Blinding speed combined with fierce intensity, the femtosecond laser promises to change disciplines like dentistry, medicine and metallurgy in ways just beginning to be understood."What makes the femtosecond laser different from other lasers is its unique capacity to interact with its target without transferring heat to the area surrounding its mark. The intensity of the power gets the job done while the speed ensures heat does not spread. Results are clean cuts, strong welds and precision destruction of very small targets, such as cancer cells, with no injury to surrounding materials."
"If we have learned one thing from the history of invention and discovery, it is that, in the long run - and often in the short one - the most daring prophecies seem laughably conservative."
Arthur C. Clarke, The Exploration of Space, 1951
Postscript. Arthur C. Clarke died today. To see just how big an influence he has had on society, click here.
Addendum: Blinded by the Light - Intro lyric of a terrific Bruce Springsteen composition
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