e California Tech VOLUME CVI, NUMBER 12 PASADENA, CALIFORNIA JANUARY 18,2005 Hawking Describes Bold Life in Physics
By CHRISTINE CHANG Silence fell over the darkened progressing very much and my room as all attentIon wa~ divert- work fell into place," said Hawk ed to the man who was wheeled ·ing. onto stage. The undergraduates Hawking then related a story gazed in awe at the one who can where Hoyle, who had moved on be considered one of the greatest to a new theory ofa time-symmet 'minds in the world. Communicat- ric gravity, was giving a lecture. ing through a computer-generated After the lecture finished, Hawk speech, Stephen Hawking deliv- ing raised his hand and corn ered a speech titled "To Boldly mented that this theory concluded Go: My Life in Physics," exclu- that the mass approached infinity. sively to undergraduates in Ramo When asked how he knew, Hawk Auditorium on January 14. In ad- ing replied that he had calculated dition to his sharp intellect, the it. The real truth, however, was speech exhibited Hawking's wit that he had seen a draft of the pa and humor. per in his office, which he shared To introduce Hawking, Kip with Neuricker. Hoyle was furi Thome, a friend ofHawking since ous, but, says Hawking, he did 1965, stepped up to the podium. not seem to hold a grudge, since "He has also survived so long and he gave Hawking a job at his In been so effective through per- stitute later. sonal grit, a combination of luck One of the theories of the day and personal grit," Thome said. was the steady state theory, which After listing Hawking's awards, assumed a constant density, but including honorary membership which did not have a firm theo into Dabney House, the interna- retical basis. By 1963, the steady tionally recognized physicist was state theory was in trouble and brought onto stage. when a faint microwave back- Hawking began his lecture at ground was observed in the sky his entrance into graduate school in 1965, the theory seemed to be at Cambridge in 1962. There, he coming to an end. "It was just as was assigned to Dennis Sciama. well I had not been a student of At that time, two fields of phys- Hoyle because I would have had K. PenglThe California Tech ics arose as particularly exciting: to defend the steady state," said Professor Kip Thorne relates how he met Steven Hawking in 1965 before Professor Hawking gave his elementary particle physics and Hawking. This new discovery lecture 'To Boldly go: My Life in Physics' to Caltech undergraduates in Ramo Auditorium. cosmology. Because elementary aided Hawking in completing is particle physics was too mind- doctorate thesis. boggling, says Hawking, he de- In January of 1965, Roger Pen- cided to study cosmology. rose presented a new method of However, because of his lack to prove an important theorem Math Assists Crime Fighters In of background in mathematics, which did not involve solving Sciama suggested Hawking work field equations. Hawking realized in astrophysics. Hawking did not that a similar argument could be New CBS DratnaINUMB3RS' agree with this conclusion. "I applied to the expanding universe. came to Cambridge to do cosmol- Together, Penrose and Hawking the mathematics. In fact, in the math class or two during the By ALEX SIEGEL ogy and cosmology I was deter- set out to utilize this conclusion. panel discussion following the first week of the Fall term to mined to do," said Hawking. "How refreshing to have a field Few television shows have preview, co-producers Cheryl prepare for the role. Though it Filled with resolve, Hawking all to ourselves. Unlike particle even attempted to capture the Heuton and Nicolas Falacci ad may not make up for Algebra began to study on his own and physics, where people were fall dynamic excitement of Math mitted their passion for math. I, it certainly helped David to with the help of Sciama. How- ing all over themselves to latch ematics. Just when most of us "We wanted to do a show about understand what he calls "that ever, it was at this time that he on to a new idea; they still are," had given up hope that there math, but needed the context passion for Mathematics" that was diagnosed with motor neuron Hawking said. would ever be a television show of a tested show," confessed I'm sure many students felt, at disease. He continued to work, Hawking also related stories about math on a major network, Cheryl. Thus, by combining least during the first week. however, believing that there was about his office from that time. "NUMB3RS" was created. the math genre with the more Despite many requests, enough time for his to finish his "I used to have a bumper sticker The new television series tested criminal law enforce CBS decided not to mention doctorate. "The disease was not 'Black Holes are Out of Sight' on is about an FBI special agent ment genre, they successfully Caltech's name in the series, and his genius mathemati pitched their new show to CBS, Continued on Page 7, Column 1 cian brother who works at an who Cheryl described as "wild unnamed university roughly ly enthusiastic." based on Caltech. It can only The first question on most be described as CSI meets people's minds seemed to be Math2. Though not set to de "Was the math even real?" Yes, but on CBS until January 23 for the most part, it was. Gary at 10:00pm, Caltech was given Lorden, Caltech's own Execu a special sneak preview of the tive Officer of the Mathematics first episode last Monday in Department has worked as the Beckman auditorium, followed Math Consultant for the show, by a panel discussion, and then in order to keep the show on a free dessert. solid mathematical footing. In the premier episode, FBI In fact, the formula used special agent Don Eppes,played in the first episode is used in by Rob Morrow, is working on the same way and for the ex a classified murder and rape act same purpose as it was in case. Don tried to find a pattern the show. It was derived by a in the culprit's attacks but to no Canadian mathematician who avail. However, when his 30 successfully used it to deter year-old genius Mathematician mine the point of origin of a brother, Charlie, played by Da serial rapist and murderer in vid Krumholtz, sneaks a peak Louisiana. He now has his own at a map of the crime scenes, business running his equation he derives a formula that starts for people who want to locate works backwards to estimate criminals. the neighborhood where the You may also wonder wheth murderer lives. er David Krumholtz, the actor Of course, the action isn't who plays Charlie, the Math all on the chalkboard. There ematical genius, is even good is plenty of violence, corpses, at math. "You'll all be thrilled and the like to satisfy even the to know," he says, "that I D. Karla/The California Tech most arithmophobic viewer. failed Algebra I twice." Luck Cast members Rob Morrow, David Krumholtz, and Judd Hirsch discuss their thoughts on the show The draw, however, remains ily, David sat in on a Caltech as math professor and Math Department Executive Offcier Gary Lorden looks on. 2 THE CALIFORNIA TECH NEWS JANUARY 18,2005 Downfall ofSocieties Studied by Diamond
By DAVID CHEN Dr. Jared Diamond, a professor Vikings, who considered them at UCLA and Pulitzer Prize-win- selves good Christians, refused to ning author of Guns, Germs and learn from the pagan Intuit. This Steel, discussed on January 9 his response by the Vikings made new book that further explains his their fall inevitable while the In research in the history of various tuit continue to live today. societies in a talk organized by the With all these collapses, Dr. Skeptics' Society. His new book, Diamond mentioned one success Collapse: How Societies Choose story, that of Tokagawa Japan. to Failor Succeed, details the fall After 150 v~ar~ of civil war that of various societies in the past ~!ld~u in the 17th century, the sho while tying in dilemmas facing guns were in control of Japan. the world today. They soon undertook many con- Dr. biamond began by not- struction projects, to the extent ing, "It's not the fate of all past that Japan was being deforested. societies to collapse. The ques- The shoguns saw the problem, tion is why do some societies however and enacted policies to A. Green/The California Tech collapse and not others." He cre- force conservation of wood, by Professors, USGS staff, and audience members converse about the Sumatra earthquake and subse ated a framework to analyze these using coal instead of wood for quent tsunami after the briefing. causes, categorized in five areas. heating and by using less wood in The first, quite prevalent cause new buildings. In addition, plan was abuse ofthe environment. For tations of trees were managed so example, many ancient civiliza- well that 74% of Japan's surface USGS Team Explains Tsunami; tions would over-fish or cut down area today is forest. too many trees. Furthermore, cli- There are a few reasons that mate changes could strongly af- societies may fail. The first possi Pacific Coast Could Face Danger fect past societies. bility is a false analogy and as an Other human civilizations also example, Dr. Diamond explained By JON MALMAUD he demonstrated with fancy 3D was pelted with arrows. In retali affected the fates of past civili- that after World War I, the French animations showing two seismic ation, Caltech is sending a grad zations. Dr. Diamond noted that decided to buy a fortified line On December 26th, a magni plates slipping beneath each other there for fieldwork. many historians continue to de- of defenses. This Maginot Line, tude-9 earthquake originating and thrusting up vast columns The seismopundits then sat bate whether Rome's fall was however, proved to be little hin from underneath the Indian Ocean of water with merrily proceeded down together to take questions. caused directly by the barbarians drance to the German forces be sent forth shockwaves which cir the douse the unfortunate coastal One inquiry was on the likelihood or whether Rome was too weak cause the French strategists had cled the world and were felt as far lands. of a similar catastrophe strik internally. Besides hostile rela- falsely assumed that the Second away as Oklahoma. Shortly after, The system relies on vast ing our golden state. The answer tions, friendly neighbors, such as World War would follow the same a tsunami ripped through the wa amounts of empirical data which was quite depressing; it's almost trading partners, were important tactics as before. ters at jet-speed before washing is still being sampled from Sri certain that a grand tsunami will factors. Another cause for a society to up devastating amounts of water Lanka. The information is trans flood the Pacific Northwest with Finally, the response by the fail is a failure to detect the prob on the coasts of India, Thailand, mitted to the Earth Simulator in in several centuries. It would be societies to emerging problems lems. Dr. Diamond refers to this and other Asian counties and is Japan, formally the fastest su deeply ironic if Caltech, a cen strongly determined their fates. tendency as "creeping normalcy", lands. Causalities number approx percomputer in the world at lOA ter of seismological studies, was The responses could include di- or "landscape amnesia", when imately 160,000 and may double Tflops, for number-crunching. destroyed. To prepare against rect responses as well as indirect problems build up so slowly that as disease takes its tole. Humani He went on to discuss the gi this dreadful possibility, detailed responses such as cultural chang- they are not noticed. A prime ex tarian aid has largely eliminated gantic proportion of the tsunamic seismological maps are being es. ample is global warming, which the risk of starvation-buLtluu"e disaster. The last quake to equal made of the area and sun-soaking Easter Island presents the took about 20 years for us to con lief program is estimated to be the- the power (2.0exaJ=2.0 x lOA 18 Californians are being warned to "clearest case ofhumans harnmer- firm. most expensive in world history. 1) of the one sparking this watery leave the beach immediately if ing the environment." Since the A final cause is a refusal to Luckily, Caltech is riff with disaster occurred in Alaska in they feel an earthquake. nearest neighbors were far away, solve these problems. Oftentimes, experts eager to make the best of 1964. When the public audience The remaining audience inqui the fall of the society as Easter there is a conflict of interest and the situation. On Wednesday eve started to become dazed with the ries were perhaps not as sanguine Island must have been from inter- Dr. Diamond gave the behavior of ning, a stuffed Beckman audito seismic waveforms projected onto but much more entertaining. One nal problems, Easter Island was a mining companies as an example, rium watched eagerly as a grand their retina, the professor made a elderly gentleman pointed out lush tropical forest when initially since they are interested in maxi procession of geology profs gave useful analogy: "For those of you that only very few animals died. settled on. However, the inhabit- mizing profits and this goal is their spin on the subject. After know who know quantum me Ergo, animals have an adaptation ants abused the island to such a accomplished by dumping toxic discussing the tsunamic tragedy, chanics, it's just like hydrogen to sense incoming tsunamis and degree that 23 tree species went wastes into nearby water supplies. they also elaborated on the immi splitting." so should be studied vigorously. extinct, leaving the island a bar- Also, a phenomenon termed the nent danger to California and the Second at bat was Dr. Heaton. When it was pointed out that ren desert and most bird colonies "tragedy of the commons" causes link between nuclear bombs and He starts by showing us a video there is little Darwinian pressure were killed off. Without even a failure to respond. For example, Earth-shattering quakes. ofa flooding Thailand coastal vil to survive tsunamis and that very trees to build canoes and hunt in many fisheries today have been First up was one Dr. Tromp, di lage. At first we see a rather large few animals live on the beach, his the ocean, the inhabitants had no over-fished because it is difficult rector of the seismology lab. He wave crash onto the golden sand point seemed soundly rebutted. way to obtain large quantities of for all the independent parties to discussed the international net but it's not so unusual. What be A subsequent woman pos meat. Thus, they collapsed in an reach an agreement. work of monitoring stations scat comes alarming is that the wave tulated that perhaps the quake "epidemic ofcannibalism." There are some bright spots. tered throughout the world. One fails to pull back into the ocean-it was caused by the detonation of Easter Island presents a special According to Dr. Diamond, com reason why the tsunami was not just keeps on flowing into town. a nuclear warhead. The profes analogy to the entire Earth, since panies, in contrast to the public's detected is the difficulty in setting Immediately after, a second and sors thought it unlikely. Overall, to our knowledge so far, we are expectations, may sometimes find up underwater monitoring posts. third wave adds to the now dis though, the event was extremely alone in the universe. In addition, environmentally sound practices They do have one such sea-bound turbing volume of water that enlightening and served as a re like the inhabitants of Easter Is- to help the bottom line. Forexam station running in between Ha refuses to return to its rightful minder that we study at a univer land, we know of nowhere else pIe, on his trips to New Guinea, waii and California optimistically place. As time goes on, it begins sity whose research saves lives. to flee to. Thus the fate of Easter Dr. Diamond was surprised to see known as H_20. By year's end to look like the entire ocean is Island cautions against the abuse Chevron managing its fields in the UN plans to have an early migrating, or rather stampeding, of the environment. environmentally sound ways. He warning system in place for most to a most unwelcome new home. The California Tech Caltech 40-58, Pasadena, CA 91125 Dr. Diamond also mentioned explained that after the various oil of the Indian Ocean. A shot taken after the waters par editorial desk: (626) 395-6153 another chapter in his book de- spills, oil companies have decid His talk focused on the so tially receded shows the wooden advertising desk: (626) 395-6154 scribing the fate ofa pair of Poly- ed that it is "better off in the long called Finite Slip Model which structures utterly razed. editorial e-mail: [email protected] nesian islands. The populace of run to be squeaky clean." Another Heaton goes on to note that VOLUMECVI,NUMBER 12 these islands themselves prac- example is Home Depot, which American society today, with the magnitude 9 quake actually has ticed sustainable environmental now gets all its wood from forests rise of gated communities, "with 30 times of the much more com Tammy Yee Wing Ma Vi Tuong Tran practices, but they relied on an- that are certified to be managed private security guards instead of mon M8 but occurs only 1/1Oth as Managing Editor Business Manager other island as a trading partner to in an environmentally sustainable the police, drinking bottled water much. Thus scientists have "kin Matthew H Walker Robert Morell obtain raw goods. Unfortunately manner. and probably sending kids to pri da gotten rusty at studying these News Director Circulation for this pair of islands, the third The big lesson, according to Dr. vate schools." things." His presentation was un The Tech is published weekly except during island abused its ecosystem, col- Diamond, is that problems of the He also noted that today's glo fortunately cut short when Win vacation and examination periods by the As lapsed in the Easter Island way population and environment have balized society could make ev dows refused to demonstrate his sociated Students of the California Institute of Technology, Inc. The opinions expressed and these two islands subsequent- to be taken seriously. A serious is eryone more vulnerable to a soci model-generated animation. herein are strictly those of the authors and ly fell. sue is when the elite can insulate etal collapse because such a fall Last up was Dr. Huddon, who advertisers. Letters and submissions are welcome; e The story of the Vikings, who themselves. As an example, he would be a global decline and not discussed the effects of the di mail submissions to [email protected] as settled Greenland about 1000 AD, noted that the Mayan kings did an isolated incident like Easter saster on the geography of the plain-text attachments, including the author's name, by Friday of the week before publica also is a separate chapter. Dr. Dia- not suffer from the lack of water Island. effected land. Much of the coast tion. Sorry the Tech does not accept anony mond noted that this society last- and failed to see the malnutrition There is one big advantage along the Indian Ocean will be mous contributions. The editors reserve the right to edit and abridge all submissions for ed for an impressive 430 years, among the commoners. that we have today, however. The permanently submerged beneath any reason. All written work remains property but it eventually died off for all In contrast, he praised the people of Easter Island had no the waves while other lands and of its author. The advertising deadline is five p.m. Friday; five possible causes. The Vikings Netherlands today for building way to learn about such mistakes, coral reefs will surface and die. alladvertising should be submitted electroni deforested the island and the cli- dikes that protect everyone, rich whereas today we have books and Rice fields have been swamped cally or as camera-ready art, but the Tech can also do simple typesetting and arrangement. mate got colder. They also faced and poor. Since the country is be satellite connections. "That was with seawater, rendering the All advertising inquiries should be directed hostilities from Eskimo Indians low sea level, every Dutch citizen my main motivation in writing fields fallow for many genera to the business manager at business@tech. caltech.edu. For subscription information, and their main trading partner, works to maintain these dikes. Dr. the book, that we would choose to tions. One helicopter conducting please send mail to "Subscriptions." Norway, weakened. Finally, the Diamond noted his concern with learn," explained Dr. Diamond. a scientific survey over the area THE CALIFORNIA TECH COMMENTARY JANUARY 18,2005 3
however, the growth of democ could undermine the rule of law eservations about Democracy in Iraq racy clearly failed to "promote there as well. peace" and restrain militarism Lacking from the process of By SIMON QUE cans during World War n. His have resulted in the deaths ofmil and intervention abroad. turning Iraq into a democracy has ideological cousin, President lions of soldiers and civilians. It Don't be too sure that democ been real central involvement by The first elections in the new Bush, signed an executive order is interesting to note that starting racy will bring domestic peace the Iraqi people. The process has Iraq are coming up soon. Presi that permitted trial by military tri in the late 19th century, shortly and stability to Iraq, either. One been mostly orchestrated by the dent Bush and his administration bunal of foreigners suspected of before the above list began, there concern that some have expressed US military and administration. no doubt see this as a momentous ten-orism. Both presi------ is the presence of the numer (Bush decided for the Iraqis that event. Bush boasts in speeches dents were elected ous ethnic and religious groups Iraq would be a democracy. How about how "our commitment to with popular ma "While Saddam was in Iraq: Kurds and Arabs, Sunni paradoxical.) While Saddam was democracy is tested in ...outposts jorities after issuing and Shiite Muslims, etc, and that in power, Iraqis could purchase of oppression in our world," and the above executive in power, Iraqis could they would use voting power to all sorts of firearms on the streets how democracy in Iraq will bring orders, in 1944 and oppress each other. Examining a of Baghdad. Ifthey couldn't over freedom to the authoritarian re 2004, respectively. purchase all sorts of list compiled by the Federation of throw him themselves and wrest gimes of the Middle East in a po These are just a few American Scientists of 29 recent power from the hands of a tyrant, litical domino effect. Yet we have examples of federal firearms on the streets conflicts within various states, then maybe they aren't ready for reasons to be skeptical ofwhat de policies that have vio such as Russia, Spain, Philip self-government, freedom, and mocracy will bring to Iraq. A look lated civil liberties in ofBaghdad. Ifthey pines, Indonesia, and Sudan, one peace. These things don't come at past and present democracies the U.S. repeatedly, counts 25 that were due to ethnic from having the right political suggests that democracy won't despite democratic couldn't overthrow him or religious causes. In 23 of these institution or documents but from deliver the grand promises made elections and popular 25, the country in which it took an inner desire for, respect for, by the Bush administration. support for the presi themselves and wrest place had a democratic form of and understanding ofthem. Given The historical evidence claims dent. government. Would Iraq become that the Iraqis allowed Saddam to the contrary. Under Saddam, there Another claim made powers from the hands home to a 24th conflict? stay in power, it seems that they was indeed a legislative body, the by Bush is that"...the Concerns about conflict and lacked these qualities. So why National Assembly, chosen by reason why I'm so ofa tyrant, maybe they oppression might be pacified by should we believe they would popular election. Yet despite this strong on democracy the constitution of Iraq, which vote for freedom and peace over democratic institution, Saddam's is democracies don't aren't readyfor self... contains provisions similar to our things like nationalism and na regime still oppressed many go to war with each own Bill of Rights. They would tional security? people under it. His prisons were other ... I've got great government, freedom, protect the rights of minorities in The historical and empirical filled with political prisoners who faith in democracies to case majoritarian oppression hap evidence casts much doubt on the had dared to oppose him. This promote peace," made andpeace." pens at the polls, right? Not nec claim that democracy will bring questions the very notion that on ABC News. Again, essarily. Such wlitten provisions liberty and peace to Iraq. Both democracy will bring freedom, a this seems to contra are as only good as the willing Iraq under Saddam and the his notion championed by the cun-ent dict reality. Didn't Iraq ness of the people and their lead tory of the US suggest the con U.S. administration in its foreign invade Iran in 1980 and Kuwait in was a movement for more popu ers to honor them. In the US, the trary. But who knows how things policy. 1990? Holding popular elections lar elections at various levels of Bill of Rights has been eroded in will turn out in Iraq? There is no Let's look into the mirror: how didn't stop Iraq from military ag government, culminating with the practice by compromise for the magical formula to determine about in the United States, whose gression and conflict. ratification of the 17th Amend sake of security and centralized what will happen once Iraqis go government holds popular elec A similar observation can be ment in 1913. This is not to say big government, most recently in to the polls. So keep your fingers tions? Consider some of the poli made about the United States in that these wars were necessarily the War on Ten-or. It is quite pos crossed. cies enacted by our democratical the last hundred years or so. The caused by American democracy; sible that ten-orist attacks in Iraq ly elected Congress. There's the US military has been an aggressor recent PATRIOT Act that granted in many military conflicts during ------, greater surveillance and search that time: The Spanish-Ameri powers to federal agencies. Then can War, World War I (ironically there's the War on Drugs, which fought to "make the world safe has given federal agents more op for democracy"), the bombing F portunities to exercise their police of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the powers and harass citizens for be Korean War, the Vietnam War, E, three won havior that is harmless to others. Lebanon, Panama, Serbia, So on analytical design. Everyone taki The American people still tolerate malia, bombings of Iraq, and the these acts of the federal govern two Gulf Wars. These conflicts of three books as well as famous essay on 1-",..."...,''''' ..·1-''....''1 nt: ment. dubious necessity or justification The presidency, semi-demo cratically elected, doesn't have Business Plans a good record either. President Franklin D. Roosevelt used the Financial Models power of executive order for the MBA, 20 years experience internment of Japanese-Ameri- Email [email protected] Or call 310 6416511 x14
i The Visual Display (world famous drummer) of Quantitative Information
EDWARD R. TUFTE
>ClINIC Thursday, January 13th, 6:30 PM The classic book on statistical Maps of data and evidence. Depicting evidence relevant to Ramo Caltech charts, graphs, and tables. "Best Design strategies for complex cause and effect. Graphics for Sponsors: Zildjian cymbais 100 books of the 20th century." data. High resolution displays. Remo drumheads decision making and presenta Vic Firth sticks amazon.com "A visual Strunk and Multiples, layering and hierarchy, tions.lnterface design. Animation, Mapex drums White." The Boston Globe color and information. scientific visualization. LP per~ussion Shure mics $40 postpaid $48 postpaid $45 postpaid
>CONCERT TOPICS COVERED IN EDWARD TUFTE'S ONE-DAY COURSE INCLUDE: With the Caltech Jazz Bands · fundamental strategies of information design · use of PowerPoint, video, overheads, handouts Saturday, January 22, 8:00 PM Beckman Auditorium, Caltech · evaluating evidence used in presentations · multi-media, internet, and websites · statistical data: tables, graphics, semi-graphics · design of information displays in public spaces · business, scientific, legal, financial presentations · animation and scientific visualizations · effective presentations: on paper and in person · design of computer interfaces and manuals
THE ONE-DAY COURSE WILL BE OFFERED ON THREE SEPARATE DATES:
MONDAY, JANUARY 24,2005 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, :2005 Marriott Mission Valley San Diego Hyatt Regency Los Angeles
TUESDAY, JANUARY 25,2005 Courses will also be offered in Phoenix, Hyatt Regency Los Angeles Atlanta, Knoxville, Nashville, Boston
For information about Edward Tufte's course, 'Presenting Data and Information,' or about the books, call 800 822-2454 or visit www.edwardtufte.com Graphics Press llC Post Office Box 430 Cheshire, Connecticut 06410 For more information, please call the Caltech Ticket Office at (626) 395-4652, or New essay by Edward Tufte on how PowerPoint presentation slideware corrupts visit the web site at: http://events.caltech.edu/index.html thought. "The Cognitive Style of PowerPoint," available from Graphics Press, $1. 4 THE CALIFORNIA TECH COMMENTARY JANUARY 18,2005 Women's Basketball ne Fine (and usy) Day: Don't outhwestern Me s the Best Show on levision By HARRISON STEIN emerged, and every By MIKE RUPP AC Conference schedule. Their thing that occurred conference opener will be on (Note: This article is Spoiler in the first half of the Caltech Sports Information the road at the University of La Free. Nothing revealed in this day took a backseat Monday, January 10,2005 Verne this Thursday. Their next article will detract from viewing to what was to come. home game wiLl be this Saturday any of the four seasons of 24) The last two hours of Athlete of the Week: against Claremont Mudd-Scripps. In an era dominated by reality the season were the Women's BasketbaH's Lindsay Tip-off is at 5:00 PM. television, a genre losing creativ most thrilling, as a King ity and even more credibility by stunning twist added Men's Basketball The Freshman Forward from the second, the most inventive, a whole new spin to Bedford, New Hampshire set the Men's Basketball competes at enthralling and pulse-pounding the show. school's single-game record with MSOE Invitational show on television is Fox's 24 In Day 2, Jack had 33 points against Southwestern The Men's Basketball team (Mondays at 9 p.m. Pacific). De College on Friday night. King played at the 2005 Milwaukee to locate a nuclear spite massive defections among shot 12 of 20 from the field with School of Engineering Engineers bomb before it deto six three-pointers; also a school Classic this past weekend. its cast members, 24 still packs nated in Los Ange record. She also had lJ rebounds, Against the host Engineers, the a punch after three smashing les and in Day 3, an assist, a steal and a block as team managed a one point lead seasons. Kiefer Sutherland has he wildly searched Caltech snapped a six game los at halftime, led by Junior Jordan returned for a fourth season as for the source of the ing streak going into conference Carlson's season high 18 points. Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) deadly, massively play. But MSOE came back in the sec Agent Jack Bauer, a man who has contagious Cardella courtesy http://ql.I,..comlenteriai"nmenii Virus before it could The cast from season one of 24 take a break For the week, King average ond half, and Caltech lost, 38-52. the longest days of his life when be released across from their busy day to stop for a photo. 15.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per Against Polytechnic University his country needs him the most. game to go along with five blocks of New York, Carlson and Fresh 24 debuted in subdued fashion the country. The ap- to catch up without missing some and four assists. For the season, men Paxon Frady and Bryan Hires in November 200I, as Fox refused peal of 24 is its unpredictability, major plot developments. Fortu she is Caltech's leading scorer each had nine points, as the team to heavily promote a terrorist-re as we never truly know where the nately, the first three seasons have and rebounder at 13.3 points and fell 47-62. Hires was the leading lated show so soon after the trage plot is heading. Even though Fox all been released on DVD, and 7.5 rebounds per game. She also rebounder with seven boards. dies of September II, 200I. Even has premiered four episodes of once the fourth is completed, it leads the team in blocks with 13, Earlier in the week, the team though the show's premise was so Day 4, the primary plotline of the will join them. and is tied for the lead in assists suffered a tough loss at home to clever, few analysts gave it a seri season is still unknown, as most Nonetheless, 24 hits far more and steals. Colorado College, 39-53. The ous chance of survival. After the of the villains haven't revealed than it misses as its intense ac King will now lead Caltech into team was competitive for most program premiered to sensational their identities nor their ultimate tion scenes ~re infinitely en SCIAC play, beginning with this of the game, coming within six reviews and a massive audience, intentions. Every good guy, save tertaining. The camera work is Thursday's game at La Verne. points with four minutes to play. all 24 episodes were produced, Ja~k, has a reasonable chance .of astounding and it almost seems They committed only eight turn with tremendous results. bemg a mole and every terrOrIst that we are fighting battles along Women's Basketball overs, the program's lowest sin The show's style is unlike any has an equal probability of being side Jack Bauer. The direction is King's record 33 points leads gle-game total in four years. thing else on television, as each an undercover agent. also picture perfect, as each story Women's Basketball past For the week, Junior Team Cap season represents a day in the life The plot might be the primary transitions perfectly into another Southwestern tain Day Ivy averaged an impres of protagonist Jack Bauer. Con strengt~ of the t~rilli?g s~ow, but and the split-screen is expertly Freshman Lindsay King sive four steals a game, running sequently, each hour-long (or 42 the actmg and dlrectmg IS hardly utilized. There is never a dry mo scored a team-record 33 points in his season total to a team high 24. minutes if include commer second-rate. Kiefer Sutherland ment, as the last ten minutes of Caltech's 64-44 win over South He also lead the team in rebounds an hour plays the entire show at one each episode are to western on at the for the was the second- in real -fast, but the actions and be if a lot of his character the coullter-te:ITorist able.
as be on the road of A tTlcan-Amf:rI- this of La Verne can candidate David and I would Kelleher this Wednesday. next home Palmer regular Dennis Hay- aUlCK-Wmt~a wife Sherry Hr,llvwc)od blockbuster. game will be this Saturday against bOLlnds. sbert) and saving his kidnapped grow and ultimately detract find a way to It was Caltech's second win of Claremont Mudd-Scripps. Tip-off wife and daughter. Though the from the show. In addition, if you catch every episode and don't this season, with both victories is at 7:30 PM. plot appeared to be resolved after skip one episode, you miss every have a hemt condition, 24 is a coming over the Eagles of South hour 12, a newer, deadlier threat thing as it's virtually impossible western. Earlier in the week, the Swimlrnhlg & Diving fights roller-coaster well worth riding. team had suffered tough home through the rain and Pomona losses to New Jersey City Uni Pitzer versity and Stevens Tech. The Swimming & Diving team Senior Shannon Lewis came third place in the 100 Fly with a and was part of the 200 Medley For the week, Roberts averaged battled through torrential down in second in the 1650 Freestyle time of 1:00.17. Relay team that posted a time of 11.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per pour this past Saturday, as they with a time of 21:09.72. Lewis Sophomore Tom Jurczak com 2:14.99. game, with her seven steals, sev hosted Pomona-Pitzer in a con also posted a 1:20.93 in the 100 peted in four events. He had a Junior Lisa Seeman had a en assists and five blocks all team ference meet. Backstroke. time of 2:27.61 in the 200 Free, l:l9.86 in the 100 Breaststroke highs. Montague averaged 8.3 Junior Diver Bekah Eason had Sophomore Max Zavodny a time of :24.59 in the 50 Free, a and a :30.09 in the 50 Freestyle. rebounds with four steals. Soph the top finishes for CaItech, win came in second in the 500 Free time of 1:08.22 in the 100 Breast She was also part of the 200 Med omore Wing Ning thrilled her ning the I Meter and 3 Meter div style with a time of 5:26.71, and stroke and swam the second leg of ley Relay team. teammates and Caltech basketball ing competitions. posted a third place finish in the the 200 Medley Relay team which Having shown it can swim in fans when she scored her first ca Senior Peter Seidel came in 400 l.M. with a time of 4:55.74. finished with a time of 2: 13.18. any weather conditions, the team reer point off a free throw in the second in the 100 Freestyle with a Senior Jason Lee came in sec Senior Beth Dorman had a will host Whitman College this closing seconds against NJCU. time of :54.45 and third in the 50 ond in the 1650 Freestyle with a I :24.97 time in the 100 Fly, a Tuesday at the Braun pool. The The team now begins its SCl- Freestyle, with a time of :24.04. time of 20:57.90. He also came in 6:42.46 in the 500 Freestyle, meet begins at 3:30 PM.
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Guldman Sachs is J;]!1 etlUal cpponunity empluYB!'. GS.COM/CAREERS 6 THE CALIFORNIATECH COMMENTARY JANUARY 18,2005 How to Improve Caltech thletics PILED HIGHER AND DEEPER The Teclis Resident Humorist Shares His Ideas on Hiring, by Jorge Cham Recruitment, Girls and Increasing School Spirit (Le. Girls) By HAMILTONY FALK Caltech isn't as successful as it been successful. elsewhere. I couldbe in athletics. Forone thing would recommend offering Steve Since my picks for last weeks we don't offer athletic scholar- Spurrier a rocket ship and robot NFL playoff games were so per ships to unintelligent skilled slaves. fect that I've already predicted all people. Another problem is that Step 4: Train animals to play of the games this week (counting the average techer is five feet tall, sports. This might require use of only the game to be played be weighs 105 pounds and fears the our NCAA distracting lawyers tween the Patriots and the Colts) great yellow orb in the sky. It is again, but the biology depart I've decided to take a break on also a problem that no one has ment would surely be able to train writing about football. Instead any time because of all the work some dolphins to join the swim I'm going to write about football and pain we have to go through to team, some bears for football, and at Caltech. get middling grades and earn less maybe a giraffe for the track and We don't have a team.! Now money than graduates of Liberal field folkA that that's done with, I'm going to Arts Colleges. Not that I'm bitter Step 5: Cancel Core. This actu talk about the rest of the sports at ever. Clearly this doesn't have to ally wouldn't be that helpful for Caltech. Gymnastics, Ice Hockey, be the case, since other schools, sports, but I really hate core. Lacrosse, Rifle, Skiing, Men's like a certain school I won't name Step 6: Robots. Robots play Volleyball Wrestling, Bowling, (that begins with an H, is located almost all sports better (the one Field Hockey, Rowing, Softball. in Cambridge Massachusetts, and exception is bowling), don't get These are other sports that the was founded by John Harvard), tired, won't complain about play NCAA has, but we do not. This has rampant grade inflation, al- ing time, and can kill opponents is because Caltech likes to focus lowing students other focuses, with their laser vision. With ro on the sports we do have, making like athletics. Or getting high botic teams, we could all watch sure we're competitive even if it paying jobs. This would ofcourse large things we don't know, means we can't devote resources undennine Caltech's academic that are probably not intelligent to other things, like research. reputation, but I don't care. If the enough to read a children's book, This vast expenditure on sports, administration decides not to do beat other teams at various sports. even to the extent of not buying this, I believe that Caltech could It'd be just like having a success lots of lasers and stuff for sci improve its sporting success in ful Division I football team! ence, has really paid off. I think other ways with a few easy steps. If these steps are faithfully maybe the fencing team has more Step 1: Begin recruiting current carried out, I can guarantee the wins than losses? Or maybe that's professional athletes. While these Caltech as a school would win golf? The other teams are almost players would not technically more athletic events, win them as good, rarely failing to win a be eligible to play under NCAA more often, and receive more game for three or more years. The rules, CaJtech has a large number national publicity for scandals M~ltter, ~,run"l"I!''il Grades Say Caltech website has lots of praise of lawyers, and could probably in which boosters give large Palo Alto, CA (AP) A pon conducted by the Los Reaction among graduate Documents obtained by the Angeles Times showed that TA's was mixed. with some for our intercollegiate teams, make some sort of arrangement? amounts of cash and possible ilIe Associated Press indicate over 85% of first year grads expressmg shock that their that grades achieved in post believe getting high maries late hours grading arnOW'll to things like "The team was com This wouldn't be too difficult; thc gal drugs to recruits. The school's graduate classes have no effect on future prospects for :~~g:~; ~~o~~~; =~ V1s;bf:lerelIef~ petitive for most of the game," school would just need to offer an self confidence would soar, and students enrolted in time"'. Fewer than lOO.!u of losing a student's final exam academic institutions. fifth year students felt the will not really ruin their life. "Congratulations to the whole honorary degree that would help I'd have something better to write same way. Sources close to academic According to interviews with team" and "Check back with us people like back-up LA. Clippers about than how we don't have several current and past In reality, neither employers faculty reveal that this fact is weD known among nor your parents appear to every week for the latest Caltech or Tampa Bay Devil Rays players very good athletics here. But I'm ~~~~~~~~:d "'c:~ care Ifyou get enAor as in professors. "'Of course your advanced Nonlinear grades don't matter," said NOW )lOll tell me?? A grad Athletics News and Highlights!" get a job when they're cut from sure I could find something just as ~Mo~~~~g.n~ Optimization class.....I'm just Prof. Smith,. '
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30 31 1-5pm: Signups Close l!lI~P~AvM THE CALIFORNIA TECH NEWS JANUARY 18,2005 7 Hawking Concedes Defeat in Bet To 'Preskill; Thorne Holds Out Continued/rom Page 1, Column 5 "It is like burning an encyclo After the lecture, Thome again my office door," he said, explain pedia. Information is not lost, but stood up to introduce the student ing how that annoyed his boss it is very hard to read," Hawk questions and add comments and allowed him to get a better ing said. Because he lost a bet to of his own. Hawking answered office. Preskill about whether informa questions posed by Mr. X, se One night in 1970 a few days tion was lost in a black hole, he nior Naman Bhat of Ricketts and after the birth of his daughter gave him a baseball encyclopedia. Dabney Houses and junior Daniel Lucy, Hawking experienced a "I should've give him the ashes," O'Hanlon of Dabney. eureka moment. With the applica said Hawking, eliciting laughs "His responses are usually su tion of a certain theory, he could from the crowd. perb pearls of wisdom or superb calculate how many states were Hawking relates how he pic off-the-wall jokes," said Thome. inside a black hole while still al tures the origin of the universe as Furthermore, Thome also said, lowing the black hole to appear the formation of steam bubbles "His answers are often like those the same on the outside. in water. If the bubbles reach a from an ancient Greek oracle." By 1972, he had solved most of .critical size, it will expand and At the end of the presentation, the problems in black hole theory become inflationary, leading to Thome commented on Stephen's except for cosmic censorship. universes such as the current one. dancing skills, as exhibited at This spumed a bet with Thome At the end of the lecture, with President David Baltimore's in and John Preskill, which Hawk a picture of his guest appearance augural ball where he danced ing conceded this summer. "I lost of the Simpsons on the screen, with various women. "Stephen K. Peng/The California Tech an earlier version of the bet by Hawking said, "I won't compare knows how to have a good time. Professor Thorne leads the applause after Hawking's clever and not being careful with the word it [research in theoretical physics He follows in Einstein's footsteps entertaining lecture Friday evening. ing," said Hawking. In return, he over the last 40 years] to sex, but in more ways than one," said offered Preskill a t-shirt which it lasts longer." He was given a Thome. featured a blonde woman wearing standing ovation. only red heels and a towel, with Show Bases Math On the words "Nature abhors a naked singularity" boldly exhibited on the towel. Hawking found in 1973 that Realistic Techniques there seemed to be emission from Continuedfrom Page 1, Column 3 a black hole. Displaying an equa tion on the screen, he said, "I though it is largely implied. day in Caltech's relationship to would like this simple formula to Charlie Eppes is a professor at pop culture. be on my tombstone." a nameless yet distinguished As for future episodes, it This phenomenon could be ex college in Pasadena at which seems that they've already got plained when Euclidean time was the celebrated physicist, Rich quite a few ideas. Some involve replaced with imaginary time and ard Feynman once taught. using math to crack cases with while this met resistance at first, Some speculate that CBS wants an internet hacker, a computer is now generally accepted. How to be one step removed from virus, a structurally unsound ever, this discovery implies that Caltech, just in case a conflict building, cryptography, and a radiation carries away energy, ofinterest between Caltech and method of predicting bank rob leading to the face that the black the series ever developed. beries. While it's too early to hole will lose mass and shrink However, a few segments of tell if this will be the hit show and will eventually evaporate. the episode were shot on cam of the season, anything with This strikes a the heart of physics. pus anyway. One scene, for ex this much math is guaranteed If information is lost, it would be ample, showed Charlie Eppes to be original. If you like math incompatible with quantum me walking across Caltech's lawn or you like criminal investiga chanics. Therefore, Hawking now behind Millikan library and tions, and aren't too busy do concludes that information is not was met with wild cheers from ing either of them, you should lost, but it is not returned in a use the restless audience. Never check out "NUMB3RS" when ful way. theless, it is still a monumental it airs next week.
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© 200S Raytheon Company. All rights reserved. Raytheon is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer and welcomes a wide diversity of applicants. U.S. Citizenship and security clearance may be required. 8 THE CALIFORNIA TECH NEWS JANUARY 18,2005 Record Rainfalls Result 6fGlobal Coincidences, Not Usual Suspects
By ZHIYUN GUAN A shift in the jet stream is often wet years to fill up the reservoirs pinpointed as a cause for weather again," Ingersoll said. On the During the past two weeks, events without its own origin be other hand, the average yearly torrential rainfalls hit southern ing understood. "That's not really amount of rainfall has already California after several years of a cause," Ingersoll said. "That's been surpassed, making for a wet drought. Within 15 days, a record just describing the phenomenon." year. "In that narrow sense, the 17 inches of rain had fallen in Los Other weather patterns can also drought is ended, but that doesn't Angeles. The unusual and per have long-term consequences. mean our water supply is back to sistent storms were hard to miss, Arctic oscillation around the normal," he said. and generated much discussion North Pole, for instance, has a Does the near future hold more around the rain-soaked campus. cycle of ten years or more dur rains? According to Ingersoll, While many people are curious ing which the counterclockwise rain and~sun are equally likely. as to the cause of this dramatic winds change in strength. "That "The best guess is that the rest of weather, Dr. Andrew Ingersoll of seems to be connected to ocean this rainy season has just as much fered his own take in an interview. temperatures as well," he said. probability of being wet as of be The Anthony professor of plan "That can often cause a string or ing dry," he conjectured. "The etary science, Dr. Ingersoll has a anomalous years." rain that w~just had is not a good particular fascination for weather, Ultimately, there is no one predictor of what we're going to especially on other planets, where factor that created this winter's have in the future." (Forecasts relatively little is known. Weather weather. "I would say this was a predict no rain for the next week.) closer to home, though, interests giant coincidence," Ingersoll sug Personally, Ingersoll enjoys the gested. "Three storms just lined rain: "I like it just because I grew up and slammed in to us." The up in the East, where we had thun most likely cause was a combina derstorms and snow and rain, and Courtesy of satumjpl.nasa.gov The first color image ofSaturn's moon Titan shows a reddish color tion of events and patterns in the I just like a change in weather." on the surface. atmosphere and ocean. "The at mosphere just spits storms at us at random," he concluded, "but then the ocean can govern the rate at Successful/Landing' for Huygens which the atmosphere spits them, and where they wind up." Ingersoll noted that the recent Probe; Telemetry Bug Overcome rains follow a five-year drought Courtesy of gps .caltech.edu in California. Neither the relative Professor Andy Ingersoll By SONIA TIKOO I most hope it reveals is that the receiving due to the Doppler shift ly long drought nor the storms, design of the entry system was caused by the rather rapid closure him as well, and the recent rains however, are particularly unusu adequate, that it survives entry, of Cassini to Huygens during the are no exception. al. Over the course ofmany years, and that the parachutes (three of relay period. This error could not Although global weather pat such irregularities are common. them) all deploy properly, that the be fixed in flight because it was terns often take the blame for "Ifyou look back in tree rings and radio system works, and that it is built into firmware that could rain, Ingersoll's own speculation other indicators, you get drought a success from the engineering not be reprogrammed." Mitchell is surprising: the recent weather for a few years, and then you get point ofview. In terms ofwhat we explained. However, project en may have been caused by noth rainy periods. That too can be learn, I'm most anxious to see the gineers were successful in com ing more than chance. "Human luck," he said. The same holds pictures of the surface, and see ing up with a solution. Mitchell beings like to think that there's true when one examines weather what's really there. The scientists continued, "The fix would have a cause for everything," he ob over a short duration of time. debate over whether it's liquid, been trivial if we could have sim served, "but sometimes, there are Over a five-year period, for in squishy stuff, or solid ice or rock, ply reprogrammed it like we can no causes." Such, he believes, is stance, "if half the time a given and maybe all of the above in with the Cassini software. The the case with the rains of the past year is going to be a wet year, and different places. The atmosphere principal part of the solution was weeks. half the time it's going to be a dry makes the surface environment to have Cassini pass by Titan and This time, popular scapegoats year, the probability of having different than any other place in Huygens at a considerably greater such as El Nino and the jet stream five dry years in a row is not all the solar system, so it can be quite distance than was planned origi have little to do with the local that small," Ingersoll explained. a surprise." nally so that the view to Huygens meteorological events. El Nino, However, the current drought According to preliminary te was one looking off to the side, a shift in the ocean temperature, may be too much for even weeks lemetry analysis, following Huy instead of out in front, hence giv can lead to a dramatic chain of of continuous rainfall to undo. gens' descent and 90-minute ing much lesser closing rates, and events; warmer waters create "In the sense of filling up the transmission from the surface, a reduced Doppler effect. The ef more evaporation, and therefore reservoirs," he said, "I think the Mitchell's hopes appear to have fect on the mission overall is re more moisture in the air and more drought has not ended." One of been confirmed. The European ally quite minimal." rainfall, according to Ingersoll. Southern California's main water Space Agency has already begun Nevertheless, space scientists "Since the ocean is so massive, sources is the Colorado River, he the release of several compelling worldwide have observed excel those changes persist for half a explained, and the drainage sta pictures to the public, including lence with the combined Cassini year or more," he said. However, tions to the river are mainly in the first all-color photo. Titan's Huygens mission. Fromobserving there is no significant El Nino this states where the rainfall has not surface bears a slight reddish hue, the intricate details ofthe Saturn's year, making it an unlikely culprit been as heavy. and its level ofdarkness hints that rings to pondering fluvial activity for the rain. The duration of the drought it is composed ofa mixture ofwa on its principal moon, the over Nor is the jet stream a suffi is also a factor; after many dry ter and hydrocarbon ice. Featured seven year wait since the October cient explanation for the weather. years, "it really takes maybe two in other images are views of high 1997 launch from Earth appears and low terrain, along with possi to have paid off. NASA currently ble drainage channels, indicating does not have any other missions the possible presence of fluvial scheduled to the ringed planet in activity leading to what appears the near future, therefore, Cas to be a shoreline according to sini-Huygens is the key to reveal ESA/JPL analysts. ing Saturn's enigmas to scientists, Though Huygens seems to have and indeed, to the world. met great success at this point, For more information about the road to this conclusion was the Cassini-Huygens project or to not without flaw. One significant track the progress of its scientific hurdle engineers were forced to analyses, visit the European Space overcome was an error made in Agency's project site at www.esa. the design ofthe receivers intend inti or the NASA official site at ed to receive Huygens' data. "The http://www.nasa.gov/ for the lat receivers would not be able to fol est news and updates. low the frequencies they would be The California Tech Caltech 40-58 Pasadena, CA 91125
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