KISSING STYLE IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES: HOW WAS YOUR FIRST KISS?

 

 

KISSING STYLE IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES: HOW WAS YOUR FIRST KISS? 

The footage shows couples in North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Africa exchanging tender - and sometimes sensual - kisses while standing in their home cities. +12 Real romance: A new video from Cut.com sees couples around the world locking lips in different ways. The clip begins with Gathigi and Lauren in Seattle, Washington +12 True love: The next location in New Delhi in India, where Hanut and Savera are seen kissing on a crowded street The clip begins in Blaine's hometown of Seattle, Washington, with Gathigi and Lauren smooching in the middle of the street. While his hands are rested on her hips, she has her arms flung around his neck as they brush lips. Next, Hanut and Savera are seen French kissing in a bustling area of New Dehli, India. Although dozens of people surround them, they hold hands as they kiss deeply. In Toyko, Japan, Tony holds an umbrella as he gives his partner Alyssa a few pecks on the lips, but they both release a few giggles during their public exchange. +12 Romance in France: Standing in the middle of a small street in Paris, Alexis and Stephanie lock lips +12 Heading down under: In Adelaide, Australia, things take a turn for the rural, with Caroline and Sam sharing a quick kiss in a field on what looks to be a farm   Take two: Wangchao and Wuweiwei, from Shanghai, China, share two intimate kisses, the first on the forehead and the second on the lips Meanwhile, Caroline and Sam kiss passionately, surrounded by the countryside in Adelaide, Australia. During their embrace, she has her hand in his jacket pocket, while he cups her back, keeping his free hand in his back pocket. When Wangchao gives his partner Wuweiwei a modest kiss on the forehead in Shanghai, China, someone behind the camera lens yells for him to kiss her on the lips. While he is timid at first, the intimate gesture causes her foot to pop off the ground - just like in the movies. +12 Viva l'Italia! Lorenzo and Francesca, from Rome, are anything but camera shy as they enjoy a deep kiss +12 Something sweet: Karan couldn't help but burst into a fit of giggles after her partner Pawinee puckered up to kiss her on the forehead +12 Lean in: When the cameras cut to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, Yordanos goes in to kiss his partner Beza's neck, rather than her lips However, Lorenzo and Francesca are far from shy as they kiss deeply on a cobbled street in Rome, Italy. As they kiss, she keeps her eyes slightly open, while he pulls her close. In Bangkok, Thailand, Karan erupts into a fit of giggles after Pawinee gives her an innocent kiss on the forehead, and unsurprisingly, Alexis and Stephanie partake in quick French kiss in Paris, France. Meanwhile, Yordanos bypasses his partner Beza's lips all together in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and nuzzles her neck instead. Things get hot and heavy between Fabian and Nadine in Bogota, Colombia, as they share a series of enthusiastic open-mouthed kisses. +12 Passionate embrace: In Bogota, Colombia, Fabian and Nadine struggle to keep their hands off each other +12 Locked lips: The couple from Berlin, Germany, were more than happy to share their kissing expertise with the Cut.com cameras +12 Back to where it all began: Having kicked off the clip in Seattle, the Cut.com producers end their video in the same city, with Brit and Nina sharing a passionate kiss in front of their baby son And while one couple in Berlin, Germany, hold each other's waists during their smooch session, Brit and Nina share a passionate kiss in Seattle while holding their toddler son.     From nervous laughter to a passionate kiss: What happens when you lock lips with a girl on your first date. Almost  strangers looking for love. A first kiss is an intimate and sometimes nerve-wracking moment for any two people, but what happens if they have never met each other before? That's the theme that Los Angeles-based filmmaker Tatia Pilieva explores in her new video First Kiss, in which she asks 20 complete strangers to lock lips on screen - with some surprising results. While most of the participants laugh nervously to fill the awkward silences before their kiss, many of them become passionately lost in the moment when they finally lean in. Scroll down for video +15 Intimate moment: In Los Angeles-based filmmaker Tatia Pilieva's new video First Kiss, 20 complete strangers lock lips on screen - with some surprising results +15 Intense chemistry: While some of the participants laugh nervously to fill the awkward silences, many of them become passionately lost in the moment when they finally lean in The heartwarming video, which was made as an advertisement for clothing company Wren Studio, has already amassed more than 2.5million views. In the beginning of the film, each of the couples is introduced to each other and they giggle apprehensively as they prepare to take part in the experiment. 'Do we just do this any time?' a woman asks the camera crew as she and the man she's been paired up with look at each other with curious interest. They both can't help but break into laughter as they are told to kiss whenever they're ready. Viral: The heartwarming video, which was posted on Monday, has already amassed more than 2.5million views   Breaking the ice: In one segment, two women giggle awkwardly as they face each other. One asks the filmmaker jokingly, 'Can you turn off the lights?' before they ultimately kiss tenderly In another segment, two women giggle awkwardly as they face each other. One asks the filmmaker jokingly, 'Can you turn off the lights?' causing the other to laugh even more. One of the pairs attempts to go the traditional route and shakes hands when they meet each other, and the man can help but joke: 'Shall we make out?' But the tone changes dramatically when the couples finally kiss, some of them discovering that they share an intense chemistry.   Getting to know you: One pair begins by holding hands lightly with their foreheads together +15 Strong connection: When they lock lips, they let go, wrapping their arms around each other A man in a white T-shirt and grey beanie hat, for instance, appears very involved in kissing the blonde woman he has been paired up with. Indeed, the two begin by holding hands lightly with their foreheads together before locking lips, with her wrapping her arms around his waist while he puts his hands lovingly on her face. Another duo smiles as they kiss, holding each other tenderly and embracing the moment. +15 Formal greeting: One man attempts to go the traditional route and shakes hands when her meets the woman he's been paired up with +15 Subtle request: The man can't help but joke: 'Shall we make out?' causing them both to giggle +15 Dropping the act: But the tone changes dramatically when they finally kiss, seemingly discovering that they have an intense chemistry Ms Pilieva told Harper's Bazaar that it was difficult to make the video, not least because of all the awkward silences - but that these ended up being some of the best parts. 'I've directed a few sex scenes before - this was a lot harder,' she revealed. 'My first instinct was to call "cut" the moment people finished kissing but I painfully made myself wait and allowed the moments to breathe. +15 Uncomfortable moments: Ms Pilieva told Harper's Bazaar that it was difficult to make the video, not least because of all the awkward silences - but these actually ended up being some of the best parts +15 Letting it happen: 'My first instinct was to call "cut" the moment people finished kissing but I painfully made myself wait and allowed the moments to breathe. The most beautiful moments took place when nothing was happening,' she said +15 Positive feedback: One viewer said of the video: 'Lovely. It's wonderful how lips meeting can make two strangers become one just for a few minutes' 'The most beautiful moments took place when nothing was happening,' she added. The video has attracted a lot of attention, with many viewers commenting on it on YouTube. 'That is awesome in its own beautiful, awkward way,' wrote one fan. Another said: 'Lovely. It's wonderful how lips meeting can make two strangers become one just for a few minutes.' WATCH: What happens when strangers kiss

Lonely people have less activity in a part of the brain that normally lights up in association with reward, scientists have found. It's not clear if social isolation diminishes the brain-reward response, however, or if people with less activity in that part of the brain tend toward loneliness. More research will be need to sort out the findings, which come from a study of just 23 female college students. But the finding offers hope that scientists may improve their understanding of loneliness, a growing emotional problem in an increasingly scattered society and one known to raise the risks of several health problems. The subjects were surveyed with standard questions to determine who felt socially isolated, or lonely, vs. those who did not. They then underwent fMRI brain scans while looking at photos of people enjoying themselves. The ventral striatum — a region of the brain known from other research to light up in association with rewards such as food and money — was much less activated in the lonely group. "Given their feelings of social isolation, lonely individuals may be left to find relative comfort in nonsocial rewards," said John Cacioppo, aprofessor of psychology at the University of Chicago. Growing problem About one if five Americans experience loneliness, Cacioppo said. And it is a growing problem in modern society in part because the average household size is decreasing. By 2010, 31 million Americans — roughly 10 percent of the population — will live alone, Cacioppo and his colleagues say. Previous work has suggested it can be as detrimental to health as smoking, Cacioppo said. In his book, "Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection" (W.W. Norton, 2008), he presented evidence that loneliness is related to less blood flow through the body, poorer immune systems, increased levels of depression and a faster progression of Alzheimer's disease. A 2006 study by a different research team, of people age 50 to 68, found that those who scored highest on measures of loneliness also had higher blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease. The potentially deadly health effect of loneliness accumulates gradually and faster as you get older, that study found. Although loneliness may be influence brain activity, the research also suggests that activity in the ventral striatum may prompt feelings of loneliness, said Cacioppo's colleague Jean Decety, a professor of psychology and psychiatry at the university. "The study raises the intriguing possibility that loneliness may result from reduced reward-related activity in the ventral striatum in response to social rewards," Decety said. The results are published in the current issue of the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. Cacioppo presented the findings today at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, in Chicago. What to do In his 2008 book, Cacioppo and co-author William Patrick, former science editor at Harvard University Press, argue that loneliness creates a feedback loop that reinforces social anxiety, fear and other negative feelings. Getting out of the loop requires first recognizing it and overcoming the fear related with connecting with others. "The process begins in rediscovering those positive, physiological sensations that come during the simplest moments of human contact," Patrick said. "But that means overcoming the fear and reaching out." "Lonely people feel a hunger," Cacioppo added. "The key is to realize that the solution lies not in being fed, but in cooking for and enjoying a meal with others." Are you lonesome tonight, Do you miss me tonight? Are you sorry we drifted apart? Does your memory stray to a brighter sunny day When I kissed you and called you sweetheart? Do the chairs in your parlor seem empty and bare? Do you gaze at your doorstep and picture me there? Is your heart filled with pain, shall I come back again? Tell me dear, are you lonesome tonight? I wonder if youre lonesome tonight You know someone said that the worlds a stage And each must play a part. Fate had me playing in love you as my sweet heart. Act one was when we met, I loved you at first glance You read your line so cleverly and never missed a cue Then came act two, you seemed to change and you acted strange And why Ill never know. Honey, you lied when you said you loved me And I had no cause to doubt you. But Id rather go on hearing your lies Than go on living without you. Now the stage is bare and Im standing there With emptiness all around And if you wont come back to me Then make them bring the curtain down. Is your heart filled with pain, shall I come back again? Tell me dear, are you lonesome tonight? Can't buy me love: Lonely people   Mistakes Lonely People Often Make Once someone has become socially isolated and down about it, there are some common traps they can fall into which maintain their loneliness: They hide from the world because they're embarrassed about being lonely and having no life. People who you don't live with really can't tell all that well how much of a social life you have or not. More than that, even if they do have a hunch that you may not be up to all that much on the weekends, they likely don't judge you all that negatively for it. Of course hiding like this is counterproductive because if you want to start getting a social life together, you have to begin putting yourself out there. Lonely people can also hide in the sense that they're really guarded about revealing anything about themselves, because someone might catch on to how little they have going on in their lives. Doing this can prevent new relationships from getting off the ground. A lonely person may 'save face' by avoiding a potential new friend, rather than have to reveal they don't have a ton of buddies at the moment. The alternative is to be more casual and straightforward about the fact that your social life is lacking at the moment. It's actually something that can happen to anyone from time to time. If the topic comes up, you can just say something like, "I've been working too much lately. I've got to start going out more" or "Ha ha, I think I'm in a bit of a social rut at the moment. I fell out of touch with some old friends, and really should start meeting some new people."  They become experts at distracting themselves from their loneliness. It's relatively easy to occupy spare hours in front of a TV, computer, or video game console. Some people even use alcohol or dope to take the edge off. People can also get good at structuring the times they do routine errands, so it almost feels like they're busy and have things going on in their life. Obviously this doesn't do anything to fix the underlying problem. They get too comfortable in their rut When your social life isn't where you want it to be you can find yourself in a situation where you wish it was better, but at the same time you're used to things how they are now. Like the point above mentions, maybe you've gotten really good at filling your time with things that are a half-decent substitute for socializing. Being comfortable like this can be insidious in that on some level you want to improve your situation, but you're not feeling enough of a push to really go after it. It's easier to stay in for another weekend. They expect other people take all the initiative in inviting them out. Sometimes you'll meet someone you get along with and they'll make all the effort of getting your contact information and inviting you out with them, but often this doesn't happen. People are usually pretty busy and already have social lives of their own. They're often on a kind of auto-pilot where they won't think of you as a potential buddy unless you get them thinking that way. Showing an interest in spending time with them is one way you can do that. By waiting for them to extend you an invitation, and doing nothing to put yourself on the line, you may have been unwittingly implying that you weren't interested in hanging out with them. Also, lonely people can have the mindset where they see whether they're invited out or not as a gauge of how much people like them. If someone doesn't invite them out they take it as a sign that the other person doesn't want to spend time with them. Like I said above, it's more a question of whether you're on someone's radar as a person they could potentially hang out with. Also, people tend to differ in how often they invite people to do things. Some are really friendly, organizer types. Others figure out what the rest of the group is doing and ask if they can come along (or it's just implied they can come). Others are more passive still. It's possible the other person could be waiting for you to invite them out. Inviting people out and making plans is also a bit of a pain. You can't always leave the work in the other person's hands. Your friends shouldn't always have to be the ones to pick up the phone and think of something to do when they want to hang out with you. Ideally you each pull your own weight. A final mistake is thinking that inviting someone to do something makes you look weak, desperate, or 'one down'. Don't worry about who invites who to do what and what it all means. If you want to get a circle of friends together assume you have to do all the work to make it happen. See: How To Make Friends And Get A Social Life. They think they have to be super likable to have friends. Pretty much anyone can have friends if they want to. More often than you'd think you just have to be pleasant, non-annoying company: A buddy to shoot pool with, someone to play video games against, someone to go drinking with, someone to talk to about a common interest. Even an annoying person who makes an effort to be social and make plans with people will often have friends. They actually aren't that interested in hanging around people This isn't exactly a "mistake", but it can stymie someone's ability to establish relationships all the same. People who become lonely may be more shy and anxious in the first place or not have as much of a built-in need to be social. They may also have been ostracized in one form or another when they were growing up, leaving them a bit bitter and weary towards other people. They may feel the painful effects of loneliness and isolation and want to escape them, but at the same time they're not 100% keen on being around other people. This can get them stuck in a pattern where sometimes they'll feel lonely enough that they make initial steps to get a social life going, but then they don't quite have the motivation to follow through on them. They have a negative attitude towards people Studies have shown that lonely people tend to be more cynical and negative about other people. This could be a cause or effect of being lonely, or both. In practice this manifests in a picky, superior, or snobby attitude. It may be an over compensation for insecurity, anxiety, or low self-esteem. It may also have routes in somewhat justified feelings of being different, left-out, and alienated. A past of social experiences that haven't gone well may also have left a lonely person feeling jaded about other people.       An Italian spin of the First Kiss video that went viral has been released - and proves to be much more passionate than the original. The original First Kiss video, produced by LA-based fashion line Wren, shows 20 strangers making out for the first time. Attracting millions of YouTube views, First Kiss’s participants were mostly models, actors, and model-esque musicians. Scroll down for video An Italian spin of the First Kiss video that went vial has been released - and proves to be much more passionate than the original When the creators of the video discovered 'those strangers were in fact actors playing a part for the cameras in a studio' they said they felt cheated They decided to make their own version with strangers in the street When the creators of the Italian version discovered 'those strangers were in fact actors playing a part for the cameras in a studio' they said they felt 'cheated' and decided to make their own version in Italy. They went out in the streets and asked total strangers - male and female - to have a kiss on camera. Although many participants looked sheepish at first, one couple then became so involved that they stopped, looked at each other, and then started again. When many of the pairs broke apart they looked slightly embarrassed at getting caught up in the moment of passion.   They went out in the streets and asked total strangers to have a kiss on camera   One couple became so involved that they stopped and then started again 'We took to the streets and told random people we bumped into about this video, and how it broke our hearts,' said the creators On their website the creators wrote: 'By now you must have seen 'First Kiss' from Tatia Pilieva, and many of you probably felt cheated when you found out that those strangers were in fact actors playing a part for the cameras in a studio. 'This broke my heart so much that I just couldn't help it. I called four friends that didn't know each other, and on Friday the 14th, instead of going to work, we all went downtown. 'We took to the streets and told random people we bumped into about this video, and how it broke our hearts. We asked them to take up a needle and thread to help us mend it with real kisses. 'This video is the result of that day. It left us exhausted, shaking, tired, and in love with life like never before.' Origina: In Los Angeles-based filmmaker Tatia Pilieva's video First Kiss, 20 complete strangers lock lips on screen, but they are models and this news disappointed the film makers

Armoured off-roader is capable of withstanding blasts from ballistic missiles:The Death Star weapon is here! equal to 1,000 times the planet's power consumption

 

 

 

 

 

'Marauder' can smash through walls, survive land mines and comes fitted with anti-ballistic armour as standard Armoured off-roader is capable of withstanding blasts from ballistic missiles and can smash through brick walls Manufacturers have received thousands of enquiries from members of the public eager to buy one of the Marauders The military vehicle is fitted with a six cylinder turbo diesel engine and can hit top speeds of up to 75mph on road An armoured off-roader capable of withstanding blasts from ballistic missiles and smashing through walls has been pictured roaring through a testing facility. The Marauder, described as being the world's most unstoppable vehicle, was put through its paces near Pretoria in South Africa. With its six cylinder turbo diesel engine, the armoured car can hit speeds of up to 75mph on road, and is strong enough to survive a land mine explosion. Scroll down for video +10 Unstoppable: The Marauder, described as being the world's most unstoppable vehicle, was put through its paces near Pretoria in South Africa +10 Making a splash: With its six cylinder turbo diesel engine, the armoured car can hit speeds of up to 75mph on road, and is strong enough to survive a land mine explosion +10 Raw power: The Marauder is so strong it can smash through brick walls at high speeds. It is pictured at a testing facility in South Africa +10 Strong line-up: The Paramount Group, who make the vehicle, have received thousands of enquiries from members of the public eager to buy one of the Marauders The military vehicle makes light work of rough terrain, despite weighing up to 20 tons when fully kitted-out with protective casing. The Paramount Group, who make the vehicle, have received thousands of enquiries from members of the public eager to buy one of the Marauders -  but the company only sells them to governments. Nico de Klerk from the Paramount Group said: 'It is a clean sheet design, one of the world's most advanced and modern armoured vehicles, it has very high levels of protection as standard against land mines and ballistic attacks. 'Only sovereign governments can purchase the vehicles. Also only governments that are approved by the South African government and the UN. Marauder: The off-roader capable of withstanding LAND MINES Duration Time1:24 Fullscreen   +10 The military vehicle makes light work of rough terrain, despite weighing up to 20 tons when fully kitted-out with protective casing +10 No barriers: The Marauder is pictured making light work of a wall at the test centre outside Pretoria in South Africa +10 The 20 ton marauder was originally developed for peacekeeping and reconnaissance missions by its makers Paramount Group THE MARAUDER: SPECIFICATIONS Weight: 20 tons Top speed: 75mph Capacity: eight troops Launch: 2007 Range: 435 miles Engine: 6-Cylinder Turbo-Diesel Protection: Double-skinned anti-mine armour 'It is by far the world's most iconic armoured vehicle.' Footage shot at testing facilities in South Africa shows the Marauder smashing through walls and withstanding an explosion from below. The Marauder is also filmed driving through water and tackling muddy hills. It was originally developed for peacekeeping and reconnaissance missions. The vehicle holds a crew of two in the front with space for eight fully equipped troops in the back. The tough and versatile Marauder has become one of the best-known armoured vehicles in the world since its launch in 2007. It was filmed being put through its paces at the Gerotek testing facility outside Pretoria, and the Paramount Group's very own Battle Creek facility near Rustenburg. +10 Ready for action: The tough and versatile Marauder has become one of the best-known armoured vehicles in the world since its launch in 2007 +10 The military vehicle carries eight fully equipped troops, a driver and a commander and can travel at speeds of up to 75mph - despite its size +10 Paramount Group says only sovereign governments can purchase the vehicles - even though the company gets plenty of interest from members of the public Watch Boeing test radical new 'silent strike' laser weapon small enough to fit in a suitcase but powerful enough to blast a drone out of the air Compact Laser Weapon System can track and attack moving aerial targets Can shoot down incoming artillery rounds, low-flying aircraft and drones Tests showed laser burning holes in front fairing of moving drone Boeing has revealed a radical new laser weapon small enough to fit into a suitcase - but poweful enough to blast a drone out of the sky. The company's new Compact Laser Weapon System (LWS) breaks down into four parts, each transportable by one or two Marines. It can be assembled in 15 minutes, and then destroy targets from up to 22 miles away with an an energy beam of up to 10 kilowatts. Scroll down for video +7 The Compact Laser Weapon System can be assembled in 15 minutes, and then destroy targets from up to 22 miles away with an an energy beam of up to 10 kilowatts. WHAT IT CAN DO LWS is designed specifically to track and attack moving aerial targets such as incoming artillery rounds, and low-flying aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles. The weapon can be be assembled in just 15 minutes, LWS is capable of generating an energy beam of up to 2 kilowatts. Depending on the power level, be used to acquire, track, and identify a target - or even destroy it - at ranges of at least 22 miles. 'Silent, invisible and precise—Boeing's Compact Laser Weapons System harnesses directed energy on its targets,' the firm boasts. The system recently reached a milestone at an exercise at Point Mugu, Calif. by tracking and disabling a moving, untethered unmanned aerial vehicle. It works by focussing a laser. 'Think of it like a welding torch being put on a target - but from hundreds of metres away,' said Isaac Neil of Boeing. 'Once we turned the laser on, it was about 15 seconds until the drone was disabled. If you were on the receiving end, you'd have no idea where it was coming from or what was happening.' The weapons is a much smaller, significantly more portable version of the High Energy Laser Mobile Demonstrator (HEL MD) Boeing revealed last year. The weapon can be be assembled in just 15 minutes, LWS is capable of generating an energy beam of up to 10 kilowatts that can, depending on the power level, be used to acquire, track, and identify a target - or even destroy it - at ranges of at least 22 miles. +7 Software automatically tracks the craft, before firing a sustained laser beam at it +7 Onboard cameras captured the fire onboard caused by the laser, causing it to crash The latest test saw the laser taking out a tethered drone (right) It is designed specifically to track and attack moving aerial targets such as incoming artillery rounds, and low-flying aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles. U.S. Special Operations forces are currently testing LWS, with 'multiple' branches of the U.S. military expressing interest. Boeing's new compact laser brings down drones It breaks down into four parts, each transportable by one or two Marines. In total, the system weighs about 650 pounds and would probably be operated by a squad of eight to 12 soldiers or Marines. It has been designed to be the 'smaller brother'  of Boeings weapon dubbed a 'death ray on wheels'. Boeing's 10 kilowatt laser can down a drone using an array of hi-tech sensors. And makers Boeing have even proved it can battle the weather - by tracking and firing through fog, wind and rain in its latest test. +7 Software was able to track and destroy the craft The truck-mounted weapon, known as the High Energy Laser Mobile Demonstrator (HEL MD), gives a hint at what a weapon of the future could look like. Using an invisible laser beam to exact targets, the rounds are capable of taking down drones from the sky and even missiles. The device was equipped with a 10-kilowatt solid state laser and a radar system mounted atop a heavy truck at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. +7 The Compact Laser Weapon System can be assembled in 15 minutes, and then destroy targets from up to 22 miles away with an an energy beam of up to 10 kilowatts. 'Under windy, rainy and foggy weather conditions in Florida, these engagements were the most challenging to date with a 10-kilowatt laser on HEL MD,' said Dave DeYoung, Boeing Directed Energy Systems director. 'As proven at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico in 2013 and at Eglin Air Force Base this spring, HEL MD is reliable and capable of consistently acquiring, tracking and engaging a variety of targets in different environments, demonstrating the potential military utility of directed energy systems.' +7 Boeing's 10 kilowatt laser can down a drone using an array of hi-tech sensors - and is about to get a massive power boost HOW IT WORKS The laser makes an incredibly powerful, highly focused beam of light and aims it at a moving target. The lithium ion batteries that power the HEL MD's laser are charged by a 60 kW diesel generator, so if the Army can keep the fuel tank full, they can shoot down incoming threats indefinitely. The system uses a telescope and infrared-based, wide field of view camera to locate and designate targets. Boeing has designed the system to be operated by a driver and an operator with a laptop and an Xbox controller. Light speed: This artist's impression shows how the team behind the new weapon imagine it will work in practice In these recent demonstrations, HEL MD used a 10-kilowatt, high energy laser installed on an Oshkosh tactical military vehicle. The demonstrator is the first mobile, high-energy laser, counter rocket, artillery and mortar (C-RAM) platform to be built and demonstrated by the U.S. Army. 'With capabilities like HEL MD, Boeing is demonstrating that directed energy technologies can augment existing kinetic strike weapons and offer a significant reduction in cost per engagement,' said DeYoung. 'With only the cost of diesel fuel, the laser system can fire repeatedly without expending valuable munitions or additional manpower.' Throughout the two series of demonstrations, Boeing achieved all performance objectives on schedule, successfully engaging more than 150 aerial targets including 60 mm mortars and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The next step will be to install a 50 or 60-kilowatt laser on HEL MD to demonstrate counter RAM and UAV capability at this tactically significant power level. During previous tests a 'quarter-sized' invisible laser beam successfully targeted and destroyed more than 90 incoming mortar rounds and six to seven unmanned drones. Mortars are  common battlefield weapons that are hard to protect against because they can be fired from short distances. The mortars used in the test were standard 60 millimeter rounds – the length of a football — fired from a distance of less than two kilometers in salvos of two to three mortar rounds each.  The laser's success rate against incoming mortar shells indicates that battlefield protection from the small explosive rounds could be possible in a few years. Boeing's new laser brings down drones despite small size Army video of the laser tests shows the laser targeting the mortar so that it burns up in mid-air and does not explode when it completes its trajectory.  'We turn it into a rock, basically,' said Bauer. Large test drones flying five kilometers from the laser system came to crash into the New Mexico desert by aiming the laser at the tail of the unmanned aircraft.  +7 The latest test, carried out in Florida, saw the weapon used in fog, rain and wind - and it performed perfectly. An infrared camera on the video captured how a small dot of light on the tail slowly grew in intensity, forcing the craft to lose navigational control. The laser can also be used for less offensive purposes by dialing back its intensity to blind sensors aboard the drones. Plans call for shrinking the size of the laser system while also boosting its strength to 50 kilowatts, and ultimately 100 kilowatts.  Shrinking its size will make it easier to mount on more mobile vehicles that can be used on the battlefield.

Military bosses reveal the $400,000 vehicle that will replace the Humvee: JTLV has as much armour as a tank yet can outrun a jeep DoD awarded Joint Light Tactical Vehicle contract to Oshkosh Defense $6.7 billion contract is expected to support thousands of jobs Army and Marine Corps plan to buy as many as 55,000 JLTVs by 2040 Provides more protection against roadside bombs and mines It is set to become a common sight on battlefields around the world. Wisconsin-based Oshkosh has won a major contract Tuesday to build a new combat vehicle to replace a large share of the U.S. military's Humvee troop carriers. The Department of Defense awarded the $6.7 billion contract, and the Army and Marine Corps plan to buy as many as 55,000 JLTVs by 2040. The vehicle is also currently being evaluated by UK military bosses Scroll down for video +6 The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle has 'the ballistic protection of a light tank, and the off-road mobility of a Baja racer,' military bosses said. JLTV SPECS Adaptable suspension can be raised and lowered Top speed of 70mph 20 inches (508 mm) of wheel travel for improved off-road mobility Electronic Warfare devices, including Counter Radio Electronic Warfare systems Turret Operated Systems, Remote Weapons Systems and Tube Launched Missile System On-the-move battlefield Situational Awareness (SA) systems, Long Range Surveillance, Shot Detection, Silent Watch Power Systems, Visible Light and IR camera systems 'Our JLTV has been extensively tested and is proven to provide the ballistic protection of a light tank, the underbody protection of an MRAP-class vehicle, and the off-road mobility of a Baja racer,' John Urias, president of Oshkosh Defense and a retired Army major general, said. The contract is expected to support thousands of jobs. Nearly 49,100 would be built for the Army with 5,500 going to the Marines. The vehicle is designed to provide more protection against roadside bombs and mines than Humvees without being as big as another military vehicle produced by Oshkosh, the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, or MRAP. Oshkosh Defense beat out Maryland-based Lockheed Martin and Indiana-based AM General for the contract. Pentagon officials declined during a briefing for reporters to say why they chose Oshkosh over its competitors. Oshkosh Chief Executive Officer Charlie Szews, who said he was hoarse from 'extreme exhuberance,' told Reuters the company won the lucrative contract because it had a superior product, and would fight hard to hold onto the contract in coming years. 'We will do everything we can to produce all 55,000 vehicles that the department is seeking,' he said in a phone interview. Szews said Oshkosh gave the military exactly what it wanted: 'the most vehicle they can get for under $250,000 in FY11 dollars.' Including other equipment provided by the government, each vehicle would cost just under $399,000, Army officials said. Army reveals stronger and faster vehicle to replace Humvee Loaded: 0% Progress: 0% 00:00 Play Mute Current Time0:00 / Duration Time1:34 Fullscreen Scott Davis, the Army's executive officer for the program, said the big winners are the soldiers and Marines who will gain a vehicle that offers a better balance of protection, payload and performance. Lockheed had said it would build the vehicle at its Camden facility in Arkansas, and state lawmakers there dangled an $87 million incentive package. It's not clear whether Wisconsin or Indiana offered any incentives, but union workers at Oshkosh in 2013 agreed to a contract extension so that the company could nail down its labor costs for the project. The contract is a timely boost for Oshkosh, which eliminated about 760 jobs last year because of declining defense spending. +6 Nearly 49,100 would be built for the Army with 5,500 going to the Marines. +6 The contract is expected to support thousands of jobs. The company plans to build the vehicle in Oshkosh, with deliveries beginning in 10 months. 'It's really a historic win for Oshkosh and it's a big victory for our employees and really the state of Wisconsin,' Oshkosh Corp. CEO Charles L. Szews said in a telephone interview. 'It means that we will have a stable revenue base for our company. ... More importantly, it means the brave men and women who go into harm's way will be protected' in a high-speed, light tactical vehicle. +6 Oshkosh Defense beat out Maryland-based Lockheed Martin and Indiana-based AM General for the contract. +6 Production would begin in two to three years and would ramp up from a few hundred vehicles per year to 3,000 vehicles per year under the contract, he said. The company initially plans to hire about 100 salaried employees, Szews said, and more production employees might be hired later. Production would begin in two to three years and would ramp up from a few hundred vehicles per year to 3,000 vehicles per year under the contract, he said. The contract initially calls for 17,000 vehicles, with the Army to decide in 2018 whether to purchase the rest of its share, which would push the value of the contract up to around $30 billion. The Marines will get all theirs up front. +6 TA Humvee which crossed the Kuwait Iraq border in the early hours of March 21, 2003. The contact will mean business for companies that supply Oshkosh Corp. and the economic benefits will ripple across the Oshkosh area for years, said Rob Kleman of the Oshkosh Area Chamber of Commerce. 'This is outstanding news,' Kleman told Oshkosh Northwestern Media. 'We are very ecstatic to hear that. This bodes well from an economic standpoint for the whole region.' Oshkosh Defense, Wisconsin's largest defense contractor, is part of a larger company that also makes fire and emergency vehicles and other commercial equipment such as scissor lifts, cement mixers and garbage trucks. Lockheed and AM General have 10 days to file formal protests over the award. Both companies issued statements saying they're gathering information and considering their options.     The Death Star weapon is here! Japan fires world's most powerful laser to produce energy equal to 1,000 times the planet's power consumption LFEX device produced 2-petawatts (2 quadrillion-watts) of energy The energy used for the laser beam itself would only be powerful enough to run a microwave for around two seconds, the Osaka researchers claim The high output was produced by firing the beam for just 1 pico-second Japan claims to have fired the most powerful laser ever created. Researchers in Osaka were able to produce a 2-petawatt laser beam using a device known as the Laser for Fast Ignition Experiment (LFEX). The power of the 'Death Star'-like beam is equivalent to 1,000 times the world's total electricity consumption, the scientists claim. +3 The 328ft (100 metre)-long LFEX device has strategically-placed glass panels that are used to amplify the laser beam. The team were able to produce such a high output by concentrating the power to 1 pico-second, or around a trillionth of a second While it produced a huge amount of power, the energy required for the beam itself is equivalent to that needed to power a microwave for two seconds. The team were able to produce such a high output from low energy by only firing the laser beam for 1 pico-second, or a trillionth of a second. To amplify the beam's power, energy was applied to strategically-placed glass panels along the 328ft (100 metre)-long LFEX device. These glass lamps were able focus the beam to boost its energy as it passed through.  +3 In the experiment, energy was applied to glass sections using devices similar to fluorescent lamps. These glass lamps were used to boost the energy of the beam as it passed through HOW POWERFUL IS IT? The device produced a 2-petawatt - or 2 quadrillion-watt - laser beam. This is equivalent to 1,000 times the world's electricity consumption.  To put that in context, Rheinmetall Defense was recently able to shoot a drone down a mile away using a 50kW laser. The 50kW laser was 10 billion times less powerful that the one used in Japan. Up until today's announcement, the world has only ever within a 1-pettawatt laser created by the University of Texas, Austin.  'With heated competition in the world to improve the performance of lasers, our goal now is to increase our output to 10 petawatts,' said the institute's Junji Kawanaka, an associate professor of electrical engineering at the university To put that into context, according to Popular Science, a 50,000 watt laser successfully took down a drone just a mile away. That 50kW laser was 10 billion times less powerful that the one used in Japan.  Up until today's announcement, the world has only ever witnessed a 1-pettawatt laser created by the University of Texas, Austin. Not only did the Japanese laser generate twice as much power, but the team says it also has 100 times as much energy as its Texas rival.  The laser, liked to the Death Star laser in Star Wars, is currently mainly of scientific interest rather than having any real-world purpose. Details of the experiment have been published in the journal Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. +3 Researchers in Osaka were able to produce a 2-petawatt - or 2 quadrillion-watt - laser beam using the Laser for Fast Ignition Experiments (LFEX). This is equivalent to 1,000 times the world's electricity consumption, causing the laser to be compared to that on the Death Star in Star Wars (pictured)