New Atlas

Materials Audio available

Superfast laser pulses convert carbon nanofibers to diamond at room temperature

Michael Irving January 24, 2019

Diamond is a useful material, but its relative rarity on Earth makes it difficult to get. Now, researchers at NCSU have demonstrated a new way to convert carbon nanofibers and nanotubes into diamond fibers that can be performed in a lab more easily than existing techniques.

A new technique for converting carbon nanofibers and nanotubes into diamond fibers can be done at ...

Telecommunications Audio available

Breakthrough experiment beams audio messages across the room using only lasers

Michael Irving January 23, 2019

In the modern day, we’re used to sending messages to people over long distances, usually by way of a phone. But now, scientists at MIT have developed a way to use a laser to beam an audible message through thin air to a person standing on the other side of a room, so that only they can hear it.

he researchers use water vapor in the air to absorb light and create sound. By sweeping ...

Space Audio available

Laser CubeSats could become artificial stars to keep space telescopes focused

David Szondy January 5, 2019

NASA is poised to send larger and larger telescopes into space over the next couple of decades and a team of researchers at MIT is working out how to use laser-equipped CubeSats to keep them fixed on target.

Space

Lasers help keep CubeSats on target to handle large data downlinks

David Szondy December 14, 2018

An MIT team is working on a new aiming system that will allow CubeSats to use lasers for high-bandwidth communications with Earth. The new laser-pointing platform uses a second directional beam to keep the primary data beam on focus, allowing the CubeSat to transmit large amounts of data.

A new laser-pointing platform developed at MIT may help launch CubeSats into the high-rate data game

Health & Wellbeing Audio available

RAP tech takes a sound approach to faster tattoo removal

Ben Coxworth December 11, 2018

Laser-based tattoo removal is typically a long process, often requiring 10 or more treatment sessions spread several weeks apart from one another. A new acoustic system, however, could reportedly allow for complete tattoo removal in as little as two to three closely-spaced sessions.

The business end of the RAP system is a handheld device which is used to send ...

Space Audio available

Could we – and should we – build a laser lighthouse to make first contact with aliens?

Michael Irving November 6, 2018

Whether there’s life beyond Earth is one of the most profound questions we can ask. Making ourselves easier to find could be part of our first contact strategy. A new MIT study outlines a way to use existing or near-future tech to build a kind of laser lighthouse to signal to our cosmic neighbors.

An MIT study proposes building a laser lighthouse to signal to alien astronomers up to 20,000 ...

Physics

Atomic tractor beam traps atoms for quantum memory

Michael Irving October 30, 2018

The tractor beam is a long-time staple of sci-fi, but now Australian researchers have created a real-world version. While it won’t exactly be capturing enemy spaceships anytime soon, the device can use light to pull in and trap atoms, which may be handy for quantum communications or memory systems.

Lead researcher Philip Light with the chamber in which the tractor beams were created

Pets

Felik uses AI to take your pet laser-huntin'

Ben Coxworth October 15, 2018

It's no secret that cats and dogs can get bored when they're left home alone all day, which is why we've seen things such as pet-entertaining robots. Felik doesn't go quite that far, but instead uses artificial intelligence to let your critter "hunt" a moving laser beam.

Previously successful on Kickstarter, Felik is now the subject of an Indiegogo campaign

Digital Cameras

World's fastest camera shoots 10 trillion frames a second

Michael Irving October 11, 2018

The world’s fastest camera, developed by researchers at Caltech and INRS, captures the world at a mind-boggling 10 trillion frames per second – fast enough to probe the nanoscale interactions between light and matter.

The world's fastest camera can shoot at 10 trillion frames per second

Physics

"Tools made of light" earns laser pioneers the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics

Michael Irving October 2, 2018

The 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to three scientists: Arthur Ashkin for developing optical tweezers, and Gérard Mourou and Donna Strickland, for designing a method to generate high-intensity, ultra-short laser pulses.

Breakthroughs in laser technology have earned three scientists the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics