New chip-sized optical amplifier can intensify light 100 times

Energy-efficient and small enough to fit in a smartphone, an optical amplifier developed at Stanford could improve fiber optic networks and spur new technologies in biosensing, data communications, and more.

Close up of an optical amplifier chip, similar to the one detailed in the new study, that is being developed in the lab of Stanford physicist Amir Safavi-Naeini. A red laser light shines from an optical fiber on the left to help with aligning the fiber to the chip.

Featured News

Photo of Nina and Jeff Wine
February 27, 2026

A life-changing shift from neuroscience to cystic fibrosis research

Stanford psychologist Jeff Wine dedicated his career to improving outcomes for cystic fibrosis patients, including his own daughter.

Jon Simon with the cavity array microscope
January 28, 2026

Light-based platform sets the stage for quantum supercomputers

A new “parallel interface” developed at Stanford enables quick data extraction from quantum computers and has the potential to scale into networked quantum supercomputers.

Morehshin Allayari in her Stanford studio
November 21, 2025

How artists can ‘interrupt’ artificial intelligence

Stanford digital media artist Morehshin Allahyari uses AI in her studio and the classroom to bring creative, critical thinking to the use of the technology that is rapidly becoming ubiquitous.

Person looking up at the galaxy

Understanding our world through research

Our faculty pursue curiosity-driven research across disciplines. Their foundational scholarship surfaces new understanding in an ever-evolving world and can lead to solutions for pressing problems.

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Recent News

Collage of Claude Steele and the cover of his book, Churn
March 3, 2026

Churn by Claude Steele, Psychology

closeup of part of the iISM microscope showing a purple laser moving through several lenses
March 2, 2026

High-resolution look inside living cells now possible without fluorescence

Photo of Tony Heinz
February 25, 2026

Tony Heinz wins 2026 Optica award

Portrait of Brian Knutson
February 24, 2026

Brain responses to wildlife images may motivate engagement with conservation efforts

February 18, 2026

Cultural burning returns to Jasper Ridge

February 12, 2026

Exploring the medieval roots of romance

Photo of Carolyn Bertozzi
February 10, 2026

Carolyn Bertozzi named Royal Society of Chemistry Honorary Fellow

From left: Ray Briggs, Julian Jara-Ettinger, and Joshua Landy talk
February 9, 2026

Beloved podcast 'Philosophy Talk' now available for free

Photo of John Chowning
February 1, 2026

John Chowning receives Technical Grammy

Two seated students look intensely at a speaker as they perform Richard III
January 30, 2026

New English courses fuse creativity with literary criticism

An illustration of a family tree
January 29, 2026

Mathematical model calculates probability of shared ancestors for African Americans

Portrait of Jonathan Gienapp
January 22, 2026

Jonathan Gienapp wins Order of the Coif book award

January 12, 2026

Stanford lecturer Bahram Beyzaie has died

Photo of Fang Liu
January 8, 2026

Fang Liu wins Scialog awards

Portrait of Barnabas Daru
January 6, 2026

Barnabas Daru receives International Biogeography Society award

January 5, 2026

‘To advance science, it’s important to blur the boundaries between the disciplines’

January 5, 2026

Rethinking the American Revolution with Stanford historians

Portrait of Hunter Fraser
December 17, 2025

Neurodiversity could be an essential consequence of human evolution

Portrait of Todd Smith
December 17, 2025

Todd Smith, pioneer in the field of free-electron lasers, dies at 85

Portrait of Carolyn Bertozzi
December 16, 2025

Advance could expand immune therapy as a cancer treatment

Portrait of Al Camarillo
December 15, 2025

Four things to know about ethnic studies in California high schools

Photo of John R. Rickford at a podium
December 10, 2025

John R. Rickford receives lifetime service award

December 9, 2025

Course examines complex dynamics of social cooperation

Portrait of Gerald Gillespie
December 8, 2025

Gerald Gillespie, devoted professor of German and comparative literature, dies at 92

Portrait of Benjamin Good in the Stanford arcade
December 4, 2025

Benjamin Good wins APS Early Career Award

Collage of Michael McFaul and the book cover of Autocrats vs. Democrats
December 3, 2025

Autocrats vs. Democrats by Michael McFaul, Political Science

December 2, 2025

Why we can’t stop clicking on rage bait

Portrait of Jonathan Luk
December 2, 2025

Jonathan Luk receives American Mathematical Society award

November 27, 2025

Social media research tool lowers the political temperature

Portrait of Stephen Hinton
November 21, 2025

Stephen Hinton named Berlin Prize Fellow

Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité engraved between two columns
November 18, 2025

Historian chronicles one of the French Revolution’s most notorious figures

Collage of Keith Baker and cover of "Jean-Paul Marat"
November 17, 2025

Jean-Paul Marat: Prophet of Terror by Keith Baker, History

Collage of portraits, from left to right: Jennifer Burns, Dan Edelstein, Stephen H. Haber
November 17, 2025

Three H&S faculty become American Academy of Sciences and Letters members

Portrait of Jeff Wine
November 17, 2025

Jeff Wine receives honor from Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

Portrait of Fang Liu holding a 3D model of the Moire Lattice
November 13, 2025

Light causes atomic layers to do the twist

Portrait of Surya Ganguli
November 5, 2025

Surya Ganguli named AI2050 Senior Fellow

Portrait of Judith Frydman
November 4, 2025

Judith Frydman awarded European Research Council Synergy Grant

The Tech Ethics and Policy Fellows pose for a photo together
November 4, 2025

Fellowship program positions students to lead at intersection of public policy and technology

Jay McClelland and Gaurav Suri
October 31, 2025

New book sheds light on intelligence in humans and machines

October 23, 2025

Exploring the Louvre heist with French culture expert Cécile Alduy

Matthew Sommer wearing a light-blue collared shirt standing under one of arcades on Stanford's Main Quad
October 22, 2025

Matthew Sommer awarded American Historical Association prize

Portrait of Christopher Barnes
October 22, 2025

Christopher O. Barnes named HHMI Freeman Hrabowski Scholar

Collage of book cover and Ravi Vakil.
October 21, 2025

The Rising Sea by Ravi Vakil, Mathematics

Collage of Jay McClelland and the cover of the Emergent Mind
October 21, 2025

The Emergent Mind by Jay McClelland, Psychology

October 16, 2025

Stanford inaugurates new home of MLK Institute

October 16, 2025

The antidote to loneliness might be recognizing how much others care

Portrait of Ramón Saldívar
October 15, 2025

Ramón Saldívar receives MLA lifetime achievement award

Collage of Adam Johnson and the Wayfinder cover
October 14, 2025

The Wayfinder by Adam Johnson, English

Collage of Zipperstein and the book cover of the Philip Roth biography
October 14, 2025

Philip Roth: Stung by Life by Steven J. Zipperstein, History

Photo of Brian Lantz
October 13, 2025

Brian Lantz named American Physical Society Fellow

Photo of Philip Roth book collection
October 10, 2025

Capturing the brilliant, complicated life of Philip Roth

Portrait of Adam Johnson in his office
October 9, 2025

Stanford Pulitzer winner’s new novel tells epic tale born from writing ‘every day for 10 years’

Portrait of Bianxiao Cui in Stanford arcades
October 8, 2025

Bianxiao Cui receives NIH High-Risk, High-Reward grant

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October 7, 2025

Snow leopards’ low genetic diversity puts future at risk

October 6, 2025

Unraveling the mystery of Jackson Pollock’s blue

Student stands in front of the interactive screen in the Rumsey Map Center
October 6, 2025

New undergraduate study options combine data science with humanities and arts

A welcome sign at the entrance to the Oval on Stanford campus
October 6, 2025

H&S welcomes 26 new faculty members

October 1, 2025

Stanford Nobel Laureates reflect on winning the prize

On a stage, a woman sits in a chair and a man stands in front of a lecturn
September 29, 2025

New speaker forum to focus on building bridges across differences

The outside of the conference room with a quote from MLK, Jr. at the top
Photo by Misha Bruk for Stanford University
September 29, 2025

King Institute embraces new home on Main Quad

Image of Joel Cabrita
September 26, 2025

Joel Cabrita wins Aidoo-Snyder Book Prize

Portrait of Paul Sniderman
September 26, 2025

H&S recognizes Paul Sniderman with inaugural faculty mentorship award

Image of Nicholas Bloom
September 25, 2025

Nicholas Bloom selected as 2025 Citation Laureate in Economics

Portrait of Philip Bucksbaum
September 19, 2025

Philip Bucksbaum receives NSF/UKRI quantum chemistry award

September 17, 2025

Soft bioelectronic fiber can track hundreds of biological events simultaneously

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September 15, 2025

Classic recessive-or-dominant gene dynamics may not be so simple

Portrait of Richard Schoen
September 11, 2025

Richard Schoen wins World Laureates Association Prize

Portrait of Josiah Ober
September 11, 2025

Josiah Ober awarded 2025 Balzan Prize

September 10, 2025

Nicholas Jenkins wins Northern California Book Award

Interior page of Lavinia's Wondrous Portraits
September 10, 2025

Art history professor’s new book brings overlooked female painter to young audiences

September 9, 2025

New database makes once-secret police records accessible to the public

September 8, 2025

Biology students explore hot-button science topics in the news

Neural networks and artificial intelligence conceptual abstract background.
September 4, 2025

Three reasons why universities are crucial for understanding AI

MLK Jr. surrounded by microphones. Atlanta, GA, 1966: Alabama candidate press conference
August 27, 2025

Three things to know about the recently released MLK records

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August 26, 2025

Plant samples preserved in museums may hold key to greener future

August 26, 2025

Study shows mindset shift curbs depression after catastrophe

Portrait of Blakey Vermeule
August 14, 2025

Blakey Vermeule named senior associate dean for the humanities and arts

August 12, 2025

‘Appreciating longevity has never been more important’

Portrait of Duana Fullwiley
August 6, 2025

Duana Fullwiley wins C. Wright Mills book award

abstract enhanced scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of cancer malignant cells
August 5, 2025

Novel drug holds potential for treating lung, pancreatic cancers

July 31, 2025

Study pinpoints key mechanism of brain aging

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July 30, 2025

Energy supplied by gut microbiome depends on diet

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July 30, 2025

Novel cancer-killing mechanism opens path to new treatments

Portrait of Mark Schnitzer
July 16, 2025

New tech for imaging brain waves could advance disease research, AI

A group of Native American women
July 11, 2025

Research links 19th-century land program to sharp rise in Native American mortality

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July 11, 2025

Oceanic humanities project envisions new wave in education

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July 10, 2025

Foundational research on brain development may help prevent degeneration

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July 7, 2025

Stanford-led team shares honor for ‘revolutionizing’ the study of the universe’s high-energy phenomena

June 25, 2025

Stanford Institute for Theoretical Physics named for Leinweber Foundation gift

Portrait of John Flavell
June 23, 2025

John H. Flavell, distinguished and influential scholar of developmental psychology, has died

Portrait of Neale Mahoney
June 19, 2025

A new tool for sizing up the US economy

June 16, 2025

Decline in apex scavengers raises human disease risk

A woman looking into a microscope
June 13, 2025

Mini-course introduces cutting-edge imaging of marine organism development

Picture of the side gate of Stanford's Main Quad with no people
June 3, 2025

Seven faculty members awarded 2024-25 H&S dean's teaching awards

A portrait of Michael Friedman
May 29, 2025

Michael Friedman, who studied the connections between philosophy and science, has died

Black and white photo of Robert Packenham speaking into a microphone
May 29, 2025

Political scientist Robert Packenham has died

May 27, 2025

Five things to do in virtual reality – and five to avoid

Portrait of Gordon Chang
May 23, 2025

Historian Gordon H. Chang reflects on his varied career with new book

Collage of Noah A. Rosenberg and the cover of his Mathematical Properties book
May 20, 2025

Mathematical Properties of Population-Genetic Statistics by Noah A. Rosenberg, Biology

Collage of Gordon H. Chang and the cover of his book
May 20, 2025

War, Race, and Culture by Gordon H. Chang, History

Photo of Ana Minian
May 16, 2025

Stanford historian's book on immigration wins PEN America nonfiction award

Photo collage of Susan Clark and Grant Rotskoff.
May 16, 2025

Susan Clark, Grant Rotskoff win NSF CAREER awards

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April 30, 2025

Gut physics provides insights on your insides

Nancy Packer speaks at the memorial for former Stanford President Richard W. Lyman in 2012.
April 30, 2025

Nancy Huddleston Packer, award-winning writer who served as director of Creative Writing Program, has died

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April 25, 2025

Josiah Ober’s mission to revitalize democracy and civic education

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April 23, 2025

Common diversity argument linked to beliefs that maintain inequality

Judith Richardson answers a question from a student (facing away) who has their hand raised
April 23, 2025

New course showcases humanities, social science offerings for undergrads

April 22, 2025

Stanford initiative seeks to bring more languages online

Video content available for Jamming with Joshua Redman
A photo of Joshua Redman playing saxophone while student musicians accompany him
April 21, 2025

Jamming with Joshua Redman

April 16, 2025

Lerone A .Martin wins James W. C. Pennington Award

Image of Jonathan Rodden
April 16, 2025

Jonthan Rodden named 2025 Andrew Carnegie Fellow

Collage of Jeongwan Haah, Si Ying Lee, and Lauren Tompkins
April 11, 2025

Stanford researchers honored with 2025 Breakthrough prizes

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April 11, 2025

Course offers personal perspectives on cystic fibrosis

Portrait of Paul N. Edwards
April 10, 2025

Paul N. Edwards receives 2025 Society for Social Studies of Science award

Portrait of Londa Schiebinger
April 9, 2025

Science and tech need intersectional analysis for accuracy, scholars say

Portrait of James Ferguson
April 9, 2025

James Ferguson, anthropologist devoted to studying international aid, has died

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April 7, 2025

Two seasons on Jasper Ridge

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April 3, 2025

Researchers identify gene linked to development of a critical coronary artery

Collage of the 2025 cohort of Stanford Science Fellows on a green background
April 2, 2025

Stanford Science Fellows 2025 cohort is largest ever

Black and white illustration of samurai on horseback
March 31, 2025

New book explores historical fiction’s role in the rise of Japanese nationalism before World War II

Photo of James Reichert and the cover of his book (black, red, and grey with Japanese woodblock art)
March 31, 2025

Literature for the Masses by James Reichert, East Asian Languages and Cultures

Portrait of Gretchen Daily
March 28, 2025

Gretchen Daily named American Association for the Advancement of Science fellow

Portrait of Petra Persson
March 26, 2025

Study: Women take ‘substantial’ earnings hit during menopause

Portrait of Neale Mahoney
March 25, 2025

Study examines trends tied to surge in health care jobs

Collage of Emanuele Lugli and the cover of Lavinia's Wondrous Portraits
March 24, 2025

Lavinia’s Wondrous Portraits by Emanuele Lugli, Art and Art History

March 24, 2025

Psychologist Gregory Walton shares science-backed ways to combat self-doubt

Portrait of Nicholas Jenkins
March 21, 2025

Nicholas Jenkins wins Warren-Brooks Award

March 20, 2025

Why is social connection so hard for Gen Z?

An ocean wave crashes against a rock
March 14, 2025

‘Microlightning’ in water droplets may have sparked life on Earth

Portrait of Mark Applebaum
March 14, 2025

Mark Applebaum receives American Academy of Arts and Letters award

A black frog with yellow and blue patterning
March 12, 2025

Meet the frogs helping scientists answer fundamental questions in neuroscience and physiology

Jay Hamilton with the cover of his book
March 11, 2025

You Got In! Now What? by James T. Hamilton, Communication

Photo of Bill Mahrt singing and looking to the left as Gregorian Chant is written out behind him
March 6, 2025

William P. Mahrt, beloved scholar of early music, has died

Portrait of Guido Imbens
March 5, 2025

Guido W. Imbens named director of Stanford Data Science

Illustration of the COVID-19 virus
March 5, 2025

New antibodies show potential to neutralize virus that causes COVID-19

Life science researcher Peter Nilsson adjusts one of the new confocal microscopes in the imaging center at Hopkins Marine Station. An image of a juvenile sea star (Patiria miniata) is displayed on the screen behind him.
March 5, 2025

High-tech imaging center opens at Hopkins Marine Station

Portrait of Chang-rae Lee
March 4, 2025

Chang-rae Lee elected to American Academy of Arts and Letters

March 3, 2025

Trithep Devakul named 2025 Sloan Research Fellow

Portrait of Barnabas Daru
March 3, 2025

Barnabas Daru named 2025 Sloan Research Fellow

A busy crowd in Times Square, New York, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic with a varying degree of masking
February 25, 2025

New paper examines why COVID-19 mortality was higher in the U.S. than in some East Asian countries

Portrait of Mark Duggan
February 24, 2025

Mark Duggan receives Stanford's 2025 Roland volunteer service prize

February 19, 2025

Kabir Peay elected to the American Academy of Microbiology

A group of five people sing and laugh together
February 18, 2025

Stanford historian’s documentary coming to PBS in March

Image of Leonard Susskind
February 15, 2025

Leonard Susskind wins 2025 Galileo Medal

Photo of Harold Hwang wearing a dark blazer over a light-blue collared shirt
February 12, 2025

Stanford physicist aims to create materials for next-generation superconductors

Photo of Steven Block
February 7, 2025

Steven Block wins 2025 Benjamin Franklin Medal

Researchers Johannes Scharwies and José Dinneny stand in front of corn plants grown to study root responses to moisture at the Stanford Greenhouse Facility.
February 6, 2025

New study could lead to development of more drought-resistant corn

January 30, 2025

Four H&S scientists named 2025 PECASE winners

Photo of Peter Sturrock
January 30, 2025

Peter Sturrock, influential applied physics professor, has died

Image of Liqun Luo
January 27, 2025

Liqun Luo wins National Academy of Sciences neuroscience award

A female and a male scientist wearing gloves, safety glasses, and blue lab coats work with large pipettes at a lab table
January 24, 2025

Double duty: Powerful anticancer compound might also be the key to eradicating HIV

January 23, 2025

Commemorating MLK’s 1967 speech at Stanford

Portrait of Jon Krosnick and book cover
January 23, 2025

The Cambridge Handbook of Implicit Bias and Racism by Jon Krosnick, Communication and Political Science

Still from Entre le Feu et le Clair de Lune by Dominic Yarabe
January 22, 2025

Sundance Film Festival to feature five films connected to Stanford documentary program

Collage of Vedika Khemani and Arun Chandrasekhar
January 21, 2025

Early-career Stanford researchers honored for their cutting-edge studies in physics and social economics

Image of Susan Clark
January 17, 2025

Susan Clark receives American Astronomical Society prize

Image of Margaret Cohen
January 17, 2025

Margaret Cohen receives National Endowment for the Humanities grant

January 9, 2025

AI brings new potential to the art of theater

Portrait of Terry Karl
December 19, 2024

Terry Karl receives inaugural human rights award

Portrait of Benjamin Good
December 18, 2024

Benjamin Good receives inaugural biological physics prize