Beamed-energy Lightcraft (Myrabo).
documentedresearch_programConjecture Layer (hypotheses)
Real demonstrated propulsion where a PULSED laser detonates air beneath a reflective craft - each detonation flash IS a thrust impulse (Leik Myrabo, White Sands). The strongest genuine 'pulsing-glow = propulsion' bridge.
Demonstrated at small scale (subscale craft, tens of meters altitude), pulsed at ~10-20 Hz, and EXTERNALLY beamed (needs ground/space laser infrastructure). Real physics and real flights - but its external-beam requirement makes it a poor fit for a self-contained hovering sphere. Included as the credible-science anchor for what pulsed-light propulsion actually is.