A novel laser-equipped probe is collecting measurements of deep-sea geochemical environments that once seemed impossible to gather, pointing the way toward future explorations of other ocean worlds.
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Moving at the Speed of Snow
Snowflakes take many routes from cloud to ground. Large, soft flakes swirl and tumble gently from above. Sharp, painful bits of ice get spit from the sky in a sideways burst. Mushy, wet snow falls in clumps. The ways in which snow travels through the air seem nothing short of complicated. But a new study […]
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Precisely Synced Clocks Pave the Way for New Science
Researchers working on Hawaiian mountain tops precisely synchronized two clocks with unprecedented efficiency, demonstrating the potential to create networks of such clocks for geodesy and more.
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A Tiny New Device Could Help Find Extraterrestrial Life
Researchers developed a mini analyzer that could be a giant step forward in the search for life and habitable environments beyond Earth.
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How to Bend Lightning with a Laser Beam
For the first time, scientists have redirected lightning using a laser beam. And that’s just the start of what’s possible.
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Lasers Have the Makings of a 21st-Century Geoscience Tool
Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy is a versatile geochemical tool being used in a wide range of applications, from Mars rovers to earthly rock identification.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Rover and Lasers Unlock Clues to Early Martian Atmosphere
Sediments from the Curiosity rover and experiments using tanks of gas and laser beams helped reveal how water continued to flow on Mars after the planet lost its atmospheric carbon dioxide.
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Three–Dimensional Scans Illuminate Wildlife Environments
Detailed laser imaging of vegetation and landforms where animals live and roam offers revealing new perspectives on interactions between those creatures and their surroundings.
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Laser Beams Brighten Prospects for Cave Science
Armed with laser technology, scientists now plot and study vivid maps of underground spaces with stunning accuracy. But the equipment is costly, fragile, and hard to maneuver through tight passages.