Light in all its forms

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the invention of the laser, this film retraces various aspects of this scientific discovery that brought about a revolution in our daily lives. Laser (acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation) has established itself in many fields such as telecommunications, surgery, materials cutting technologies, distance measurements, bar code reading, etc. All of this had not anticipated at the time of its development. The history of…

Using the natural bioluminescence chemical properties from fish bacteria has potential to produce lighting in the future which is electricity-free, more economical and non-toxic.

Flexible solar cells that are a thousand times thinner than commercial silicon cells, and have the same efficiency: this is the accomplishment of two CNRS researchers who have developed a trap to "capture" light. Applying this technology to mobile objects could change our daily lives, as explained in this report.

At the Cité Internationale de la Tapisserie (International Tapestry Museum) in Aubusson, scientists are studying pieces made of silk and wool thread, coloured by natural substances several hundred years ago. They try to determine the recipes used by the original dyers of the time by using methods allowing them to go back in time.

In this report, scientists introduce 2019 CNRS Gold Medalist, Thomas Ebbesen and his research. This prestigious French scientific award is awarded to the Franco-Norwegian physical chemist for his highly interdisciplinary work in nanoscience, which covers fields as diverse as carbon materials science, optics, nanophotonics and molecular chemistry. His discoveries have led to technological breakthroughs in optoelectronics, optical communications and biosensors.

Is art truly eternal? Paintings by Humankind's greatest masters suffer the passage of time. But scientists and curators have joined forces to figure out exactly what is causing the aging of artwork and find a solution to save this heritage for generations to come.

The Youtube channel Zeste de science explores all aspects of scientific research, proving that even the most complicated scientific facts can be explained in less than 5 minutes, and that even the most seemingly trivial events of everyday life, if thoroughly studied, can contribute to the biggest technological advances. Episode 12: How come all trees have more or less the same shape? Through a virtual simulation of the evolution of a forest, a cross-disciplinary research group…

The Youtube channel Zeste de science explores all aspects of scientific research, proving that even the most complicated scientific facts can be explained in less than 5 minutes, and that even the most seemingly trivial events of everyday life, if thoroughly studied, can contribute to the biggest technological advances. Episode 20: Zeste de science presents a new episode of Ecorce de recherche, an immersion into archives of last century's scientific research. The human eye…

Data from the European Space Agency's (ESA) Planck satellite has allowed researchers to create the latest map of the Universe. It shows fossil radiation, the oldest light in the Universe, but with new information: the polarization of this radiation.

On the occasion of the 50 years of the laser invention, this film shows the different aspects of this scientific discover which has revolutionized our daily life.