Lasers

 I was challenged by a work colleague to see if I could write a poem about lasers. The result is given below. Just like supeconductivity lasers are another successful application of quantum mechanics which again no agonising about it's meaning will ever produce a laser Ironically given that Einstein rejected the later formulation of quantum mechanics it was Einstein who worked out the basic theory of spontaneous emission on which the laser is based in 1918  This is a purely statistical argument, which again might surprise people as Einstein is allegedly supposed to have claimed that God does not play dice. Well in the early days of quantum mechanics it was Einstein who used statistical arguments to work out the consequences of the photo-electric effect and applied statistical reasoning to work out the Heat capacity of solids. So the idea that Einstein didn't like statistical reasoning is just incorrect. Indeed in his final years when he surveyed his debates with Bohr, he actually made the statement

The attempt to conceive the quantum-theoretical description as the complete description of the individual systems leads to unnatural theoretical interpretations, which become immediately unnecessary if one accepts the interpretation that the description refers to ensembles of systems and not to individual systems.

So the only way to make sense of quantum mechanics according to Einstein is to endorse a statistical interpretation.

Anyway lasers are extremely useful devices but of course in the wrong hands can be used as terrifying weapons. Also idiots shine laser pens in pilots eyes, these people should be forced to face the consequences of their actions. In the right hands of course lasers are a benefit to mankind and a testimony to the ingenuity of scientists all over the world. Here is my tribute to them.




                                     Lasers

 

 Purest light that shines so bright,

 All because a photon takes flight.

Channelled by some clever means,

 Into a set of very intense beams.

 

Once the stuff of science fiction,

 It’s now part of our jurisdiction.

The wise will put you to good use,

But we must guard against abuse

.

James Bond concerned that Goldfinger’s Laser might destroy his manhood. I’ll leave you to decide whether or not that would have been a good thing  😀