Today I learned about Plasma Windows

by Reconcilliation , Imagination Station, Sunday, February 24, 2013, 01:24 (4294 days ago)

You know those giant windows on various spaceships and spacestations that are used so often in docking bays and the like in science fiction movies and games, like the kind featured on the Truth and Reconcilliation in Halo which the dropships and Banshees flew through?

It turns out these actually exist.

Currently they draw about 20kW per inch, but are strong enough to separate a 9 atmosphere (~1000 kilopascal) pressurized gas from a vacuum. Ain't that neat. They were invented in 1995, so it's not like they're even new.

The colour even changes depending on the type of gas used.