On Rails

Rail guns are one of those science fiction tropes – like hover cars and jet-packs – that have been around for years, and no one really expects to have happen tomorrow.

The thing is, we’re wrong.

Rail Gun Chart

From the EMRG Fact Sheet, as provided by the ONR

For those not in-the-know, rail guns are weapons that fire their munitions using electromagnets instead of gunpowder.

That doesn’t explain why there’s a bunch of flame and smoke in this video, but that doesn’t make the idea of catching one of these with your teeth any less terrifying.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_OjZyQ6LGE]