Brian Haidet recently showcased an impressive experiment on his AlphaPhoenix channel, where he recorded a laser beam at an astonishing rate of 2 billion frames per second. However, there is a notable limitation: the video captures only a one pixel by one pixel image. To create a more complete visual representation, Haidet repeatedly plays the footage to fill in the details.
In a fascinating display of ingenuity, Haidet completely overhauled his equipment for this project. Previously, he had developed a camera capable of operating at 1 billion frames per second, but this time he aimed for a higher frame rate with enhanced resolution. To achieve this, he upgraded various components, including motors, hardware, oscilloscopes, signaling systems, recording software, and processing software. Essentially, he rebuilt his entire setup from the ground up.
One particularly intriguing outcome of this new configuration is the observable difference in how light appears to travel. The footage reveals that light seems to move faster when it approaches the camera compared to when it recedes from it. This phenomenon is an artifact of the experimental setup: laser beams reflecting off fog particles closer to the camera are received sooner than those bouncing off particles situated further away. In essence, this setup serves as a visual representation of special relativity, all conducted within Haidet”s garage.
For those interested in delving deeper into the technical aspects of this remarkable experiment, additional material is available that explores the principles behind this groundbreaking work.
