Artificial Eye Sees Light and Shade
Adaptive solution could help autonomous robots and self-driving cars to navigate real-life conditions.
25 June 2026
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
Light Switch “Wakes Up” Sleeping Cancer Cells
New device could prevent relapse by making dormant cells vulnerable to treatment.
01 July 2026
New solid material converts visible light to into high-energy UV at sunlight intensity.
01 July 2026
New Precise and Accurate Lidar Scheme
A pair of frequency combs that size up small objects from a distance could potentially be used in precision manufacturing.
08 July 2026
Tiny ball bearings surround a larger central bearing during a fluid particles experiment aboard the International Space Station’s Destiny laboratory module.
10 July 2026
July/August 2026 Issue
LATEST NEWS
Focused Energy to Spin Off Laser-Driven Radiation Source Business
SourceLight will commercialize X-ray and neutron sources for industrial and nuclear-waste inspection.
09 July 2026
Ultra-Black Coating Reduces Satellite Glare
A spray paint containing nanostructured pigments could reduce the brightness of satellites in the night sky.
09 July 2026
New Precise and Accurate Lidar Scheme
A pair of frequency combs that size up small objects from a distance could potentially be used in precision manufacturing.
08 July 2026
New solid material converts visible light to into high-energy UV at sunlight intensity.
01 July 2026
Light Switch “Wakes Up” Sleeping Cancer Cells
New device could prevent relapse by making dormant cells vulnerable to treatment.
26 June 2026EDITOR'S PICKS
A New Knob for Resonant Photonics: The Waveform
Complex-frequency excitations provide access to a “hidden” structure that governs resonant scattering and coupling, with applications in photonics, metasurfaces, imaging and quantum hardware.
01 April 2026
The Crystal Cubes of Henry Swan
A look at the invention and rise and fall in popularity of the first autostereoscopic viewer.
01 February 2026
A reinvented space industry opens the door for new opportunities in optics and photonics.
01 October 2025
Scanning electron micrograph of a flat multi-level diffractive lens that is achromatic across the longwave infrared (LWIR) spectrum, and that can be used for thermal imaging.
01 June 2021
Microgravity Physics
Tiny ball bearings surround a larger central bearing during a fluid particles experiment aboard the International Space Station’s Destiny laboratory module.
10 July 2026
The Future of Space Optics
Space presents limitless possibilities for exploration, all of which push the boundaries of optical technology.
01 July 2026
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 2026CAREERS
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
Parenthood and the Academic Career Ladder
A new study takes a closer look at the differing effects of the “parenthood penalty” on mothers and fathers in academia.
28 April 2026
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
Give us your best shot!
OPN invites you to participate in our 21st annual photo contest: optica-opn.org/photo-contest
