[time-nuts] How does it work?

[William H. Fite]

For the sake of this poor, befuddled non-engineer, would one of you worthy
gentlemen explain how it is that lasers striking a mass of cesium atoms and
compressing them into a ball (in a cesium fountain) has the effect of
cooling them to near absolute zero?  That seems counter-intuitive to me, but
then I have virtually no education in this area.

Thanks!

Bill