lasers

China has rolled out AI-powered weed-killing machines across large areas of farmland. Each machine combines cameras, artificial intelligence and lasers: a vision system scans plants while AI distinguishes crops from weeds, allowing targeted destruction of weeds without damaging crops. The machines have already entered operation, and the technology is drawing attention as a potential alternative to chemical herbicides in large-scale agriculture.

Wired reports that space-based laser technology for beaming energy is about to undergo its first real-world test. The experiment would mark a milestone for wireless power transmission from space, a concept long discussed as a potential clean energy source. Interest centers on whether lasers can reliably deliver usable power to Earth.

Wired reports that space-based lasers designed to transmit energy are about to undergo their first real-world test. The experiment would mark a milestone for efforts to beam power from space to Earth, a long-discussed concept that startups and researchers hope could one day deliver clean energy across distances. The technology remains early-stage and unproven at scale.

The US Space Force is acquiring directed-energy laser systems to shoot down drones flying over Cape Canaveral, Florida, home to a major space launch complex. The weapons are intended to protect rockets, spacecraft and infrastructure from small unmanned aerial threats near the busy spaceport. Details on which systems will be fielded and when remain limited, but the move reflects growing concern about drone threats to critical launch sites.

Cape Canaveral Spaceport is set to receive laser weapons designed to shoot down drones, according to reporting by The War Zone. The deployment would give the Florida launch site a directed-energy defense against unauthorized unmanned aircraft that could threaten rockets, satellites and other sensitive hardware during launch operations. Details on the specific systems, timing and which agencies will operate them have not been released, but the plan signals growing concern about drone threats to US space infrastructure.

The U.S. military has deployed laser weapons in the Strait of Hormuz to counter drone threats. The directed-energy systems are intended to intercept hostile drones in the strategically vital waterway, through which much of the world's oil passes. The move comes amid ongoing tensions in the region and growing use of drones by hostile forces.

Space-based laser technology is preparing for its first real-world test in generating energy, according to WIRED. The concept involves transmitting power collected in space down to Earth using laser beams, a long-proposed but never operationally demonstrated approach to energy generation. The trial could mark a significant milestone for the emerging space energy sector.

Australian defence contractor Electro Optic Systems (EOS) has signed a letter of intent with the Netherlands Ministry of Defence covering high energy laser weapon technology. The agreement marks a step toward potential cooperation on directed-energy systems for the Dutch armed forces, as European militaries step up investment in counter-drone and air defence laser capabilities.

The US Space Force has reportedly deployed a kinetic-kill laser as part of the defensive systems protecting Cape Canaveral, Florida. The system is described as capable of physically destroying incoming threats rather than merely disabling them. The report has drawn attention among space policy and defense watchers, raising questions about the growing militarization of US launch facilities and the role of directed-energy weapons in homeland defense.

A US startup is pursuing a drone concept designed to carry a 300-kilowatt-class laser weapon, according to Defense Post reporting. The idea points to growing interest in high-power laser systems mounted on unmanned aircraft, potentially for missile defense or counter-drone missions. Details about the company, funding, and timeline of the project remain limited.

The US Space Force has added laser systems at Cape Canaveral following roughly 500 drone flights at Port Canaveral. The move is being read as a counter-drone security measure protecting launch operations and port infrastructure from unauthorized unmanned aircraft activity.

A snake-shaped robot is now patrolling 10-kilovolt power lines in Kunming, in southwest China. Developed by the Kunming Power Supply Bureau of China Southern Power Grid, the robot navigates obstacles autonomously and uses infrared, thermal imaging, and laser sensors to detect potential faults on the lines, reducing the need for workers to inspect high-voltage equipment manually.

A new open-source tool called DEDA (Tracking Dots Extraction, Decoding and Anonymisation Toolkit) has been released, allowing users to extract, decode and remove the yellow tracking dots that many colour laser printers secretly print on documents. The dots can identify the printer's serial number and print timestamp, raising privacy concerns. The toolkit's release has drawn attention from people interested in document forensics and anonymity.

Researchers working under Optica's ultrafast laser research report that new laser techniques can reveal how materials respond to light down to the level of individual electrons. The advance gives scientists a more direct view of the electron dynamics that underpin light-matter interactions, with potential relevance for photonics, electronics and materials science, though detailed findings remain limited in available coverage.

A physicist has proposed that laser light could transfer energy to a gravitational wave, a concept that would open a new way of interacting with ripples in spacetime. The idea, outlined in recent reporting, suggests beams of light might add energy to gravitational waves as they pass, though it remains a theoretical proposal rather than a demonstrated result. Physicists are weighing whether such an exchange could ever be tested experimentally.

Researchers have developed a new X-ray technique that allows them to observe, in real time, how quantum materials respond when hit by laser pulses. The method offers a direct window into ultrafast changes in these materials, which could advance research into next-generation electronics and quantum technologies. Details of the advance were announced by the research team behind the technique.

A director of laser technology company nLIGHT sold 4,452 shares of company stock, a transaction that came after a sharp drop in the share price. Insider sales following a plunging stock often draw investor scrutiny, as market watchers look for signals about how confident those close to the company are in its prospects. The size and timing of the sale have made it a talking point among those tracking nLIGHT's recent performance.

DEDA, an open-source toolkit for extracting, decoding and anonymising yellow tracking dots that colour laser printers secretly print on documents, has been released on GitHub by researchers at TU Dresden. The tool lets anyone read the hidden identifying information embedded in printed pages and remove it, raising fresh concerns about printer surveillance and document privacy.

Startup CScale is arguing that AI data centers at gigawatt scale can keep operating even when optical lasers fail, a claim about resilience in the interconnects linking massive AI computing fleets. The bet targets one of the practical engineering worries facing companies building enormous AI factories, where component failures multiply as campuses grow. Details on funding, partners or deployments remain unclear.

A Nature retrospective revisits the 1966 Nobel Prize in Physics, awarded to Alfred Kastler for the discovery and development of optical methods for studying atomic spectra, work known as optical pumping. The piece highlights how the achievement rested on collaboration across laboratories and laid foundations for later developments in atomic physics and laser science.

A laser-equipped robot vacuum is being offered at close to 50% off as part of Amazon's October Prime Day sales event. The discount, reported by VICE, highlights how popular robot vacuums have become during major shopping events, with shoppers hunting for big savings on smart home cleaning gadgets during the limited-time sale.

Hackaday has published a feature on upgrading a benchtop laser for megawatt power, exploring how hobbyist-grade equipment can be pushed far beyond its original design limits. The piece walks through the engineering challenges involved, and hardware and science enthusiasts are sharing it among themselves as an example of ambitious amateur laser work.

The story examines how spacecraft communications have evolved from short, scheduled contact windows limited by ground station availability to near-continuous connectivity, enabled by relay satellites, expanded ground networks and laser optical links. It traces this progression across decades of missions, highlighting how continuous data streams change how agencies and private operators run spacecraft operations and science returns.

The US National Science Foundation is moving forward with a plan to build what would be the world's most powerful laser, a project that UC Irvine researchers are involved in advancing. The facility would push the frontiers of high-intensity laser science, enabling experiments in fundamental physics that are currently beyond reach. Details on timeline and funding remain limited.