On cold, sunny days, tiny ice crystals in the atmosphere can create breathtaking displays like halos, sundogs, and light pillars.

The science behind natural optical phenomena—colors in the sky, rainbows, halos, coronas, iridescence, glories, glitter patterns and auroras—will be the topic of a free talk at Rochester Institute of ...

Rainbows are optical phenomena resulting from the interaction of sunlight, water droplets, and the human visual system, not physical objects. Scientific understanding of rainbows developed over ...

If you’ve ever found yourself wishing for the ability to read other people’s thoughts or the ability to see into your own heart, all you have to do is stare at the horizon directly at sunrise or ...

Engineers unlock the power of exceptional points (EPs) for advanced optical sensing. EPs -- specific conditions in systems where extraordinary optical phenomena can occur -- can be deployed on ...

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A optical illusion appeared off the First Coast this week, making it seem as though a ship was hovering above and out of the water. The phenomenon, known as a superior mirage, ...

Exposure to blue light, like that from smartphones or tablets, may lead to early puberty in male rats, according to research presented at the 61st Annual European Society for Pediatric Endocrinology ...

A new study explores the behavior of photons, the elementary particles of light, as they encounter boundaries where material properties change rapidly over time. This research uncovers remarkable ...

Optics is a branch of physics that involves the properties of light and its interaction with matter. Reflection, refraction and diffraction are different ways light can behave based on the conditions ...

Magneto-optical effects in plasmonic nanostructures represent an exciting frontier in the convergence of photonics, nanomagnetism and materials science. By harnessing the strong local electromagnetic ...

Air pollution might protect against the most dangerous type of skin cancer, melanoma, a new study finds. However, it's crucial to approach these results with caution and consider the broader context ...