Comic book readers might know about gamma rays. The Incredible Hulk was transformed from mild scientist into wild superhero by gamma rays from a nuclear explosion. The real gamma rays form in nature from radioactive decay of the atomic nucleus. Besides hazardous materials, you'd have to look in exotic places like near a black hole or closer to home at lightning in the upper atmosphere to find natural forces capable of making gamma rays. Scientists have found that gamma rays, like the Hulk, can do heroic things too — if they can be controlled. Hospitals now eradicate cancer tumors using a 'gamma ray knife' with surgical precision. The rays can also image brain activity. And gamma rays are used to quickly scan cargo containers for terrorist materials. But it's near impossible to make gamma rays with non-radioactive materials. To do that today one needs a colossal atom smasher like at CERN or SLAC. No one has been able to make a gamma ray beam from lasers. But it can be done, say scientists at The University of Texas (UT) at Austin. Learn more at https://www.tacc.utexas.edu/-/supercomputers-fire-lasers-to-shoot-gamma-ray-beam