h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hello there.

You mentioned plasma weapons earlier. Id like to point out a few things about plasma. As i'm sure you are aware, plasma is the fourth state of matter after gas. It is formed when you heat a gas to such a temperature that the atoms themselves break down and the electrons fuse together. The result is an incredibly sticky hot bunch of electrons, which would set most things alight in a considerable number of miles. Think of napalm at 10,000 degrees C. The best place to see plasma is by looking at the sun. Though many scientists and doctors disagree with me, I have looked at it many times nad have no adverse visionary affects, though perhaps you should ask me again in 50 years...

Anyway, due to plasma being so darn hot, its rediculously difficult to put into a weapon. There might be a few methods. It would first have to be hovered in a vacuum, then probably kept under such gravitational pressures that the use of antigravity might be necessary. There is also the cooling process to be considered. Even in a vacuum, you might get stray clumps of plasma spitting out and literally just flying through the casing, making a hole as it goes.

In short. Plasma weapons seem to be a product that may have to be confined to science fiction.