Aviation & Aerospace News

1. How Photonics Will Help Curb Methane Emissions And Slow Global Warming 1/12/2022

   Methane gas is 25 times more potent than CO2 at locking heat in the earth’s atmosphere and has more than doubled in concentration over the past two centuries. In an effort to curb the damage done by this potent greenhouse gas, the Biden administration has urged the EPA to implement rules that further reduce methane emissions, particularly in the oil and gas industry. Rising to the challenge of identifying those methane leaks are photonics firms employing existing technologies to tackle an age-old problem in new ways. 

2. Bright Ideas — James Webb Telescope Is Ready, Intel Opens Photonics Center, First-Ever Optical Oscilloscope Developed 12/20/2021

   Bright Ideas presents the most captivating news and innovations in photonics. This week, NASA updates its launch time for the James Webb telescope, Intel opens a new photonics research center, a first-of-its-kind optical oscilloscope is created, and one scientist thinks mouse fur might have heat-sensing properties. 

3. Bright Ideas — New Photonic Chip Yields Higher-Contrast Microscopy, OCT Imaging Goes Deeper Into Skin 12/8/2021

   Bright Ideas presents the most captivating news and innovations in photonics. This week, Chinese researchers presented a new planar photonic chip that doesn’t require a "bulky" condenser or special objective to conduct darkfield or total image reflection (TIR) microscopy. A new DARPA Young Faculty Award recipient is exploring a ne way to control the propagation of light that would enhance power efficiency and thereby improve communications technologies.  And, biomedical engineers have found a way to increase optical coherence tomography (OCT) depth through the skin by 50 percent.

4. Bright Ideas — Solar Power Creates Sustainable Aircraft Fuel, Webb Telescope Camera Ready For Launch 11/17/2021

   Bright Ideas presents the most captivating news and innovations in photonics. This week, teams with the James Webb Space Telescope confirm its camera and spectrograph are ready for launch, a floating-solar and hydro-power plant hybrid is producing electricity near a dam in Thailand, and sustainable aircraft fuel is made from only sunlight and ambient air.

5. Bright Ideas — U.S. & Russia Pursue HEL Technology, Fiber Optics "Father" Honored With Google Doodle 11/10/2021

   Bright Ideas presents the most captivating news and innovations in photonics. This week, high energy lasers (HEL) are the hot topic among academicians and world leaders alike, the "father" of fiber optics is honored by Google, and plenty of photonics firms are making gains with mergers and acquisitions. 

6. 6 Emerging Military Technologies — And Who Has the Upper Hand In Each 11/3/2021

   Artificial intelligence, directed energy, lethal autonomous weapons — explore the top trends in military technology that will revolutionize how the world approaches war. Plus, understand how the United States compares to its most motivated military competitors. 

7. Bright Ideas: 9/22/21 — NASA & LISA To Catch Ripples in Gravitational Field, Nikon Picks 'Small World' Winners 9/22/2021

   Bright Ideas presents the most captivating news and innovations in photonics. This week, a 3-mile laser beam successfully transmitted data across the Congo River and between two African cities, a new polarimetric imaging method is helping take clearer pictures in murky water, and the secret to cooking juicier chicken is... lasers?

8. Bright Ideas: 9/8/21 — Laser Beams Now Visible In Vacuum, Can Also Sharpen Blur In Space Pics 9/8/2021

   Bright Ideas presents the most captivating news and innovations in photonics. This week, Space X offers a reason for its quiet launch schedule, MIT researchers claim they can repair and redirect fiber optic cable data, and caterpillars show scientists just how disturbing LED light can be.

9. Bright Ideas: 8/30/21 — NASA's MISR Analyzes Wildfire Smoke, LiDAR To Detect Pipeline Methane Leaks 8/26/2021

   Bright Ideas presents the most captivating news and innovations in photonics. This week, a 3D-printed microscope detects COVID-19 in a single drop of blood, and scientists use imaging and machine learning to identify drought-tolerant crops. 

10. Overcoming The Resolution Limit: Scientists At The University Of Paderborn Develop A New Measuring Method 1/5/2021

    Scientists at the University of Paderborn have succeeded in developing a new method of distance measurement for systems such as GPS, the results of which are more precise than ever before.