Researchers at the United States Naval Research Laboratory are developing laser acoustic technology that works underwater. It could make for better underseas acoustic imaging, and be used for remote communications between aircraft and underwater hardware and vessels because the signals can travel from the air into the water without degrading.
According to a press release from the Navy, the laser light–generated using a commercial laser–ionizes a small area of water, which superheats, creating an explosion of steam that generates pulses of sound waves at about 220 decibels.
Keep Reading
Most Popular
The worst technology of 2021
Face filters, billionaires in space, and home-buying algorithms that overpay all made our annual list of technology gone wrong.
A horrifying new AI app swaps women into porn videos with a click
Deepfake researchers have long feared the day this would arrive.
Meet Altos Labs, Silicon Valley’s latest wild bet on living forever
Funders of a deep-pocketed new "rejuvenation" startup are said to include Jeff Bezos and Yuri Milner.
A gene-edited pig’s heart has been transplanted into a human for the first time
The procedure is a one-off, and highly experimental, but the technique could help reduce transplant waiting lists in the future.
Stay connected
Illustration by Rose WongGet the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.