Physicist Charles Townes, who won the Nobel Prize in 1964 for
co-inventing the laser, has been awarded this year's $1.5 Templeton
Prize. The Templeton Prize recognizes a recipient's contributions to
advancing knowledge in matters relating to science and religion.

In 1966 Townes created a stir with an article in the IBM journal THINK,
in which he argued that science and religion are driven by the same
assumptions and observations. Many students and scientists rejected
Townes's ideas, but he said that only emboldened him to continue
writing and talking about the subject. "It is important for us to be
open-minded in science and religion. The two are more similar than one
may think," he says.

Townes plans to donate half of the money to his alma mater, Furman
University in Greenville, South Carolina, and a major portion of the
remainder to various faith-based institutions.

The Duke of Edinburgh will present the prize at a private ceremony in
Buckingham Palace on May 4.

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Paraphrased from an AAAS _ScienceNow_ article.

Davoud