Some time in 2015 I had this vision for an enlaserment website, where I would organise and present my freshly acquired knowledge on lasers. Now, that wasn’t a bad idea per se, but evidently I wasn’t equal to the task yet. Still, I finished the introductory sketch of what I imagined as a fun series for children. A laser fairytale, as it were.
Digging through my archives, the sketch caught my eye and so I decided to kick-start my online physics notes with it. There is much to be desired—like mentioning the wave nature of light and polishing of the physics part in general, de-fuzzing the script and, well—don’t say anything about the drawings.
I chose to show this draft despite all flaws (and undergrad naiveté) for a few important reasons.
- First, it captures the excitement I felt back then, the awe and giddiness only a head-on collision with new knowledge can cause.
- Second, it provides context for my further attempts at explaining physics and serves as a reference point while I (maybe) make progress with this notes and physics in general.
- Third, it will remind me to revisit this sketch and do it better (who knows, maybe I’ll even get some angry feedback from other physicists).
- Last but not least, these smug, sunglasses-wearing atoms are just too cool not to show!
Enjoy and… long scroll ahead.
