Confining a plasma into a cylinder-like shape is not straightforward due to what is called the ‘ hairy ball theorem’, says Felici: imagine a ball covered in long hairs (which are equivalent to the magnetic field lines). If one were to try to comb those hairs down, there will always be at least one spot where the hairs will not lie flat. ‘One of the hairs will always stand up and there is no way to confine the plasma.’ Set also includes several extra pieces including two extra emitter caps and two small side blades. Use one of crossguard cap along with the main blade and side blades to create a Kylo Ren style crossguard lightsaber! Some Lightsaber Forge sets take direct design inspiration from lightsabers in the movies and television series’. Other sets take visual cues from the clothing, armor, or general appearance of Star Wars character. The Lightsaber Forge Anakin Skywalker lightsaber shares a similar color scheme with Anakin Skywalker’s dark Jedi robes during the Clone Wars era. Four small, shield-like pieces give the emitter cap a crown-like appearance. A segmented blue lightsaber blade extends from the top of the hilt. The core features a decorative blue kyber crystal at the top.

In the case of the giant ITER fusion reactor under construction in France the plasma will reach 150 million °C—or ten times the temperature at the core of our Sun—as part of a quest to tap fusion’s potential for a near limitless low-carbon source of energy. Central Solenoid. A tall electromagnet – the central solenoid – is at the heart of the ITER Tokamak. It both initiates plasma current and drives and shapes the plasma during operation. For Felici, the reason these explosive reconnections do not occur, and only a ‘clash, clash, clash’ is heard during lightsaber duels, is obvious: the answer is something to do with that familiar feature of Jedi and Sith life known as ‘The Force.’ Lightsabers have their very own selection ranging in a variety of specifications. They are supposed to be duel capable and can withstand cosplay. Types of Dueling LightsaberVarying plasma temperatures also account for the different lightsaber colours, from blue and green to red and purple, going from red for lower temperatures and blue for higher (though it is possible the colours might also reflect chemical impurities in the plasma, he adds). To wrap the plasma in magnetic fields effectively, the answer is to use the same approach as in nuclear fusion and harness the toroidal shape of a tokamak. Felici believes the plasma in a lightsaber may look cylindrical to the naked eye but in fact consists of an elongated doughnut shape, with a narrow cavity at its core. “From a topological point of view, this would be the same as a tokamak and overcome the hairy ball problem,” he says. To mark Star Wars Day, on May 4, Science Director Roger Highfield discusses this iconic Jedi weapon with Swiss fusion physicist Federico Felici. A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, an epic sci fi space-opera was created by George Lucas, which became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. But how much real science lurks in the fictional worlds of Star Wars? It's worth noting that this is a golden age for Star Wars content new theatrical releases and now hit TV shows like "The Mandalorian" and "Ahsoka" available to stream on Disney Plus. As a result, we're seeing some great merchandise too. This means that the best lightsabers out there offer genuine quality and we've reviewed a lot of the models, so you get an honest in-depth look at them.

A typical Lightsaber Forge set includes four main plastic pieces: an extendable blade, a cap (i.e. blade holder) , a sleeve, and a core. Some double-bladed lightsabers include more pieces. Some sets in the series are electronic and light up and make sound FX. Other sets are non-electronic and don’t light up or makes sound FX. Mix-and-match parts from both electronic and non-electronic sets to create cool mashup designs.The resulting ‘magnetic bottle’ used to confine the plasma in ITER, and many other fusion reactors is called a tokamak, a doughnut-shaped vacuum chamber surrounded by magnetic coils. The main two types of blades are Midgrade and Heavy Grade. Midgrade blades are utilized for bright colors whereas Heavy Grade and the Ultraedge Heavy Grade blades are recommended to anyone who needs a battle-ready lightsaber for anything more lively than light, casual dueling. It is clear that in terms of dueling, the durability and sturdiness of the Heavy Grade (with or without the Ultraedge option) is really the best dueling lightsaber. Moreover, the custom dueling lightsabers allow you to personalize them according to your needs for dueling/combat.

Any dueling grade lightsaber or battle ready lightsaber needs to be both durable and safe if you are going to use it for full combat. You need a sturdy blade that can withstand the clashes in a tense lightsaber duel. Combat ready lightsabers are years ahead of traditional sabers and the many toys found in department and toy stores. These lightsabers are, however, not just a toy but a collector item. An insulating handle would enable a Jedi to safely wield this weapon without anything elaborate, such as the ‘thermal cloaks’ now under development using ‘ metamaterials’ or heat pumps. The Red lightsaber is unquestionably associated with the Sith. Since they are unable to forge the unseen bond, they have to steal their Kybers or employ other methods to build their lightsabers.

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More importantly, this iteration of Vader’s iconic red saber is based on his appearance in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, meaning it reflects all the small tweaks and updates done to the design for the latest on-screen duels between Vader and Kenobi. For the ones inspired by existing designs, I did google image searches to get an idea of the main features and then made simplified versions that tried to capture the likenesses. Hasbro first launched the Lightsaber Forge product line in 2021. As of October 2022, there are 13 Lightsaber Forge lightsabers in the product line. Let’s explore all 13 lightsabers in the Hasbro Star Wars Lightsaber Forge series. Some corners have definitely been cut, but it’s overall way above the competition, and the weathering effect on the hilt – the sands of Tatooine aren’t kind to anything – adds a nice and unique touch that perfectly represents Obi-Wan’s eroded state in the series. It’s hard to fully capture all the little, movie-accurate features of a lightsaber, but Hasbro ain’t joking with their Force FX Elite line. It’s still on the expensive side for a kids’ toy, and those small parts could go missing if they’re not looked after, but this is a breath of fresh air from the pop-up toys or solid blades often seen on the shelves. You can also use them with other lightsabers in the Bladebuilders range, giving you a spectrum of customization.