This Discovery Just Won the Nobel Prize in Physics

The Nobel Prize in Physics 2023 was just awarded to three scientists (Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz and Anne L’Huillier) for "experimental methods that generate attosecond pulses of light for the study of electron dynamics in matter." In other words, they broke the record for the fastest light pulse! And that's allowing us to peer into the inner workings of our world and understand things like never before...

This short is part of Huge If True, our optimistic show about science and tech. We just made a longer episode all about mapping our oceans! Subscribe to support us and to see more.

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[abhisheksharma]

Cleo is the type of ethusiastic teacher that every one of us really deserved.

[DAVOinIN]

As a laser physicist, I think it's worth noting that these aren't "fast pulses", they are "ultrashort pulses". The speed of light is always the same, the trick is that the pulse duration is short and thus allows us to observe ultrafast events. Ultrashort pulses enable ultrafast science.

Edit: Got a surprising number of likes on this so maybe Cleo will actually see it. If so, I'd love to help you make a longer video about the exciting fields of ultrafast science and show you our labs where we actually make these sorts of pulses and some of the crazy things we can do with them.

[zedzedder]

Scientist after creating the first pulse:
- Atto boy!

[shadetreemechanicracing]

People call me lazy because they don't think I move. I just move so fast they never see it.

[Cyrila]

In case anyone is confused, the pulse itself is not moving faster than any other light, all light moves at the speed of light. The "speed" is referring to the length of time the pulse exists. Like a tiny bump on your car horn vs a proper angry press. So ya, this pulse is very very short but still moves at the speed of light through space.

[HeisenbergFam]

Cleo's enthusiasm is proof she would be a great teacher

[BillDownhill]

CS:GO players waiting for monitors with 1 attosecond response time.

[RalakFrozenDeath]

Perspective on how small this is.

If an atto second would be a second - one second would be more than twice the age of the universe.

[RoninCotter-fpnu]

Every picture taken of an atom, which is astonishing on its own, shows the electron field as a fuzzy blur. I would love to be able to see the structure of the nucleus with a snapshot so fast, that it can finally capture the electrons in still. That would be fascinating.

[KenseiShiro]

Now we can give people epilepsy who aren't even epileptic

[KSmith-kpjz]

I really appreciate that the Nobel prize can be won by more than one person. If multiple people contributed to the project, it’s only right they all get credit.

[Isaac-X-edit]

The proof of human use of the brain for the right thing.

[Gol_.D._Roger]

For comparison, that video is 4.6 QUINTILLION attoseconds long

[MichaelWaters-dbky]

Another great 😃👍 video as always. Cleo, would you mind producing a video about the process by which nanorobots are "constructed" or perhaps "grown"? What are the details on this? Pretty please? Thx, Miss Abram.😊

[kjurpjdpihe]

To get an idea. There are more attoseconds in a second than the number of seconds since the big bang.

[Projectioncloud]

I'm immensely happy that Cleo can carry the torch of condensed and useful bits science now that Tom Scott is retiring his channel and Dianna is fighting long COVID. Thank you!!

[davidkastelic]

Thank you for your videos! You really bring the joy into subjects that are not that interesting to normal public! Cannot wait for more!

[JusticeConstantine]

Now that I binged your long form videos, I am enjoying these shorts.

[hesleyt]

Just measuring time at that scale is impressive!

[attilaosztopanyi]

Soo proud of Ferenc Krausz a fellow hungarian 🇭🇺🏆