November 2015 • Vol. 24, No. 10 A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Keeping the Science in Science Fiction See page 3 WWW.APS.ORG/PUBLICATIONS/APSNEWS Neutrino Oscillations Nab Nobel Prize By Emily Conover The 2015 Nobel Prize in Phys- Queen's Univ. ics was awarded on October 6 for of Toyko Univ. the discovery of neutrino oscilla- tions, which revealed the unusual Launching Early 2016 behavior of these misfit particles, and indicated that they have mass. The prize honored two scientists who were instrumental in making the discovery: Takaaki Kajita of the University of Tokyo, for his work on the Super-Kamiokande experiment, and Arthur McDonald Takaaki Kajita Arthur McDonald of Queen’s University at Kingston, Canada for his work on the Sud- Neutrinos are produced in a oscillate from one flavor to another. bury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) variety of nuclear reactions and “That really turned neutrino experiment. were once thought to be massless. physics on its head,” says Ste- APS is launching a new online-only journal — Physical Review “Hooray for neutrinos — this is The particles come in three “fla- phen Parke of Fermilab, because Fluids. By expanding the scope of the APS journals to include the little particle that punches above vors” — electron, muon, and tau. in order for neutrinos to oscillate, additional areas of fluids research, Physical Review Fluids will weight,” says Michael Turner of the But we now know that these flavors they must have mass. A massless complement the existing Physical Review collection. University of Chicago. “It’s truly are not fixed. In a series of large- particle travels at the speed of light, remarkable how much they’ve scale particle physics experiments and therefore can’t change, since The journal will issue a call for papers in early 2016. taught us about the universe and performed deep underground, More information will be available soon at journals.aps.org/prfluids elementary particles.” scientists showed that neutrinos NOBEL continued on page 5 Nuclear Physicists Look to the Future House Science Committee Queries Astrobiology Researchers By Emily Conover ios on these projects. These goals By Emily Conover including members of the Science “gives me goosebumps.” To prepare for the future, nuclear would be achievable with yearly In an unusually harmonious and Committee: Chairman Lamar Smith Astrobiology — the study of life scientists have united behind a plan budget increases of 1.6% above enthusiastic meeting of the House said he was “absolutely astounded.” in our solar system and beyond — outlining their priorities for research inflation, the report indicates. But Committee on Science, Space, and One representative resorted to unites a variety of fields, including in the next decade. At a meeting even if funding increases only at Technology on Tuesday, September poetry to express his appreciation astronomy, physics, biology, and of the Nuclear Science Advisory the rate of inflation, nuclear physi- 29, curious representatives peppered for the search for life on other plan- geology. At the hearing, the sci- Committee (NSAC) on October cists say they could still meet their four scientists with questions about ets — Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) recited entists discussed the possibilities 15, members approved the plan main objectives, although the sci- the search for life on other planets. a Tennyson quote written on the for microbial life on the four solar unanimously. ence reach would be more limited. Fortuitously, the event fell the day wall of the meeting room — “For I system bodies considered possible The 150-page plan makes four The plan also highlights two ini- after NASA unveiled strong evi- dipped into the future, far as human hosts — Mars, Europa, Titan, and major recommendations for nuclear tiatives that would undergird their dence for liquid water on Mars that eyes could see, saw the vision of Enceladus — as well as current and research: capitalize on recently recommendations: one to support grabbed headlines and captured the the world, and all the wonder that upcoming exoplanet research, and nuclear theory research, and one completed and ongoing construc- public imagination — apparently would be.” The research, he added, QUERIES continued on page 7 tion projects and upgrades to major to support detector and accelera- facilities; develop a next-genera- tor R&D. Finally, the committee empha- tion, U.S.-led neutrino-less double APS PUBLIC OUTREACH beta decay experiment that could sized the importance of training indicate whether neutrinos are their students in nuclear science, and own antiparticles; construct a high- recommended boosting programs The Physics Bus: Coming to a Town Near You luminosity electron ion collider; in that area, including the Research and increase funding for small- and Experiences for Undergraduates By Emily Conover mid-scale projects. program, the National Nuclear Physics Summer School, and fel- A bus full of physics experi- The committee hashed out the ments is cruising through the small Erik Herman impact of varying funding scenar- NUCLEAR continued on page 6 towns of Florida this fall, thanks to the hard work of a few dedi- cated volunteers and the support of an APS Outreach Mini-grant. The grants, awarded earlier this year, funded eleven projects, with up to $10,000 each, to help small groups bring the wonder of physics to the public. The first Physics Bus rolled out in 2004, in Tucson, Arizona, when Chris DiScenza and col- leagues filled a bus with physics Matthew Kapust/Sanford Underground Research Facility Demos are a big part of the Physics Bus program. demonstrations and created a science center on wheels, which itself a part of the science. coastal engineering at the Univer- they took to schools, libraries, and Over the years, the program sity of Florida. The Physics Bus museums across Arizona and as far spawned other physics buses, teams are all affiliated with The expanding to Ithaca and now Physics Factory, a nonprofit orga- Researchers will use a detector inside this copper-lead shielded room to away as Boston and Edmonton. look for neutrino-less double beta decay events. The NSAC plan gives The brightly colored vehicle runs Gainesville, where DiScenza had nization based in Tucson. this search high priority. on vegetable oil, making the bus moved for a graduate program in BUS continued on page 5 2 • November 2015 Inside the Beltway This Month in Physics History Does Science Bear Any Responsibility November 1696: for Today’s Political Discontent? William Whiston’s Explanation for Noah’s Flood By Michael S. Lubell, APS Director of Public Affairs istory is filled with doomsday prophets pre- on being president of the Royal Society, Whiston Hdicting the end of the world. One of the more succeeded him in taking the university’s Lucasian Not long ago, a friend and for- history of productivity and com- colorful was an 18th-century natural philosopher Chair of Mathematics, although he was never elected mer classmate of mine from Yale pensation from 1948 to the present. named William Whiston, who tried to blend sci- to the Society. It is possible that Newton blocked sent me an email asking whether I During the first 25 years, hourly ence with his decidedly unorthodox and apocalyptic his election. Whiston himself blamed his growing had “a sense of how [the 2016 presi- compensation fairly tracked gains in religious views. reputation as a “heretick.” dential election] will shake out.” I productivity, rising 91.3 percent dur- Whitson was born in 1667 — one year after Isaac Indeed, his unorthodox religious views soon led told him I would provide an answer ing that period while productivity, Newton published his landmark treatise, Principia. to his academic downfall. All faculty were required in my next APS News column. So driven in large part by technological He was the son of a Presbyterian minister named to follow Anglican doctrine. Whiston rejected I’m on the hook. advances, rose 96.7 percent. But Josiah Whiston, who lived in the town of Norton, the Trinity, among other other orthodox beliefs. But before I get to the narrative, from 1973 through 2014, while pro- England. Educated at home for much of his youth, Although Newton held a few speculative opinions here’s a bit of a teaser. Our nation’s ductivity continued to soar, rising the boy also helped out by copying manuscripts for of his own, he kept them private. Whiston was less obviously sour mood has a lot to another 72.2 percent, compensation his blind father. When Josiah died, young William discreet about broadcasting his opinions and even do with the impacts of science and grew by a paltry 9.2 percent. inherited his library and entered Clare College at published a collection of sermons and essays outlin- technology. In short, during those four Cambridge University with the goal of becoming ing his position in detail. Now back to my friend, Eric’s, decades, the average worker a minister like his father. He also studied math- His Cambridge colleagues were not pleased. email. He preceded his question stopped benefitting from science ematics, as well as the Principia. After earning When he refused to recant, he was charged with with several of his own obser- and technology’s largess. But cor- his degrees and being ordained, he heresy before the heads of all the vations: Hillary Clinton is still porations did not: their profits rose initially stayed at Clare College as Cambridge colleges. He lost the fighting to put the Benghazi issue dramatically, and their stock prices a math tutor, but ill health forced Lucasian chair in October 1710 and behind her; the more Donald Trump soared. Between the beginning him to resign that position. In 1694 in addition was dismissed from the says, the less presidential he seems of 1973 and the end of 2014, for he moved to Norwich to serve as university.