Optics & Photonics News is the magazine of Optica (formerly OSA). optica-opn.orghttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.orghttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mlod6g3txc2jWhat does the "AI economy" mean for the optics and photonics industry? Optica's senior science advisor Tom Hausken explores the potential ups and downs AI may have on the economy in the latest OPN Market Report "Hanging onto the AI Juggernaut" https://bit.ly/4fgpkPu #AI💡 ⚛️ 12 May 2026 17:35 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlod6g3txc2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mlm6g2xtin2uImage of the Week: Caustic and Shadow Artwork Grazing sunlight illuminating a glass of water generates an artwork of caustics and shadows. Andrea Aiello, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Erlangen Germany Read more here: http://bit.ly/3Uj2QCf11 May 2026 21:04 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlm6g2xtin2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mlltijtmkh2hAfter restorations, a Zeiss refractor from 1923 continues to delight visitors at the Belgrade Public Observatory. Read the OPN May feature "Restoring a Century-Old Zeiss Refractor" article to see how they got it up and running: https://bit.ly/42wvBPB 💡 ⚛️ 🧪 11 May 2026 17:49 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlltijtmkh2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mlbweosmty2w“People have found applications [for optical frequency combs] beyond the original fields—none of which were foreseen.” OPN spoke with Nathalie Picque ahead of her #CLEO plenary talk about recent developments in optical frequency comb research. https://bit.ly/4cXT2Gg 💡 ⚛️ 07 May 2026 19:14 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlbweosmty2whttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mlbw5kk4mf2jA new, flexible microlaser can measure tiny forces within a living cell. “The applications we see are related to force measurements in clinically relevant cell models, primarily in stem cell‒derived heart organoids,” Marcel Schubert, @unicologne.bsky.social https://bit.ly/4dqQXUJ 💡 ⚛️ 🧪 07 May 2026 19:10 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlbw5kk4mf2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3ml4xb34iqe24Image of the Week: Droplet Optics A raindrop resting on a leaf forms a near-perfect sphere, transforming it into both a spherical mirror and a spherical lens. [2025 #OPNPhotoContest ] Read more here: http://bit.ly/3Uj2QCf05 May 2026 19:46 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml4xb34iqe24https://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3ml4pzjrjjs2iPrivate equity firm Artemis acquired optical engineering, manufacturing, and metrology firm Optikos Corp. Optikos’ says the deal will strengthen its technical capabilities while accelerating its expansion into complex, fast-evolving markets. Read the OPN story: https://bit.ly/4ng5UMU 💡 ⚛️ 05 May 2026 17:37 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml4pzjrjjs2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3ml2763pe3s2wEver wonder how innovative optics-based biomedical research makes it from the lab to the doctor's office? Check out the OPN May feature article "Biomedical Optics: Bringing Bright Ideas into Clinical Use" to get a closer look: https://bit.ly/4cXJhrC 💡 ⚛️ 🧪 04 May 2026 17:30 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml2763pe3s2whttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mky5oeuql22bGlobal electronics manufacturer, Molex, announced that it will acquire Teramount Ltd., bringing Teramount's detachable fiber connectivity product in house. Read the OPN story: https://bit.ly/495fPyK 💡 ⚛️ 03 May 2026 21:58 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mky5oeuql22bhttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mkvt4tvonl2b"Eight years after the birth of their first child, mothers were 29% less likely to be working at a university than they would have been had they remained childless. For fathers, the decline was smaller, at 14%." New work points to a pronounced "parenthood penalty." https://bit.ly/49onRCW02 May 2026 23:44 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkvt4tvonl2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mksphdt4dy2pCheck out OPN's May Infographic "Measuring Time" to learn about how the SI second has been defined through time. https://bit.ly/4n3V6kx #atomicclock #time #physics 01 May 2026 18:00 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mksphdt4dy2phttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mkqd4bpzo62rResearchers from @tuwien.at have developed an infrared sensor that can analyze ultrafine particles from the atmosphere in real-time. Spinoff company Invisible-Light Labs is now offering a commercial version of the sensor. Read the OPN story: https://bit.ly/4cIlGwd 💡 ⚛️ 🧪 30 Apr 2026 19:14 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkqd4bpzo62rhttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mko3lgzuur2jResearchers have developed a new technique that can multiply the intensity of a laser, potentially reaching levels that can "break the vacuum" Read the OPN story: https://bit.ly/3PbvuWz 💡 ⚛️ 29 Apr 2026 21:54 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mko3lgzuur2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mkl5ybmitp2bIn a growing trend, US companies are turning to the EU to strengthen their photonic and quantum technologies. Read the OPN story covering @rocketlabcorp.com's recent acquisition of Mynaric AG and Marvell Technology Inc purchase of Polariton Technologies: https://bit.ly/4mRTCdn 💡 ⚛️ 28 Apr 2026 17:59 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkl5ybmitp2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mkiq3p54du2bLooking for a deep dive into the advanced laser technology behind displays, one of the most common consumer products? Check out the OPN May cover feature story: "The Lasers That Make Your Screen" https://bit.ly/4vRc5L2 💡⚛️ 🧪 27 Apr 2026 18:45 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkiq3p54du2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mkibx5i4rf2rImage of the Week: Rainbow's Ghostly Twin A fogbow arcs across the foggy Murodo Plateau. This ghostly twin of the rainbow is born from the same optical phenomenon as its colorful sibling. Naila Zahra, University of Osaka, Japan Read more here: http://bit.ly/3Uj2QCf27 Apr 2026 14:31 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkibx5i4rf2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mk6odjgmid2uResearchers at NIST combined lithium niobate and tantalum pentoxide on a single chip, leveraging both of their strengths. The resulting device can change the color of laser light making it ideal for building complex photonic systems. Read the OPN story: https://bit.ly/4dZkplw 💡 ⚛️ 23 Apr 2026 18:47 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk6odjgmid2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mk44y2rijo2bResearchers developed a stable, portable optical clock. A sea voyage showed the ytterbium-171 clock's high accuracy and frequency even after several days on the moving ship. Read the OPN story: https://bit.ly/4vHDT4s 💡 ⚛️ 🧪 22 Apr 2026 18:31 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk44y2rijo2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mjzko27rep2pOPN's May issue is now live! 🥳 The issue includes features about the #lasers that make up displays, closing the gap between #biomedical optics research and clinical use, the story behind restoring a Zeiss refractor from 1923 and so much more! Check it out online 👉 https://bit.ly/3QOQpz2 💡⚛️ 🧪21 Apr 2026 17:58 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjzko27rep2phttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mjxetqsksd2rImage of the Week: Stress Revealed in Color A curved acetate sheet placed between crossed polarizers exhibits vivid interference colors due to stress-induced birefringence. Read more here: http://bit.ly/3Uj2QCf20 Apr 2026 21:08 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjxetqsksd2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mjpqzcragf2y"These initiatives reflect a growing emphasis by the EU on strengthening the structural conditions that allow new technologies to scale, commercialize and sustain globally competitive activity." Check out the OPN story to learn more about these important policy proposals: https://bit.ly/48Lbroj💡 ⚛️ 17 Apr 2026 20:25 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjpqzcragf2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mjn4lj4jxm23By studying a unique, light-activated protein in dragonflies, researchers may have unlocked new opportunities for deep-tissue optogenetics. Read the OPN story: https://bit.ly/4mzOB8T #optogenetics #proteins 💡 ⚛️ 🧪 16 Apr 2026 19:14 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjn4lj4jxm23https://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mjktptfklf2qTiny robots, guided by laser light, can transport bacteria. The new device could be used in microbiology and biomedicine as a robotic cleaner. Read the OPN story: https://bit.ly/41A9g3a 💡 ⚛️ 🧪 15 Apr 2026 21:30 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjktptfklf2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mji3yedbzi2dHappy World Quantum Day! To celebrate, here are a few of our favorite recent #quantum stories: "The International Year of Quantum Science and Technology" https://bit.ly/48Mds3D "The Travels of a Quantum Light Source" https://bit.ly/41BvB0f "Pushing Quantum Security" https://bit.ly/3OhznZI 💡 ⚛️ 🧪 14 Apr 2026 19:20 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mji3yedbzi2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mjhwbyfwo625Learn about how the optics community in Kenya is growing from OPN's April issue profile on the National Institute for Optics and Lasers, which was founded in Nairobi, Kenya, in March 2019. Read the story: https://bit.ly/4cujxTv #academicsky #edusky💡 ⚛️ 🧪 14 Apr 2026 17:38 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjhwbyfwo625https://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mjfldyc4i22dVector Photonics announced the first successful public demonstration of photonic crystal surface emitting laser technology! They say this latest breakthrough could enable faster, secure internet connections. Read the OPN story: https://bit.ly/41sjiDx13 Apr 2026 19:17 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjfldyc4i22dhttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mjfizhksme2mImage of the Week: Spider Rainbow Sunlight passing through a spider’s web diffracts into a rainbow of colors. Robert Schalck, Optica Senior Member (Emeritus), North Bend, OR, USA Read more here: http://bit.ly/3Uj2QCf13 Apr 2026 18:35 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjfizhksme2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/optica-opn.org/post/3mjfgikyjf32pScientific and technological impact is often dependent on long-term investment in research. Check out the OPN feature "How USAF Funding Shaped Laser-Atmosphere Modeling" to see how this transformative software was made possible with US federal funding: https://bit.ly/3Q58bhk 💡 ⚛️ 🧪 13 Apr 2026 17:50 +0000at://did:plc:jhggeb2i6pconvjrpvanlefy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjfgikyjf32p