Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation - LASER. Try to name an aspect of your modern life that has not directly benefited in some way, shape or form by these amazing devices. Once dismissed as nothing more than a harebrained concept concocted by over-active science fiction authors' minds, today, lasers are entrenched in our every day lives. We've watched them shrink in size - from behemoths that weighed hundreds of pounds, required extensive water cooling and consumed enough electrons to power a city block, to air-cooled devices you can hold in your hand and run off batteries. We've watched them grow in power and efficiency - from laser pointers putting out a few milli watts, to cutting / burning devices putting out tens of watts. Laughing Boy gives a brief history of this incredible contraption - where we've been, where we are, and where LASER technology is going next. You'll also see a live demonstration of the Nicha NUBM44 (currently) the world's most powerful visible laser diode.