In the control room of a research center in Romania, engineer Antonia Toma initiates the activation of the world’s most powerful laser, promising revolutionary advancements across various sectors, from healthcare to space exploration
The laser at the center, near the Romanian capital Bucharest, is operated by French company Thales, using Nobel prize-winning inventions.
France’s Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland of Canada won the 2018 Nobel Physics Prize for harnessing the power of lasers for advanced precision instruments in corrective eye surgery and in industry.
“The sharp beams of laser light have given us new opportunities for deepening our knowledge about the world and shaping it,” said the Nobel Academy’s citation.
At the center, in front of a wall of screens displaying light beams, Toma checks a series of indicators before starting the countdown.
On the other side of the glass, long rows of red and black boxes house two laser systems.
“I will not lie. From time to time, things can get a little stressful,” 29-year-old Toma told AFP during a recent on-site press visit.
“But it’s also very joyful to work here. And we are very happy that we have results” as teams of international researchers come to the center, she added.
Nobel prize winner Mourou confessed he was “very moved” by his “incredible odyssey”, from the United States where he spent 30 years, to bringing this project to fruition in Europe.
