News > Geek > Scientists Stop Light for One Second

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THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 15 2005 7:00 AM

Scientists Stop Light for One Second

Submitted by WilWheaton

Edited by WilWheaton

Okay, seriously. Mad Scientists are trying to blow us all to smithereens. First it's the nanites, and now this!

Light has been stopped in its tracks, for more than one second, setting a new record by over a thousand times longer than the previous one.

Researchers at the Australian National University used a technique called electromagnetically induced transparency, in which a beam of laser light puts the atoms in a solid sample into a state in which a signal light pulse can be trapped.

In all seriousness, this is pretty goddamned cool. I've wondered for years when scientists would figure out something cool to do with praseodymium that didn't involve boring lights or stupid aircract engines, and it looks like this is it. According to the article at WikiNews.org, if future experiments are successful, this could lead to applications in quanum computers.

I'd explain quantum computers, but some smarty pants would observe the results and screw everything up.

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Comments

Vaux

I'm lost

January 2008

SEP 15, 2005 07:10 AM

*whistle*

whitepuma

Australia

March 2004

SEP 15, 2005 07:54 AM

aussie aussie oi oi oi good to see we are still up there doing kool shit its a shame our govt has fucked so many inventors and devlopers over through the years as so much shit is developed in aus but has to go overseas to actually manufactured and come to frutility

Tesla

Santa Cruz, CA

OLD SKOOL

SEP 15, 2005 08:17 AM

If a light pulse can be trapped... I suspect this technology could eventually be adapted to functional 3D holograms.

MisterSatan

Portland, OR

August 2002

SEP 15, 2005 08:18 AM

Hoooooooooooooooooo-lee shit, that's fucking cool.

Rhys

SUICIDEGIRL

Florida, USA

SEP 15, 2005 08:20 AM

that's effing awesome.

Al

SUICIDEGIRL

Christmas Island

SEP 15, 2005 08:22 AM

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Al

SUICIDEGIRL

Christmas Island

SEP 15, 2005 08:23 AM

I can't help it, I'm sorry, I'm going to cum all over my own stomach.

Maraxia

United Kingdom

March 2005

SEP 15, 2005 08:30 AM

SCORE! and i thoguht it was always the germans that had weird technology. I suppose being upside down to us "normal" folk must allow aussie scientists to come up with some good idea...

tellyfone

Ithaca, NY

December 2004

SEP 15, 2005 08:31 AM

whitepuma said:
... so much shit is developed in aus but has to go overseas to actually manufactured and come to frutility

Kind of like da You Ess of Aaaayyy... (O,r why does every piece of electronic gear these days hafta come from China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, etc.? I'm going to date myself here, and say that I remember when electronic components (like a new set of output tubes for the stereo) used to come in boxes marrked "Made in USA". Now that's going WAAAAY back!)

Chainlink

Key West, FL

August 2005

SEP 15, 2005 08:35 AM

WOWSA !!!!!! That is really amazing.

So when the light particle(s) are stopped do they continue to illuminate ??
And after they stop being stopped do they start back up and carry on or just stop and fizzle out ?

and Now why can't they just stop mosquitos or... the common cold...or.. armpit hair in their tracks ??

[Edited on Sep 15, 2005 8:45AM]