1960
Science
United States
Laser
Maiman fires the first working ruby laser.
Why it mattered
Coherent light now underpins surgery, fibre optics, manufacturing and storage.
Information Age
1960
2 recorded milestones at this point in the record.
1960
Medicine
United States
Oral contraceptive pill
Approval of the combined pill followed work by Pincus, Chang and Katharine McCormick's funding.
Why it mattered
Gave women direct control over fertility, reshaping society.
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Nearby in the record
1957Exploration
Artificial satellite
Soviet Union
1957Technology
FORTRAN and high-level programming
United States
1958Technology
Integrated circuit
United States
1959Technology
Float glass and the planar process
Global
1961Exploration
Human spaceflight
Soviet Union
1962Communication
Communications satellite Telstar
Global