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Blake, Wm. Virgil Repelling Filippo Argenti from the Boat of Phlegyas. 1824.

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In China, scientists are engineering submarines powered by lasers, nearly matching the speed of a jet engine. This technology generates plasma underwater, producing a “detonation wave” that propels the vessel swiftly.

Energy from the directed lasers could also allow bubbles to join underneath the sub, increasing its velocity beyond the sound barrier and evading sonar detection. The country’s military has claimed it’s close to achieving this groundbreaking innovation.

Ge Yang, project leader: “This method can also be applied to underwater weapons, causing a supercavitation phenomenon, thereby significantly increasing the underwater range of projectiles, underwater missiles, or torpedoes.”