How Close Are We to Creating a Lightsaber?

Lightsabers might be elegant weapons for a more civilized age, but they only exist in the world of fiction. Could we use modern technology to make the most famous movie weapon of all time?

By Seeker

Published on 5/4/2019 at 7:04 AM

How close are we to colonizing the moon, mapping the human brain and curing cancer? Join Seeker as we go in search of experts, academics and innovators who are racing to solve some of humanity’s biggest scientific challenges. We’ll dive into the facts and comb through the research to find the answers you’re looking for.

More Videos

How Close Are We to Controlling Machines With Our Minds?
How Close Are We
S3 E9

How Close Are We to Controlling Machines With Our Minds?

From outsmarting the self check-out to providing options for patients with communication disorders, merging mind with machine could be the next frontier for humanity. How close are we to controlling machines with our minds?

How Close Are We to Living in the Ocean?
How Close Are We
S3 E8

How Close Are We to Living in the Ocean?

Sea level rise will threaten 90% of major cities in the coming decades. But what if we just dove in to meet it? How close are we to building a city in the ocean?

How Close Are We to Launching the James Webb Space Telescope?
How Close Are We
S3 E7

How Close Are We to Launching the James Webb Space Telescope?

It's been decades since work started on the James Webb Space Telescope, NASA's next massive observatory that will allow us to see further into space than ever before. The discoveries that JWST will make are expected to revolutionize astrophysics, so, how close are we to launching it?

How Close Are We to a Complete Map of the Human Brain?
How Close Are We
S3 E5

How Close Are We to a Complete Map of the Human Brain?

If we could fully map the inner workings of our brain, we could understand disease, consciousness, and what it is that makes us human. Only snag? There are more connections in the human brain than there are stars in the Milky Way. So, how close are we to mapping the human brain?

How Close Are We to Creating a Lightsaber?
How Close Are We
S3 E4

How Close Are We to Creating a Lightsaber?

Lightsabers might be elegant weapons for a more civilized age, but they only exist in the world of fiction. Could we use modern technology to make the most famous movie weapon of all time?

How Close Are We to Zero-Emissions Electricity?
How Close Are We
S3 E3

How Close Are We to Zero-Emissions Electricity?

We know that tackling climate change will take quick and drastic action. Could modernizing our power grid be the key?

How Close Are We to a Self Driving World?
How Close Are We
S3 E2

How Close Are We to a Self Driving World?

Self-driving cars could revolutionize the way we travel, giving us more time to work, play, learn, and relax on the road. But when it comes to making them a reality, cutting-edge technology is only the tip of the iceberg. So, how close are we ditching driving?

How Close Are We to Finding Dark Matter?
How Close Are We
S3 E1

How Close Are We to Finding Dark Matter?

For decades, scientists have been working to find the missing 95% of our universe known as dark matter. So, how close are we to finding it?

How Close Are We to Building a Moon Base?
How Close Are We
S3 E6

How Close Are We to Building a Moon Base?

For decades, humans have fantasized about living on the moon, but we haven't sent anyone there since 1972. So, how close are we to a moon base?