Impact of ultra-light particles on polarization of laser light in strong external fields

The recent results by the PVLAS group on possible changes of polarization of laser light in a transverse magnetic field are beyond the QED expectations by many orders of magnitude. If confirmed, they may indicate new physics associated with ultra-light particles. I describe here how the polarization of light is modified in an external magnetic field by interactions with a spin-zero particle of no definite parity. While the PVLAS-type experiments cannot tell such a particle from one with definite parity, the parity property could be studied in photon regeneration experiments if the polarization of the regenerated photons could be measured. This talk was based on my recent work.