Alexander Prokhorov
A Soviet physicist whose foundational work on quantum electronics paved the way for the invention of the laser, reshaping modern technology.
1916–2002 (age 86)·Soviet-Russian physicist·Birthday: July 11·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Born in Australia to Russian parents who fled the revolution, Alexander Prokhorov moved to the Soviet Union as a boy. His life was marked by physical hardship—a severe injury during WWII nearly cost him a leg—but his mind was fixed on the mysteries of electromagnetic radiation. At Moscow's Lebedev Physical Institute, he and Nikolay Basov pursued the radical idea of amplifying microwaves using excited molecules, a concept that became the maser. This work, which earned him a share of the 1964 Nobel Prize in Physics, was the direct precursor to the laser. Prokhorov spent his career pushing the boundaries of quantum electronics, leading a major Soviet research school and seeing his theoretical insights become the backbone of technologies from fiber-optic communications to barcode scanners.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Alexander was born in 1916, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alexander Was Born
The biggest hits of 1916
#1 Movie
Intolerance
Alexander's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1916Born
The Battle of the Somme claims over a million casualties
President: Woodrow Wilson
1921Started school
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1929Became a teenager
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1932Could drive
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1934Could vote
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1937Turned 21
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1946Turned 30
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1956Turned 40
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1966Turned 50
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1976Turned 60
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 70
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 80
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2002Died at 86
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
Key Achievements
- Shared the 1964 Nobel Prize in Physics for fundamental research leading to the maser and laser.
- Co-authored the seminal theoretical proposal for a molecular oscillator, which became the maser.
- Led the Oscillation Laboratory at the Lebedev Physical Institute, a powerhouse for Soviet quantum electronics research.
- His later work significantly advanced laser spectroscopy and the development of new solid-state lasers.
Did You Know?
He was born in Atherton, Queensland, Australia, where his family was involved in the revolutionary movement.
During World War II, he fought in the infantry and was seriously wounded in 1941, requiring multiple leg operations.
He was an avid speleologist (cave explorer) and applied his physics knowledge to develop radio communication systems for use in caves.
“The scientist must be both stubborn and flexible; stubborn in pursuing a goal, but flexible in the choice of path to reach it.”
