Twilight Vision Comes into Sight
A light-detecting cell found in deep-sea fish could inspire new technologies and medical treatments.
19 February 2026
Ultraintense Lasers: Reaching for the Brightest Light
NSF OPAL is a next-generation NSF research infrastructure for studying ultrahigh-intensity laser–matter interactions.
01 March 2026
Taara Launches Photonics Communications Platform
Company aims to leverage a solid-state architecture to deliver ultra-high-speed internet through the air.
27 February 2026
A New Twist on Topological Insulators
Novel type of optical fiber can reliably transmit light even when a chunk is cut out of it.
04 March 2026
Shaped Beam Makes a Deeper Cut
More efficient laser ablation could offer a viable alternative to mechanical tools for bone surgery.
05 March 2026
A closeup view of the grating-like structure of a bluebottle fly’s eye, which enhances the eye’s optical performance.
06 March 2026
March 2026 Issue
LATEST NEWS
New European Alliance Aims to Industrialize Stellarator Fusion
Alpha Alliance unites 30+ companies to build net-energy-gain demonstrator and lay groundwork for first commercial fusion plant in Europe.
06 March 2026
Shaped Beam Makes a Deeper Cut
More efficient laser ablation could offer a viable alternative to mechanical tools for bone surgery.
05 March 2026
A New Twist on Topological Insulators
Novel type of optical fiber can reliably transmit light even when a chunk is cut out of it.
04 March 2026
Taara Launches Photonics Communications Platform
Company aims to leverage a solid-state architecture to deliver ultra-high-speed internet through the air.
27 February 2026
NIR Microcavities for Quantum Applications
Researchers leveraged the unique approach of buckled dielectric membrane mirrors to create high-performance devices.
26 February 2026EDITOR'S PICKS
Lift-Off for Space Lasers
Optical technology is set to transform communication from Earth orbit and beyond, although problems on the ground still need ironing out.
01 October 2024
How Much Is Optics and Photonics Worth?
There is no single metric to assess the value of the industry.
01 January 2025
Images showing parallax views—even if captured unintentionally—can be used to create 3D images.
01 June 2025
Phase-shifted interferograms that were captured with a four-phase optical coherence microscopy setup.
01 November 2021
Bluebottle Fly Eye
A closeup view of the grating-like structure of a bluebottle fly’s eye, which enhances the eye’s optical performance.
06 March 2026
Ultraintense Lasers: Reaching for the Brightest Light
NSF OPAL is a next-generation NSF research infrastructure for studying ultrahigh-intensity laser–matter interactions.
01 March 2026
Fiber Becomes a Sensor
As low-loss optical fiber was developed for communications, researchers discovered that it could be leveraged for sensing.
01 March 2026CAREERS
Building the Optics-Professional Pipeline
Kipkemoi Elvis Samuel discusses his work in removing obstacles for students to get an optics education in Kenya.
28 October 2025
My Congressional Fellowship: A Career Door-Opener
Eager to work toward solving big societal problems like climate change, Claire Cody left the lab for the world of scientific policy.
21 October 2025
Journeys in Optics: Falko Schmidt
Falko Schmidt discusses his career trajectory, cofounding a startup and sustainability in the lab.
16 September 2025
Journeys in Optics: Winnie N. Ye
Winnie Ye talks about overcoming challenges she faced during her career and the importance of diversity, collaboration and mentorship in research.
26 August 2025
AI-Generated Podcasts for Science Communication
Researchers found that artificial intelligence could help disseminate scientific studies in a clear, easy-to-understand format.
30 June 2025