In short: by emitting photons of a particular wavelength, it is possible to destroy the viral envelope and disable the virus.
Many viruses, like influenza and COVID-19 coronavirus, are deadly. Fortunately, our immune systems can fight off many viruses. Still, others, like Ebola or the COVID-19 coronavirus, can be tough to kill – antibiotics are powerless against them, and vaccines for these viruses must be changed every year to adapt to new strains.
A new study has found that lasers may be a viable method for combating viruses. After researchers fired at a virus with a quick pulse of purple laser light, they found that the virus was destroyed.
The laser, which shines for only 100 femtoseconds, damages the virus’s capsid by causing it to vibrate. More interestingly, the use of this method didn’t cause viruses to mutate either, which is a severe problem in other virus treatments and can lead to viral resistance.
The research on the use of lasers against viruses has continued. Eventually, it may even be possible to utilize lasers to cleanse blood samples of viruses and other pathogens, making them safer for handling.
A study published in November 2019 by the National Institutes of Health suggests laser therapy might be able to inactivate influenza viruses, which could then lead to more effective vaccines.