Charles Hard Townes (born July 28, 1915 - January 2015) was an American Nobel Prize-winning physicist and educator. Townes is known for his work on the theory and application of the maser, on which he got the fundamental patent, and other work in quantum electronics connected with both maser and laser devices. He received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1964.

Quotes

• It's a fantastically specialized universe, but how in the world did it happen?
  • as quoted by Alvin Powell, in Laser's inventor predicts meeting of science, religion, Harvard News Office, June 2005.

• "I feel that very rarely have I done any work in my life. I have a good time. I'm exploring. I'm playing a game, solving puzzles, and having fun, and for some reason people have been willing to pay me for it. Officially, I was supposed to retire years ago, but retire from what? Why stop having a good time?"
  • As quoted in Charles Townes, Inventor of the Laser, Nobel Laureate, Believer (2015)

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