Atomic energy, only a scientific dream a few short years ago, is now
providing needed power in many parts of the world. In the same way, the
laser, also an atomic phenomenon, has made its way out of the laboratory
and into the fields of medicine, commerce, and industry. If it hasn’t
touched your life as yet, you need only be patient. It will.
Indeed the most exciting probability of all is that lasers undoubtedly
will change our lives in ways we cannot even conceive of now.
[Illustration: Figure 33 _Tiny hole drilled in paper clip
demonstrates remarkable capability of laser beam. Paper clip is 1¼
inches long. Hole (top) was drilled by the laser microwelder shown
in Figure 1._]