Coherent Google?

laser08.gif

Google’s logo in recognition of May 16, 1960 being the day the first laser was demonstrated. So that’s good. But geek pedantry gets in the way — you can only see a laser from the side if there’s something to scatter the light, so they are depicting a layout with a really poor air filtration system in operation and/or reinforcing a Hollywood myth about lasers.

(I really like Google. That I pick on them occasionally should not be misconstrued as anything mean-spirited. It’s more like constructive criticism: seeking geek perfection.)

0 thoughts on “Coherent Google?

  1. A smoke machine in our lab might get you “accidentally” degaussed, or you might find an ion pump electrode (several kV) up the ol’ z-axis.

    Condensate from liquid nitrogen boil-off (or perhaps dry ice)

  2. well if you want to get picky.. it is quite possible for lasers to ionise air and make the air glow.

    I am more worried about the fact they have coloured lasers coming from such small sources..