APS News, May 1999
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APS Established on May 20, 1899 More on APS origins A P S N E W S begin on MAY 1999 THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY VOLUME 8, NO. 5 page 2. [Try the enhanced APS News-online: http://www.aps.org/apsnews] APSCelebrate News APS a Century 100 of years Physics Richardson Vows to Keep DOE Labs Open in Keynote Address ill Richardson, US Secretary of Advisors. These include enhancing connec- BEnergy, delivered the keynote tions between fundamental research and address at the APS Centennial meeting national goals; stimulating partnerships that on Monday evening, March 22, to a promote investments in fundamental science packed room of physicists in town for and engineering, and raising the scientific and the biggest physics meeting in the world. technological literacy of all Americans. In Also presiding at the event — which addition, the Information Technology for the culminated with the unveiling of the APS 21st Century initiative, will, he said, “enable timeline wall chart — were APS President us to develop and deploy new, faster com- Jerome Friedman (Massachusetts Institute puters for advanced simulation,” providing of Technology), William Brinkman of “powerful tools to design a new generation Lucent Technologies, and Robert of cars, develop new pharmaceuticals, and Eisenstein of the National Science help us improve our weather and climate Foundation. research.” Richardson opened with a recognition of Another area of concern to Richardson — the vital role physics has played in the last one that has been echoed by many scien- century. “This century of physics has done tists and government representatives alike more than merely make significant discov- in recent years — is the need to improve eries... it has fundamentally altered how we communication between the American think of the universe and of the forces that people and the physics community. To most bind it together,” he said. “Whether it is basic Americans, physics is an inaccessible subject science, national defense, energy research that “many people gladly left behind in high or environmental quality, physics is the en- school,” he said. Translating physics research abler and provider of solutions, an inseparable into plain English — “decoding” it for the Photo by Ron Sherman part of our livelihoods.” public similar to the way in which medical The entrance to the APS Centennial gala celebration at the Fernbank Science Museum, Atlanta, But the majority of Richardson’s talk fo- breakthroughs are presented for general con- Georgia. For more photos from the gala and city-wide Physics Festival, see pages 5 - 8. cused on the future, beginning with a sumption — is critical for accomplishing this. summation of President Clinton’s efforts to Richardson also took the opportunity to China. Richardson vowed to “maintain and and our finest scientists — do not become promote world leadership in basic science, respond to recent Congressional calls for strengthen the tall fences that protect the isolated from the world.” mathematics and engineering for the US, heightened security at DOE laboratories. The nation’s secrets,” but added, “We can’t be Pledging to fight any proposal to close emphasizing the goals set out in the 1994 issue came to the fore in recent weeks after intimidated into closing ourselves off. It is off American science, Richardson empha- study Science in the National Interest, un- a Taiwan-born American Los Alamos scientist critical that our laboratories — which house sized the DOE’s dedication to technological dertaken by the presidential Council of was accused of passing nuclear secrets to so many of our important research facilities Continued on page 10 Inside… Hawking Draws Packed House to Atlanta Civic Center NEWS ver five thousand local and graphics on three large screens behind him 100 Years of the APS ..................................... 2 visiting spectators—scientists and added considerable visual impact to the First installment of the history of the APS from the O To Advance and Diffuse... Centennial Exhibit. the general public alike—crowded into concepts. Festival Profile .............................................. 3 the Atlanta Civic Center Wednesday At a press conference the day before, Felice Frankel: Envisioning Science Through the evening, March 24, to catch a glimpse of Hawking played recorded answers to Camera’s Eye FIP Objects to State Department best-selling author and theoretical questions submitted previously by report- Advisory ....................................................... 4 physicist Stephen Hawking, in town to ers. Most notably, he endorsed the recent FIP complains about chilling effects of restrictions accept the 1999 APS Lilienfeld discovery that the universe may be ex- on scientific visit visas. Physicists Step Out in Style at Fernbank Lectureship Prize and give a free public panding at an ever-increasing rate — listed Gala ............................................................... 5 lecture. Those unable to obtain tickets as the “Breakthrough of the Year” by Sci- Tuxedos and gowns, fine dining and dancing to the lecture watched it televised live ence magazine in 1998. Initially skeptical, were the order of the day for those attending the APS Centennial gala celebration at Atlanta’s on screens in the adjacent SciTrek Hawking told reporters that after examin- Fernbank Museum. Science Museum. Even those physicists ing the data collected from distant ESPN2 Series Investigates the Science in skeptical of Hawking’s highly supernova blasts, he has “reconsidered” Sports ............................................................ 9 ESPN unveils a new season of SportsFigures, an mathematical, often speculative, and his “theoretical preferences” about the innovative, award-winning educational televi- heavily debated theories — and knack Stephen Hawking cosmological constant that would cause sion series. for generating publicity — were on hand space to inflate more quickly with time. “I SPS Symposia Showcase Undergrad Research ..................................................... 10 to witness what was unquestionably an The Lilienfeld prize check and certifi- now think it is very reasonable that there Four undergraduate symposia were sponsored “Event.” [Said one, “This is something you cate were presented by APS President should be a cosmological constant,” he said. by the Society of Physics Students. see once in a lifetime.”] Elect James Langer (University of Califor- “I have had more time to consider the ob- Sessler Reviews the APS ........................... 10 APS Past President Andrew Sessler invoked a glo- Hawking, 56, is the Lucasian professor nia, Santa Barbara) to thunderous applause servations, and they look quite good.” rious past as evidence of a hopeful future. of mathematics at Cambridge University from the packed auditorium. Hawking, Furthermore, he believes there is not OPINION in England — a chair once held by Isaac who suffers from amyotrophic lateral scle- enough known matter in the universe to Brief Review of 20th Century Physics ......... 4 Newton — and author of A Brief History rosis — an incurable degenerative halt its expansion, and thus “the universe Highlights from D. Allan Bromley’s opening ple- nary lecture at the APS Centennial meeting. of Time, which has been translated into neuromuscular disorder more commonly may keep flying apart forever.” Letters ........................................................... 4 40 languages since its publication in 1988. known as Lou Gehrig’s disease — then Hawking also said that he believes DEPARTMENTS Microsoft technical guru Nathan Myhrvold, delivered his lecture on the computerized there is a 50-50 chance that scientists will Book Review ................................................. 3 a former postdoctoral student of synthetic speech machine he uses to com- achieve a Grand Unified Theory (GUT) Celebrating Scientific Silliness with the Best of AIR. Inside the Beltway ........................................ 9 Hawking’s, has said that the wheelchair- municate with the outside world. Entitled within the next 20 years. One of the best Cornpone and Southern Comfort bound theorist has “sold more books on “The Universe in a Nutshell,” the subject candidates, he said, is the so- called “M Zero Gravity .................................................. 9 physics than Madonna has on sex,” and matter was nothing new to those who have theory,” an extension of string theory that The Official 1998 Pigasus Awards Announcements ......................................... 11 Hawking himself estimates that Brief His- read his best-selling books — namely, that allows multiple universes to arise from an Meeting Briefs; Apker Awards; Call for Nomina- tory “has sold about one copy for every the universe is a self-contained system ever-changing quantum foam of space- tion; Physics in the 20th Century. 750 men, women and children in the without boundaries, and that time has no time. However, he refused to identify any The Back Page ............................................ 12 Freeman J. Dyson explores the science and poli- world.” His latest book is Black Holes and meaning outside the laws of physics — single example as the greatest development tics of climate. Baby Universes, published in 1997. but the addition of illustrative cartoon Continued on page 3 APS News May 1999 To Advance & Diffuse the Knowledge of Physics 100 Years of the American Physical Society Curator Sara Schechner Genuth Researchers George Trigg Gnomon Research Ruth Kastner Exhibit Director Barrett Ripin Steven