1960: Physicist Theodore Maiman uses a synthetic-ruby crystal to create the first laser. Maiman began tinkering with electronic devices in his teens and even earned college money repairing appliances ...

The laser’s early years were full of scientific creativity, public-relations spin and intense rivalry. Pauline Rigby describes how a then little-known scientist became the first person to design and ...

[Ben Krasnow], builder of amazingly complex and technical devices, is finally starting work on his ruby laser. He’s been collecting parts for this project for the past few years, but only recently has ...