# Are scalar weapons for real? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 4, 2003, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879 "2003-08-04T12:50:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/261 "2003-08-22T18:41:22Z")
Well… I guess we’re done here. ---
**Author:** ![VernWinterbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c67d28/32.png) [@VernWinterbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VernWinterbottom)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/262 "2003-08-22T19:04:00Z")
And so, **zhlf210** , I hope that we’ve answered your question. PS: The lobster was great. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/263 "2003-08-22T19:18:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by VernWinterbottom \* > \*\* > PS: The lobster was great. \*\* It _should_ be! It was cooked with a 1920’s style…a 1920’s style…a 1920’s style somthing or other…hmmm…😕 :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Chicago\_Faucet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chicago_faucet/32/13910_2.png) [@Chicago\_Faucet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicago_Faucet)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/264 "2003-08-22T23:46:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Michael Ellis \* > \*\*Ah, they’re 1920’s style “Death Rays”. \*\* Cite please? Oh, shoot (excuse the pun). Here we go again… :smack: ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/265 "2003-08-23T01:10:04Z")
EMP or Electro Magnetic Pulse devices are intended to produce an emp that is capable of shutting down a small electronic/electrical device to a large output capable of destroying all of the electronic/electrical devices over a widespread area. The atom and hydrogen bombs also produce an EMP of LARGE size and destructive capability. An acquaintance claims to have built one, albeit small, that destroyed a small electric motor. He declined to build one for me to test out. ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/266 "2003-08-23T02:27:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jr8 \* > \*\*[Ed](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=205809), apparently. And this should come as no surprise; after all, there was a period in the 1940’s when the name **Zotti** was synonymous with quality Death Rays (“Zap 'em with a Zotti!”). \*\* True. The Zotti Death Ray Company was formed in 1939, in Chicago, by distant relatives of our Ed. In 1949, it combined with several other firms to form Consolidated Death Rays. This, sadly, was forced to shut down in early 1965, when its’ mail-ordering abilities were banned as part of the Lindsay Act. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/267 "2003-08-23T06:45:18Z")
Ah, they’re 1920’s style “Death Rays”. ---
**Author:** ![Homer\_J.Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a698b9/32.png) [@Homer\_J.Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer_J.Simpson)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/268 "2003-08-23T06:59:40Z")
Will it take a 1920’s style death ray to close this thread? ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/269 "2003-08-23T10:24:48Z")
Apparently. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/270 "2003-08-23T15:54:39Z")
Is this the Longest Hijack™ that’s been allowed in GQ? Is the advanced weaponry (by 1920s standards) keeping the Closing Mods™ away? Will Batman escape a Near Certain Doom™? Only one of the above questions is The Serious One™. Guess which. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/271 "2003-08-23T15:59:28Z")
The last post makes me want to start a “Batman vs. 1920’s Death Ray.” ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/272 "2003-08-23T16:28:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Annie-Xmas \* > \*\*The last post makes me want to start a “Batman vs. 1920’s Death Ray.” \*\* 1920’s Death Ray. Easy. Batman is a puss. ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/273 "2003-08-23T16:40:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by paperbackwriter \* > \*\* For a more modern look, I know that MU keeps several copies of the historical works the **Governor Quinn** referred to above. \*\* Well, I might as well warn you about one thing. Many of these works are long out-of-print, and are difficult to access (I could only find some of my information from reprints elsewhere.) However, if you want a full history, I’d recommend the “Textbook on Death Ray History”, which includes a huge amount of information, from the giants in the field (Servo, Morteson, Marshall, Golden, DiMattero (the best chronicaller of the Electro Company), Haugh, Maddox (an important expert of 20’s death rays), Carlin, Hammerstein, et al.). Most good colleges should have a few copies of it. (BTW, make sure you have the 1997 edition. The 1988 edition doesn’t have the Servo, Haugh, or Golden material.) ---
**Author:** ![Super\_Gnat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Super\_Gnat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Gnat)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/274 "2003-08-24T02:05:12Z")
You’d think the Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Moderator would have been by to close the thread by now _shrug_. ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/275 "2003-08-24T14:59:04Z")
They like this too much to want to close it, appearantly. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/276 "2003-08-24T17:05:39Z")
They probably feel intimidated. Those 1920s style death rays can really ruin your day. ---
**Author:** ![frixxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@frixxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frixxxx)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/277 "2003-08-24T17:43:51Z")
The marketing alone on this thread has boosted my sales of 1920’s style death-ray.com😃 ---
**Author:** ![frixxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@frixxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frixxxx)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/278 "2003-08-24T17:45:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by frixxxx \* > \*\*The marketing alone on this thread has boosted my sales of 1920’s style death-ray.com😃 \*\* oops…[http://death-ray.com](http://death-ray.com) :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/279 "2003-08-24T21:19:04Z")
Just when you thought this thread was dead: Photographic evidence that the Smithsonian Museum was once home to a massive death ray! [http://americanhistory.si.edu/scienceservice/exhibit7.htm](http://americanhistory.si.edu/scienceservice/exhibit7.htm) :eek: ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/280 "2003-08-24T22:20:37Z")
**frixxxx** : 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879.md?page=15)