The 286,000-volt "Bear Blaster" fires fierce 5-inch sparks to scare off bears

Why it matters: Imagine you're deep in the backcountry when a bear suddenly appears, sizing you up. Typically, you'd reach for your tried-and-true can of bear spray – trusted by wildlife experts and often even more reliable than firearms. However, one adventurous DIY YouTuber has built something far more theatrical: the Bear Blaster 5000. Drawing from over 20 years of experience in high-voltage engineering, Jay Bowles from the Plasma Channel created a device that emits fierce, crackling sparks and flashes. He aimed to make a device scary enough to send most animals packing. The idea is rooted in animal behavior. Many creatures instinctively avoid sounds that resemble natural danger, like thunder and lightning. High-voltage arcs produce similar auditory cues, and Jay decided to exploit that. The Bear Blaster runs on two voltage multiplier circuits. Jay initially tried a full-wave design, but the arcs could only travel a few inches. So he switched to a pair of half-wave multipliers – o ... Read full article.