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moon to within one foot. That's like
measuring the distance from the
White House to tbe Washi ngton
Monument to within a thousandth
ofan inch.
One of the most dramatic uses of
the laser is in surgery and even in
the treatment of eye maladies,
where detached or bleeding retinas
can be salvaged by "spot welding.''
using highly accurate pulses from a
laser.
Yes, the laser can be used for the
benefit of mankind.
It
can be em–
ployed in communication. in drill–
ing and cutting, for research. and
even for delicate operations on the
human eye. The laser does have a
tremendous potential for good.
But the laser also can be used as a
terrible and nightmarish weapon of
destruction. WiU man use the laser
only for peaceful purposes for the
benefit of mankind? Or will the la–
ser, like other inventions. be used
for evil, war, and destruction?
The lesson of History
When you look back at the history
of how man has used his invent ions.
one fact stands out. It's not a par–
ticularly pleasant fact, but it's true!
Man has invariably used his in–
ventions for war and destruction.
The Swedish chemist and in–
ventor. Alfred Nobel, is best known
fo r initiating the prestigious Nobel
Prize. But in 1867 he produced his
greatest invention: dynamite. Nobel
knew that such explosives could be
used for many peaceful purposes,
but he a lso hoped that the incred–
ible destructiveness of dynamite
would bring an end to war. Nobel's
hope was short lived, however, be–
cause history shows that as soon as
dynamite became available. man
began to use it for war and destruc–
tion. Of course, one can always say
dynamite
is
an exception and there
are lots of other inventions that
aren't used in a destructive way. But
the axiom is tbis: If an invention
can be used for war and destruction,
it probably will be.
The Saga of the Airplane
Take the case of the airplanc. Be–
fore the turn of the century, pow–
ered ftight was unknown to man.
Then, on December 17. 1903. Wil–
bur and Orville Wright made the
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LASER SURGERY,
a revolutionary new technique, makes use of the cutting,
self-cauterizing capabilities of high-intensity coherent light.
first sustained. controlled ftight of a
heavier-than-air craft. The fiight
was 12 seconds long and covered
about 120 fect. Man had learned to
fty.
Yet within five years, the air–
plane, which had s tarted out as a
practica! challenge to man's inge–
nuity and creative genius, quickly
became a military tool. By World
War I, bombs and torpedees weigh–
ing hundreds of pounds were being
delivered by airplane.
War, or more po litely. "defense."
becarne the mothcr of invention,
providing the major ímpetus for
new aerodynamic discoveries. Em–
phasis was on the s uperlative:
faster. farther , higher , longer.
stronger. And deadlier.
By the mid-fifties the huge and
awesome B-52 was ready for com–
bat. And today, supersonic fighters
and bombers are commonplace. The
recently "captured" Russian MIG-
25 is reputed to fty at three times the
speed ofsound!
The development of the airplane
is an incredible s tory of tech–
nological revolution. Wilbur and
Orville Wright would be dumb–
founded at thc astounding changes
that have occurred since their
epoch-making ftight a short 74 years
ago.
But the point
is
this: The airplane
is
a prime example of how rnan has
invariably used his inventions and
his creative genius fo r destruction
and warfare.
Another Example: Atomic Energy
The same thing is true of atomic
energy. Prior to the twentieth cen–
tury. man knew virtually no thing
about the inner secrets of the atom.
Then . on July 16, 1945·. the incred–
ible, stupendous power of the atom
was unleashed in the New Mexico
desert. Within 30 days. two atomic
bombs were detonated over Japan.
obliterating two cities and over a
hundred thousand people. In a few
short years during World War
JI.
man had learned more about the
atomic nucleus than in all of pre–
vious history.
The atom. of course. can be used
for peaceful purposes. Radioactivity
can be used in cancer treatment , in
"x-raying" metal casings. and in "la–
beling" molecules for studies in ag–
riculture and medicine. The energy
of the atom's nucleus can be slowly
released in nuclear reactors to be
used ín producing electricity or de–
salinízing seawater. ControUed nu–
clear fusion cou Id provide
prodigious amounts of energy in a
time of rapidly diminishing fossil
fuels. But, as the lesson of history
has borne out, our military might is
now dependent upon an atomic ar–
senal. In the event of war. atomic
energy will be used once again for
destruction and aggression.
But back to our original question:
Wíll modero laser technology be
used for the good of mankind. o r
will
the laser, like other inventions,
be used for destruction and war?
The
PLAIN TRUTH January 1977