Optical methods are experimental and analytical techniques that exploit the interaction of electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet, visible, or infrared ranges with matter to probe, manipulate, or measure physical, chemical, or biological systems. They encompass approaches such as absorption, fluorescence, and Raman spectroscopy, interferometry, optical microscopy, and optical coherence tomography, relying on phenomena including reflection, refraction, diffraction, scattering, and emission. These methods provide high spatial and temporal resolution, enable non-contact and often non-destructive measurements, and are widely used for quantitative imaging, material characterization, environmental sensing, and in situ monitoring of dynamic processes in both fundamental research and applied technologies.
Plastic pollution is everywhere: in rivers and oceans, in the air and the mountains, even in our blood and vital organs. Most of the public attention has focused on the dangers of microplastics. These are fragments smaller ...
Optics & Photonics
Sep 8, 2025
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Ever wish you had insight on whether the plants in your home garden are really thriving? A group of Northeastern University researchers recently developed sensors that change color to indicate the health status of plants. ...
Biotechnology
Aug 4, 2025
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Until today, skin, brain, and all tissues of the human body were difficult to observe in detail with an optical microscope, since the contrast in the image was hindered by the high density of their structures. The research ...
Optics & Photonics
Jul 24, 2025
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The European Space Agency (ESA) successfully established a transmission-reception optical link with NASA's Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) experiment onboard its Psyche mission, located 265 million kilometers away, ...
Space Exploration
Jul 11, 2025
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A team of chemists, microbiologists and ecologists has designed a molecular probe (a molecule designed to detect proteins or DNA inside an organism, for example) that lights up when a sugar is consumed.
Molecular & Computational biology
Jul 10, 2025
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Three-dimensional (3D) imaging is essential for investigating cellular structure and dynamics. Traditional optical methods rely on adhesive or mechanical forces to hold and scan cells, which limit their applicability to suspended ...
Optics & Photonics
Jul 8, 2025
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Optical biosensors use light waves as a probe to detect molecules, and are essential for precise medical diagnostics, personalized medicine, and environmental monitoring.
Optics & Photonics
Jun 26, 2025
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Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology has successfully developed a real-time, low-cost algal bloom monitoring system utilizing inexpensive optical sensors and a novel labeling logic. The system achieves ...
Environment
May 29, 2025
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Determining how strong your drink is doesn't need to be either guesswork or lab work. New research has made it as simple as checking your messages—and more colorful, too. The study is published in the journal Small Science.
Bio & Medicine
May 20, 2025
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Researchers at Rice University have developed a new machine learning (ML) algorithm that excels at interpreting the "light signatures" (optical spectra) of molecules, materials and disease biomarkers, potentially enabling ...
Optics & Photonics
Apr 28, 2025
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