@williamalexandertoys: Did you know the glow you see on a laser cutter is not the laser at all? ✨ Many laser cutters use what is called a CO2 laser. Its light is infrared, with waves about 10.6 micrometres long. That is far too long for human eyes to see, so the real cutting beam is completely invisible to us. So what is that bright orange spark? It is the wood itself! Where the hidden beam hits, the wood gets so hot that it glows and burns away, and that is the light you notice. You are seeing what the beam does, not the beam. Because nobody can see the real beam, some machines add a little red dot to show where it will land. It is a separate, much weaker light, there only to help with aiming. Laser cutters also have a lid with a special safety window. That glass blocks the infrared light and keeps the beam safely inside the machine. In this clip you can watch the laser head moving over a sheet of wood, with the orange spark following along underneath. A fun question for home: can you think of any other kinds of light that are all around us but invisible to our eyes? Here in our little studio in Timolin, Co. Kildare, William and his dad Ioannis use an xTool laser, and William designs and engraves the boxes for our toys. You can see them at williamalexandertoys.com. Facts checked with NC State University College of Design and Laser Safety Industries. #LaserCutting #ScienceForKids #LightScience #STEM #KidsLearning #WilliamAlexanderToys

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Tuesday 03 November 2026 10:31:12 GMT