BBC: A new imaging technique called femto-photography captures images at about one trillion frames per second and is even capable of visualizing the movement of light. Ramesh Raskar of MIT and colleagues adapted a streak tube, which is used to take data readings from light pulses, and used a laser pulse as their light source. Streak tubes scan one horizontal line at a time, and hundreds of scans must be taken to create a single frame. Consequently, the technique can capture only those events that can be precisely re-created multiple times. About one hour’s worth of shots are needed to create a video representing less than a second of real time. The team anticipates that the new technique could be used in scientific imaging of ultrafast processes.
The finding that the Saturnian moon may host layers of icy slush instead of a global ocean could change how planetary scientists think about other icy moons as well.
Modeling the shapes of tree branches, neurons, and blood vessels is a thorny problem, but researchers have just discovered that much of the math has already been done.
January 29, 2026 12:52 PM
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