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First laser. Kathleen Maiman, widow of Theodore Maiman (1927-2007), holding the solid-state laser invented by her husband. Theodore Maiman is widely credited as inventing the first laser (seen here) in May 1960. This device produced a laser beam using a ruby rod (pink, centre) to emit a beam of red light. (KEYSTONE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/MATTEIS/LOOK AT SCIENCES/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY)