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The light fantastic

08 December 2014
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EU researchers are using light to improve our daily lives.. Image: Shutterstock/Elenamiv.
EU researchers are using light to improve our daily lives. Image: Shutterstock/Elenamiv.

Light pulses that last just a billionth of a billionth of a second are allowing scientists to view the movement of electrons in detail for the first time. In the darkest month of the year, Horizon turns its gaze towards the science of light.

We discover how these rapid light pulses are helping scientists make ‘molecular movies’ of chemical reactions, and learn how Europe is leading the way in the use of extreme light, from the world’s brightest X-ray to one of the world’s most powerful lasers.

We investigate the new materials that are harnessing sunlight to clean our environment, from pollution-absorbing bus lanes to paint that purifies drinking water. Finally, we explore how new LED technology could not only dramatically cut Europe’s lighting bills but also influence the way we interact with our environment.

Professor Wolfgang Sandner expects the ELI laser will be able to create electron positrons out of nothing. Copyright with ELI-DC International Association AISBL
energy
19 December 2014

World’s brightest laser pulses will create matter out of nothing – Prof. Wolfgang Sandner

The world’s brightest pulses of light will reveal things that have never been seen before, according to Professor Wolfgang Sandner, director-general of the consortium building a facility known as the Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI), which can produce lasers that are stronger than all the world’s power stations combined.

A motorway 15 km from Copenhagen, in Denmark, is being used as a test site for the LIGHT2CAT project's pollution-degrading concrete. Image Credit: Light2CAT Project/Consortium
environment
18 December 2014

The concrete answer to pollution

Dull, grey and boring: concrete may not be much to look at, but – along with other basic materials like paint – it is being upgraded so it can clean up pollution.

One of the project’s pilot sites – Belfast City Hall in Northern Ireland – has taken the opportunity to not only save energy, but also design a better, more flexible lighting system. Image: Belfast City Council.
energy | health
17 December 2014

Intelligent lighting could improve health, slash bills

The widespread adoption of a new form of lighting could not only help dramatically reduce Europe’s energy use but also be used to improve people’s health and well-being.

From ultrashort X-rays to extremely powerful lasers, Horizon looks at images from Europe’s cutting-edge light infrastructure. Image Credit: Thorsten Naeser
frontier research
15 December 2014

The power of light

By probing structures such as a tungsten crystal with attosecond light pulses, researchers can learn about the behaviour of electrons. Image: Courtesy http://www.attoworld.de
frontier research
08 December 2014

‘Molecular movies’ bring atomic world into focus

Ultra-short bursts of light are helping scientists see the movement of electrons in real time and opening up the possibility of controlling their activity, with potential applications that include super-fast computing and a window into the mechanics of chemical reactions.