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How the Laser Happened List
Price: $18.95 Charles Townes is one of the leading figures in twentieth-century physics, inventor
of the maser and the laser, an originator of spectroscopy using microwaves,
and one of the pioneers in the use of spectroscopic techniques to determine
the atomic
composition of stars. This book is the memoir of a life devoted to scientific
research, and also to the application of this research in the public sphere.
It traces Townes’s multifaceted career from its beginnings on the family
farm in South Carolina. The book describes the history of the maser, of which
the laser is a special application, and also sheds light on the complex relationship
between science and policy from Truman to Reagan. Spanning decades of groundbreaking
research, the book provides a hands-on description of how working scientists
and inventors get their ideas. It also gives a behind-the-scenes look at
the scientific community, showing how scientists respond to new ideas and how
they
approach a variety of issues, from priority and patents to the social and
political implications of their work. Townes is a revered figure with a powerful
personal
magnetism, and his book should attract attention from physicists and engineers
as well as anyone interested in the history of modern technology and the
development of federal defense policies. In addition, Townes touches on the
sociology of
science, uncovering some of the traditions and values that are invisible
to an outsider. Book
of Distinction: 2004 Charles H. Townes, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Graduate School at the University
of California, Berkeley and a Nobel Prize Recipient in Physics. He has published
articles with regard to science and theology. Dr. Townes’ research was
primarily responsible for the development of the laser. |
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