High-energy laser weapons: A defense expert explains how they work and what they are used for
Militaries around the world are rapidly developing science fiction-like laser weapons, motivated in part by the growing threat from swarms of drones.
Iain Boyd, Director, Center for National Security Initiatives, and Professor of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder •
conversation
March 7, 2024 • ~9 min
March 7, 2024 • ~9 min
Drone-zapping laser weapons now effective (and cheap) reality
Operating the DragonFire laser system for ten seconds costs the equivalent of using a heater for an hour (less than £10 per shot).
Gianluca Sarri, Professor at the School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University Belfast
• conversation
Jan. 22, 2024 • ~6 min
Jan. 22, 2024 • ~6 min
Making 'movies' at the attosecond scale helps researchers better understand electrons − and could one day lead to super-fast electronics
The 2023 Nobel Prize in physics recognized researchers studying electron movement in real time − this work could revolutionize electronics, laser imaging and more.
Niranjan Shivaram, Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Purdue University •
conversation
Oct. 4, 2023 • ~8 min
Oct. 4, 2023 • ~8 min
The digital future may rely on ultrafast optical electronics and computers
A researcher explains developments in using light rather than electrons to transmit information securely and quickly, even over long distances.
Mohammed Hassan, Associate Professor of Physics and Optical Sciences, University of Arizona •
conversation
June 27, 2023 • ~6 min
June 27, 2023 • ~6 min
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