Charles Townes, 99, inventor of laser, dies
 

A sad day for all audiophiles and music lovers who will forever be in his debt. :sigh:

Charles Townes, 99, inventor of laser, dies - CBS News

I remember him. A strange and interesting guy who I met through my father-in-law, Irving Rowe. It was Irving, as the NY representative of the ONR, who proposed and supported the first Quantum Electronics Conference, organized by Townes, in 1959. It was a thrilling time. ICO Newsletter | International Commission for Optics

Townes, Rabi and my father-in-law inspired me to pursue the study of physics at Columbia. Both my father-in-law and, much later, my granddaughter did succeed in physics at Columbia but, alas, my talents lay elsewhere.

I met him too. I went to his 90th birthday party. 99 is a good run.

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Thanks for sharing that.

I went to Columbia, but I attended the business school. The McKim, Mead & White designed campus is beautiful and the Manhattan location is unbeatable. :thumbsup:

Indeed. I love visiting the school since I live (once again) in Manhattan.

R.I.P Charles Townes :(

We definitely owe a debt of gratitude to Townes & Schawlow (and others). But, as mentioned, 99 is good run.
Small world. Was a 'laser-jock' MTS in area 10 at Bell Labs in Murray Hill, NJ until, in their infinite wisdom, the government, for all intents and purposes, destroyed same in the early '80s. Sadly there is very little corporate basic research left in this country.