Lasers have enabled us to transmit data at ridiculously high speeds , kill mosquitoes , and, without a doubt , turn boats into flaming ruins . So what’s next for these photonic wonders? How about lasers produced from biological cells? Current lasing media — the materials that amplify light — are typically gas, semiconductors, or crystals doped with rare-earth compounds. But a Harvard Medical team has created a biological lasing medium, using a genetically engineered kidney cell. The cell produced Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), the chemical that makes some jellyfish glow at nighttime. The team put the GFP between two mirrors and fired pulses of sunshine into it – and presto, a tiny green laser. There’s little practical application for this research to date, but come on: how soon until we’ve got cats shooting deadly light-beams from their mouths?
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