on the horizon, one that will not be guided by a human, but rather by artificial intelligence. These will be vehicles that have the ability to make decisions on the fly using the information available.
Active Denial System
A non-lethal method of dispersing disruptive crowds, the Active Denial System works by sending out electromagnetic pulses that cause a burning sensation on a person’s skin without doing any permanent damage. It’s an effective way of chasing away as many people as possible without any casualties.