2 mo. ago • 94%

Reflect Orbital sells sunlight at night, but don't trust that fancy video

mashable.com Reflect Orbital sells sunlight at night, but don't trust that fancy video

It's... intriguing.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/19090299

Technology @lemmy.world Now you'll be able to purchase sunlight at night!

28 comments

I don't think this idea will see the light of day.

30
- They can stick that mirror where the sun don’t shine.
  
  10
- Guess I'll die another day.
  
  5
Imagine a malicious person constantly aiming the light at at the house of someone they don’t like. Good thing it doesn’t seem to be feasible any time soon.

23
- "I want a spot, but I want all of my sunlight focused onto a spot about a centimeter across. I'll give you the coordinates."
  
  10
  
  Because the sun is not a point source but a disk half a degree across, you can’t focus the sun tighter than about a 1km spot from a mirror in low earth orbit.
  
  1
- Welp I hate to break it to you, but the Ruskies actually already tried this one back in the 90s, and I’m fairly certain the business idea is based directly on that concept.
  
  7
- In a tent would be even worse.
  
  3
  
  Seems like a lot of planning to get the person you don't like to live in a tent first.
  
  2
So if they over concentrate does this turn into an 'ant in a magnifying glass' situation?

19
- Was thinking the exact same thing. Also if this took off doesn't seem like it would help the global warming situation. "Let's add more energy to our planetary greenhouse!"
  
  9
- Could it be used to break up protests?
  
  9
  
  If by "break up" you mean on a molecular level, then yes.
  
  10
  
  Theoretically, but I don't see protests or riots stopping because of light.. riots happen in the day, too, and the violent ones are going to be masked up so more light won't do anything to reveal their identity
  
  -1
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6EHAjbizss&t=64
  
  1
- Surely not. Mirrors are incapable of destruction. Why that would be dangerous! You could burn crops or boil away water reserves. Surely no corporation would so irresponsible!
  
  0
commoditize sunlight

Absolute ghouls

15
- It's not like they are taking it away from you. Just selling you extra you don't need
  
  4
Isn't light pollution like that just illegal?

Edit: In the US, it is in some states, though not all. Haven't found a source for Europe yet.

https://www.ncsl.org/environment-and-natural-resources/states-shut-out-light-pollution

11
I don't like it when companies mess with the sky. Don't fuck with my stars.

7
FFS, we don't need more sun hitting our planet right now, we need less. Much less. Have the mirror reflect sunlight away from the planet. Then it'd be useful

4
if someone stares directly at it will it hurt their eye?

1

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