"NASA Engineers Harness Physics to Master Light Focusing"

NASA engineers at the Goddard Space Flight Center are pushing the limits of physics to develop photon sieves, a technology that can focus extreme ultraviolet light. These sieves, made from super-thin membranes etched with precise holes, have the potential to capture small-scale features near the surface of the sun that drive the heating and acceleration of solar wind. The engineers have successfully created wider and thinner membranes from materials like silicon and niobium, with the goal of improving light-gathering efficiency. The advancements in photon sieves could lead to more capable space missions and advancements in solar science.