mwg@petrus.UUCP (Mark Garrett) (08/13/85)
++ > The point I was trying to make was that a long, very long time after > the theoretical basis for the invention of the laser was established, was > it actually invented. The laser is a distinctly separate invention > from the maser), demonstrated first by Ted Maiman in 1960, and patented > by Gould. HOWEVER, it was ENVISIONED (is precognition that different > from telepathy???) long before it was invented. > Take Flash Gordon movies and their use of the laser-like "death ray!". > Paul M. Koloc First, I would not say the laser is a *distinctly* different invention from the maser. Although Maiman demonstrated it first, it was invented by Townes and Schawlow, of Bell Labs and Columbia in 1958 (Infared and Optical Masers, Physical Review, V 112, No 6, Dec 15,1958). The references cited to previous work on masers were to Townes' own papers. A friend here at work was involved with Townes and Schawlow's work at the time. He said they tried to make the laser with a ruby, but failed because they were using too little power. Two years later, when Maiman was sucessful, they looked at his numbers, got out the same ruby they had tried, and found that it worked if only they turned up the power somewhat! Second, I wouldn't call it precognition just because a lot of scientific inventions are plausible and obvious before the technology is available. -Mark