Skip to main content

Physicists create a new type of light, and it’s heavier than before

Remember the whole bit in Ghostbuster about “crossing the streams” when two or more proton streams converge to form a new kind of beam? Well, it turns out that a not dissimilar effect can be created when it comes to crossing over beams of light under certain conditions. OK, so it won’t destroy Gozer, but it may just lead to a revolution in quantum computing.

Ordinarily, crossing light streams (such as shining two flashlights so that they converge) does nothing out of the ordinary. This is because the individual light particles, aka photons, do not interact with one another. However, physicists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University have found a way to change that by forcing groups of up to three photons to bound together in a way that forms a completely new kind of photonic matter.

Recommended Videos

“In a vacuum or in regular materials, photons do not interact with each other, and mostly just pass through one another,” Vladan Vuletic, the Lester Wolfe Professor of Physics at MIT, told Digital Trends. “Using a laser-cooled atomic gas we have created a medium where one photon interacts very strongly with another — so strongly that they can, in fact, bind together, and travel together at a speed 100,000 times smaller than the regular speed of light in vacuum. We have found that not only can two photons bind together, but also three. This is analogous to two oxygen molecules forming molecular diatomic oxygen (O2), but also ozone (O3). This can be thought of as forming tiny droplets of light.”

Inventing a whole new type of light is pretty cool in its own right, but it may have practical application, too: Potentially in quantum computing.

“Light is very good for transporting information over long distances through fibers, but without interactions, light can only transport information, not do anything more interesting like computing,” Vuletic continued. “So a prerequisite for quantum computing using light is to induce interactions between photons, which we have done.”

A more easily realizable short-term goal than quantum computing is to make “optical transistors,” transistors where light directly switches light. These transistors could be potentially faster than a conventional transistor and may dissipate less power. However, Vuletic notes that this is still early days and that even this feat is technologically challenging.

“So far, we have only made attractive interactions between photons, but in many respects, repulsive interactions, where photons bounce off each other like little hard balls, are more interesting,” he said. “We have made first progress in this direction. Then we will try to make a single-photon optical transistor where one photon switches on or off a stronger light beam.”

A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal Science.

Luke Dormehl
I'm a UK-based tech writer covering Cool Tech at Digital Trends. I've also written for Fast Company, Wired, the Guardian…
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more
Charlie Cox singles out his least favorite Daredevil: Born Again episode
Charlie Cox in Daredevil: Born Again.

Daredevil: Born Again season 1 was largely reconceived after the 2023 actor and writer strikes. Dario Scardapane -- a veteran of The Punisher series on Netflix -- was brought in to be the new showrunner and he made a lot of changes to the series that were well-received. However, there's one episode that Scardapane didn't really change at all, and it happens to be the least favorite episode of Daredevil: Born Again's leading man, Charlie Cox.

During an appearance on The Playlist, Cox noted that he wasn't very fond of the season's fifth episode, "With Interest," which was a largely standalone episode that featured his character, Matt Murdock, in a bank during a hostage crisis.

Read more