Report from the Chair by Nina Byers, Forum Chair

A Forum of The American Physical Society • Volume IX No. 4 • Spring 2005

From the Chair Report From The Chair by Nina Byers, Forum Chair

It is good to greet 2005 in which we have the centennial celebra- topics); volunteers should get in touch with me.’ She also writes tion of Albert Einstein’s “miraculous year” and events marking that students at 4-year colleges are targeted and that FHP members the World Year of Physics (WYP). Hopefully as physicists we can who are at 4-year colleges should encourage applications. reach out beyond our own community to share our love of science I am pleased to announce that in response to the generosity and promote the formation of long-lasting, peaceful, nurturing of donors a Special Programs Fund has been established in our and productive societies. The Forum is engaged in various WYP APS account to receive and disperse funds earmarked for FHP. activities. We are joining with the Topical Group in Gravitation Details of the program are contained in the announcement that (GGR) to provide a volunteer WYP Speakers Program for schools follows this article. Funds have been donated in 2004 to provide and other groups See . There is a fill-in form on the internet linked to this site to needed, invited speakers’ travel expenses. It is hoped in the future request a speaker and provide information about the talk a group Funds might also provide grants for research in history of physics would like to have. Richard Price of and/or reimbursement of travel expense for presentation of con- the GGR and our own Virginia Trimble are organizing this (see also her note in this Newsletter). work on history of physics and travel to meetings to give papers There is some financial support, in part from APS Council, for on history of physics are not funded by sources which fund phys- speaker travel to institutions that do not have physics or physi- ics research. Therefore the Forum on History of Physics might cal sciences colloquia because they cannot afford them. Virginia make significant contributions to our subject were we able to writes ‘we definitely need more volunteer speakers, especially materially support some work; e.g., historical research generally people to talk about Einstein & history of physics (but also other requires documentation and bibliographic work that involve some expense. In my work I have found that students as paid research assistants have contributed greatly. Though their pay is small phys- ics majors find the work very rewarding because they learn some physics, and about history of physics and library resources. I plan to introduce a motion at our next Executive Committee meeting next April to establish a committee that will receive and admin- ister grant proposals. Donors are requested to send funds to the continued on page 2 INSIDE

Editor’s Note 2

Forum News 3

Call for Nominations 4

Meeting Programs 5

Notes, Reports and Announcements 11

Book Reviews 15

Figure 1. Reprinted with permission The Herb Block Foundation EIN no. 26-0008276 Editor’s Note

The History of Physics Newsletter Online vs. Paper which the reader is invited. You can also is published twice yearly by the Forum access all past issues of our Newsletter As noted in the previous Newsletter, on History of Physics of the American there. because of an anonymous gift we can Physical Society. It is distributed free ensure that all FHP members will continue to all members of the Forum. The Corrigenda to receive a print version, unless they spe- Forum also has reciprocal arrange- In the last Newsletter, in the contrib- cifically request not to receive same. Read- ments with the History of Science uted papers session, we referred to Ms. ers so requesting should send an email note Society, Philosophy of Science Associ- Elisabeth M. Sopka’s father as the late to the Editor. ation, HOPOS. Nonmembers who wish Dr. John J. Sopka. We are happy to say to receive the Newsletter should make Invitation to our Members that this characterization is incorrect, and a donation to the Forum of $5 per year apologize for the error. Your program committee invites you to (+ $3 additional for airmail). Each In the book review of Degrees Kelvin suggest topics/speakers for several FHP 3-year volume consists of six issues. by Davis Lindley, the river Kelvin was invited sessions for the March and April incorrectly placed near Cambridge. I quote Editor 2006 meetings. You will normally then from a note sent to me by Sidney Abrams, Benjamin Bederson be asked to help organize the sessions. Southern Oregon University, whom I New York University These can be sponsored just by FHP, topics thank for this correction: “Thomson Physics Department suitable for co-sponsorship by Divisions, indeed took the name Kelvin from a small 4 Washington Place Topical Groups, or other Forums, or (a par- river for the title given him by Queen New York , NY 10003 ticularly desirable format) one invited talk Victoria. However, this river is located [email protected] followed by several contributed ones, called not in Cambridge but in Glasgow! The (212) 529 8687 a “focussed session.” There is already at Kelvin runs quite close to the Univer- least one suggestion each for March and Associate Editor sity of Glasgow campus. The Botanic Gar- April. Please communicate others to the Michael Riordan dens, the University, Kelvin Hall and the 2006 program chair, [email protected]. Institute of Particle Physics Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum all University of California FHP Homepage: lie on its banks. The Kelvin flows into the Santa Cruz, CA 95064 River Clyde shortly thereafter.” —BB [email protected] All kinds of information concerning FHP (831) 459 5687 activities are available on the FHP website http://www.aps.org/units/fhp/index.cfm, to Report from the Chair continued from page 1 APS, Director of Development noting that a Named Lecture “At the March meet- Paper sessions in both the March and April they are earmarked for the FHP Special ing A.J. Kox will present the first Rob- meetings. Fund. The donor may specify a particular ert H. Dicke lecture on Einstein and All in all the activities of our Forum purpose for which he/she would like the Lorentz.”. The April meeting will be are rich and varied and promising for the funds to be used. Funds donated to APS particularly rich in FHP activities. Lillian future where we can safely predict increas- are tax deductible. Hoddeson will give the Gertrude-Scharff ing interest in the history of physics. Our Comments and discussion on the above Goldhaber Lecture, sponsored by the history provides good illustrations of the are very welcome and should be sent either Goldhaber family in honor of Trudi. In efficacy of collaborative efforts and ratio- to the Editor of the Newsletter or to me a joint session with the Forum on Phys- nal thought that might be inspirational be- . ics and Society, we will mark the occa- yond the borders of our profession. I’d like Regular FHP activities have proceeded sion of the first Abraham Pais Award to to end by reminding readers of Sir Arthur with success in 2004. The Program Com- Martin Klein and he will deliver a lecture Eddington who led the 1919 eclipse ex- mittee, chaired by Bob Romer, has ar- entitled “Physics, History, and the His- pedition to observe the bending of light ranged attractive invited speaker sessions tory of Physics.” The Leo Szilard Prize passing close to the sun. It is said that, in the March (LA) and April (Tampa) APS winner will also speak in that session. We arising out of his Quaker upbringing, his general meetings. Please see the updated encourage as many FHP members as pos- motivation in part was to counter the wide- Program Bulletins for details: viz., and/or have our annual FHP Business Meeting in War I. On 3 June he recorded in his note- http://www.aps.org/meet/APR05, and the Tampa and look forward to seeing as many book:... one plate I measured gave a result material on these meetings contained in of you as possible there. Another new agreeing with Einstein. As a conscientious this Newsletter. A new development is development is sponsorship of Contributed continued on page 10

2 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 4 • Spring 2005 FORUM ON HISTORY OF PHYSICS SPECIAL PROGRAM FUND

Purpose known, the solicitor, of the gift’s arrival. shall “negotiate” with the donor about FHP using the gift for another program. The purpose of the Special Program Fund Selection and Approval of If a donation, solicited or unsolicited, is is to enlarge or enhance FHP’s activities Programs for the Special Fund received with an unacceptable restrictions beyond what is possible with the resources attached, the most appropriate person and restrictions of the regular operating The FHP Executive Committee will, at its (normally the person who solicited the budget. Source Moneys for this Fund will annual meeting, establish a priority list of gift or, if the gift is unsolicited, the Chair be solicited and accepted from individual activities for which donations to the Spe- or the Secretary-Treasurer) shall attempt donors, educational institutions, profes- cial Fund are to be sought. If a donation is to convince the donor to remove the sional organizations, foundations, gov- received without specification as to its use, restriction. If this effort is not successful, ernment agencies, and corporations. An the Secretary-Treasurer, with the approval the gift will be declined or returned. incentive to prospective donors will be the of the FHP Chair, will allocate funds tax deductibility of the gifts. Solicitations from the gift to the priority programs, as Administration of and needed. If these unrestricted funds are not may be made by any member of FHP with Disbursements from Fund the concurrence of FHP’s Chair and Secre- needed for this purpose, the officers of tary-Treasurer. Unsolicited donations may FHP shall prepare a proposal and budget The fiscal administration of the Special also be accepted. for a new initiative and submit it to the Programs Fund shall be the joint respon- Executive Committee for consideration and sibility of the APS Treasurer’s office and Receipt and Acknowledgment approval. If a prospective donor proposes FHP’s Secretary-Treasurer. Disbursements of Contributions to donate funds for a program not on the shall be made by the APS Treasurer upon priority list, the officers shall consider the authorization by the FHP Secretary-Trea- Donors will be requested to direct proposal, and, if it is acceptable, submit it surer. Receipts, expenditures, and the their contributions to the American to the Executive Committee for approval. balance of the Fund shall be reported by Physical Society’s Director of Development. If it is not acceptable, or if modifications the Secretary-Treasurer to the Executive The Director will acknowledge the gift, are needed, the most appropriate person Committee and the general membership at issue a “tax receipt,” and notify the FHP (usually the Chair or Secretary-Treasurer) least annually. Chair and the Secretary-Treasurer, and, if WORLD YEAR OF PHYSICS

Events related to the World Year of Physics science through a BS and perhaps graduate general relativity, history of physics and (WYP), also known as the Einstein Year, school by’ sharing with them some of the astrophysics that you would be willing to are too numerous to list here. For full excitement of physics. Two year colleges, talk about. A large number of early re- details of activities around the world, see community groups, planetariums, and even quests were for speakers on historical topics http://www.physics2005.org/ or http://www. PhD-granting institutions are also welcome explicitly involving Einstein, and volunteers wyp2005.org/ to request speakers. in this territory are particularly welcome. —Virginia Trimble If you are at a 4-year college or other SPEAKERS WANTED relevant institution and would like to host a ABRAHAM PAIS Do you like to talk about and/or hear about speaker, the request web site is http://www. history of physics? Then please take ad- phys.utb.edu/WYPspeakers/REQUESTS/ AWARD vantage of this outreach/involvement op- howto.html continued from page 10 portunity. You may recall from earlier an- There is some money available to sup- nouncements that FHP has joined with the port travel of speakers to deserving institu- Please send your pledges or contribu- Topical Group on Gravitation and General tions that do not normally have a collo- tions to Darlene Logan,Director of Devel- Relativity and the Division of Astrophys- quium series because they cannot afford it. opment American Physical Society. One ics to provide a pool of speakers on topics The request web site has a spot for noting Physics Ellipse College Park, MD 20740- particularly suitable for the World Year of the need for travel support. If you are will- 3844 Phone:(301)209-3224 Fax (301)209- Physics (Einstein’s Wonder Year centenary ing to be a speaker for a 4-year college 0867 E-mail: [email protected] and all that). The primary target is students student target audience, please contact FHP For the Pais Award Committee—Ben at four year colleges who already have vice chair Virginia Trimble (vtrimble@uci. Bederson, Gloria Lubkin, Michael Riordan, some interest in science, and the hope is edu) with Your Name, Your Location, one Roger Stuewer, Spencer Weart—Harry that we can encourage them to remain in or more Topics or Titles relevant to WYP, Lustig: Chair.

History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 4 • Spring 2005 3 ANNOUNCEMENT OF ELECTION FOR FORUM OFFICERS

In the upcoming election, you will be asked to vote for Vice Chair, Secretary-Treasurer, Forum Councillor, and two At-Large Members of the Executive Committee. If you have an email address registered with APS, you will receive a message inviting you to vote electroni- cally. If not, you should have received a paper ballot by mail. If you want a paper ballot but have not yet received one, please email your request, including your mailing address, to [email protected] or contact Ken Ford, 729 Westview Street, Philadelphia PA 19119-3533 (phone 215-844-8054). The closing date of the election is March 11. Ballots must be executed on the Web or received by that date to be valid. Biographical information and statements by the candidates appear below. Duplicate of this material can be found at http://www.aps.org/units/ fhp/elections/candidates05.cfm

Candidates’ Statements

Candidates for Vice-Chair in 1968. He was an NSF postdoctoral fel- courage our colleagues in the preservation low at the University of Pennsylvania with of history: archiving their papers; writing J. R. Schrieffer. His physics research now memoirs, obituaries, reports and reviews William Evenson deals mainly with studies of surfaces, of important work and of interactions defects in materials, and inverse problems with memorable colleagues; and including Institution: Utah Valley State College in statistical physics. He was a Fulbright relevant and accurate history in talks and (Brigham Young University, retired) Senior Scholar (research) at University of reports to the public and to other physi- Email: [email protected] Konstanz, Germany, for 1998-99. cists. Our efforts to produce and preserve Biographical Information: Bill Evenson Statement: The Forum has made important first-hand history of physics are crucial. is an APS Fellow and long-time participant contributions to the physics community Working to bring the history of physics in FHP. He served as FHP program chair by fostering presentations and reports that into more common currency in educa- in 1995-96 and on the committee to com- both communicate and preserve physics tion and public outreach, I would seek to memorate the centennial of the discovery history. The Abraham Pais Award for the strengthen our ties to related organizations of the electron in 1997. He was FHP Sec- History of Physics provides both recogni- in both physics and physics history so we retary-Treasurer from 1998 to 2001 and tion and strong encouragement for schol- can more effectively make common cause. editor of History of Physics Newsletter for arly work in the history of physics. I would These organizations include the Commit- six-and-a-half years from 1997 to 2003. like to help the Forum strengthen its efforts tee on History and Philosophy of Physics From 2001 through 2003 he served on the further in these areas—keeping history of of AAPT, the History of Science Society, APS Panel on Public Affairs (POPA). He physics a lively and compelling part of and history groups in related disciplines is a current member of the Editorial Board APS meetings, activities, and awards, and (astronomy, geophysics, etc.) and in other of the journal Physics in Perspective. His in two other important areas: the use of regions of the world. long-standing interest in the history of history to bring a fuller understanding of physics continues in parallel with other ac- physics to the general public and increased, C. Stewart Gillmor tivities in the physics community. He was more effective use of history in physics and the founding chair of the APS Four Corners science education. Institution: Wesleyan University Section, where he instituted and promoted I have urged in History of Physics Email: [email protected] what has become a successful program of Newsletter that we should use accurate his- public-outreach lectures connected to the tory of physics more often as a guide in the Biographical Information: Stewart Gill- annual section meeting, and he is currently teaching of physics, in explaining science mor attended the original organizing meet- Secretary-Treasurer of that section. to the public and to policy makers, and ing of the Forum (then Division) on the Evenson is Associate Dean of Science in our research in physics. For maximum History of Physics at Baltimore more than & Health at Utah Valley State College. He effect in this effort, we must convey fully twenty years ago, and has served FHP in was Professor of Physics at Brigham Young the realities of doing physics (something several capacities since then. Following University for 34 years and served as Asso- that is frequently done admirably in the receipt of his BSEE degree from Stanford ciate Academic Vice President, Dean of the journal Physics in Perspective). FHP needs University, he did graduate work in Astro- College of Physical and Mathematical Sci- to be at the forefront of dissemination of Geophysics at the University of Colorado ences, and Dean of General Education. He the perspective on physics that is possible and worked at the National Bureau of Stan- received his Ph.D. in theoretical condensed through history. FHP must continue to en- dards. He earned his Ph.D. in the history of matter physics from Iowa State University science at Princeton University, working

4 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 4 • Spring 2005 Candidates’ Statements with Thomas Kuhn and Charles Gillespie. and a fellow of Science Teachers of New he held faculty appointments in the phys- His research and writing is in the history of York State. His honors include the New ics departments at Case Western Reserve, physics and engineering. His books include York State Presidential Award and the Yale, and Harvard Universities, where his Coulomb and the Evolution of Physics and Chancellor’s Award, both for excellence in research interests were in experimental Engineering in Eighteenth-Century France; teaching. particle physics. While at Harvard, he several volumes in the AGU series His- Statement: I believe that we physicists, established and served as first editor of tory of Geophysics, including Discovery educators, and scientists in general should an international newsletter that has since of the Magnetosphere (edited with John do more to promote an appreciation and evolved into the quarterly journal, Sci- R. Spreiter); and, most recently, Fred Ter- an understanding of the history of physics. ence, Technology and Human Values. He man at Stanford. He is currently studying We must foster interest in our students and left Harvard in 1974 to head the Division Hal Middleton (1851-1932), who, with J. colleagues by exposing them to the excit- of Public Sector Programs at the American A. Fleming, was the last student to attend ing development of physics and related Association for the Advancement of Sci- lectures of James Clerk Maxwell. areas of science. I have served four years ence (AAAS), where he was instrumental Statement: I have always been grateful for as Secretary-Treasurer of the New York in organizing the first AAAS Science and the open acceptance and support by physi- State Section of APS and have worked Technology Policy colloquium, now held in cists of us traditional historians of science. extensively with the APS Accounting Washington, DC, each April.. In service to the Forum I would wish to Department. I have also attended four APS Blanpied received his Ph.D. in physics continue our presentation of interesting, Unit Convocations. from Princeton University in 1959. He is sometimes controversial, topics at our own My interest in becoming Secretary- a Fellow of the APS and the AAAS. He APS meetings and also try to bring closer Treasurer of the Forum on History of Phys- is the author or co-author of three books, to APS those historians of physics who ics is to use my experience to ensure good and has published numerous articles and research and write somewhat out of our fiscal management of FHP’s finances and reviews in the professional literature on purview. I am quite pleased that we have the continuity of our successful Newslet- physics, history of science, international established a Prize for accomplishments in ter, as well as to look for ways to create science, and science policy, including the history of physics within the APS. new programs to supplement our current both its national and international aspects. activities. His historical interests have focused on I believe that APS can do more to the development of science policy in the Candidate for increase the general public’s awareness United States since WWII and compara- tive science policies in the United States Secretary-Treasurer of the importance of physics education and research through all its Sections and and East Asia. Forums. I would welcome the oppor- In April 2003, Blanpied was des- Larry Josbeno tunity to participate in the Forum on ignated an International Affiliated Fel- History of Physics. low of the National Institute for Science Institution: Corning Community College and Technology Policy in Tokyo, at the Email: [email protected] conclusion of three years as Director of Candidates for the NSF’s Tokyo Regional Office in the US Embassy. During the 2003 autumn Biographical information: Larry Josbeno Forum Councillor is professor of physics at Corning Com- semester, he was Visiting Professor in the munity College in Corning, New York. School of Public Policy and Management He received his B.S. degree from St. William Blanpied at Tsinghua University, Beijing. Bonaventure University and his M.S. Statement: Since the days when I taught Institution: George Mason University degree from the University of New “Physics for Poets” as a newly-minted (NSF retired) Hampshire. He has pursued graduate assistant professor, I have been insisting work at Rensselaer Polytechnic, Penn Email: [email protected] that physics is not only the fundamental State, Princeton, and Cornell, and has basis for all science, but is also an integral conducted research in beam-beam Biographical Information: William A. component of the liberal arts and, thus, that interactions in high-energy physics. He is Blanpied is Senior Research Scholar in some knowledge of physics is essential Director of the Corning Community Col- the Science and Trade Policy Program at to all educated persons. Perhaps the best lege Observatory. George Mason University. Until his retire- way to emphasize the latter points is to Josbeno has 43 years of experience ment from the federal government in Janu- help all physicists, particularly those who teaching physics at the high-school and ary 2003, he had been Senior International teach new generations of scientists and community-college levels. He is a past Analyst at the National Science Foundation non-scientists alike, to understand better President of the APS New York State Sec- (NSF) since 1983. Prior to joining NSF as the many facets of the history of physics: tion and, since 2001, Secretary-Treasurer Program Manager for Ethics and Human e.g., the history of individual discoveries, of that Section. He is also past President Values in Science and Technology in 1976, continued on page 6

History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 4 • Spring 2005 5 Candidates’ Statements continued from page 5 He has taught courses on the history of mutually supportive activities, and I would the evolution of scientific institutions, and nineteenth- and twentieth -century physics, look forward to continuing them during the the relationships of physics to government supervised the Ph.D. dissertations of nine World Year of Physics 2005 and beyond by and to the broader society. The Forum on graduate students in the history of phys- serving the Forum on History of Physics as History of Physics (FHP) has an enviable ics at Minnesota, and served as external Forum Councilor. record of organizing interesting and well- examiner for seven Ph.D. dissertations in attended sessions at national, regional and the history of physics at other universi- topical APS meetings. I would strongly ties in North America and Europe. He has Candidates for Executive support, and contribute to, the continuation held visiting professorships in the history Committee, At-Large of these efforts. of physics at the Universities of Munich, Since a sizeable fraction of APS mem- Vienna, Graz, and Amsterdam, and has bers now work abroad, I would also try to given over 100 invited lectures in many Charles Holbrow interest more foreign members in joining countries of the world. He has published Institution: MIT, Harvard (Colgate the FHP, ask for their suggestions about numerous articles on the history of quan- University, retired) sessions on the history of physics in non- tum and nuclear physics and has written, Western countries, and also nominate edited, or co-edited eight books, including Email: [email protected] distinguished non-Western members as The Compton Effect and Nuclear Physics Biographical Information: Charles FHP officers. As one means for making the in Retrospect. He has served as Secretary Holbrow is a nuclear physicist with an importance of the history of physics more of the History of Science Society, Co-Chair extensive background and deep inter- broadly recognized, I would also attempt to of the International Union’s Commission est in history. After obtaining his identify nominees for the APS presidency on History of Modern Physics, Chair of B.A. in history from the University of who have a demonstrable interest in history the AIP Advisory Committee on History Wisconsin, Madison in 1955, he attended of physics, and who have perhaps made of Physics, Chair of both the APS Division Columbia University where he obtained an some contributions as well. and Forum on History of Physics, Member A.M. degree and passed his Ph.D. exams in In view of the intense competition of the FHP Executive Committee, Chair history. He then returned to Wisconsin and among younger physicists to obtain satis- of the APS/AIP Selection Committee for obtained a Ph.D. degree in physics under factory positions and to advance in those the Abraham Pais Award for the History the direction of Henry Barschall. Dur- positions, few are able to devote substantial of Physics, Chair of the AAAS Section on ing his career as a professional physicist, time to serious historical research and writ- History and Philosophy of Science, Presi- Holbrow has done fast-neutron spec- ing. However, I do believe that we can do dent of the Minnesota Chapter of Sigma troscopy, studied nuclear reactions with more to interest these younger colleagues Xi, and Chair of the Advisory Board of magnetic spectrographs, used laser beams in joining the FHP and perhaps standing the Seven Pines Symposium. He is Co- to orient and examine short-lived nuclear for office so that in due course, the inter- Editor of the journal Physics in Perspec- isomers, and used laser spectroscopy to ests of at least a few of them will lead to tive, Editor of the Resource Letters of the measure properties of atoms possessing significant scholarly contributions. This, I American Journal of Physics, and serves nuclei far from the line of stability. believe, may be the most significant contri- on the Editorial Board of other publica- Recently he collaborated in developing bution that we senior physicists can make tions and journals, including the Archive for undergraduates a set of experiments to our profession and our avocation. for History of Exact Sciences. He has been that use entangled photon states to exhibit a Sigma Xi Distinguished Lecturer and an vividly the remarkable consequences of Roger Stuewer APS Centennial Speaker. He has received a quantum superposition. Distinguished Service Citation from AAPT Throughout his physics research career and the George Taylor Distinguished Ser- Institution: University of Minnesota Holbrow maintained an active interest in vice Award from Minnesota’s Institute of (retired) the history of physics. In 1981 his his- Technology. He is a Fellow of the AAAS tory of the founding of Caltech’s Kellogg Email: [email protected] and of the APS. Radiation Laboratory was published in Biographical Information: Roger Stuewer Statement: The Forum on History of Phys- Physics Today. In 1995 he spent a sabbati- received his Ph.D. degree in 1968 from ics has been and continues to be a major cal as Visiting Scholar in The History of the University of Wisconsin with a double vehicle for advancing teaching and research Science Department at Harvard. In 1999, doctoral major in the history of science in the history of physics, and for promot- on behalf of the Forum on Education, he and physics. He currently is Professor ing public awareness and understanding of prepared and presented an exhibit on the Emeritus of the History of Science and physics, bringing physicists and historians historical evolution of physics textbooks Technology at the University of Minnesota of physics together to pursue common edu- for the APS Centennial celebration, and he with faculty appointments in the School cational, scholarly, and professional goals. published the related article “Archaeology of Physics and Astronomy and the Min- I have devoted much of my academic and of a Bookstack” in Physics Today. In 2003 nesota Center for Philosophy of Science. professional life to such cooperative and his biographical essay on Charles Lau-

6 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 4 • Spring 2005 Candidates’ Statements ritsen, a pioneering nuclear physicist and 1949. His academic career has been at edge of on whose shoulders they stand and influential advisor to the U.S. government, three universities—McGill University in cavort. The Forum on the History of Phys- was published in Physics in Perspective. Montreal, University of Illinois in Urbana- ics needs to broaden its membership with This article is part of his current work on Champaign, and University of California, younger physicists. The success of a dozen the origins, accomplishments and problems Berkeley. Beginning in nuclear physics, colloquia based on my paper with Okun of physicists advising the U.S. govern- he has worked in particle physics for most shows a real interest among all ages in ment. of his career, with forays into electromag- accounts of the history of physics. The Holbrow is Charles A. Dana Professor netic theory (field theory of traveling-wave Forum might redouble its ef - Emeritus, Colgate University, and Visiting tubes), atomic collisions, plasma physics, forts to have the colloquium chairs Scientist at MIT’s Harrison Spectroscopy muon-catalyzed fusion, and energy loss, around the country feature at least Laboratory and Visiting Scholar at Harvard among other topics. Jackson is author of one historical colloquium each term. University’s Department of Physics. He is the well-known text, Classical Electrody- Another project, brought to mind by my a Fellow of the American Physical Society, namics, now in its third edition, as well as work on the Helmholz history, would be a member of the APS Division of Nuclear two smaller physics books. In recent years the preparation of a bibliography for the Physics, the Forum on Education, and the he has published a number of pedagogical whole country of all available histories of Forum on the History of Physics. A long- articles in the American Journal of Phys- physics departments, many informal and time member of the American Association ics. He is Fellow of the American Physical unknown outside the individual institu- of Physics Teachers, he has served as vice Society, Member of the American Acad- tions. president, president elect, president (2003), emy of Arts and Sciences and the National and past president. He is a member of the Academy of Sciences. He is presently Pro- Gordon Kane History of Science Society. fessor Emeritus of Physics, UC Berkeley, Statement: I strongly support FHP’s and Participating Retiree, Physics Division, Institution: University of Michigan, Ann stated objectives of encouraging scholarly Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Arbor Jackson is a life-long amateur in the research in the history of physics and of Email: [email protected] helping to diffuse this knowledge. I think history of science, particularly of phys- that FHP has a crucial role to play as the ics. His record of publication in the his- Biographical Information: Gordon Kane meeting place of those who make physics tory of science is thin, with his paper is a theoretical particle physicist and par- history and those who interpret it. By its with Lev Okun, Historical roots of gauge ticle cosmologist. He has published over sessions at APS meetings and its newslet- invariance [Rev. Mod. Phys. 73, 663-680 165 research papers, written or edited ter FHP also helps APS members and the (2001)] the most notable. He has also writ- eight books, and given over 175 talks at broader public appreciate the human side ten NAS biographical memoirs of Edwin national or international meetings plus of physics and physicists, their excitement, Mattison McMillan (with W. K. H. Panof- many seminars, colloquia, and public their achievements and their personalities. sky), Emilio Segrè, and Victor Frederick talks. Two of the books are for general FHP programs foster a sense of community Weisskopf (with Kurt Gottfried), as well readers. He has been a J. S. Guggenheim among physicists while showing them how as a paper on Weisskopf’s research in the Fellow, and is a Fellow of the American their contributions fit into the larger picture CERN Courier and a tribute to Weisskopf Physical Society, a Fellow of the American of science and of society. If elected to the in Physics Today (with Gottfried). He has Association for the Advancement of Sci- FHP Executive Committee, I will work very recently edited History of the Berkeley ence, A Fellow of the Institute of Physics hard to sustain and extend FHP efforts to Physics Department, 1950-1968, from the of England, and a Fellow of the Johns preserve the records and heritage of phys- unfinished draft of A. C. Helmholz. Hopkins Society of Scholars. He is the ics and to help physicists better know their Statement: The history of physics has Victor Weisskopf Collegiate Professor of great tradition. much to teach present-day physicists and Physics at the University of Michigan, and others about how insights or discoveries Interim Director of the Michigan Center for Theoretical Physics. J. David Jackson were made and propagated (or not) to the larger scientific community and how Statement: Four centuries ago there was Institution: University of California, physicists in the past interacted with soci- no understanding of how the natural world Berkeley ety to help shape its advancement. I find works, or why it is as it is. Today a great young physicists largely ignorant of the deal is understood. How we got from there Email: [email protected] originators of ideas and techniques that to here is fascinating and should be better Biographical Information: David Jackson are common currency in physics today. known to scientists and to everyone. His- is a theoretical physicist who received his Specific instances with full development tory adds meaning to science. I am con- B.Sc. in Honours Physics and Mathemat- of each context can illuminate the why vinced that understanding how scientific ics from the University of Western Ontario and how, and the reasons for lasting or progress occurs improves our ability to in 1946 and his Ph.D. in Physics from the transitory importance. I think the younger make progress, and should be more widely Massachusetts Institute of Technology in physicists will be the better for a knowl- continued on page 8 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 4 • Spring 2005 7 Candidates’ Statements OTHER NOTEWORTHY continued from page 7 CENTENNIALS available to scientists. I have occasionally taught a general undergraduate course that (AND BICENTENNIALS) covers scientific developments in their historical context, “From the Greeks to quarks and dark matter.” Understanding It wasn’t just Einstein. J.Robert Oppen- the history, and why science flourishes heimer was born in 1904. William Hamil- better in some cultures than others, has ton, of Hamiltonians and quaternions fame, long been important to me, and I would was born in 1805. We note below two be happy to contribute to broadening the occasions marking these events. appeal and availability of the history of science via the Forum on the History of William Rowan Hamilton Physics. 2005 marks the bicentenary of the birth of William Rowan Hamilton, Ireland’s greatest scientist, the namesake of the Catherine Westfall ubiquitous Hamiltonian, and the creator of quaternions, the precursor of the Pauli Plaque to William Rowan Hamilton at Broome Institution: Argonne National Laboratory, spin matrices. 2005 has been designated Bridge in Dublin,(above) and below is a reproduction of what he actually cut: [Figure 2] Michigan State University by the Irish Government as “Hamilton Year Email: [email protected] 2005: Celebrating Irish Science”, sharing Biographical Information: Catherine this year with the World Year of Physics, Westfall is a historian of physics who cur- and Einstein. rently heads a history group at Argonne Contact Niamh Morris, at n.morris@ria. National Laboratory. Her position is sup- ie of the Royal Irish Academy for more ported by the Office of the Director and details. Figure 3. Courtesy of the Royal Irish Academy. supervised through the Physics Division. From the time of her Ph.D. work in the J. Robert Oppenheimer: Preserving the Los Alamos Boys Ranch School, which 1980s at Michigan State University in the the Manhattan Project Heritage at Los was recently acquired by the Los Alamos history of American physics, Westfall has Alamos, NM: Program on “Oppenheimer Historical Society. focused on the history of various projects and the Manhattan Project” Held June On Saturday, June 26, a symposium on at U.S. national laboratories. 25 and 26, 2004 in Los Alamos, NM. “Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project” In 1993 along with Lillian Hoddeson was held. Leading authors Richard Rhodes, and others, she published Critical As- Cynthia C. Kelly, Atomic Heritage Foun- Ferenc Szasz, Gregg Herken, Robert Norris, sembly: A Technical History of Los Al- dation Kai Bird and other experts on the Manhattan amos During the Oppenheimer Years, The Atomic Heritage Foundation, a non-prof- Project spoke about Oppenheimer’s role, the 1943-1945. With Hoddeson and Adrienne it organization in Washington, DC dedicated significance of the Manhattan Project and its Kolb she will soon publish a history of to preserving the history of the Manhattan legacy for today. In addition, Manhattan Project Fermilab through the 1980s. In addition Project and the Atomic Age, organized the veterans provided some first-hand accounts. to documenting the founding of Fer- two-day program in partnership with the Los Preservation of the Manhattan Project milab, a topic covered in her disserta- Alamos National Laboratory, the Los Alamos history at Los Alamos and the other sites is tion and summarized in a Physics Today Historical Society, State of New Mexico His- important to the current mission of the Los article, Westfall wrote chapters on the toric Preservation Division, National Atomic Alamos National Laboratory. As Labora- discovery of the bottom quark and the Museum and other partners. tory Director Peter Nanos stated in support development of the CDF and D-0 detectors. The program included tours of some of the legislation to include Los Alamos She has also published several articles on of the last remaining properties from the in the National Park System, “Having a the history of nuclear physics, including a Manhattan Project at Los Alamos that stronger historical perspective and interpre- study of the advent of relativistic heavy ion are to be restored with the help of a Save tation of the Manhattan Project… will help physics at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory America’s Treasures grant. Two properties increase employee morale and provide the and the launching of Jefferson Laborato- are the high-bay building at the “V Site” Laboratory with an additional resource in ry’s pioneering effort in superconducting where the Trinity device was assembled recruiting the next generation of scientists radiofrequency accelerator technology. She and the “Little Boy” site where tests were and engineers.” is currently completing a paper on the conducted for the uranium-based or gun- For more information, send an e-mail fifty-year development of Mössbauer spec- type bomb. Also included on the tour was to [email protected], see http:// troscopy at Argonne which emerged from a the house where Oppenheimer and his www.atomicheritage.org/ or call the Atomic family lived, a former Master’s Cottage of continued on page 8 Heritage Foundation at 202-293-0045. 8 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 4 • Spring 2005 MARCH AND APRIL APS MEETINGS

For the first time contributed papers were Physics at Fisk University Ronald Mickens, Quantum Mechanics, Joan Lisa Bromberg, solicited for the March APS meeting. Clark Atlanta University Johns Hopkins University Eight such papers have been submit- Attempts to link Quanta & Atoms before the Quantum Optics from the Beginning— ted. Twelve contributed papers are being Bohr Atom model A. Venkatesan, Northeastern Reflections from Rochester, Joseph H. presented orally at the April meeting, in University; M. Lieber, University of Arkansas Eberly, University of Rochester three sessions. Here is a summary of titles and authors of papers to being presented Personal Recollections of Albert Einstein, From Bohm to Aspect: Philosophy Enters at both meetings. Details will appear in Steven Moszkowski, UCLA the Optics Laboratory Invited, Olival the Fall Newsletter; full abstracts can be Ugo Fano, Enrico Fermi, and spectral line Freire, Federal University of Bahia, Salva- accessed at the APS website http://www. shapes Charles W. Clark, NIST dor, Brazil and Dibner Institute, MIT aps.org/units/fhp/meetings. Citation Statistics From More Than a Cen- Session J5: Einstein and Friends, Chair: We offer our sincere thanks to tury of Physical Review, Sidney Redner, Robert H. Romer, Amherst College, April Laurie Brown for his help in organizing the CNLS, LANL, and Boston University 17, 2005 Einstein and Friends sessions at both the Einstein and Besso, Michel Janssen, Uni- March and April meetings. Sarah Frances Whiting: Foremother of American Women Physicists, Frieda Stahl, versity of Minnesota California State, Los Angeles Einstein, Mach, and the Fortunes of Grav- A half-century ago physicists missed a ma- ity, David Kaiser, MIT MARCH 2005 MEETING, jor public service opportunity, costing the Einstein and Bose, Kameshwar C. Wali, FHP SESSIONS human race widespread chronic illness and Syracuse University many deaths! Marjorie Lundquist, Bioelec- Session T6: JOINT SESSION, CO-SPON- INVITED PAPER SESSIONS tromagnetic Hygiene Institute) SORED BY FHP AND FORUM ON Chair: Joel Session B5: Einstein and Friends I Chair: (Supplemental) PHYSICS AND SOCIETY Virginia Trimble, University of California, History of the Wave Structure of Matter, Primack, University of California-Santa Irvine, March 21, 2005 (WSM) Milo Wolff, MIT (retired); Geoff Cruz, April 18, 2005 Einstein and Millikan, Charlotte Erwin, Haselhurst, Space and Motion-Austrailia Pais History of Physics Award History, and California Inst. of Technology the History of Physics, Martin J. Klein, ALSO OF INTEREST Yale University Einstein and Lorentz (The Robert H. Dicke Session H6: The Physics Community’s Defense Lecture), A. J. Kox, University of Amsterdam Burton Award Talk: Science Under Attack: of Human Rights, Chair: Myriam Sarachik, Intelligent Design, Lawrence Krauss, Case Einstein and Hilbert, John Stachel, Boston sponsored by Forum on Physics and Western Reserve University University Society Leo Szilard and the role of physicists Emmy Noether on Conservation of Energy Session T1: Einstein and Condensed Mat- in countering nuclear threats, Daniel in the General Theory, Nina Byers, Physics ter, Chair Marvin L. Cohen University of Kleppner, MIT Department, Harvard University California Berkeley sponsored by DCMP Current nuclear threats and possible respons- Session N7: Einstein and Friends II Chair: Session V4: Albert Einstein and Social Re- es, Frederick K. Lamb, University of Illinois Alex Maradudin, University of California, sponsibility, Chair Barbara Levi, Physics Today. at Urbana-Champaign Irvine, March 23, 2005 Sponsored by Forum on Physics and Society The impact of the APS study and the Einstein and Boltzmann, Michael Nauen- future of boost-phase defense against berg, University of California, Santa Cruz ballistic Missiles, David E. Mosher, RAND, Einstein, Bohr and Born—Scientific Friend- APRIL 2005 MEETING Washington, DC ships and their Vagaries, Diana Buchwald, FHP SESSIONS Technical approaches to reducing the threat California Institute of Technology of nuclear terrorism, William C. Priedhor- Einstein and Planck, J.L. Heilbron, Worcester NOTE: The annual FHP business meeting will sky, Los Alamos National Laboratory Oxford take place directly after the U11 session, from Session X13: The Rise of Megascience Einstein and Ehrenfest, Martin J. Klein, 5:10-6:00.PM. All FHP members are invited. Chair: Adrienne Kolb, Fermilab Tuesday, Yale University April 19, 2005 INVITED PAPER SESSIONS CONTRIBUTED PAPER Megascience on the Prairie: The Powers Session C5: Quantum Optics Through the and Paradoxes of Pushing Frontiers at SESSION Lens of History Chair: Daniel Greenberger, Fermilab City College of New York, April 16, 2005 Session L19: History of Physics Chair: Nina (The Gertrude Scharff-Goldhaber Lecture), Byers, UCLA Tuesday, March 22, 2005 Leonard Mandel and Experimental Tests of continued on page 10 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 4 • Spring 2005 9 MARCH AND APRIL APS MEETINGS Report from the Chair continued from page 9 continued from page 2 Lillian Hoddeson, University of Illinois at Berkeley National Laboratory objector during the war he avoided active Urbana-Champaign Session R13: History of Physics II Chair: war service and made important contri- Submicroscopic Nature Needs Megasci- Roger H. Stuewer, University of Minnesota butions to the general theory of relativ- ence, Leon Lederman, Illinois Math & April 18, 2005 ity starting in 1915. In a parody of the Science Academy Plato’s Timaeus and Modern Particle Physics, Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam1, after observ- Some Observations on DOE’s Role in Ruprecht Machleidt, University of Idaho ing the bending of light around the sun, he wrote: “Megascience”, Alvin W. Trivelpiece, Con- Early radium experiments in Guadalajara, sultant Sandia National Laboratories Mexico, Durruty Jesus de Alba Martinez, Oh leave the Wise our measures to collate Inst. de Astronomia y Meteorologia, CUCEI, One thing at least is certain, light has weight CONTRIBUTED PAPER SES- One thing is certain and the rest debate Universidad de Guadalajara SIONS Light rays, when near the Sun, do not go straight. Session K11: History of Physics I Chair: U.S. Scientists and the Chinese Reception of Relativity, Danian Hu, The City College of Kenneth Ford, Retired, April 17, 2005 We have wonderful recorded memories New York The rotational specific heat of molecu- of scientists (including Khayyam) in lar hydrogen in the old quantum theory, Disaster Scenarios at Nuclear Accelerators, our history, and sharing that is a worthy Clayton Gearhart, St. John’s University Joseph Kapusta, University of Minnesota endeavor. I am grateful to the members of (Minnesota) Session U11: History of Physics III Chair: the Forum on History of Physics for the opportunity to serve as its Chair in the To Wise King Ehrenfest: Humorous Writ- Robert H. Romer, Amherst College, April 2004-2005 term. ings by Oskar Klein and Others from 18, 2005 1930s Copenhagen, Paul Halpern, Univer- My Half-Hour with Einstein, Robert H. 1. Omar Khayyam (1048 - 1131) was an sity of the Sciences in Philadelphia and Romer, Amherst College outstanding mathematician and astronomer. Haverford College Did Heisenberg Spit at Max Born?, Harry Khayyam’s fame as a poet has caused some to forget his scientific achievements which were Historic Objections to the Copenhagen Lustig, City College of the CUNY much more substantial; see, e.g., . C. McHarris, Michigan State University New York University Likelihood of women vs. men to receive On The Hilbert-Einstein Priority Dispute, bachelor’s degrees in physics at Stanford, Friedwardt Winterberg , University of 1900-1929, Anthony Nero, Lawrence Nevada, Reno ABRAHAM PAIS AWARD IN HISTORY OF SCIENCE

The initiative to establish an annual endowment of $200,000 and awards a received until June 30 2005, up to a total American Physical Society/American In- stipend in the amount of $10,000 to the of $16,000. stitute of Physics Award in the History of winner. In effect, only a total of $187,000 It would be very nice, if we could col- Science was launched in the summer of in gifts and pledges needs to be secured lect the required $16,000 in time to be able 2002. In 2003 the Award was named in for the Pais Prize, because that amount to bestow the Prize, rather than an Award, on honor of the distinguished physicist—his- will trigger a final gift of $13,000 from the the first winner, in April 2005, and not only torian Abraham Pais. Lounsbery Foundation. on his successors. The first winner is Prof. In the most recent Newsletter we were Over the past six months we have made Martin J. Klein of Yale University. He will able to report that, thanks to the generous good progress toward reaching the goal. give his Prize (or Award) lecture at the 2005 responses by many donors to our fundrais- An important positive factor has been the APS meeting in Tampa in a session that be- ing efforts, the endowment had reached solicitation of Bram Pais’ former col- gins on Monday. April 18th at 13:30. well over the $100,000 required to establish leagues and friends at Rockefeller Univer- We are asking members of FHP and other an Award. Therefore with the endorsement sity. It has brought in over $10,000 so far. recipients of this Newsletter to dig into their of the Forum on History of Physics’ Execu- With this addition the total (not count- pockets (even if you have already done so) with tive Committee and the APS, we raised our ing the Lounsbery “topping off ” contribu- contributions or pledges (payable over as long sights to create the Pais Prize (rather than tion) stands at $155,000. Then only two as three years) to help assure that we collect Award) in the History of Physics. weeks ago, John Armstrong, who had the missing $16,000 and to do so as quickly as A prize is much more prestigious than previously made a very generous gift, possible. an award, both for the recipient and for agreed to a new challenge grant. He will the field in which it is given. It requires an match, dollar for dollar, all donations continued on page 3 10 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 4 • Spring 2005 NOTES, REPORTS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

AIP Center of History of connected with the work. Grants will be Theory.” Philosophy of Science 68 (2001), Physics (CHP) Activities given only to reimburse: (1) expenses for 111-133. travel and subsistence to use the resources The $1,000 prize was awarded on Nearly two-dozen new links added to the of the Center’s Niels Bohr Library in Friday, September 3, 2004 in conjunction CHP page of web resources for history of College Park, Maryland (easily accessible with Professor Halvorson’s delivering at physics, astronomy & geophysics: www. from Washington, DC), OR (2) expenses Notre Dame an invited lecture under the aip.org/history/web-link.htm (See the including travel and subsistence to tape- title, “No Eliminative Materialism, No “new” box near the top.) The links point to record oral history interviews or microfilm Quantum Measurement Problem.” fine new biographical exhibits, timelines, archival materials, with a copy for deposit The Cushing Memorial Prize is award- and sites on special topics ranging from in the Library. Applicants should suggest ed annually for the best work by a younger the 18th-century Venus transits to the Van the persons they would interview or papers scholar on the history and philosophy of de Graaff generator. they would microfilm, or the collections physics. The prize honors the memory of The Fall 2004 issue of the AIP History at the Library they need to see; you can the late James T. Cushing (1937-2002), of Physics Newsletter is now online: www. consult the online catalog at our website, long-time professor of physics, philosophy, aip.org/history/newsletter/fall2004.You http://www.aip.org/history, and please feel and the history and philosophy of science can browse the web version or download free to make inquiries about the Library’s at the University of Notre Dame. The prize a PDF. Includes articles on an initiative to holdings. is administered by Notre Dame’s Graduate designate historic physics sites, progress Applicants should either be working Program in the History and Philosophy in plans for the Year of Physics 2005, toward a graduate degree in the history of of Science with the assistance of a distin- preservation of source materials at MIT, science (in which case they should include a guished international advisory committee Strasbourg, Bristol University and else- letter of reference from their thesis adviser), composed of Professor Cushing’s students, where, our bibliographies of recent books or show a record of publication in the field. friends, and professional colleagues and articles, and more. To apply, send a vitae, a letter of no more The next winner will receive $1,000 If you receive a paper copy of this than two pages describing your research and an invitation to deliver a paper in Newsletter, you may want to switch your project, and a brief budget showing the Notre Dame’s History and Philosophy subscription to online-only. This will leave expenses for which support is requested to: of Science Colloquium series during the us more money for our programs and Spencer Weart 2005-2006 academic year. Eligible are all projects, and you can see the Newsletter as Center for History of Physics, papers in the history and philosophy of soon as it’s issued—with active links and American Institute of Physics physics published by a younger scholar some of the pictures in color! E-mail us One Physics Ellipse, within the three years prior to the nomina- at [email protected] including your name and College Park, MD 20740 tion (e.g., for the 2004-2005 competition, address and the phrase “stop mailing Phone: 301-209-3174, no earlier than September, 2001). Work is paper” (or words to that effect). Fax: 301-209-0882 eligible only by nomination. While we offer Below is our regular grant-in-aid e-mail: [email protected]. no explicit definition of the term “younger announcement, which we trust will be of DEADLINES for receipt of applications: scholar,” our intention is to favor work interest to readers of the APS Forum’s produced by scholars who are no more History of Physics Newsletter. APRIL 15 and NOVEMBER 15 of each year. than about five years past the completion of the Ph.D. or, in a comparable way, new AIP Center for History of Inaugural Cushing Memorial to the fields of the history and philosophy of physics, in recognition of Jim’s well- Physics Grants-in-Aid for Prize Awarded to Hans known role as a nurturer of younger talent History of Modern Physics Halvorson in the profession. and Allied Fields (Astronomy, The Graduate Program in History and A nomination should consist of a brief Geophysics, etc.) Philosophy of Science at the University description of the significance of the nomi- nated work and such information about the The Center for History of Physics of of Notre Dame and the Cushing Memorial author as the nominator might think help- the American Institute of Physics has a Prize Advisory Committee are pleased to ful to the evaluation committee, such as an program of grants-in-aid for research in announce the award of the first Cushing abbreviated c.v. the history of modern physics and allied Memorial Prize to Professor Hans Halvor- Cushing Memorial Prize Nominations sciences (such as astronomy, geophysics, son of the Department of Philosophy, History and Philosophy of Science and optics) and their social interactions. Princeton University, for his paper: Graduate Program, Grants can be up to $2,000 each. They can “Reeh-Schlieder Defeats Newton- 346 O’Shaughnessy be used only to reimburse direct expenses Wigner: On Alternative Localization Schemes in Relativistic Quantum Field continued on page 12 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 4 • Spring 2005 11 NOTES, REPORTS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS continued from page 12 University of Notre Dame, HELP GROW YOUR FORUM mark the centennial, OHST hosted a two- Notre Dame, IN 46556 day conference for scholars and the general FHP benefits in lots of ways when more By fax: 574-631-7418 public. The events were headlined by histo- people join—better attended sessions; more For further information, see http://www. rian Daniel J. Kevles and coordinated with a contributed talks and posters; more people nd.edu/~cushpriz/ commemoration in the Department of Phys- to help on committees; and more money ics and exhibits on the history of physics back from APS into our treasury. We in the Library. The conference papers will —During the XXIIth INTERNATION- could double by following the “each one be published in 2005 in the Office’s book AL CONGRESS FOR HISTORY OF teach one” model of literacy promotion, series. In the meantime, a biographical website SCIENCE (Beijing 24th-30th July 2005) that is, if every current member enrolls “J. Robert Oppenheimer: A Life” (http:// the commission of History of Modern one suitable colleague who is already an ohst.berkeley.edu/Oppenheimer/exhibit/) Physics of the IUHPS/DHS will organize APS member (or who is interested in join- makes his story accessible to the public. Sci- a session “Einstein in Context: Perspec- ing—also a good thing). Members can be entific American has recognized the exhibit tives on Einstein as Icon, Public Figure added in groups by passing sign up sheets with a 2004 Science and Technology Web and Political Man” Interest in this meeting when you speak someplace where there are Award. The centennial events also resulted (including offers for papers) should be ad- physicists with some interest in history (16 in a long-overdue honor: a pedestrian mall dressed to its organizer: at the most recent AAPT meeting). Please on the campus next to the Physics Depart- Prof. Dr. Helge Kragh urge a colleague to join this week, and ment will be officially designated “J. Robert (University of Aarhus, History of collect a cohort next time the opportunity Oppenheimer Way.” Science Department, Building 521, arises. Correctly spelled names of new OHST is pursuing other physics-related DK-8000-Aarhus; members can be sent to our secretary, Ken ventures. Even before the Oppenheimer vol- e-mail: [email protected]) Ford, [email protected]. ume, the Office will publish a collection of or —V. Trimble, Vice Chair Prof. Dr. Dieter Hoffmann essays on Michael Frayn’s award-winning (MPI for the History of Science) play Copenhagen, dramatizing the 1941 IMAGES OF SCIENTIFIC GENIUS: Wilhelmstraße 44, D-10117 Berlin; encounter between Heisenberg and Bohr. JOINT ATLANTIC SEMINAR FOR e-mail: [email protected]) The essays are written by historical ex- THE HISTORY OF THE PHYSICAL perts of every persuasion and accompanied SCIENCES (JASHOPS) 2004-2005 February by original documents. The volume will XIth Meeting on History of 4-6, 2005 University of Notre Dame appear in late fall 2004. Locally, the Office Physics The History and Philosophy of is working together with Berkeley’s Bancroft Science Graduate Program at the University of Library, which has a rich collection of The Division for History of Physics of the Notre Dame is hosting the 2004-2005 meeting sources on physics. A database and German Physical Society will hold its 11th of JASHOPS—The Joint Atlantic Seminar for online search tool will soon go live to guide Meeting on History of Physics. This meeting the History of the Physical Sciences. researchers to historical documents for the is part of the annual meeting of the German 2005 is the International Year of history of science and technology in all Physical Society and will be held in Berlin Physics (IYP). In keeping with the spirit of Berkeley’s archives. The database incorpo- from March 7th through 9th 2005. The topic the IYP, the 2004-2005 JASHOPS meet- rates electronic records of OHST’s copy of is ‘ “Pure Genius?” “Great Discoveries” and ing is taking as its main theme “Images the Archive for History of Quantum Physics “Everyday” Science.” ’ It should discuss of Scientific Genius” and will feature as (which was physically quartered in Berke- the relation between “great discoveries” its keynote speaker on Friday, February 4, ley). Over the next years, OHST will also be and “great men” and “everyday” research, John Stachel, Emeritus Professor of Phys- developing a website on local nuclear history, results and persons in the history of physics. ics at Boston University and the first editor titled “Nuclear Berkeley, Nuclear World.” Paper proposals with a short abstract and of The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, The Office has many ongoing activi- interest in this meeting should be adressed speaking on the topic, “Einstein’s Miracu- ties. In coordination with Berkeley’s gradu- to its organizer: lous Year.” ate program in the history of science, it Dr. Beate Ceranski For further information, please visit runs a biweekly lecture series with UC (Universität Stuttgart, Lehrstuhl für the conference website: http://www.nd.edu/ San Francisco’s program in the history Geschichte der Naturwissenschaften ~hps/JASHOPS.html of health sciences. The Office frequently und Technik, Keplerstraße 17, hosts visiting scholars, and it produces the D-70174 Stuttgart; UC Berkeley’s OFFICE FOR HISTO- journal Historical Studies in the Physical e-mail: [email protected] RY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOL- and Biological Sciences. All these activi- tgart.de) or OGY has several physics-related projects ties and more are described on its website Prof. Dr. Dieter Hoffmann (MPI for underway. In April 2004, OHST headed up http://ohst.berkeley.edu/. For information the History of Science, Wilhelmstraße Berkeley’s program for the hundredth anni- contact OHST’s director, Cathryn Carson 44, D-10117 Berlin; versary of J. Robert Oppenheimer’s birth. To . e-mail: [email protected])

12 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 4 • Spring 2005 BOOK REPORTS

Kitty Ferguson. Tycho & Kepler: have had in mind, unless “He loved his South Sea Bubble, a factoid instructing The unlikely partnership that forever mother” (Read the Old Testament, and, his agent the second time around which changed our understanding of the while you are at it, listen to Tom Lehrer). appeared several years ago culled not from heavens. Walker and Company, New Where was the Silesian Duchy of Sagan, a recognized biography, but from a photo- York. 2002. (paperback) Reviewer: in which Kepler spent a few unhappy years graph of the document in the sales catalog Virginia Trimble, University of from 1627 (p.353), and could Carl’s family of R.M. Smythe auctioneers. Ferguson, California, Irvine possibly have come from there? It’s now incidentally, enthusiastically acknowledges on the Czech-Polish border (thanks, Rand a great deal of assistance with both history Have you heard the tales of Tycho’s metal- McNally!). As for the family, physics texts and details of Ptolemaic, Copernican, and lic nose job and embarrassing death, of abound with names for which that guess Keplerian orbits from Gingerich, so that the trial of Kepler’s mother for witchcraft would be wrong—Fritz London comes to Gingerich’s volume is not entirely an inde- and his denial of Tycho’s dying request? mind. pendent source. Well, so has author Ferguson, and she has What does it mean that Tycho produced Ferguson makes the important point chased them down and can report that they the finest poem ever written in Latin by that part of Kepler’s genius was in ask- are all roughly true, though you will have a Dane (p.112)? I was reminded of one ing questions that others thought were to go to another book to find out which bit musician describing another as “the world’s too obvious to bother with. I’ve long said of the nose had been sliced off in the duel. greatest living Jewish organist...well, he’s the same about Newton, and the point is She has provided a fascinating discussion just about the only...” but could not think surely not original with either of us. Your of both “life” and “works”, and probably of a ready source on Latin poems written homework for the weekend is to think of for the intended audience of non-scientists by Danes. other examples. both are completely satisfactory. Kepler and Tycho each have an epony- For an astronomer, this one at least, the mous supernova, awarded for discovery in Harry Collins, Gravity’s Shadow: “life” sections contain far more new infor- Tycho’s case and detailed study in Kepler’s, The Search for Gravitational Waves, mation, for instance on “the courtship and but can it possibly be true that Europeans Chicago, The University of Chicago marriage customs of late sixteenth-century completely missed the much brighter event Press, 2004. Reviewer: Judah Levine, Denmark” (p.176 ff). Tycho had chosen a of 1006? Well, no (F.R. Stephenson and University of Colorado partner from well below his own, noble, D.A. Green “The Historical Supernovae social class, rendering the marriage doubt- and their Remnants”, a 2002 updating of The book is divided into several sections: ful in Denmark, the status of the children the earlier Clark & Stephenson). But they The first is an introduction, which identifies marginal, and so the second generation of did miss 1054 it seems. For that matter, the three communities that are involved in marriages complex to arrange. And, yes, it why do we say Tycho and Kepler, rather any science project: (1) the core scientists is possible to quibble with some of the as- than Brahe and Johannes? Beats me! who are directly involved in the research tronomy, both ancient (equants and all) and For more about Katharina Guldenmann project; (2) scientists in other areas and modern (supernova types for instance). Kepler’s life as a witch, there is James A. project managers at funding agencies, who In many places, I wanted to say to the Connor’s “Kepler’s Witch” (Harper San are not practicing scientists although they author, “Tell me more!”, and this is a book Francisco 2004), and for the significance of often have a scientific background, and (3) to read with a library around you. Did Johannes’s smallpox-damaged eyesight and the lay public, who learn about science Newton mean Copernicus, Kepler, and involvement with the early development through the news media. The second sec- Tycho when he spoke of standing “on the of the telescope, there are Kepler’s own tion describes the history of gravitational- shoulders of giants?” Don’t trust me; read words, annotated by Dennis R. Danielson wave bar detectors, from the initial work Robert K. Merton’s “On the Shoulders of in “The Book of the Cosmos” (Perseus by Joseph Weber and his associates to Giants” (Chicago 1993 and other editions). Publishing, 2000, p.163-169). the ongoing work by a number of groups Was it reasonable of Tycho, approach- What else will you want to hand? in the US and Europe. The third section ing 40, to think his years nearly over (or Surely Owen Gingerich’s “The Book focuses on gravity-wave detectors based on the author to say so)? Look at the birth Nobody Read” (Walker & Co. 2004), optical interferometers, primarily the LIGO and death dates of his contemporaries in where you will find the missing piece of (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Michael Hoskins’s “Cambridge Illustrated nose on p.115. Gingerich’s book concerns Observatory) project, but also the similar History of Astronomy” (CUP 1997). Three Copernicus’s De Revolutionibus, which projects in other countries. The discus- indeed died in their late 30s and one in his was in fact read by some hundreds of sion includes the relationship to the bar 40s, but six in their 50s, three in their six- copy-owners as nitpickingly as I have groups, the beginnings of LIGO as “small ties, and six in their seventies (including, read Ferguson’s book. And a good scien- science” and its somewhat painful transi- of course, Galileo of paternal memory). tific biography of Newton, about which I tion to a large multi-million dollar enter- Was Jacob married to Rebecca would not presume to advise, but will just prise. The final section contains a discus- (p.102)? Well, not the Jacob and Rebecca leave you with the thought that, for all his sion of science, scientists, and sociology I first thought of and the author seems to intellectual skills, he twice bought into the continued on page 14 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 4 • Spring 2005 13 Book Reports continued from page 14 and the interactions between the scientists Professor Collins might consider adding an a convincing case when these signals are who are involved in a project and the soci- additional category to figure Intro.1 to seen.) ologist/author who is observing their work. recognize these contributions. There are two issues that I would have The discussions on science and sociology Professor Collins spends chapter 27 liked to see discussed in greater detail. The are the most generally interesting parts of trying to explain the shift in the funding first is the political aspect of the choice of the book, and they will be thought provok- support from the bars to the interferom- the LIGO site in Louisiana, which Profes- ing even for readers who are not concerned eters. I think he underestimates the flex- sor Collins recognizes was chosen based, at with the details of the gravitational wave ibility, frequency agility, and adjustable least to some extent, on political consider- story, which makes up most of the text. bandwidth of an interferometer over even ations (p.538). It is certainly naïve to think In general, the book is very well writ- an ensemble of co-located bars or spheres. that Congress would appropriate several ten, and contains many interesting and (As a practical matter, realizing this flex- hundred million dollars without adding useful insights into the nature of science ibility without compromising the signal some strings to the money, but Professor and scientists. I know most of the scien- to noise ratio of the device is not trivial Collins seems less concerned about this tists in the story, and I found Prof. Collins’ and will require signal analyses using process that I might have been in his posi- descriptions of them to be accurate and multiple signal templates. Therefore, the tion. Will the community be well-served well-balanced. I could picture Joe Weber signals from a sufficiently sensitive spheri- if the cultural noise at the Louisiana site and Ron Drever from his writing as clearly cal detector might be used as a trigger turns out to be a significant limitation on as if they were sitting in my office, and I for concentrating the analysis efforts.) I the performance of the system? If disinter- was impressed at how well he has captured think he also misses the importance of the ested outsiders do not ask these questions, many of the nuances of their stories. “sex-appeal” of LIGO to this decision. (It who will? However, I do not agree with every- is hard to define scientific “sex-appeal” be- The second aspect is the treatment of thing in the book. For example, I think yond the usual “I know it when I see it.”) I Joe Weber both by the funding agencies that Professor Collins makes more out of think LIGO has lots of it, and the bars and and by the scientific community after his “scientific trust” than I would have done. spheres do not. A project with “sex-appeal” discoveries had been generally discounted. It is true that trust is a necessity in modern is often enhanced if it has great techni- Professor Collins discusses this in some life, but a good experimentalist minimizes cal difficulties. These difficulties provide detail, and returns to it in the last chapter the number of things that must be taken ample opportunities for experimentalists to of the book (ch.44), but a more general on trust by testing his apparatus using as devise clever solutions, and the solutions to discussion would be useful. There are many many independent methods as he can think complex technical problems can be used by scientists whose work has been discounted of. The results of these tests and evalua- funding agencies to justify the project even by most of the scientific community, even tions are often reported independently as if its principal goals are not met. On the though no one can show definitively how contributing to a “type B” uncertainty other hand, a project that lacks sex-appeal and why their results are wrong. Joe Weber in addition to the “type A” uncertainty is degraded by technical difficulties, which was an experimentalist, and many of the derived from statistics. I don’t agree with are too often seen as indicators of failure. arguments against his results were based Professor Collins when he writes (p.5), Life is not always fair. on general considerations such as the very “And think how easy it would be to fool Professor Collins is correct that the large number of events, the signal to noise everyone, including the scientists, into construction of LIGO has put the operat- ratio of his detectors, the residual back- thinking that a gravitational wave had ing mechanical detectors in a race against ground noise, and related considerations. been found.” The number of “core” sci- time—if the goal is to be the first to detect What about a theorist, whose calculations entists who are experts in all aspects of a gravitational waves unambiguously, they are not so easily judged and cannot be so gravitational-wave detector may be rather must do so before advanced LIGO (or, easily dismissed in this way? Or, consider small, but the world has many experts on under very favorable circumstances, the an experimentalist whose methods are con- seismic isolation, electronic servos, optical initial LIGO) becomes operational on a ventional but whose results are considered interferometry, statistical analysis, real-time routine basis. If there is a significant delay wrong, even though no one can say why? computer programming, and all of the in realizing the design goals of advanced Resources are finite, and not every far-out other myriad aspects of an experimental LIGO, then it is possible that LISA, a idea can be supported, but how and where program whose goal is to search for gravi- space-based system to detect gravitational do we draw the line? tational waves. Fooling all of these experts waves, may make the first unambiguous simultaneously would not be easy. More detection. (The LISA system is better generally, the opinions of the experts in the equipped to detect low-frequency, peri- many technical aspects of an experiment odic sources. Although the signals from make an important contribution to the trust these sources are likely to be quite weak in the experimental result, even when these compared to impulsive events, their char- experts are not necessarily knowledgeable acteristics are well known from other data, about the primary objective of the program. and it should be straightforward to make

14 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 4 • Spring 2005 Book Reports

he attributes most of Millikan’s sins (his experiments on spontaneous generation John Waller. Einstein’s Luck: The word) to a desire to avoid giving Ehrenhaft that require more space to discuss than I Truth Behind Some of the Greatest ammunition in that controversy. Waller have here. These are the three episodes in Scientific Discoveries. (Oxford regards three excluded drops as his most which I know something of the history. University Press, Oxford, 2002) xi significant evidence for this. The first of Although the accounts of the discoveries +308 pages, notes on sources, index, these drops occurred on March 7, 1912. are fascinating and easy to read, I fear they and black and white figures, ISBN: 0- Waller states that Millikan calculated a are untrustworthy. I do not recommend this 19-280567-3, $15.95, paper. Reviewer: value of e=1.915 x 10-10 esu for this drop, book. Allan Franklin, University of Colorado which differed dramatically from his aver- age value of 4.778 x 10-10 esu. He also Light Is A Messenger; The Life and Einstein’s Luck tells us interesting stories notes that no one has yet offered an expla- Science of William Lawrence Bragg. about some discoveries in physics, medi- nation of this event, including Millikan. Graeme K. Hunter. Oxford University cine, biology, and management science. The truth is, as I stated explicitly in my Press. (2004;301pp.) Reviewer: My only problem, discussed in detail original article, that Millikan performed Frederick Seitz, Rockefeller University below, is that I don’t really know if the no calculations on this drop. A point that author is telling me the truth. In the three Waller omits is that Millikan had far more William Lawrence Bragg is particularly episodes in which I know something about data than he needed to reduce the uncer- well known for his pioneering work in the history the author has made errors, tainty in e by an order of magnitude. In determining the arrangement of atoms in distorted the history, and omitted evidence fact, Millikan used only 23 of his published crystals and molecules with the use of that doesn’t support his story. Ironically, 58 events in determining his final value, methods of x-ray diffraction that he had for that is just what he accuses scientists and those for which the Stokes’ Law correction the most part developed himself following other historians of doing. needed was less than six percent. The sec- the discovery of such diffraction, on a bril- Waller remarks that “the aim of this ond event is one for which neither Millikan liant hunch, by a small team working under book has not been to denigrate science. nor I could obtain consistent results. Waller the direction of Professor Max von Laue at Rather my chief targets have been an states that Millikan obtained a value for e the University of Munich. Actually Bragg overly simplistic reading of what sci- significantly lower than his average. Once had a highly diversified career, in keeping ence is all about and the strong tenden- again, Waller is simply wrong. Neither with his many talents. He was born in New cy to romanticize its past achievements Millikan nor I calculated a value of e for Zealand in 1890. His father, William Henry (p.294).” He also believes that his work this drop. The time measurements for this Bragg (WHB), had held the chairs of math- does not “undercut the status that modern drop are inconsistent and there is a serious ematics and physics at The University of science deservedly enjoys as the best way calculational error. The whole data set for Adelaide since 1886, after graduating from of increasing our understanding of the this drop was unreliable. Trinity College, Cambridge, where he had physical world. (p.7).” I tend to believe The third drop does support Waller’s distinguished himself in the two fields. him, although the tone of some of his view. It occurred on April 16, 1912, not Young Charles, the first of three broth- chapters might indicate otherwise. March 7 as Waller states. This event, ers, was highly precocious and soon out- In a short review such as this I cannot which was among the most consistent of paced fellow students in the schools of discuss all of the problems with Waller’s Millikan’s measurements gave a value of Adelaide in most fields of study, including accounts so I will concentrate of the epi- about 0.6 e. Millikan wrote “Won’t work” the sciences and humanities. sode I know best: Robert Millikan and the in his notebook and never mentioned it, I Although the senior Bragg had found charge of the electron. Waller states that suspect to avoid giving aid to Eherenhaft. little time or inclination to carry out his essay is based on two essays, one by Later work by Bill Fairbank Jr. and myself research on arriving in New Zealand, his Gerald Holton (1978. “Subelectrons, Pre- (W.M. Fairbank Jr. and A. Franklin 1982. burdens became lightened with the addition suppositions, and the Millikan-Ehrenhaft “Did Millikan Observe Fractional Charges of a staff member and he found the time Debate.” Historical Studies in the Physical on Oil Drops?” American Journal of to become interested in the discovery of Sciences 9: 166-224) and one by myself Physics 50: 394-397), and not mentioned x-rays and natural radioactivity. He began (A. Franklin, 1981. “Millikan’s Published by Waller, found that because of space- to measure the ranges of the emanations and Unpublished Data on Oil Drops.” charge effects and field inhomogenieties and wonder about the nature of x-rays. Historical Studies in the Physical Sciences that Millikan’s apparatus was unreliable for Correspondence with Rutherford led to a 11: 185-201). It is clear that Waller has not total charges on the oil drops of greater warm friendship between the two and even- read my work very carefully. He gets most than 30e. A rough estimate of the charge tually resulted in an offer of the Cavendish the history of Millikan’s exclusion of data on this drop is greater than 50e. Chair in Physics at the University of Leeds correct and notes that Millikan had good There are other difficulties with to the elder Bragg, which he accepted. In reasons for most of his exclusions. He also Waller’s account of Millikan and with the meantime he was elected to the Royal notes that there was an ongoing controversy his discussions of Eddington and the Society of London. between Millikan and Ehrenhaft concern- eclipse expedition of 1919 and of Pasteur’s ing the question of charge quantization and continued on page 16 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 4 • Spring 2005 15 Book Reports continued from page 15 The family moved to England in 1909. book presents details of Bragg’s extended Fermi Remembered, edited by James By 1910, the younger William Bragg had career, which can only be summarized in W. Cronin Published by University been accepted by Trinity College and this brief review: He joined the British of Chicago Press, 2004 Reviewer: granted a fellowship in mathematics, but artillery in 1914 and, with others, suc- Gaurang B. Yodh, University of he switched to physics in the next year. cessfully introduced sound-ranging in California Irvine. When news of the discovery of x-ray dif- 1915. He returned briefly to Cambridge in fraction reached England in 1912, it caused 1919, but became Rutherford’s successor in I am often asked, what was it like to considerable excitement. For one thing it physics at the University of Manchester; He work with Fermi, how did he interact with settled the long debate about the wave ver- resumed extensive research in x-ray analysis his students, was he approachable, did he sus particle nature of x-rays. Beyond this, after adjustments in departmental structure have interests other than physics ? “Fermi however, was the as yet unresolved question were made. He began scientific travels, vis- Remembered” is a wonderful resource of what the observations had to say about iting Massachusetts and California in 1928. on Enrico Fermi which provides different the arrangement of atoms in the diffracting He accepted the prestigious post as Director insights into such matters and his scien- crystal. Young Bragg took this on as a major of the National Physical Laboratory in 1937, tific contributions through the perceptions challenge, joined with full enthusiasm by but left the position in 1938 to become of colleagues, students and others who his now re-invigorated father. Many young head of the Cavendish Laboratory. He was interacted with him. Some twenty seven members of the staff at the Cavendish also knighted in 1941. During WWII he served individuals (eight Nobel Laureates) have joined in the creative excitement. The rest on various advisory committees and, briefly, contributions in this volume which cel- is scientific history. Father and son were as head of The British Scientific Liaison of- ebrates the 100th anniversary of Fermi’s jointly granted the Nobel Prize for 1915. fice in Canada. His last position, which he birth. The main emphasis is on Fermi’s The Cavendish soon became a world center accepted in 1952, was a head of the Royal years in America. for structural analysis. Institution, from which he retired in 1965 Fermi was probably one of the last The major portion of this excellent after inducing significant changes. of the physicists who were equally able to deal with theory and experiment and pushed the frontiers in both realms. In his Candidates’ Statements article “Fermi and the Elucidation of Mat- ter”, Frank Wilzcek says “Fermi loved his continued from page 8 dialogue with nature...crafting important questions that we can answer definitely.... Mössbauer History Day celebration she Using my background, experience, and in this art Fermi was a natural grand mas- co-sponsored with Argonne physicists. contacts, I would focus in particular on ter, and worthy heir of Galileo “....Wilzcek Westfall holds an adjunct professorship drawing together scholars from a variety focuses on continuing impacts of Fermi’s in the History Department at Michigan of backgrounds to study and discuss the major contributions: the Fermi gas which State University and has taught a variety struggle to solve nature’s physical myster- involves generalization of Pauli exclusion of courses in the history of science. Most ies. Since I think it’s particularly important principle, quantum field theory of beta- recently she taught a history of physics that the achievements of older physicists decay in which he took Pauli’s neutrino survey course in the MSU Physics Depart- be recognized and that younger physicists seriously and literally, and attempted to ment. come to understand their intellectual heri- construct an appropriate quantum field She is a member of the American tage, I would focus in particular on finding theory which provided the basis of inves- Physical Society, the History of Science ways to draw young people to all Forum tigations of the neutrinos themselves and Society, and the Society for the History activities, but especially those aimed at speculated with Yang on possible compos- of Technology. She has been instrumen- celebrating the many and varied contribu- iteness of the pion. tal in organizing a series of conferences tions of physicists. Cronin, has documented in one place for physicists and historians interested in original letters and documents pertaining the history of laboratories, and she is the to the development of nuclear energy, in- program chair for the fourth conference in cluding correspondence with Leo Szilard, the series to be held at the University of with C.N. Yang on the question of what is British Columbia in 2006. elementary, with Clyde Cowan and Fred Statement: Trained as a historian, I have Reines on their experiment to detect the always worked closely with both physicists neutrino and with Sam Goudsmit about and historians of physics to uphold and use of isopin or isotopic spin in scientific reinforce the highest scholarly standards literature. There are representative repro- of both fields. I would bring this com- ductions of Fermi’s notebooks including mitment and interdisciplinary perspective calculations about stochastic acceleration to my work on the Executive Committee. of cosmic rays and listing of problems

16 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 4 • Spring 2005 BOOK REPORTS which his theory does not explain. helped him to make a special slide rule to of the ‘Globatron’. He did not live to see our There are personal reminiscences of do radiative transfer calculations He also de- modern accelerators and the development of colleagues, students and students of the scribes how Marshal Rosenbluth, Yang and the standard model of particle physics. Fermi period who did research with his himself, developed the ideas of a universal group, which provide a comprehensive Fermi interaction and an intermediate heavy The Born-Einstein Letters: view of Fermi, his work, his character, his boson to mediate the interactions in analogy Friendship, Politics and Physics warmth and his scientific insights. with electromagnetism and how Fermi in- in Uncertain Times Published by Richard Garwin, who was Fermi’s sisted that they publish their ideas. Jay Orear Macmillan Science, Editor: Sara student as well as a colleague, illustrates tells of how Fermi met him at a course he Abdulla. with several examples Fermi’s ingenuity took on ‘Square dancing’ and Fermi’s real in tackling both experimental and theo- pleasure in this form of social dancing, as Albert Einstein and Max Born were great retical problems. Murray Gell-Mann tells well as Fermi’s interest in the sport of ice friends. Their letters span 40 years and about the time Fermi audited his class on skating. Arthur Rosenfeld got Fermi to read two world wars. In them they argue about particle and fields and asked a seminal the book, The Hydrogen Bomb by James quantum theory, agree about Beethoven’s question about neutral spin zero particles Shepley and Clay Blair in 1954 which made heavenly violin and piano duets (which which helped him in his paper on neu- Fermi sufficiently upset to agree to hold a they played together when they met) and tral K particle situation. Murray tells of news conference to let the public know his chat about their families. Equally impor- their visit to Fermi in the hospital in his views of the “damn book.” tant, the men commiserate over the tragic last days, where Fermi said to Yang and Jack Steinberger considers his years at plight of Europe’s Jewry and discuss what Murray “Now its up to you “ Marvin Gold- Chicago “the most satisfying time in my part they should play in the tumultuous berger’s reminiscences of Fermi during his privileged life.” Nina Byers was hired by politics of the time. Fascinating historically, Chicago years is the most comprehensive Leo Szilard, in 1953-54, to tell him about The Born-Einstein Letters, 1916-1955 is of the articles in this book. He describes Fermi’s studies of pion-nucleon interac- also highly topical: scientists continue to him as “The complete Physicist” Fermi tions at the Chicago cyclotron. She was struggle with quantum physics, their role in showed his students that “Physics is to be fascinated to learn from Fermi’s lectures wartime and the public’s misunderstanding. built from the ground up, brick by brick, on pion physics and be exposed to Szilard’s First published by Macmillan in 1971, this layer by layer”. Regarding Fermi’s lectur- questions. She describes Fermi-Szilard book is re-issued with its original mate- ing style Goldberger states that his courses interactions after both came to the states. rial from Werner Heisenberg and Bertrand were carefully organized and interesting, Jerome Friedman, who started as a Fermi Russell and a substantial new preface from however when you tried to solve problems student remembers that whenever Fermi’s Diana Buchwald and Kip Thorne as part of yourself you found “If you don’t happen to office door was open, students could go in 2005’s Relativity Centenary celebrations. be Enrico Fermi not all problems are easy an see him and get an explanation of any Note on New Edition by Gustav Born. “ Fermi was a great teacher. aspect of physics that needed clarification. When it came to research, he showed by Rosenbluth’ s account of the animated Eurekas and Euphorias, The Oxford example. Darragh Nagle describes Fermi in discussion, during his thesis defense, Book of Scientific Anecdotes, Walter Columbia and Chicago and the pion physics between Edward Teller and Enrico Fermi Gratzer, Oxford University Press 2004 experiments that we did in the early 1950s. about the state of modern particle phys- Valentine Telegedi in his short presentation ics shows physics at its best. C.N. Yang’s has a wonderful definition of ‘What did article describes Fermi’s early contributions This is a potpourri of brief anecdotes con- make Fermi special “his universality as a to physics in a clear and succinct manner cerning a variety of topics in science intended physicist, his man on the street mannerism and also contains some personal stories to enlighten and amuse. It covers 181 events; and his frugal lifestyle.” ’ Harold Agnew about Fermi. Fermi’s application of his some of great moment, e.g., the discoveries talks about Fermi’s athletic abilities, his statistical model for particle production at of insulin and penicillin, important matters competitiveness in sports, his special lik- high energies to explain the highest energy involving Rabi, Otto Stern, Feynman, Mil- ing and interaction with young people, of event in 1949, the Schein star, is described likan, etc., some completely trivial incidents, the generosity of the Fermis and of their by this reviewer in the last reminiscence in and some examples of pathological science, regular parties in which younger colleagues the book. He tells about Fermi’s enthusias- recycled from Gratzer’s earlier book The Un- and students were an important contingent. tic participation in annual physics Christ- dergrowth of Science. With only 350 pages Geoffrey Chew describes Fermi’s intensive mas parties and ends with two stanzas of in this new paperback edition (the original interactive training of his graduate students a Nobel prize song composed by Arthur hardcover appeared in 2002), this averages on a regular basis. He points out that to Rosenfeld which delighted Fermi. to only about two pages per incident. This Fermi, the relation between theory and the Fermi’s vision of the future is the theme of is like being caught in a candy store after physics meaning of truth was based on the the last chapter, which has excerpts and figures hours—provided you don’t overeat you can Galilean idea of reproducible experiment. In from his address as retiring president of the have great fun sampling. Perfect for taking his remembrances, T.D. Lee tells how Fermi American Physical Society, including a sketch on an airplane. —B Bederson

History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 4 • Spring 2005 17 Letters to the Editor

To the Editor: me that McLennan always took along an The APS meeting last March held a ses- ionization chamber on his frequent sum- sion on the History of Physics in Canada. mer Atlantic crossings to England, for the I was not able to attend that meeting but I same purpose. have read several reports about it, includ- My father left Toronto to join Queens ing some items in the latest “History of University in Kingston in 1913, where he Physics Newsletter” of the Forum of the was offered $100 a year higher salary, a APS. This has led me to think there might help in his marriage. There as well as teach- be some interest in my family experience ing he continued his research in radioactiv- in that area. It so happens that I and my ity, but found it difficult to produce adequate paternal antecedents lived in Canada for vacua with the pumps then available to him. some 150 years, having emigrated from An article in “Physics in Perspective” New Jersey, where they had resided since Vol. 2, (2002), describes the concerns of 1635. In 1786 my ancestor Daniel Pound William Wilson, an assistant to Rutherford was both a Quaker and a veteran of the at Manchester, in responding to an offer British forces, and so became a United from J. C. McLennan at Toronto for a posi- Empire Loyalist qualifying him for a land tion at $1250p/a. This Wilson was working grant in Upper Canada, settling there in in research similar to that of my father and the Niagara Peninsula. My father, Vivian it appears as if the offer would be to replace Ellsworth Pound, studied physics and math- my father after he had gone to Kingston. ematics at the University of Toronto, class Rutherford spoke favorably of McLennan of 1907. He continued there as a gradu- and recommended that Wilson take the job, which apparently he did. Evidently he soon ate student and Demonstrator in Physics, Figure 4. Vivian Ellsworth Pound working on the newly discovered natural moved on, however, to industrial work in the radioactive materials with J. C. McLennan US. The story illustrates what I used to hear It seems that, because his given first name (later Sir John). My father was awarded a about as a concern of the young Canadian was Vivian, they had begun thinking him Ph.D. in 1913 for his thesis submitted in academics at the time, namely that salaries to be the first female Ph.D. at Toronto, but 1912 entitled “The absorption of different were kept low by the availability of young I was told they soon found a photograph types of beta rays together with a study of English “second sons” and the like for the in his 1907 year book which straightened the secondary rays excited by them. On cheap, who were happy to gain experi- them out. I also sent them a copy of a secondary rays excited by the alpha rays ence in the provinces. In view of current photo of him in his Ph.D. regalia in 1913 from polonium.” Some years ago I found relationships with Canada and the border it (see above). From what I understand, my a copy of this work shelved in Harvard’s may be amusing to note that, as an Officer father and his work were quite important Widener Library next to items by Ruth- in the Canadian Army Reserves, my father to McLennan in those early years studying erford, Soddy and other early students of was ordered to patrol the waterfront on radioactivity, and I was surprised to find radioactivity. Publications in those days Lake Ontario at Kingston on the night of so little attention paid to those years in the were in the Philosophical Magazine in the January 18, 1915, whilst my mother was written history of physics at the University UK. My father’s was the fourth Ph.D. in giving birth to my oldest sister. He was sent of Toronto. One evening some years ago physics to be awarded by the University out to intercept anticipated German espio- I took Sir George Thomson to dine as a of Toronto, the first being to McLennan nage agents possibly infiltrating by crossing guest at our Harvard Society of Fellows himself in 1900. At the time they were of the lake on the ice from the “neutral” USA. and I mentioned that my father had worked course aware of competing with Rutherford The story persisted in our family because with radioactivity for more than 10 years then at McGill in Montreal in studying my mother vaguely remembered noticing in those early days and he seemed to have radioactivity. a man in a dark uniform leaning over her been luckier than some in avoiding damage When I was growing up my father told sometime during her night of labor. to himself from radiation. Sir George then me about McLennan going out in small My father’s role at Toronto wasn’t no- told me he remembered my father and his boats on Lake Ontario, known to be a rela- ticed in a history of Physics at the Univer- work at Toronto. When I mentioned this tively deep lake, to see if its depth would sity of Toronto that I was shown on a visit recollection to my father he told me about reduce the radiation coming from the deep some years ago beyond listing his name being asked by McLennan to come to the mineral deposits common to Ontario, and as number four in the catalogue of Ph.D.s lab in the summer of 1909 because there perhaps causing the observed atmospheric awarded from the beginning in 1900. was to be a visit there by Sir J. J. (Thom- ionization. His negative findings were a Recently I was questioned by someone son). My father remembered that J. J. was step toward the later [Victor Hess’s] discov- writing a new history, because it was noted accompanied by his then 16 year old son, ery from balloon flights that the ionization that I and V. E. Pound both were named in George. J. J.’s visit to Winnipeg in 1909, as came from above, as cosmic rays. He told some archives of the University of Buffalo. President of the British AAS, is described

18 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 4 • Spring 2005 FHP OFFICERS 2004-2005 Letters to the Editor Chair: Nina Byers, Chair-Elect: Robert Romer, Vice Chair: Virginia Trimble in his book “Recollections and Reflec- and Electrostatics: Ben Franklin as my Acting Secretary-Treasurer: Kenneth W. Ford tions” (Macmillan of Canada, 1936) and Lab Partner by Robert A. Morse, St. he describes using the occasion to visit his Albans School, Washington, DC 20016 MEMBERS AT LARGE many former “pupils” in (North) America [email protected] is now avail- Patrick McCray, Daniel Siegel, Noemie of whom J. C. McLennan was one and able for free viewing and download on Benczer-Koller , Michael Nauenberg , Harvard’s Theodore Lyman was another. the website of the Dudley Wright Center John Rigden, Roger H. Stuewer I am led to guess that a reason why for Innovative Science Teaching at Tufts my father’s Canadian career was given University. EX OFFICIO MEMBERS less attention might be because in 1922 he The URL for the project is University of Buffalo, across the Niagara Morse’s long interest in Franklin’s work COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIPS River from our ancestral base and taught on electrostatics,sparked by Rodney advanced analytical mathematics mainly LaBrecque’s chapter on Franklin’s experi- Editorial Board and Publications to physics students until he retired in 1955. ments in the American Association of Phys- Committees After that he taught advanced placement ics Teachers workshop manual, Teaching Benjamin Bederson, Chair, William students mathematics in a special second- About Electrostatics (AAPT 1992) led to Evenson, Daniel Greenberger, John ary school for another 10 years. He died in a larger project on Franklin’s experiments Rigden, Michael Riordan, Spencer Weart 1976 at the age of 91. during a sabbatical at the Wright Center at With kind regards, Tufts University. Fellowship Committee Robert V. Pound The result is a web publication of Virginia Trimble, Chair, Gerald Holton, teaching materials in which Franklin’s text Robert Romer, Roger Stuewer PS: I had meant to mention a ditty I learned is presented side by side with modern table as a boy from my father who frequently sang top experiments using inexpensive materi- Nominating Committee it. I don’t know if it is known over here—I als. The downloadable package, available Michael Riordan, Chair, think more likely it came from the UK with on the Wright Center website has three components: Daniel Segal, George Trilling that time. Anyway it goes: 1. An extensive collection of Franklin’s Oh I am a radium atom correspondence on electricity in PDF for- Program Committee In pitchblende I first saw the day, mat transcribed primarily from Bigelow’s Robert Romer, Chair, Nina Byers, Laurie But now I am turning into helium, 1904 edition of Franklin’s work, with Brown, Gerald Holton, Harry Lustig, My energy’s wasting away. additions from Sparks 1837 edition. (two Michael Nauenberg, John Rigden, Roger layouts—one for screen, one for print) Stuewer, Virginia Trimble About the laboratory latterly 2. Nine sections of a laboratory guide I always have seemed in the way, to reproducing many of Franklin’s experi- (Pais) Award Committee I bothered both Kimble and Satterly ments using inexpensive, modern materials. Harry Lustig, Chair, Benjamin Bederson, And many bad things made them say. The experiments are suitable for individual Gloria Lubkin, Michael Riordan, Roger use or for adaptation to classroom use. Stuewer, Spencer Weart Oh I am a radium atom - etc. The guide is illustrated by numerous re- There were probably more verses but productions of plates from older sources (Pais) Award Selection Committee these are all I remember from some 75 as well as drawings and picture s of the Roger Stuewer, Chair, Allan D. Franklin, Lil- years ago. modern equipment, and includes historical lian Hoddeson, Anne J. Kox, Spencer Weart commentary and citations. 3. A set of Quicktime™ movie clips Membership Committee To the Editor: supplements the sections, illustrating the Harry Lustig, Chair, William Evenson, As a member of the Forum on the History techniques of constructing and using the Patrick McCray, Michael Nauenberg, of Physics, I thought others might be inter- equipment. Daniel Siegel, Virginia Trimble ested in the project I have just completed This project was supported by a fellow- on Benjamin Franklin and Electricity, ship from the Wright Center for Science Historic Sites Committee described in the announcement below. Teaching, Tufts University, Medford MA, John Rigden, Chair, Gordon Baym, Sincerely, and by a sabbatical grant from St. Albans Alan Chodos, Sidney Drell, Mildred Robert A. Morse, Ph.D., Physics Master St. School, Washington, DC Dresselhaus, Gerald Holton, Spencer Albans School, Washington, DC 20016 All correspondence should be directed to the editor at [email protected]. Weart A new web resource on Benjamin Frank- lin’s work in Electrostatics Franklin

History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 4 • Spring 2005 19 Presorted First Class American Physical Society US Postage One Physics Ellipse PAID College Park, MD 20740 Bowie, MD Permit No. 4434