Thanks to a combination of "stealthy" characteristics that make it very difficult to detect and target, the ability to operate for sustained periods at supersonic speeds and its extraordinary agility, the Raptor seems likely to secure for years to come something Americans have taken for granted in every conflict since World War II: air superiority essential to victory on the ground.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Gordon England's war

Regular players could, indeed, detect a second target almost twice as often as non-players.

ECONOMIST: Playing action games improves visual skills

It just became possible, thanks to a laser camera developed by physicists at Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh, UK. You can pretty much see how it works from the images above -- laser beams are bounced off the target and the duration of their return journey is measured precisely enough to detect millimeter depth changes even at extreme distances.

ENGADGET: Laser scans objects in 3D from half a mile away, scientists just need reason to use it