This laser turns metal into a star-like plasma in trillionths of a second

In a striking glimpse into extreme physics, scientists have captured the split-second chaos that unfolds when powerful laser flashes blast matter into a superheated plasma. By combining two cutting-edge lasers, researchers were able to track how copper atoms lose and regain electrons in trillionths of a second, creating and dissolving highly charged ions in a rapid, almost cinematic sequence.