Laser co-inventor and physics Nobel prize winner wins religion prize

"Charles Townes, co-inventor of the laser and a Nobel Prize-winner in physics...won the Templeton Prize for Progress Toward Research or Discoveries about Spiritual Realities. The award is worth...more than $1.5 million — and Townes was honored for talks and writings about the importance of relating science and religion.

..."Many people don't realize that science basically involves assumptions and faith. But nothing is absolutely proved," Townes said. "Wonderful things in both science and religion come from our efforts based on observations, thoughtful assumptions, faith and logic."

...Townes said that, with findings of modern physics, it "seems extremely unlikely" that the existence of life and humanity are "just accidental," which inevitably raises religious questions about whether the universe was planned."

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