Laser beam interactions with plasma are at the forefront of contemporary high-energy density physics, offering transformative potential in areas ranging from inertial confinement fusion to advanced ...

The United Kingdom recently committed hundreds of millions of pounds to a directed-energy weapon designed to shoot down fast-moving drones, and a separate line of physics research suggests that the ...

A cluster of recent theoretical papers has laid out mathematical frameworks for propelling spacecraft at speeds ranging from ...

Some days really are longer than others. And now scientists know by precisely how much. Using a laser gyroscope, scientists have measured variations in Earth’s rotation rate smaller than a millionth ...

A new experiment has demonstrated something that sounds physically impossible – light itself casting a shadow. It turns out that if you manipulate a laser just right, then hit it side-on with another ...

Getting atoms to do what you want isn’t easy — but it’s at the heart of a lot of ground-breaking research in physics. Creating and controlling the behavior of new forms of matter is of particular ...

In a move that sounds like the wildest of science fiction, DARPA has announced its new Persistent Optical Wireless Energy Relay (POWER) program that plans to use lasers relayed by airborne platforms ...

At any given moment, trillions of particles called neutrinos are streaming through our bodies and every material in our surroundings, without noticeable effect. Smaller than electrons and lighter than ...

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. A laser named after the most powerful god in ancient Greece is ...

Gisela Eckhardt was one of the early pioneers in laser physics, discovering the principle behind the Raman laser in 1962. Valdas Pasiskevicius, Richard Mildren and David Burman tell the largely ...