Why this particular speed and not something else? Or, to put it another way, where does the speed of light come from? Electromagnetic theory gave a first crucial insight 150 years ago. The Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell showed that when electric and magnetic fields change in time, they interact to produce a travelling electromagnetic...Continue Reading

A new center led by the University of Rochester will receive over $4 million in combined federal, industry and academic funding to advance the emerging area of freeform optics. Freeform optics could transform 21st century optical science. It could allow for a wider range of shapes for lenses and mirrors, which until recently had been...Continue Reading

Conferences this week at the University of Rochester have attracted top physicists from about 20 nations — including Serge Haroche of France, winner of last year’s Nobel Prize in physics. The Tenth Rochester Conference on Coherence and Quantum Optics — a three-day event that concluded Wednesday — was the place to be for scientists wanting...Continue Reading

115 scientists and researchers gathered at the Hyatt Regency in Rochester, New York for 3 days, July 31 – August 2 to share the latest research in optical components for government-funded applications. Each year Tech Days summarizes the USA Government’s investment strategies and activities in developing technology for any application (such as telescopes, imaging systems,...Continue Reading