Credit: CC0 Public Domain A study by University of Wollongong (UOW) physicist Dr. Enbang Li has demonstrated that gravity can subtly influence the behavior of light, a breakthrough that could underpin future technologies for monitoring groundwater, tracking glacier melt, locating mineral deposits and detecting underground changes linked to volcanic activity and carbon storage. The study , published in Scientific Reports , shows early experimental evidence that photons—particles of light—interact with Earth's gravitational field in measurable ways, laying the groundwork for a new generation of ultra-sensitive gravity sensors. Dr. Li said the work could lead to more precise and compact next-generation sensing technologies for environmental monitoring, navigation and underground mapping. "Tiny shifts in gravity can reveal critical changes beneath or around us, from underground water levels to magma build-ups below volcanoes that could indicate future eruptions.…