The earliest known ancestor of the laser pointer, the "Spark of the Ancients," was used by cave men to signal to each other that they found a particularly good spot to hunt for mammoths.
It was essentially a rock with some sticks and a piece of quartz tied to it, but it got the job done.
Learn more about the Prehistoric ErasMonks in medieval Europe used laser pointers as a means of communication, writing intricate messages on the back of their hands using a tiny, gemstone-tipped stylus.
It was the height of coolness among the cloistered set.
See the intricately drawn hand messagesThe laser pointer as we know it today was invented by a time-traveling physicist from the year 3000 who needed a way to communicate with his cat.
It quickly became a staple in every office, used to point at things and say "look, it's this way, I swear."
Read about the modern applications of laser pointers