A Forum of The American Physical Society • Volume VIII, No. 5 • Fall 2002 ofPhysics HISTORYNEWSLETTER FHP and the Physics Community – Hans Frauenfelder, Forum Chair The Forum on the History of Physics (FHP) serves many differ- ity, the path to a new law or model, be it the second law of thermody- ent customers. Three groups are particularly important: Professional namics, the Schrödinger equation, or the nuclear shell model, is not historians of science may find relevant contacts among the active straight, but is like a Brownian motion in knowledge space. The path physicists in FHP. Physicists often believe that they know most involves dead-ends, detours, and wrong conclusions till finally a things better than other scientists; the professional historians can correct answer (at least for a time) appears. Invited papers by histo- teach us to treat the history of physics with the same respect that rians in FHP meetings can show in specific cases how the Brownian we treat physics. The second group consists of physicists who walk occurred and how the final answer emerged. Some such have become historians. The third, largest, group involves physi- descriptions may eventually find their way into texts. cists like me who with age become interested in the historical Physics, in most texts and lectures, appears as an austere and aspects of physics, but for whom research in physics is still the impersonal subject. In reality, of course, physics is a living, exciting primary occupation. The FHP is the forum where these different subject, the result of intense and dedicated work by physicists, groups can interact. many of them giants. I have been privileged to get to know many of Teaching for more than forty years has shown me the severe the giants, for instance Bohr, Pauli, Heisenberg , and Kramers, and split between teaching and research that can only be overcome by a have observed how deeply they cared, and also how different their knowledge of the history. In teaching we try to outline and describe approaches were. FHP sessions, I believe, should also focus on the the most logical and clearest path that leads, usually from experi- personal side of physics research mental data, to a concept, model, or law. Students may well be The Forum can only be a living and growing activity if all, or at depressed by the elegance of the approach – how could anyone be least most, members are actively involved. You can help. Please so clever and arrive at the result in such an elegant way? In actual- encourage your friends to join FHP, send us suggestions for topics and speakers, and nominate deserving members for APS fellowship. INSIDE Editor’s Note 2 Reports 2 Forum News 13 APS and AIP News 15 Notes and Announcements 16 Book Reviews 22 Science in Theistic Contexts: Cognitive Dimensions John Hedley Brooke, Margaret J. Osler, and Jitse M. Van der Meer GEMA: Birthplace of German Radar and Sonar Harry von Kroge Briefly Noted: Pioneers of Physics in the Early Days of Japan: James T. Cushing, courtesy University of Notre Dame© Cognitive Dimensions James T. Cushing (1937-2002), of Notre Dame University, was a Hiro Tawara leader in history and philosophy of twentieth century physics and the study of foundational problems in quantum theory. He was a Nobel Prize Women in Science: member of FHP and a Fellow of the APS. The session at the April Sharon Bertsch McGrayne APS meeting, “EPR to Entanglement,” was dedicated to his memory (see report below). He passed away just three weeks prior to the APS meeting. Editor’s Note Help keep Physics in Perspective alive. spective, go to the Birkhäuser Verlag website: Wilhelm Dove. Death of George-Louis This wonderful quarterly journal, published www.birkhauser.ch/journals/1600/ Lesage. since 1999, regularly has participants’ 1600_tit.htm or contact one of the editors: 1853 - Jean-Bernard-Léon Foucault accounts of important contributions in phys- John S. Rigden, American Institute of Phys- showed that light travels faster in air than in ics, historical articles, a regular feature: “The ics, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD water. William J. M. Rankine developed the Physical Tourist” outlining sites, laborato- 20740, [email protected] and Roger H. Stuewer, concept of potential energy. Birth of Evgraf ries with historical significance, artifacts from Tate Laboratory of Physics, University of Stepanovich Fyodorov, Victor Goldschmidt, the history of physics, and important physi- Minnesota, 116 Church Street SE, Minne- Heike Kammerlingh Onnes, Heinrich cists in selected regions (e.g. “Physicists and apolis, MN 55455, [email protected]. Johannes Gustav Kayser, Hendrik Antoon Physics in Munich” in the latest issue), and umn.edu, or contact me (Bill Evenson, see Lorentz, Arthur Moritz Schoenflies. Death book reviews. Another regular feature, “In below) and I will direct your inquiry to the of Dominique François Jean Arago. Appreciation,” is written about a physicist editors and publisher. If a significant frac- 1903 - Ernst Mach published his influ- by a student, first-hand acquaintance, or tion of Forum members were to try Physics ential History of Mechanics. Jules-Henri colleague. This is one of the few journals or in Perspective, its future would be assured. Poincaré introduced the concept of high magazines that I personally value so highly sensitivity to initial conditions in nonlinear that I read it cover to cover. There is no other Some Anniversaries for 2003 systems. December 17, the first successful journal like it for physicists and those inter- 1603 - Death of William Gilbert. manned flight of a heavier-than-air machine, ested in the history of physics, written at an 1703 - Isaac Newton elected President by the Wright Brothers (Orville in the plane) accessible level, with high standards and fine of the Royal Society, a post he continued in at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Birth of Frank writing. And there is a special price for APS until his death in 1727. Death of Robert Philip Bowden, Igor Vasilievich Kurchatov, members ($35 plus $10 shipping). This is a Hooke. Kathleen Lonsdale, Cecil Frank Powell, journal that all Forum members would enjoy 1753 - Birth of Benjamin Thompson, Johann Von Neumann. Death of Carl Anton and benefit from. Count Rumford. Bjerknes, Josiah Willard Gibbs. That is the good news. The bad news is 1803 - Observation of a meteor at Orne, 1953 - Albert Ghiorso et al. discovered that Physics in Perspective is in danger of France, April 26 - Jean-Baptiste Biot fermium. Donald Glaser invented the bubble succumbing due to too few subscriptions. described the event and determined that chamber. Murray Gell-Mann introduced the That would be a major loss for history of meteorites did not originate on earth. John quantum number “strangeness.” Charles H. physics. If you or your institution’s library Dalton established the concept of atomic Townes and, independently, A. M. would like to subscribe to Physics in Per- weight. The elements cerium, osmium, Prokhorov and N. G. Basov, invented the palladium, and rhodium were discovered. maser. Death of Edwin Powell Hubble, Birth of Johann Christian Doppler, Heinrich Herbert Eugene Ives, Robert Andrews of Physics Millikan, Ludwig Prandtl. HISTORYNEWSLETTER The History of Physics Newsletter is published twice each year by the Forum Reports on History of Physics of the American Physical Society. It is distributed free to all members of the Forum. Others who Tunneling, From Alpha Particle some have said that “Thomas Edison’s great- wish to receive it should make a donation Decay to Biology. APS March est invention was the ‘Research Laboratory’ to the Forum of $5 per year (+$3 addi- Meeting, Indianapolis, 18 March as a social institution.” This institution has tional for air mail). Each volume consists 2002. played a central role in Giaever’s life and of six issues. Editor: William E. Evenson, career: “My greatest discovery was when I This symposium featured four talks by Department of Physics, Brigham Young learned at 29 years of age that it was pos- leading participants in the study of tunnel- University, Provo, UT 84602, (evenson@ sible to work in such an institution and get ing phenomena who discussed manifesta- byu.edu) 801 422-6078. paid for doing research. I had become inter- tions and applications, including the current ested in physics, gotten a job at General status of tunneling studies in physics, chem- Editor: Electric Research Laboratory and found a istry, and biology. It was well attended, with William E. Evenson great mentor in John C. Fischer.” Giaever about 120 in the audience. The session was Department of Physics then told about his “second greatest dis- chaired by Hans Frauenfelder (Los Alamos). Brigham Young University covery: tunneling in superconductors.” He Ivar Giaever (Rensselaer Polytechnic Provo, UT 84602 reviewed the discovery that is reported in Institute) began the session by talking about e-mail: [email protected] greater detail in his 1973 Nobel Prize talk: his Nobel Prize-winning work on “Tunnel- tel: (801) 378-6078 “Electron Tunneling and Superconductiv- ing in Superconductors.” He noted that 2 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume VIII, No. 5 • Fall 2002 ity” [Les Prix Nobel en 1973 or Science getics such as respiration and photosynthe- the 1911 Geiger-Nutall law. Both alpha 183:1253-1258(1974) or Reviews of Modern sis.” Onuchic presented his “recent results decay and thermionic emission provided Physics 46:245-250(1974)]. In the right place on how thermal motions may modulate elec- examples in which wave mechanics and the at the right time, having studied tunneling tron tunneling in these reactions. We identi- tunneling effect contained within the theory between thin metal films across an oxide bar- fied a new mechanism of nuclear dynamics led to satisfying unified explanations of rier at GE, Giaever encountered the BCS amplification that plays a central role when otherwise puzzling phenomena.