The Extreme World of Ultra Intense Lasers - with Kate Lancaster

When lasers were invented over half a century ago they were hailed as a “solution looking for a problem”. Since then lasers have come to revolutionise our lives through their practical applications such as data transport and CD/ DVD players, and as a tool for industry and science.

The largest and most powerful lasers in the world can be used to make some of the most extreme conditions possible on earth. Scientists around the globe are using these lasers to try to miniaturise particle accelerators, make astrophysical conditions in the lab, and create fusion energy. Dr Kate Lancaster leads you through this extreme world with demonstrations along the way in celebration of the International Year of Light.

Kate Lancaster was awarded a PhD in Advanced Fast Ignition studies (laser driven fusion) by Imperial College London before working at the Central Laser Facility at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.

Her background is in laser plasma interactions and laser driven fusion and she is now the Plasma and Fusion industrial officer for the York Plasma Institute, University of York.

[MrTeknotronic]

Well I, for one, appreciate people who make lectures like this.

[berenicel]

Kate teaches mathematics to first year physics students at York uni. We love her! She’s so funny and lovely.

[ryPish]

My feeling that any problem can be fixed with more lasers and more magnets has been reinforced by this video, thank you.

[shadowevr]

She’s so wonderfully geeky and just a bit awkward that she comes across as really personable. Love it. :)

[fasvi]

I love this lecture. She is very human even as she is also very expert.

[john_hunter_]

The best application for lasers is using them as laser pointers in a presentation about lasers.

[anthonymerchant]

This was a excellent and informative video and I appreciate the people that took the time to record this event. Subscribed to this channel just from seeing this video. I know this is a older upload but I enjoy this kind of content and like to share with others.

[DoRC]

Great talk. If people would spent half the time they spend watching reality shows on education like this the world would be a better place.

[Armuotas]

23:36 "Mega-Amp" and "Giga-Gauss" (100.000T) gives me shivers on my back!

[ruthmoreton]

Mesmerising lecture. To the critics - you get up there and give a one hour non stop lecture on your favourite subject from mostly memory. I dare you. Kate did that, while on camera for the BBC knowing it was going out not just to the audience but likely a million or so viewers too.

[elliottmcollins]

Good lord, the critical tone in these comments is so silly! This was really interesting and fun to watch. There are as many critics saying it was too simple as there were saying it was too complex, which suggests to me that 1) it was just right and 2) people love to criticize strangers on the internet.

[no_handle_required]

Love these lectures. The ability to see this when I otherwise could not be present in those classes is excellent.

[nycbearff]

I think any young person watching this will clearly understand Dr. Lancaster's excitement and enthusiasm for her work, and the fact that ultra intense lasers are astonishing instruments which open up astonishing possibilities in nuclear physics.

For a lecture like this, in this context, what she delivered was EXACTLY what was needed. With her enthusiasm and joy in her work, how could she not inspire younger people, including young women, to get into scientific research? She so clearly loves it and has so clearly prospered in it.

The people below who objected because they didn't find the lecture informative enough, or well organized - well, it was a short lecture about an incredibly complex field. It couldn't have been informative enough about the details of laser technology, no matter who gave the lecture.

I found it very impressive.

[Dave]

All that stuff is absolutely amazing, refreshing change from most heavy mathematical talks about science

[AlwaysBastos]

Around 1963 we had a school trip to the RI for a lecture on lasers, before most people had heard of them. We saw a ruby laser emit a pulse of infrared and burn some carbon paper. How things have changed in my lifetime!

[baflatoxin]

Time flew by so fast!
Dr. Lancaster gave a great presentation.

[welshgoldferret]

Very good lecture considering her nerves, It doesn't help with the stale audience. I thoroughly enjoyed the talk!

[BushCampingTools]

How smart was Maria Goeppert-Mayer eh? Really smart. As someone who spent many a post doc years working with femtosecond lasers, it was a great talk for the layman.

[vanpenguin]

Thank you for your fastenating lecture, But thank you as well for the warmth and the chear with which you presented it.

[sbalogh]

Thank you Kate for a very interesting talk.