In a First, Breakthrough 3D Holograms Can Be Touched, Grabbed and Poked

Holograms that can be physically manipulated have made their way out of science fiction and into real life thanks to a breakthrough in mixed reality technology.

In a new study uploaded March 6 to the HAL open archive, scientists explored how three-dimensional holograms could be grabbed and poked using elastic materials as a key component of volumetric displays.

This innovation means 3D graphics can be interacted with — for example, grasping and moving a virtual cube with your hand — without damaging a holographic system. The research has not yet been peer-reviewed, although the scientists demonstrated their findings in a video showcasing the technology.

While holograms are nothing new in the present day — augmenting public exhibitions or sitting at the heart of smart glasses, for example — the ability to physically interact with them has been consigned to the realm of science fiction, in movies like Marvel's "Iron Man."

The new research is the first time 3D graphics can be manipulated in mid-air with human hands. But to achieve this, the researchers needed to dig deep into how holography works in the first place.

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Chris Campbell:

U.S. Marines To Get Shoulder-Mounted Drone-Zapping Guns for Frying Enemy UAVs

The U.S. Marine Corps has announced it will deploy a new handheld counter-drone system prototype on the battlefield. The move comes amid a rise in drone attacks worldwide. The new system will be easily deployable and defend small units from the threat of weaponized small drones.

The new drone protection measures were announced at the Navy League’s annual Sea, Air, and Space Exposition on Tuesday, April 8. During a panel on Marine Corps modernization, Lt. Gen. Benjamin Watson, head of the Training and Education Command, described the growing necessity for counter-drone systems.

“We may never fight again with air superiority in the way we have traditionally come to appreciate it,” Watson explained.

Drones have become ubiquitous in combat in recent years. In May 2024, Ukrainian military officials claimed that “drones kill more soldiers on both sides than anything else.” An EU Institute for Security Studies report recently noted that Russia procures 100,000 low-tier drones monthly from multiple sources.

Due to security concerns, the Marine Corps has provided little in the way of specifications for its new systems.

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Greg Guenthner:

Dead Bull Walking

The bull is dead. But no one’s told your portfolio yet. The tariffs don’t matter. The market’s foundation was cracking even before Trump’s infamous tariff announcement.

Yet most traders are still clinging to the idea that we’re in a temporary pullback, believing the bull will get back up and start charging again. It won’t.

There’s a hint of panic in the air as the week draws to a close, and we’re seeing erratic moves in stocks. That’s not a good environment to make any targeted, higher-probability bets.

But once the market fights through this latest bout of volatility, we’ll get additional relief rallies and other higher-quality setups to play.

If you can preserve your capital now, you’ll have an excellent shot at winning big when stocks retest their lows, or when the averages are able to break through resistance and mount a sustainable rally.

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