The use of ultrafast lasers and bandgap materials can transform material properties — promising potentially big payoffs in sustainability.HANK HOGAN, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, [email protected] Ultrafast lasers can do a lot, including create a room-temperature superconductor. That type of material transformation is just one emerging area of ultrafast photonics. Today, new ultrafast photonics applications found in lasers and sensors enable systems to see deep into tissue and improve radar performance. Tomorrow, the technology could combat climate change, via more energy-efficient magnetic polarity switching, by transforming ceramics into room-temperature superconductors and more. 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