Concentrated solar power has the potential to generate immense amounts of energy — but it can also be amazingly destructive. American student Eric Jacqmain has assembled over 5, 800 mirrors into his own parabolic ‘solar Death Ray’, which can reportedly melt through metal and concrete – hit the jump to see it in action!

Jacqmain created his ‘solar ray’ from a normal satellite dish and 5, 800 small mirrors. The project reportedly only took 24 hours to finish before he then recorded the results for all to see. The 19-year old claims that his solar device has the intensity of 5, 000 suns.

Speaking about his R5800 solar ray, Jacqmain said, “I drilled a small hole in the dish and glued a piece of PVC pipe on the back. Light shines through the hole and hits the translucent plastic on the end of the pipe. All I had to do was aim the dish once and mark the spot.”

“As long as the target doesn’t conduct heat away too fast it will melt or vaporize just about anything eventually. ‘I have vaporized before carbon, which occurs above 6, 500 Fahrenheit.”

Ironically the R5800 was destroyed in a fire which started in the garden shed. Jacqmain said of the accident that his ray “committed suicide” and that it was most probably the cause of its own demise. However he plans to create a new solar ray, this time with 32, 000 mirrors. It is very probable that this could destroy the kid’s home, not just his garden shed.