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Stopping Light

Posted by Hemos on from the but-isn't-it-just-night? dept.

Jon Abbott writes "NASA is reporting that physicists at Harvard University have managed to stop light altogether. The implications of this discovery are rather staggering -- quantum encryption and quantum computers might be just around the corner! " Well, I don't think this will mean any immediate changes - but it is a significant step.

7 of 243 comments (clear)

  1. Very, Very Slow Computers by waldoj · · Score: 4, Funny

    The implications of this discovery are rather staggering - quantum encryption and quantum computers might be just around the corner!

    Yeah...very, very, very slow quantum computers.

    ;)

    -Waldo Jaquith

  2. seems like... by ultramk · · Score: 5, Funny

    this story was stopped, held, and reemitted...

    -m

    --
    You catch enchiladas by picking them up behind the head and holding them underwater until they don't kick anymore -VeGas
  3. Great by sharkey · · Score: 5, Funny

    It was not destroyed or absorbed, but rather stored -- ready to emerge intact at the scientists' bidding.

    I can just see physicists getting calling people into the lab, turning out the lights and commanding, "Let There Be LIGHT!!!" at every available opportunity

    --

    --
    "Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.
  4. My Town has tons of theses. by BiggestPOS · · Score: 5, Funny

    They tend to call them "Red Lights" though. I wanna transporter, now.

    --
    What, me worry?
  5. This really is vaporware!!! by CProgrammer98 · · Score: 5, Funny
    From the article Walsworth and Hau used vapors (rubidium and sodium) to pause light. Will the insides of quantum computers be vaporous as well?
    So it truly is vaporware!

    --
    And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour Isaiah 3:5
  6. Quantum Computing with Perl by medcalf · · Score: 4, Funny

    my @quanta;

    @quanta=;

    foreach $quanta (@quantum)
    {
    warn "DAMN! destroyed my data by reading it again!\n";
    }

    --
    -- Two men say they're Jesus. One of them must be wrong. - Dire Straits
  7. Sure. by msm1th · · Score: 5, Funny

    Slashdot is so silly sometimes it makes my head hurt.

    Headline: Physicists Stop Light
    Slashdot: The implications for quantum computing are staggering!

    Headline: Transparent Aluminum Invented
    Slashdot: The implications for case mods are staggering!

    Headline: Secret of Time Travel Discovered
    Slashdot: Yay! We don't have to wait 2 years to see the rest of [insert name of trilogy]!

    Headline: Scientists Cure Cancer
    Slashdot: The implications for quantum computing are staggering!

    Headline: Terrorists Nuke South Dakota
    Slashdot: The implications for quantum computing are staggering!