Optics in 2024

This special issue of Optics & Photonics News highlights exciting peer-reviewed optics research that has emerged over the past year.

2024 Photo Contest Winners

Congratulations to the winners of OPN’s 19^th annual After Image photo contest!

Newsroom

Research and Industry News

Optical tweezers on integrated chip / AR comes into focus / Laser headset tests stroke risk / 3D images from smartphones / Industry news

Conversations

How Community Lifts a Career

OPN spoke with Brandon Buscaino about his time as president of the Stanford Optical Society, his experience as an Optica Ambassador and why he chose a career in industry.

Infographic

Optics in 2025 & Beyond

Each December, OPN looks at interesting research results of the past year. But what about the year ahead? We asked several contributors to our “Optics in 2024” feature for thoughts on areas that might advance in 2025. 

Light Touch

The Unexpected Failure of Herschel’s Astrometer

Sir John Herschel invented an elaborate device to measure the brightness of stars—and then didn’t use it.

President's Message

Hope for the Future

I leave office with the hope that problems will be overcome and science will flourish worldwide.

Looking Back

30, 20 and 10 Years Ago in OPN

Microwave trap; hollow-core Bragg fibers; spontaneous spatial organization of a cold atomic cloud.

Optica in Focus

News from the Society

Optica Fellow stories / Global Photonics Economic Forum / NES local section turns 75 / Frequency combs incubator / Best-paper prizes / MedTech and PECC Industry Summits / Gapontsev Prize / Laser Congress / In memoriam: Wilson Sibbett / Thank you, editors and meeting volunteers

After Image

Water on the Moon

In a stop-action shot of water dripping from a faucet into a blue cup of water, motion is frozen by a flash that illuminates an image of the moon.