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Infrared, often abbreviated as IR, refers to electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths longer than visible light and shorter than microwaves. Its spectrum is typically considered to range from approximately 700 nanometers to 1 millimeter. While invisible to the human eye, infrared radiation is experienced by us as heat. The Sun is a major source of infrared radiation, and all objects with a temperature above absolute zero emit infrared radiation.

The principle behind infrared technology is that warmer objects emit more infrared radiation than cooler objects. This property is utilized in various applications. Infrared thermometers, for instance, measure temperature remotely by detecting the infrared energy emitted by a surface. Night vision devices use infrared illumination, which is invisible to the naked eye, to enhance visibility in low-light conditions.

In astronomy, infrared telescopes are crucial for observing celestial objects that are obscured by dust or are too cool to emit visible light, such as forming stars and planets. In telecommunications, infrared is used for short-range data transfer, famously seen in remote controls for televisions and other electronic devices. Furthermore, infrared spectroscopy is a powerful analytical technique used in chemistry and materials science to identify substances based on their unique absorption or emission patterns of infrared light.