New Atlas

Science Audio available

"Invisible" reusable labels are written and read using light

Ben Coxworth February 4, 2019

Currently, package labels contain certain information – such as barcodes, serial numbers or buyers' addresses – that would be best left unseen by wrongdoers. Newly-developed rewritable labels could address that issue, as they're blank and transparent unless exposed to a certain type of light.

The labels are made of a plastic known as poly(methyl methacrylate), or PMMA

3D Printing Audio available

New 3D-printing tech gets smooth results using light and resin

Ben Coxworth February 1, 2019

Most 3D printers work by either depositing or melting building material in successive layers. Unfortunately, this results in the finished objects looking kind of chunky, as the ridges between layers are visible. A new process, however, uses light to create smooth-edged items out of resin.

A miniature version of the statue "The Thinker," created using the new 3D-printing system

Space

Hubble captures "lost light" to reveal deepest look into the universe yet

Michael Irving January 24, 2019

Astronomers from the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) have re-processed an old Hubble Ultra-Deep Field (HUDF) image to find new details. The end result is the deepest image ever taken of the universe from space.

The new Hubble Ultra Deep Field image reveals new details, thanks to the recovery of "lost ...

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 ...

Medical

Experimental treatment uses light to stop itchiness

Ben Coxworth December 17, 2018

Nobody likes being itchy, but for people with conditions such as eczema, it can be quite a serious problem. Scientists at EMBL Rome (the European Molecular Biology Laboratory) may be onto a long-acting solution, in the form of light-activated medication that is injected into the skin.

The treatment may stop itching for up to several months

Medical Audio available

Light-sensitive adhesive may find use in ouch-less band-aids

Ben Coxworth December 17, 2018

We all know how painful ripping off a band-aid can be. It may not be so unpleasant in the not-too-distant future, however, as scientists have created an adhesive that detaches in the presence of ultraviolet light.

Two slabs of hydrogel, joined together using the adhesive, separate easily when exposed to ultraviolet light

Space

Astronomers calculate the total amount of starlight ever produced in the observable universe

Michael Irving November 29, 2018

Astronomers have now asked “how much light has been emitted in the universe?” Using a new measurement method, the team has apparently managed to quantify all the starlight ever produced in the observable universe – and the result is a figure that’ll make your eyes water.

NGC 362, a 10-11 billion year-old star cluster, formed during the universe's peak of star formation

Health & Wellbeing

Study suggests that blue light reduces blood pressure

Ben Coxworth November 8, 2018

If you have high blood pressure, then you likely already know that it's the leading cause of stroke, and a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. So, besides things like medication, diet changes and exercise, what can be done to reduce it? Well, exposure to blue light may help.

According to the study, exposure to blue light causes a significant reduction in blood pressure

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

Telecommunications

Tiny device speeds up the internet 100 times over by reading "twisted" light

Michael Irving October 24, 2018

Fiber optics allows for ultra-fast communication systems, and more data can be crammed in by "twisting" the light. Now, Australian researchers have developed a device to decode beams that’s small enough to fit over the end of a fiber optic cable.

Australian researchers have developed a device that can decode information from "twisted" light through fiber optics