The speed of light is a universal physical constant that is vital in several aspects of physics. Light travels at a constant and finite speed of 186,000 miles per second. But did you know that the speed of light can be manipulated?

In 1999, Lene Hau, a physicist from Denmark, was the first to slow light down to 38 mph. Later, she could completely stop, control, and move it.

Who is Lene Hau?
Lene Vestergaard Hau, a physicist born in Vejle, Denmark, on November 13, 1959, is most known for her work slowing and stopping light. She graduated from Aarhus University in Denmark with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, a master’s degree in physics, and a PhD. (Source: Physics Today)

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Lene Hau’s Research on the Speed of Light
After years of effort, Hau mastered the art of riding a bicycle at the speed of light in 1999.

Instead of cycling faster, she slowed light down to an astonishing 60 kilometers per hour, accomplishing this impressive feat. She accomplished something even more extraordinary, stopping light in its tracks.

Light travels at 186,000 miles per second. Hau has known this but never anticipated breaking the light-speed slow-speed record. She started a new research endeavor shortly after she got there: looking for the Bose-Einstein Condensate, a brand-new state of matter.

Read more: Fantastic Facts