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The newspaper of the physics community July 2005 Dancing to the tune of physics Ayala Ochert reports on an exuberant celebration of Einstein’s theories through dance. The première of Rambert Dance Com- pany’s Constant Speed on 24 May at Sadler’s Wells was hailed a success by www.einsteinyear.org Albert Einstein™ HUJ, www.albert-einstein.net critics and scientists alike. The dance, CONTENTS commissioned by the Institute of Physics, was a colourful and exuberant 2 News celebration of the centenary of Ein- Atomic time turns 50 stein’s groundbreaking 1905 works. ● Ghost hunting in Scotland This unusual collaboration between ● Girls in physics physics and dance was the brainchild of Jerry Cowhig, the managing direc- 4 Reflections tor of Institute of Physics Publishing, Carbon trading explained who came up with the idea almost ● The benefits of mentoring three years ago. “At Institute of Physics Publishing 5 People we’ve a strong tradition of supporting Sandra Chapman paints the the arts. We were looking for a way to landscapes of the mind make a contribution to Einstein Year, and I thought that dance would be ideal because it’s abstract and expres- sive, it can convey ideas and themes, and it would get audiences. It would also be something different,” he says. When he first came up with the idea, Cowhig didn’t dream that it 6 Letters would be picked up by Rambert, the Interactions reader survey ● country’s oldest dance company and Tristram Kenton Physics and the military one of the most respected – nor that Two of the energetic “pollen grains” in Rambert Dance Company’s interpretation of Brownian motion. the company’s new artistic director, 7 Event horizon Mark Baldwin, would choose to CONSTANT SPEED McNern’s stage lighting. The idea that while the Observer said that “Baldwin What’s on in physics choreograph the dance himself. blue photons have more energy than succeeded in making everyone mar- Early on, Baldwin was briefed on AUTUMN 2005 red ones is conveyed by the powerful vel at the wit and beauty of Einstein’s 8 Antimatters Einstein’s ideas by lighting designer ● The Lowry, Salford entrance of a female dancer dressed in theories”. What the Bleep Do They Samantha McNern, who has a back- 21–24 September blue. Against a black backdrop the Scientists were also impressed with Know!? ground in physics (InteractionsJune p5). ● Wycombe Swan, High entire stage is bathed first in red light, the final product. “In a word, the per- Later on the Institute introduced him Wycombe then in blue light. In the finale, a large formance was stunning. The idea of to Ray Rivers, professor of theoretical 28 September – 1 October mirror ball appears on stage, scatter- using colour to illustrate the energy of physics at Imperial College, London. ● Bristol Hippodrome ing light across the theatre in discrete photons was inspired,” said Sir John With his help, Baldwin got to grips 5–8 October packets to represent photons. At the Enderby, president of the Institute. with Einstein’s three seminal works on ● Norwich Theatre Royal very end, all 19 dancers (almost the Cowhig said he was thrilled with the Brownian motion, the photoelectric 12–14 October entire Rambert troupe) appear on performance: “I loved the movement, effect and special relativity. ● Milton Keynes Theatre stage in a full spectrum of colours. the colour, the use of music – the “Prior to starting this project my 2–5 November Einstein’s most famous theory, spe- whole experience. I am astonished “The culture in knowledge of physics was basic. As ● Sadler’s Wells, London cial relativity, was harder to convey that the project went so well from well as enlightening me about ideas I 15–19 November through dance, although the title of start to finish, and the ultimate physics is definitely never knew existed, it has given me a ● Edinburgh Festival Theatre the piece refers clearly to it. Baldwin accomplishment was so much more new awareness of how far physics 23–25 November tried to capture the idea of time mov- than I could have dared hope.” a macho one.” reaches into our daily lives,” says ● Theatre Royal, Plymouth ing at different rates for different Constant Speed goes on tour around Sandra Chapman, p5 Baldwin. “During this process I also 30 November – 3 December observers, with groups of dancers the UK from September and in spring discovered just how compatible dance moving quicker or slower across the 2006. Wherever it goes, Rambert will and physics are. Both have the ability SPRING 2006 stage simultaneously. also be running workshops for sec- “I have to admit I to fire the imagination and question Dates to be confirmed The costumes, created by the acc- ondary-school students, who are the enjoyed the film. In the world around us.” ● His Majesty’s Theatre, laimed set designer Michael Howells, main target audience for Einstein Year. Of the three works, Brownian Aberdeen were meant to evoke the late 19th cen- The company has a well established fact I found it rather motion lent itself most easily to ● Theatre Royal, Newcastle tury, when Einstein was formulating education programme that aims to expression through dance. In the final ● Hall for Cornwall, Truro his ideas. The music, by composer enthuse young people about modern funny. ” performance the dancers move about ● The Marlowe Theatre, Franz Lehar, was also chosen from the dance. With Constant Speedit is joining Jim Al-Khalili, p8 the stage like pollen grains on the sur- Canterbury period and provides an energetic and, forces with the Institute to help them face of a pond “as if jostled by unseen ● Clwyd Theatr, Cymru Mold at times, comic setting for the dance. to appreciate the physics behind the forces”. But everyone involved with ● Theatre Royal, Brighton At the première the audience laughed dance, too. Constant Speed is clear that it is not a ● Birmingham Hippodrome out loud at some of the circus-like “This unique collaboration is bring- CHARTERED literal representation of Einstein’s antics of the dancers. ing ideas from physics to people STATUS KEEPS physics. “You’re not getting a physics The new dance performance was whom we might not normally reach. lesson,” says Cowhig. received enthusiastically by the arts We hope that it will inspire at least YOU AHEAD The photoelectric effect is repre- community. The Sunday Telegraph some to wonder about how the world careers.iop.org/ sented in Constant Speed by the colours called it a “hugely imaginative com- works,” says Cowhig. chartered of the dancers’ costumes and through mission from the Institute of Physics”, www.rambert.org.uk Interactions July 2005 2 news HIGHLIGHTS Time Lords open up their doors Holograms detect digital fraud Is that photo in the headlines real or has it been doctored just to sell Physics student Alice Perrett has won had to complete the sentence: “If I whether it is arrow-shaped or not.” The more newspapers? With the advent of digital imaging technology, the opportunity to undertake work could freeze time for 10 minutes, I judges liked the way her answer played that’s a question that’s increasingly being asked. Now, physicists at experience with a Time Lord in a would...” To encourage imaginative on the “arrow of time” metaphor, first competition that will mark the 50th entries to last month’s competition, coined by the ancient Greeks, but also the University of Roma Tre say they have a way of answering it. anniversary of the invention of the television presenter Adam Hart-Davis contained a serious question about Writing in the Journal of Optics A, which is published by the Institute atomic clock. was asked to describe his ideal time- whether time has a direction. The run- of Physics, Giuseppe Spagnolo and his colleagues describe a digital The Einstein Year competition was freezing scenario. He said: “I would ner-up prize of a binary watch went to “watermark” that shows whether – and how – a photograph has organised by the Institute and the arrange to be in the most beautiful Lynda Nwicke, who said she would go been tampered with. The watermark is a computer-generated National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in place I could imagine – perhaps a cor- diving with endangered species on the hologram that is embedded in the photo, but which is invisible to Teddington, where Perrett will spend ner of Sri Lanka, or Kashmir, or the Big Great Barrier Reef. the human eye, appearing simply as random “noise” in the image. the summer with the scientists respon- Island of Hawaii. I would round up a NPL developed the first accurate sible for maintaining the UK’s atomic beautiful bunch of people and eat a caesium atomic clock in 1955, which Any changes to the photograph damage the watermark, proving that timescale and contributing data to sup- delicious meal, then throw the switch.” led to the internationally agreed defi- the photo has been modified. port international time standards. Perrett wrote: “If I could freeze time, nition of the second being based on “We hope that this technique can be used to improve the reliability To compete for the prize, entrants I would confirm once and for all atomic time. of photographs in the media,” says Lorenzo Cozella, co-author of the EMPICS paper. “Digital cameras could be developed so that an invisible GHOST HUNTING watermark is added when a picture is taken. A newspaper buying a photo from a freelancer could then check for a watermark to confirm that it hasn’t been tampered with to make it more newsworthy.” The system could also protect images used as evidence in court.

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