Optics

A species of mantis shrimp, thanks to a unique eye structure, can perceive light that is circularly polarized

A collection of metamaterial rings efficiently absorbs microwave radiation the way black holes gobble up matter and light, and an optical-light analogue may not be far behind

The first commercial test of light-wave telephone service is under way in Chicago. The signals are dispatched over glass fibers in pulses generated by tiny solid-state light sources

The three researchers paved the way for broadband telecommunications and the proliferation of digital photography

Scientists hope a better understanding of when, where and how mammoth oceanic waves form can someday help ships steer clear of danger

A new approach for manipulating light that doesn't require sophisticated "metamaterials"

Analyses of primate visual pigments show that our color vision evolved in an unusual way and that the brain is more adaptable than generally thought

New studies track the motion of stars to pin down what holds sway at the heart of our galaxy

A revolutionary kind of laser light called an optical frequency comb makes possible a more precise type of atomic clock and many other applications

In pursuit of an iPhone-size tool to monitor cancer and diagnose malaria

Most of us are familiar with the way time seems to stop under a flickering strobe light. Researchers use a similar trick to study atomic electrons—by pinging atoms with exceedingly short light pulses, they can watch electrons' quantum states evolve in unprecedented detail.

Using materials that scatter sound waves, researchers think they have created a covering that could make an object completely soundproof. Cynthia Graber reports.