Refraction is the bending of light rays. Normally, light travels in a straight line, and changes direction and speed when it passes from one transparent medium to another, such as from air into glass.

Curved Spacetime Mimicked on a Chip. ... Different transparent media have different indexes of refraction, causing light to bend. One example is at the interface between water and air, ...

The varying refraction index bends light in the same way that gravity curves space-time because light always travels along the path that takes the shortest time — regardless of that path’s ...

Einstein’s general theory of relativity establishes equality between matter–energy density and the curvature of spacetime. As a result, light and matter follow natural paths in the inherent ...

If a steady temperature gradient exists, however, light will follow a curved path toward the cooler air. The standard freshman physics explanation for this phenomenon is that cold air has a higher ...

Our ability to focus depends on the refraction, or bending, of light rays as they pass between substances of different densities. One way to see refraction is to put a spoon in a glass of water.

Feb 12, 2025: Negative refraction of light using atoms instead of metamaterials (Nanowerk News) For the first time, scientists have demonstrated that negative refraction can be achieved using atomic ...

"The colors of the spectrum, then, "are not Qualifications [alterations] of Light … (as 'tis generally believed), but Original and connate properties." When you purchase through links on our ...

Negative refraction of light in an atomic medium. Nature Communications, 2025; 16 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-56250-w; Cite This Page: MLA; APA; Chicago; Lancaster University.