In “The War of the Worlds” the Martians use a heat ray to destroy the Royal Navy’s battleships. That was science fiction, but real-world armies are now also using lasers. These heat beams can’t destroy a warship or tank (or alien spacecraft, one presumes). They work pretty well against drones, though. 

In other news from a rapidly changing world, artificial intelligence, if it lives up to its promise, could supercharge global economic growth. A booming but workerless economy may be humanity’s ultimate destination. Our briefing examines the consequences.  

If imagining such a radically different future makes your head spin, return to the reassuring familiarity of the present day by playing our pint-sized news quiz.