Darkness Spotted Moving Faster Than Light in Groundbreaking Experiment

Researchers provide first direct evidence of 'dark points' within light waves exceeding the speed of light.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 7:10am

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A bold, abstract painting featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and intricate waveforms in earthy tones of ochre, olive, and indigo, conceptually representing the discovery of superluminal optical vortices within light waves.A conceptual visualization of the breakthrough discovery of superluminal 'dark points' within light waves, revealing new insights into the fundamental nature of the universe.Stanford Today

A team of scientists from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology has made a major breakthrough in the field of electron microscopy, providing the first direct experimental evidence of so-called 'dark points' or optical vortices within light waves that can move faster than the speed of light under specific conditions. This confirms a decades-old theoretical prediction and could have far-reaching implications across fields like advanced microscopy, nanophotonics, and quantum information science.

Why it matters

The discovery of these superluminal vortices, while seemingly contradicting the speed of light as an absolute cosmic limit, actually does not violate fundamental physical laws. These dark points are simply regions of zero intensity within a light wave, rather than objects with mass or signals carrying energy. Observing and tracking their rapid movement opens up new ways to study ultrafast and nanoscale phenomena that were previously too subtle to analyze directly.

The details

The research team, led by Prof. Ido Kaminer, developed a highly advanced experimental setup combining a laser system, specialized electron microscope, and precise opto-mechanical arrangement to achieve unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. They conducted the experiments using a material called hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), where light forms hybrid excitations called polaritons that travel significantly slower than light in a vacuum. This slowing effect creates the conditions for the vortices to appear to 'jump' across the wave at speeds exceeding the speed of light itself.

  • The idea that such vortices could exceed the speed of light was first proposed in the 1970s.
  • The research was published in the journal Nature in 2026.

The players

Prof. Ido Kaminer

The lead researcher on the project from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology.

Technion-Israel Institute of Technology

The university where the groundbreaking research was conducted.

MIT

One of the institutions that collaborated on the research project.

Harvard

One of the institutions that collaborated on the research project.

Stanford

One of the institutions that collaborated on the research project.

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What they’re saying

“The idea that such vortices could exceed the speed of light was first proposed in the 1970s, though it remained unproven experimentally until now.”

— Prof. Ido Kaminer, Lead Researcher

What’s next

The breakthrough could influence a wide range of fields, including advanced microscopy, nanophotonics, superconductivity, and quantum information science. By enabling researchers to visualize and analyze the most fleeting interactions in nature, this work opens the door to deeper insights into how complex physical systems behave at their smallest and fastest scales.

The takeaway

This discovery not only confirms a long-standing theoretical prediction, but also introduces a powerful new method for studying ultrafast and nanoscale phenomena. By tracking these superluminal vortices, scientists gain a new way to map processes that were previously too fast or too subtle to observe directly, potentially leading to groundbreaking advancements across multiple scientific disciplines.