This particular variety can be used to break down toxic gases into harmless constituents. Should this application pan out, it could offer to hospitals and armies alike a safe and reliable way to counteract potential health hazards, either those posed by disease or in combat. Likewise, exobiologists might rest easy knowing that cold plasmas could remove the potential threat of contamination from collected interplanetary samples returned to Earth s surface. Still, it s hard to vanquish all the Sci-F i combat scenarios. Plasmas may be one of the best defensive options as offensive capabilities continue a rapid and relentless advance.
Lasers are fierce weapons.
To protect against them, you d need a very dense plasma, almost a solid. But a good cold plasma could really help out by reflecting or absorbing energy from a microwave-powered war weapon. Mars Odyssey's biggest challenge could be the Red Planet's dust storms.