Your smartphone’s flashlight suddenly seems pathetic. YouTuber Drake Anthony (aka Styropyro) just built a handheld laser so powerful it makes industrial cutting tools look like birthday candles. This 250-watt monster delivers 50,000 times more power than your average classroom laser pointer—easily ranking among the coolest inventions.
When Chemistry Meets YouTube Chaos
Anthony holds a chemistry degree from Southern Illinois University and has been experimenting with lasers since age 12. His latest creation isn’t just powerful—it’s stupidly dangerous. “This laser is so far off the danger rating scale that its danger to the eyes is incomprehensible,” Anthony warns in his viral demonstration video.
The device can ignite wood instantly, weld razor blades together, and even synthesize artificial rubies through focused heat. It’s the closest thing we’ve seen to wielding real plasma—functional Star Wars weaponry that trades Force powers for physics and flame. It doesn’t just look like science fiction—it works like it.
Engineering That Shouldn’t Exist in Your Living Room
Anthony achieved this absurd power level using industrial laser diodes (the kind used in factory equipment), custom power management systems, and advanced water cooling—all crammed into a handheld form factor. The engineering is legitimately impressive, combining components you’d normally find in factory equipment with the portability of a power drill.
Beyond destruction, the laser demonstrates serious scientific potential, creating gem-quality synthetic rubies and leaving burn marks on lab-grown diamonds with surgical precision. It’s the kind of tool that could revolutionize portable materials research—if anyone could legally use it outside a lab.
The Legal Reality Check
Here’s where things get messier than crypto regulations during a congressional hearing. While building such devices remains legal in the US, selling them or using them publicly violates federal regulations designed to prevent accidental blindness and property damage. All commercial laser products must comply with FDA safety standards, which this decidedly does not.
The project raises urgent questions about DIY innovation versus public safety, especially as high-powered components become increasingly accessible through online marketplaces. Anthony sourced his materials from eBay and surplus suppliers—no special licenses required.
If you’re getting ideas about building your death ray, remember that Anthony has years of chemistry training and takes extreme safety precautions. This isn’t a weekend project—it’s a demonstration of what happens when serious engineering meets YouTube’s appetite for spectacle.
