👉 The Columbia Light Particles, also known as Columbia Light or CLP, are a class of ultrafast, low-energy photons that were first observed in 2008 by researchers at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. These particles are unique because they are produced when high-intensity laser pulses interact with matter, specifically through a process called multiphoton ionization. Unlike typical light particles, which have energies corresponding to specific wavelengths, Columbia Light Particles have extremely low energies, typically in the range of 10 to 100 eV (electron volts), making them highly penetrating and capable of interacting with matter at the atomic level without causing significant damage. This property makes them valuable tools for studying ultrafast dynamics in materials science, biology, and chemistry, allowing scientists to probe processes that occur on femtosecond (10^-15 seconds) timescales with unprecedented precision.
