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MIT's New Camera Can Take 1 Trillion Frames Per Second

Posted by timothy on from the need-a-really-big-sd-card dept.

First time accepted submitter probain writes "MIT has made a camera that can take trillion frames per second! With this high speed capability, they can actually see the movement of photons of light across a scene or object. This is just mind-boggling." ExtremeTech has a nice video of the system, too. What would you like to see slowed down to such a degree?

5 of 197 comments (clear)

  1. What by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    they can actually see the movement of photons of light across a scene or object

    ...no.

    1. Re:What by timeOday · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Not a new technology, just a variation on existing tech.

      I have never seen a new technology appear that was not met with that reaction on slashdot. I think people have some serious misconceptions about what science looks like when you follow it on a daily or weekly basis. Step functions exist only in theory.

    2. Re:What by Hatta · · Score: 4, Insightful

      What you are seeing is probably a sphere of expanding plasma. It can't possibly be a "sphere of light" because light travels at the speed of light. By the time you could see the sphere, you would be inside it.

      --
      Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
  2. Oblig. Futurama (paraphrased) by Dachannien · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Morbo: Photons do not work that way! Good night!

    Seriously. You can't detect a photon unless it actually collides with the detector. So how do you detect movement of photons across a scene?

  3. Time to watch by mbone · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Times, at 30 fps, to watch

    - a lightning strike move 1 meter : ~ 1 week
    - one bullet streak by Neo's head : ~ 100 days
    - one boob bounce on Baywatch : ~ 1 century

    Better bring lots of popcorn.