ELI5 Lasers - why don’t you see many white laser pointers?

Do laser beams get wider over a distance? Why are most lasers red and not white in color? What’s the difference between a powerful flashlight and a white laser? Did Albert Einstein invent the laser?

... we explain like I'm five

Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: titaniumdragon, skoncol17, syloh, gibson45 and e_snap

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