What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions

by Randall Munroe

A 1-watt laser is an extremely dangerous thing. It’s not just powerful enough to blind you—it’s capable of burning skin and setting things on fire. Obviously, they’re not legal for consumer purchase in the US. Just kidding! You can pick one up for $300. Just do a search for “1-watt handheld laser.”

This means that the odds of acing the SAT by guessing are worse than the odds of every living ex-President and every member of the main cast of Firefly all being independently struck by lightning . . . on the same day. To everyone taking the SAT this year, good luck—but it won’t be enough.