Sonoluminescence: Making Light Of An Unclear Past And Exploring The Path Forward

Sonoluminescence is an acoustic phenomenon in which a bubble can be driven acoustically to collapse an emit a rapid burst of light. While this phenomenon was initially discovered in the 1930s, research in the ?eld did not peak until 1989 when stable, single bubble sonoluminescence was observed and reported. The author will present an introduction and overview of this phenomenon, and then will provide a brief history of the key research ?ndings in the ?eld between the initial discovery and the present. In particular, the claim that “sonofusion” could be achieved will be addressed and unpacked. An argument will then be put forth that sonoluminescence was unfairly associated with this “sonofusion,” and that this led to a decline in research in the ?eld, particularly in the applied space. In response, the author will introduce a novel approach to using sonoluminescence as a medical screening tool, along with a suggestion for how such an apparatus could be constructed.