Researchers have developed a new material with high birefringence properties that can improve infrared detection in dense fog and dark conditions. This technology may enable faster deployment of autonomous vehicles and create more efficient heat sensing tools for firefighters.
Researchers propose a new method for orienting liquid crystals, increasing viewing angles in LCD displays. The technique uses liquid-crystal polymers with varying side-chain lengths to control orientation.
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.
Scientists at the University of Tokyo's Institute of Industrial Science have successfully created chiral nanostructures from gold particles by exploiting plasmon resonance. The method uses circularly polarized light to induce chirality in electric fields, which are then transferred to a dielectric material.
Researchers at Rice University have discovered exceptional points in a unique material, enabling continuous tuning of light and matter coupling. This breakthrough may lead to novel quantum technologies like advanced information storage and one-dimensional lasers.
Scientists have developed a paper-thin, flexible and durable liquid crystal display that can be updated rapidly like a newspaper. The new optically rewritable LCD design enables fast switching of images and text without power consumption.
Researchers from Lomonosov Moscow State University and their international colleagues created a ferroelectric liquid crystal material that outperforms traditional LCDs in terms of speed, stability, and color accuracy. This breakthrough enables faster and more efficient displays with improved resolution and reduced energy consumption.
Researchers discovered a previously unknown superconducting state in layered material LBCO, which occurs above the temperature at which it transmits electricity without resistance. The team used high-intensity infrared light to reveal this hidden state, providing new insights into the decades-long mystery of superconductivity in cuprates.
SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB
SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.
Researchers successfully produced a high-powered, randomly polarized laser beam using a 'Q switch' laser, which typically emits brief pulses of light. This breakthrough expands the potential applications of smaller and more powerful lasers in various fields.
Astrophysicists have discovered that the only known repeating fast radio burst (FRB) source is in an extreme environment, with measurements suggesting it may be caused by a black hole or other extreme astrophysical circumstances. The new findings raise questions about whether FRBs are a product of their environment.
Scientists at the University of Minnesota demonstrated a way to control the direction of photocurrent without an electric voltage. By using circularly polarized light and topological insulators, they created a device that generates a spin-polarized current flowing in one direction.
A new vector polarizer design has been developed, enabling flexible filtering of a wide range of light sources and generation of new light states. This advancement can improve optical systems such as super-resolution microscopy and quantum communications.
Researchers use ultrafast laser to study camphor molecules' photoionization, finding that mirror images emit electrons in opposite directions. This asymmetry could be key to understanding the homochiral nature of living organisms.
Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition
Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition is a durable star atlas for planning sessions, identifying targets, and teaching celestial navigation.
Scientists at the University of Vienna have developed an incredibly stable nanoscale clock that can maintain its accuracy for extremely long periods. The clock, which consists of a levitated silicon cylinder, has a precision of one millionth of a second over four days.
A new scanning wave photopolymerization technique allows for arbitrary alignment of liquid crystals with fine control over large areas without the need for strong dyes or additional processing steps. This method enables the creation of highly functional organic materials with arbitrary molecular alignment patterns on the nanoscale.
Scientists at Harvard have created a new tool to study novel aspects of light, enabling more complex operations and applications. The metasurface connects two aspects of light, allowing for the creation of any structured beam, including spirals, corkscrews, and vortices.
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have developed a new optical switch that can turn light on and off at trillionths of a second, enabling faster information processing. The breakthrough could also be used in biological imaging and chemical spectroscopy.
Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)
Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) runs demanding GIS, imaging, and annotation workflows on the go for surveys, briefings, and lab notebooks.
Researchers have synthesized new liquid-crystal photochromic polymers with comb-shaped molecules that change molecular orientation under external fields, forming coatings and films. These polymers exhibit photoisomerization and photo-orientation processes, allowing for control over phase behavior and optical properties.
A new non-invasive approach using polarized light can help surgeons identify nerves in real-time, minimizing nerve damage and improving surgical outcomes. The technique has been shown to outperform visual inspection with an accuracy rate of 100% compared to 77%.
Scientists will measure lower corona in fine detail using new instruments during the Aug. 21, 2017 eclipse. This data will help characterize complex magnetic field and predict space weather events.
Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro)
Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro) powers local ML workloads, large datasets, and multi-display analysis for field and lab teams.
The team created a polarizing beamsplitter that splits light into vertically and horizontally polarized states, enabling various applications in imaging systems, communications networks, and future technologies. This new technique has advantages over traditional methods, including being cheaper, more robust, and versatile.
The new optical fiber has an extremely large core diameter and preserves both the distribution of light intensity in cross-section and polarization. This allows for single-mode operation with minimal energy transfer to other modes, reducing parasitic nonlinear effects.
Chinese researchers create microscale optical waveguides using lanthanide metal-organic frameworks, offering potential for low-loss light conduction and polarized emissions. The novel structures emit luminescence in different colors depending on the used lanthanide, making them suitable for color-tunable optical applications.
Scientists have successfully demonstrated electronic spin effects in wet-chemically produced nanocrystals, opening doors to more efficient and powerful electronics. The Rashba effect, a phenomenon normally not observed due to high crystal symmetry, was controlled by varying layer thickness, light used, and electric fields.
Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor
Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor tracks ventilation quality in labs, classrooms, and conference rooms with long battery life and clear e-ink readouts.
Researchers at MIT have measured Weyl fermion chirality using circularly polarized light, exhibiting an electrical current without external voltages. The TaAs metal produces a large current response, making it suitable for sensitive mid-infrared detectors.
A team of researchers from Harvard SEAS encoded multiple holographic images in a metasurface that can be unlocked separately with differently polarized light. This advancement offers more control over polarization manipulation and measurement, enabling applications such as anti-fraud protection and entertainment.
Researchers have developed a technique to control terahertz waves using graphene, enabling potential applications in telecommunications and medical imaging. This discovery could lead to faster data transfer speeds and improved security in communications, as well as non-invasive detection of biological molecules for medical diagnosis.
Researchers from Warsaw Laser Centre generate high-energy ultrashort laser pulses in an optical fiber using a novel solution. The new method is stable and ideal for industrial applications, offering improved processing times.
Chiral quantum optics reveals new effects of light's spin and momentum, enabling one-way optical diodes and circulators. This breakthrough could lead to novel applications in computing, quantum networks, and photonics.
Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars
Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars deliver bright, sharp views for wildlife surveys, eclipse chases, and quick star-field scans at dark sites.
Novel ultrathin semiconductors exhibit strong interaction with light, making them suitable for opto-electronics applications. The researchers' new polarimetric method enables efficient detection of valley polarization in these materials.
Researchers at Vienna University of Technology have created a nano-roundabout for light signals using an atomic switch, allowing for precise control over the direction of circulation. The system utilizes a bottle resonator and a single rubidium atom to break symmetry and define traffic rules.
Researchers at the University of Chicago created a new tool to view the spectrum from specific structures within samples. The instrument, a spatially selective microscope, allows users to zero in on the spectrum from specific regions of interest and capture standard fluorescence images of the whole field of view.
Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter
Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter is a trusted meter for precise measurements during instrument integration, repairs, and field diagnostics.
Physicists at Lomonosov Moscow State University have successfully controlled the polarization of light, reducing its speed by up to 10 times. This breakthrough has significant implications for the development of spatial light modulators, which could enable faster and more efficient data processing in photonic computers.
In a study, researchers found that silvery fish camouflage can deceive even animals with super sight. Fish like tuna and mackerel use reflective scales to blend in, but surprisingly, polarization vision doesn't help animals spot them from farther away.
Researchers discovered mantis shrimp use eye rotations to improve their polarized light vision. This unique ability has significant implications for the development of automated visual systems, particularly in underwater exploration and materials analysis.
Researchers developed a new device for measuring polarization of light based on single spatial sampling, using organic polymers. The device can achieve measurement error as low as 1.2 percent.
GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter
GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter logs beta, gamma, and X-ray levels for environmental monitoring, training labs, and safety demonstrations.
Researchers at Harvard developed an ultra-compact flat lens that can resolve both spectral information and chirality of objects. The device has significant potential for various fields, including biology and pharmaceuticals.
Researchers at Osaka University developed a technology to control the light wavefront reflected from cholesteric liquid crystals, enabling planar optical components. The new technology contributes to the miniaturization of catoptrics devices by allowing functionality by design.
Researchers at Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have created compact holograms using nanostructures sensitive to light polarization, improving anti-fraud holograms and wearable optics. These holograms can encode multiple images and protect against counterfeiting.
Researchers at RIKEN and the University of Bristol have experimentally verified that light exerts a new type of optical force proportional to its circular polarization. The team used an extremely precise nano-cantilever to measure this force, which is much weaker than usual radiation pressure.
Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station
Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station offers research-grade local weather data for networked stations, campuses, and community observatories.
Research at the University of Bristol reveals that plant viruses can alter leaf surface properties to attract insects like greenfly. Infected leaves reflect less polarized light, making them more visible to bugs.
A group of UK researchers discovered a new type of optical activity by breaking the symmetry of metamaterials with reflected light. This enables novel applications such as polarization rotating and circularly polarizing beam splitters and mirrors, as well as optical isolators for circularly polarized light.
Researchers at Syracuse University have developed a new energy transfer system that combines nanomaterials and biomaterials to produce bioluminescence. The system, demonstrated in ACS Nano, has high-efficient energy transfer between semiconductor quantum rods and luciferase enzymes.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C)
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C) provide clear calls and strong noise reduction for interviews, conferences, and noisy field environments.
Researchers from the University of Bristol have discovered a new way to create polarizers using the polarization of light in mantis shrimp. This innovative solution could lead to improved optical technologies, such as cameras and sunglasses.
Researchers found that birds can only use their magnetic compass when polarized light is parallel to the magnetic field, not perpendicular. This affects their navigation and orientation, especially during sunrise and sunset.
A thin, stretchable film developed by University of Michigan researchers could enable doctors to catch cancer recurrence earlier with more effective treatment. The film produces circularly polarized light, a crucial ingredient in early warning systems, making it potentially simpler and less expensive to produce.
Researchers at Harvard have built a polarimeter on a microchip, shrinking the widely used instrument to make it more accessible for various applications. The device provides high-performance polarization measurements at reduced size and cost, promising enhanced network security and real-time monitoring.
Researchers at TU Wien developed a nanoscale device that allows light to propagate in only one direction, breaking the symmetry of traditional optics. By coupling alkali atoms to ultrathin glass fibers, they achieved high transmission rates for light traveling in one direction while blocking it in the other.
Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only)
Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only) delivers reliable low-light performance and rugged build for astrophotography, lab documentation, and field expeditions.
The Event Horizon Telescope detected magnetic fields near the event horizon of the Milky Way's central black hole, Sgr A*, for the first time. The findings suggest that these magnetic fields are disordered in some regions and organized in others, possibly related to jet generation.
By exploiting polarization of light, MIT researchers have developed a system that can increase the resolution of conventional 3D imaging devices up to 1,000 times. The technique uses coarse depth estimates and real-time calculations to provide high-quality 3D images.
Fiddler crabs use polarization vision to enhance detection of objects and rivals. The research found that male crabs responded to approaching targets by freezing, running back home, and assuming a position of vigilance.
Meta Quest 3 512GB
Meta Quest 3 512GB enables immersive mission planning, terrain rehearsal, and interactive STEM demos with high-resolution mixed-reality experiences.
Researchers found that certain fish species exhibit lower polarization contrast with their backgrounds, making them harder to spot. The platelets in these fish align on vertical axes to reflect downward-directed light and diffuse horizontal-axis light, providing enhanced camouflage abilities.
Scientists have discovered that certain fish use microscopic structures called platelets in their skin cells to reflect polarized light, allowing them to camouflage themselves from predators. This discovery could lead to the development of more effective materials and technologies for ocean camouflage.
Fish scales have evolved to scramble light polarization, creating an 'omnidirectional' solution for camouflage. This discovery could lead to the development of new materials to help hide objects in the water.
A team of engineers from Vanderbilt University developed the first integrated circularly polarized light detector on a silicon chip. The device uses metamaterials to detect the polarization state of light and has potential applications in drug screening, surveillance, optical communications, and quantum computing.
DJI Air 3 (RC-N2)
DJI Air 3 (RC-N2) captures 4K mapping passes and environmental surveys with dual cameras, long flight time, and omnidirectional obstacle sensing.
Researchers at University of Illinois developed a method to extract more efficient polarized light from quantum dots, enhancing mobile phone, tablet, and computer displays, as well as LED lighting. This technology could lead to brighter, less expensive, and more efficient displays with reduced energy consumption.
Humans can perceive polarized light with the naked eye using Haidinger's brushes, which appear as yellow bow ties at right angles to polarization angles. The study found average polarization sensitivity threshold of 56%, with some individuals detecting effects at lower percentages.
Researchers at Vanderbilt University created nano-spirals that emit blue light when illuminated with infrared laser, providing a customizable signature that's hard to fake. The spirals could be embedded in identification cards or other objects to prevent counterfeiting.
Engineers created an ultracompact beamsplitter to divide light waves into two channels, bringing researchers closer to silicon photonic chips that compute with light instead of electrons. This technology could significantly increase the power and speed of machines such as supercomputers, data center servers, and mobile devices.
Researchers at Aalto University have discovered a new method to enhance the polarization of light in ferromagnetic materials. By patterning magnetic materials into arrays of nanoscale dots, they can create highly controllable modifications of light polarization when it reflects from the array. This breakthrough has the potential to adv...
Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter
Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter measures wind, temperature, and humidity in real time for site assessments, aviation checks, and safety briefings.
Researchers have directly and experimentally confirmed the link between macroscopic quantum states and entangled particles. The study uses a beam of squeezed light to demonstrate entanglement among individual photon pairs, paving the way for advances in superconductivity, optical communications, and quantum computing.