Monday, November 2, 2026

Question: In 1960, at a research lab in Malibu, physicist Theodore Maiman used a synthetic ruby crystal to produce an intense, focused beam of light, the first of its kind in history. What landmark invention did he demonstrate?

Answer: The laser. On May 16, 1960, Maiman and his team at Hughes Research Laboratories demonstrated the world’s first working laser, a breakthrough that paved the way for advances in medicine, communications and manufacturing. Maiman publicly announced the invention at a New York press conference on July 7.