Optical cooling is a technique used to lower the temperature of materials or particles using light. By shining lasers on specific atoms or molecules, energy is removed from them, causing their motion to slow down. This process can achieve temperatures close to absolute zero, where atomic movement is minimal. This method is particularly useful in fields like quantum computing and condensed matter physics, where controlling temperature is crucial for experiments and applications. Optical cooling can also enhance the performance of atomic clocks and improve the precision of measurements in various scientific studies.