Doing photon upconversion a solid: Crystals that convert light to more useful wavelengths
Solid-solution organic crystals have been brought into the quest for superior photon upconversion materials, which transform presently wasted long-wavelength light into more useful shorter wavelength light. Scientists from Tokyo Institute of Technolo.....»»
New light-induced material shows powerful potential for quantum applications
A class of material called perovskites, which have special electronic bonding with many applications, could be useful for quantum sensing......»»
Light broadens the scope of alkene synthesis
Chemists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a straightforward method to convert common chemicals like carboxylic acids, alcohols, and alkanes directly into valuable alkenes......»»
Giant prehistoric elephant skull from India belongs to mysterious extinct species
The giant fossil skull of an extinct elephant, discovered in northern India's Kashmir Valley in 2000, sheds light on a poorly known episode in elephant evolutionary history......»»
Neva review: gorgeous 2D platformer still has room to grow
Neva packs a lot of emotion and splendor into a small, and at times overly light, 2D platformer......»»
LIGO team enhances gravitational wave detection with squeezed light
A team of researchers at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), in the U.S., has developed what they describe as a squeezed light system to improve detection sensitivity......»»
Hubble captures spiral galaxy NGC 5248
The sparkling scene depicted in this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image is of the spiral galaxy NGC 5248, located 42 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Boötes. It is also known as Caldwell 45. The Caldwell catalog holds visually.....»»
New insights into grain boundary kinetics challenge traditional views
Researchers from City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), in collaboration with experts from local and overseas universities, have reshaped scientists' fundamental understanding of the kinetic processes in crystalline materials, throwing light on new.....»»
A new Tron game is coming next year, and it’s got Light Cycles
Big Fan Games' first licensed project is Disney Tron: Catalyst, a top-down adventure game set in the Arq Grid......»»
Researchers develop a laser that produces the strongest ultra-short laser pulses to date
The word laser usually conjures up an image of a strongly concentrated and continuous light beam. Lasers that produce such light are, in fact, very common and useful. However, science and industry often also require very short and strong pulses of la.....»»
Engineering perovskite materials at the atomic level paves way for new lasers, LEDs
Researchers have developed and demonstrated a technique that allows them to engineer a class of materials called layered hybrid perovskites (LHPs) down to the atomic level, which dictates precisely how the materials convert electrical charge into lig.....»»
Powerful and compact optical frequency combs provide unique opportunities
Remember those big, clunky machines needed for super precise light measurements? Those days are fading thanks to tiny devices called microcombs. These chips can do the same job, but on a much smaller scale, opening doors for new applications......»»
Intra-molecular distances in biomolecules measured optically with Ångström precision
A team led by physicists Steffen Sahl and Stefan Hell at the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Multidisciplinary Sciences in Göttingen and the MPI for Medical Research in Heidelberg has succeeded in measuring distances within biomolecules using a light.....»»
Scientists use light to visualize magnetic domains in quantum materials
When something draws us in like a magnet, we take a closer look. When magnets draw in physicists, they take a quantum look. Scientists from Osaka Metropolitan University and the University of Tokyo have successfully used light to visualize tiny magne.....»»
A quantum material could be the future of high-energy X-ray imaging and particle detection
Scintillators are detectors that make high-energy X-rays or particles visible through flashes of light to form an image. Their many applications include particle physics, medical imaging, X-ray security and more......»»
Why Hurricane Milton Turned the Sky Purple
The strange, apocalyptic skies during the storm reveal how light behaves in the atmosphere when it’s filled with an unusual amount of water vapor, dust, and debris......»»
Novel visible light communication encryption technology uses chiral nanoparticles
A research team has developed a novel visible light communication encryption technology with high security using chiral nanoparticles......»»
World"s highest-voltage gun accelerates electrons from zero to 80% the speed of light
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have designed and tested the world's highest voltage polarized electron gun, a key piece of technology needed for building the world's first fully polarized Electron-I.....»»
Scientists explore whether smaller chromosomes lead to more segregation errors during egg cell division
Three RIKEN researchers have shed light on the cellular mechanisms underlying chromosomal abnormalities that can cause miscarriages and congenital disorders such as Down syndrome......»»
Theoretical study demonstrates existence of giant photocaloric effects in ferroelectric perovskites
Solid-state cooling is a promising alternative cooling technique that does not rely on the use of gases or liquids, like conventional refrigeration systems, but instead utilizes the properties of solid materials to refrigerate. This alternative cooli.....»»
Hybrid fiber pump combiner could advance mid-IR laser systems
In the last two decades, the rapid advancement in applications such as environmental monitoring, medical diagnostics, and global positioning has intensified the focus on developing novel mid-IR light sources. Fiber-based mid-IR lasers, which operate.....»»