The American Army have displayed the future of weaponry for Iraq. The Ray Gun. Thats right folks, a real ray gun. If only it made little beams of light and cool noises.

The beam heats the target to around 130 degrees Fahrenheit (54 degrees Celcius). It can fire over 500 yards (455 meters). The weapon is non-lethal.

The system uses millimeter waves, which can penetrate only 1/64th of an inch of skin, just enough to cause discomfort. By comparison, common kitchen microwaves penetrate several inches of skin.

Source and link to a video can be found here.