Did Luis Alvarez's work have practical applications?
Absolutely. While I dedicated a good part of my career to fundamental particle physics, the drive to solve problems often leads to practical results. During World War II, I was heavily involved in developing radar systems, including ground-controlled approach systems for landing aircraft in bad weather. Later, I even explored using detectors to search for hidden chambers in the Egyptian pyramids. The principle is the same: understand how things work, build something to measure or manipulate them, and see what you can achieve. If you can't measure it, you can't improve it.
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