Scaling AI Data Centers with XPO Optics
eXtra-dense Pluggable Optics are rewriting the rules of density, thermal management and reliability to future-proof artificial intelligence networks.
01 November 2026
How to Staff a Growing Industry
Governments, companies and academic institutions are striving to build a photonics workforce tuned to local and regional needs—and a booming global market.
01 November 2026
Photon-driven reactions could offer a lower-energy alternative to some heat-intensive chemical processes, but scaling them remains a formidable challenge.
01 November 2026
Self-Alignment Gives New Pump to Frequency Combs
Octave-spanning technology could yield practical chip-scale measurement devices.
13 October 2026
Optogenetic Therapy Restores Partial Vision
Clinical study shows that the treatment was safe and effective for a cohort of blind patients.
15 October 2026
Invisible currents of heated air emerge as delicate shadows, revealing the hidden dynamics of thermal convection.
23 October 2026
November 2026 Issue
LATEST NEWS
How the Mantis Shrimp Eye Senses Color
Researchers analyzed 17 visual pigments in the crustacean’s incredibly complex eye.
22 October 2026
EpoQ Wins PhotonDelta Contest with Photonic Atomic Clock
Dutch venture aims to miniaturize trapped-ion clock systems by replacing bulky optical components with integrated photonics.
22 October 2026
Attosecond X-Ray Pulses Hit Record Intensity
Researchers hope the advance will lead to new studies of atomic and molecular dynamics.
21 October 2026
Optogenetic Therapy Restores Partial Vision
Clinical study shows that the treatment was safe and effective for a cohort of blind patients.
15 October 2026
Self-Alignment Gives New Pump to Frequency Combs
Octave-spanning technology could yield practical chip-scale measurement devices.
13 October 2026EDITOR'S PICKS
Hearing the Light
Through optogenetics and new medical devices, optical stimulation of the auditory nerve could improve on current hearing-restoration technology, affording better speech recognition and perception of music.
01 October 2021
Laser Cutting Comes to Fruition
Lasers were first used for machining applications in the early 1960s, and technological advances in subsequent decades further increased their industrial potential.
01 September 2024
Supply-Chain Upheaval: Season 2
In the wake of shortages caused by the pandemic, a new round of supply-chain disruptions has emerged due to AI and geopolitics.
01 July 2026
Naturally focused undulations on the back of a glass disk are illuminated by an LED and focused onto the translucent front as a network of caustics.
01 March 2023
Shadows of Heat
Invisible currents of heated air emerge as delicate shadows, revealing the hidden dynamics of thermal convection.
23 October 2026
Activating Medicine with Light
Researchers discover that light can activate effective therapies for treating skin diseases, setting the stage for the development of photodynamic therapy.
01 November 2026
20 Years of Digital Holography
The 2026 DH topical meeting showcased the depth and breadth of the field—and how much it has advanced since the meeting’s inception.
01 November 2026CAREERS
Journeys in Optics: Thomas Luhmann
Thomas Luhmann discusses collaborating on an award-winning textbook, his career in photogrammetry and founding an institute at his university.
08 October 2026
Do Biographies of Scientists Inspire Children?
Children’s books about the careers of famous scientists may contain inadvertently discouraging messaging.
17 August 2026
A Mental Health Crisis in Academia?
New meta-analysis suggests that one in three early-career researchers experience elevated psychological distress.
28 July 2026
Journeys in Optics: Andrea Pacheco
Andrea Pacheco talks about why she became a physicist, the importance of collaboration, and balancing her academic career with family life.
13 July 2026
Journeys in Optics: Václav Hanus
Václav Hanus discusses the twists and turns in the path he took to a career in ultrafast lasers—and his work on science-themed music.
15 May 2026