Zothecula writes: In a world where lasers are sci-fi’s weapon of choice for melting away an enemy spaceship, researchers at the University of Washington have swum against the current and produced the first laser capable of cooling liquids. ” They demonstrated that the laser could refrigerate saline solution and cell culture media that are commonly used in genetic and molecular research. To achieve the breakthrough, the UW team used a material commonly found in commercial lasers but essentially ran the laser phenomenon in reverse. They illuminated a single microscopic crystal suspended in water with infrared laser light to excite a unique kind of glow that has slightly more energy than that amount of light absorbed. This higher-energy glow carries heat away from both the crystal and the water surrounding it.” The technology could be especially useful for slowing down single cells and allowing scientists to study biological processes as they happen. Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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First Liquid-Cooling Laser Could Advance Biological Research
