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Article: Physicist's view of infrared is on a different frequency.
- Article from:
- Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service
- Article date:
- January 11, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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AUSTIN, Texas _ Without infrared light, watching the stars and watching TV would still be in the dark ages.
Infrared ``light'' is really the radiation associated with heat. Telescopes designed to detect heat radiation provide astronomers details about the universe that would be otherwise unavailable. Heat reveals a lot about what stars are up to, for example, in situations where visible light is useless.
On Earth, infrared beams are essential for a remote-control society, allowing couch potatoes to control TVs, stereos, VCRs and cable boxes with no danger of excess exercise.
Infrared light has other practical uses, as with cameras that can ...