X-ray lasers: Why does brighter mean darker?
When we illuminate something, we usually expect that the brighter the source we use, the brighter the resulting image will be. This rule also works for ultra-short pulses of laser light—but only up to a certain intensity. The answer to the question.....»»
High efficiency and low noise amplification of ultrashort pulses by quasi-parametric amplification
Since the earliest demonstration of chirped-pulse amplification (CPA) and optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA), femtosecond lasers have been able to deliver ultrahigh peak powers up to ten-petawatt (PW), thereby paving the way for c.....»»
Harpoons, robots and lasers: How to capture defunct satellites and other space junk and bring it back to Earth
More than half of the thousands of satellites in orbit are now defunct, and this accumulation of floating space debris has been described as a "fatal problem" for current and future space missions and human space travel......»»
Taking solar-powered lasers to new heights with four-mirror pumping
The design of efficient solar cells, which harness energy to generate electricity or produce hydrogen by splitting water, has received much attention globally. Another route to harnessing abundant, free solar energy: using it as a pumping source for.....»»
New on-chip laser frequency comb is 100 times more efficient than previous versions
On-chip laser frequency combs—lasers that emit multiple frequencies or colors of light simultaneously separated like the tooth on a comb—are a promising technology for a range of applications including environmental monitoring, optical computing,.....»»
Armageddon Time trailer takes a darker view of the ’80s
James Gray's new film, Armageddon Time, doesn't idealize the '80s as a young Jewish boy comes face-to-face with racism at school and within his own family......»»
OLED iPad screen will reportedly use twin-layer tech, for brighter display and longer life
We’ve already had one recent OLED iPad screen report speculating on the type of display Apple will use, and today we get another. This one suggests that the OLED iPad will adopt an advanced new twin-layer design, and Apple display suppliers Samsun.....»»
Application of non-Bravais lattices to light control technology
A novel light-manipulating technology has been developed by an international team, including Kyoto University, that can be applied to lasers, sensors, and nonlinear optics......»»
Cold brew coffee—pew, pew, pew—brewed with lasers!
A new laser technology creates cold brew coffee in minutes. Even better: it tastes just as good and may be coming to a coffee shop near you. “Nobody wants to wait for 12 or 24 hours to get a cup of coffee,” says Anna Rosa Ziefuss, the G.....»»
Researchers realize two coherently convertible qubit types using a single ion species
Trapped ion computers are quantum computers in which the qubits (quantum units of information) are ions trapped by electric fields and manipulated with lasers. To avoid crosstalk between nearby qubits, physicists and engineers design these computers.....»»
One of the brightest stars in the sky is evolving and dying before our eyes
Nothing lasts forever, including the stars in our night sky. One of the brighter and more notable stars in our sky is Betelgeuse, the bright red supergiant in the shoulder of Orion......»»
The future of NASA"s laser communications
NASA uses lasers to send information to and from Earth, employing invisible beams to traverse the skies, sending terabytes of data—pictures and videos—to increase our knowledge of the universe. This capability is known as laser, or optical, commu.....»»
Researchers find new ways to steer fusion with lasers and magnetic fields
Imagine trying to summon the sun to your research laboratory......»»
LG’s 97-inch vibrating OLED TV claims to offer 5.1 audio without speakers
LG Display says new OLED panel is brighter and more euphonious than rivals. Enlarge (credit: LG Display) LG Display has shown off some interesting ideas as it looks to change the way OLED panels work, from positing bizarr.....»»
Netflix debuts the teaser for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Do you think you know the story of Pinocchio? This fall, Netflix and director Guillermo del Toro are taking the familiar tale on a darker spin......»»
Why the Arctic Is Warming 4 Times as Fast as the Rest of Earth
The loss of sea ice is exposing darker waters, which absorb more of the sun’s energy. It’s a devastating feedback loop with major consequences for the planet......»»
How lasers and lidar are changing the way wearables track health
An incredible new sensor technology may make it possible for future wearables to accurately measure everything from our blood pressure to hydration levels......»»
Researchers use lasers to new view on Oregon"s glaciers
The latest technology to study glaciers fits in a backpack and can be carried up steep mountains......»»
"Life-like" lasers can self-organize, adapt their structure, and cooperate
By mimicking features of living systems, self-organizing lasers could lead to new materials for sensing, computing, light sources and displays......»»
When light and electrons spin together
Theoreticians at the MPSD have demonstrated how the coupling between intense lasers, the motion of electrons, and their spin influences the emission of light on the ultrafast timescale. Their work has been published in npj Computational Materials......»»
Using lasers and "tow-trucks", Japanese firms target space debris
From laser beams and wooden satellites to galactic tow-truck services, start-ups in Japan are trying to imagine ways to deal with a growing environmental problem: space debris......»»