Charles Townes, who helped invent now-ubiquitous laser, dies

  BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Charles H. Townes’ inspiration for the predecessor of the laser came to him while sitting on a park bench, waiting for a restaurant to open for breakfast. On the tranquil morning of April 26, 1951, Townes scribbled a theory on scrap paper that would lead to the laser, the invention [...]