Thales Group announced that it will acquire a 35.51% controlling stake in Exail Technologies, with future plans to purchase 100% of Exail by 2028. Thales says the acquisition will increase its presence in the underwater defense market. Read the OPN story: https://bit.ly/4vDFgQv 💡 ⚛️

A new digital security system—based on chaotic vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers—offers scalable, real-time authentication. “This work demonstrates how photonics and artificial intelligence can be combined to address [large-scale digital security].” Read the story: https://bit.ly/4fFhgYh 💡⚛️

Researchers discovered that sea stars have light-guiding optical structures in their endoskeleton. The team hopes that the microstructure design of the sea star skeleton can lead to new, ultralight glass- and ceramic-based materials. Read the OPN story: https://bit.ly/3T4lv76 💡 ⚛️ 🧪

Image of the Week: Microgravity Physics Tiny ball bearings surround a larger central bearing during a fluid particles experiment, conducted inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG). Read more here: http://bit.ly/3Uj2QCf

OPN's latest Journeys in Optics features 2025 Optica Ambassador Andrea Pacheco, who discusses why she became a physicist, the importance of collaboration, and balancing her academic career with family life. Read the interview: https://bit.ly/4pf0dj2 #academicsky #edusky💡 ⚛️

📣 OPN is hosting its 21st Annual Photo Contest 📣 We are looking for large, high-impact images that highlight an aspect of optics. Find more information via the link: https://bit.ly/4fxPRHL 💡 ⚛️ 🧪

✨Be included in OPN's "Optics in 2026" issue✨ Have you conducted notable peer-reviewed research in the optics and photonics field? Send us a brief summary to be featured in the year-end special! More information via the link: bit.ly/4vVvFFd 💡 ⚛️ 🧪

A new ultra-black spray paint could reduce the light pollution caused by satellites traveling in low-Earth orbit. The researchers from the University of Surrey hope this will mitigate the impact of future satellites on ground-based astronomical observations. https://bit.ly/4ydHSXG 💡 ⚛️ 🧪

A new lidar technique leverages a pair of frequency combs to measure absolute distances with micrometer precision. The study's authors think the method could one day be used to inspect otherwise hard-to-measure parts on industrial production lines. Check it out: https://bit.ly/4pu1Cmd 💡 ⚛️

Image of the Week: Rainbow in a Bubble Light hitting a soap film creates magical rainbow stripes—nature’s artwork in the tiniest place. Read more here: http://bit.ly/3Uj2QCf

Check out OPN’s biennial Optics in Art feature! https://bit.ly/3QIY5TY This installment examines how artists in the late 19th and 20th centuries found new ways of looking at light, matter and color. #art💡 ⚛️ 🧪

“We can give these factories the ability to scan every part on the belt and have those data recorded and stored in the cloud.” OPN spoke with Cibby Pulikkaseril, Zabidou founder, about his company's laser-augmented, AI-powered computer vision systems. https://bit.ly/3QIZTMK 💡 ⚛️

Researchers in Japan have devised a new, solid-state material that converts visible rays of sunlight to UV photons with a conversion efficiency of 1.9%. Read the OPN story: https://bit.ly/4eF1IU7

"Can partially coherent light outperform coherent light in applications involving optical information processing? Recent developments indicate that the answer is yes." Read the OPN feature article to learn more about structured coherence: https://bit.ly/3QpR8am 💡 ⚛️

Image of the Week: Crossed Diffraction A simple white light source transforms into a radiant burst of color through the interaction of crossed diffraction gratings. Read more here: http://bit.ly/3Uj2QCf

A new light-responsive molecular switch can "wake-up" dormant cancer cells, making them receptive to treatment. This could help stop patients from experiencing disease relapse. Read the OPN story: https://bit.ly/3SOEW3z 💡 ⚛️ 🧪

In new work, researchers demonstrated an artificial eye that can react to changing light conditions within just a few seconds. The device can accurately identify objects in environments that include both bright light and dark shadow. Read the OPN story: https://bit.ly/4oMYGR3 💡 ⚛️ 🧪

Researchers demonstrated phase-contrast imaging of tiny biomolecules by leveraging an intense continuous-wave laser, increasing the resolution of the electron microscope. The scheme allows the imaging of molecules previously too small to study. Read the OPN story: https://bit.ly/4b6XeTQ 💡 ⚛️ 🧪

📣 OPN's July/August issue is now live 📣 The latest issue has stories about using partially coherent light for optical communications, optics in art, hollow-core fiber for long-haul optical networks and so much more! Check it out: https://bit.ly/44obFPL 💡 ⚛️ 🧪

Image of the Week: Staying Visible Colorful chemoluminescent light sticks illuminate bikes during a bike visibility social ride in Ottawa, Canada. [ 2025 #OPNPhotoContest ] Yaryna Mamchur, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada Read more here: http://bit.ly/3Uj2QCf

Check out OPN's latest Then and Now column, all about quantum dot fabrication and some of the milestone manufacturing methods that enable real-world applications. Read the story: https://bit.ly/4fOatw5 💡 ⚛️ 🧪

Researchers used a metasurface to improve a solar telescope. “We believe this is one of the first times that metasurface optics ... have been used to improve scientific instrumentation of any kind outside of a lab proof-of-concept.” https://bit.ly/4oBjzyE @ucsandiego.bsky.social💡⚛️ 🧪

Image of the Week: Shiny, Tiny Eyes Macro photography reveals complex textures and patterns within the iris, which can look similar to a “galaxy” or an alien landscape. Sai Krishna, civil engineer, Hyderabad, India Read more here: http://bit.ly/3Uj2QCf

The US Department of Commerce announced US$2 billion in federal incentives for 9 #quantum #technology companies under the CHIPS and Science Act. The commitment represents one of the largest federal investments in quantum computing hardware to date. Read the OPN story: https://bit.ly/49Xw6X5 💡 ⚛️

In OPN's latest Career Focus column "Earning Trust as Part of a Team" 2016 Optica President Alan Willner discusses the importance of being a team player in an organization and aligning your goals with those of your team. Read the story: https://bit.ly/4v0m1RI 💡 ⚛️ #edusky #academicsky

In new work, researchers demonstrated an optical chip that delivers femtosecond pulses of laser light with energies above a nanojoule. Read the OPN story: https://bit.ly/4okl2sO 💡 ⚛️

Researchers devised a way to make a by-product of paper, lignin, into useful materials (like vanillin and a biodegradable plastic alternative) with just light and ambient conditions. Read the OPN story: https://bit.ly/43vxAnN @ua.es @upv.es 💡 ⚛️ 🧪

Corning and Amazon announced a multibillion-dollar agreement. Corning will supply optical fiber, cable and connectivity solutions needed for Amazon Web Services. The investment will also enable Corning to create 1,000 new advanced manufacturing jobs. Read the OPN story: https://bit.ly/4vjb7Xv 💡 ⚛️

Congratulations 🎉 to the winners of the 2026 Optica awards and medals! Find the full list of recipients in the OPN June issue: https://bit.ly/4ullMzi #honors #awards 💡 ⚛️

Image of the Week: Creating Art with Fruit Black stripes printed on a sheet of paper reflected from the surface of diluted milk with a few berries. Read more here: http://bit.ly/3Uj2QCf