The E-bomb

In science fiction, futuristic soldiers are often shown wielding light emitting weapons-Flash Gordon used a ray gun, Captain Kirk carried a phaser, and Darth Vader brandished a light saber. But, today, the imagined future of science fiction is soon to be a reality. After more than two decades of research, the United States is on the verge of deploying a new generation of weapons that discharge light-wave energy, the same spectrum of energy found in your microwave, or in your TV remote control. They're called "directed-energy weapons"-lasers, high-powered microwaves, and particle beams-and…