For the first time, scientists have demonstrated that negative refraction can be achieved using atomic arrays—without the need for artificially manufactured metamaterials.

Scientists have long sought to control light in ways that appear to defy the laws of nature.

Negative refraction—a phenomenon where light bends in the opposite direction to its usual behavior—has captivated researchers for its potential to revolutionize optics, enabling transformative technologies such as superlenses and cloaking devices.