Engineer Antonia Toma activates the world’s most potent laser at a Romanian research center, part of the EU’s Infrastructure ELI project. Operated by Thales, using Nobel-winning technology from Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland, the laser offers transformative potential in healthcare and space exploration. Mourou highlights the laser’s ability to amplify energy exponentially, envisioning applications like nuclear waste treatment and space debris cleanup. He believes the 21st century will be defined by laser technology, akin to the electron’s prominence in the last century.