November 2006 Volume 15, No. 10 APS NEWS www.aps.org/apsnews Highlights The Physics of Global Terrorism A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY • WWW.APS.ORG/APSNEWS Page 8

APS Task Force Recommends Ways APS Interviews Apker Finalists to Better Serve Industrial Members The APS Apker Award is given The APS can and should do Nowadays, many industrial annually for outstanding research more to serve the needs of its physicists work in small compa- by an undergraduate. Finalists are chosen in two categories: from insti- industrial members, according to nies, rather than the giant basic tutions that award PhD degrees, a task force on industrial physics research labs of the past, such as and from institutions not awarding that submitted its report to the Bell Labs, GE, IBM, Dupont, and the PhD. The finalists meet with Executive Board in September. Xerox. Today’s industrial physi- the selection committee for a day The task force was formed to cists work on projects that are more of interviews, which this year took assess the situation of APS activ- applied, closer to project develop- place on September 11 at SLAC. ities for industrial physicists and ment. There are still physicists in The committee then recommends make recommendations of how large firms, but the nature of their recipients in each of the two cate- APS can better serve this segment work has changed, said task force gories to the APS Executive Board. of the membership. chair Charles Duke. “The global Shown here are six of the seven About 20% of regular APS economy has changed the game. finalists. They are (l to r): Hugh Photo Credit: Diana Rogers, SLAC members are industrial physicists. Industrial physics is a whole lot Churchill (Oberlin), Matthew Pellicione (RPI), Inna Vishik (Stanford), Benjamin Heidenreich (Amherst), Over the past 20 years, this propor- more important,” said Duke. Huanqian Loh (MIT), and Timothy Cronin (Swarthmore). The seventh finalist, Stephanie Moyerman of tion has been falling, even as the Increasingly, support of physics Harvey Mudd, was in Europe on a fellowship, and was prevented from returning to the US by the con- ditions of the grant. The committee conducted her interview via teleconference from London. The recip- percentage of physics PhDs research and development is moti- ients of the 2006 Apker Award will be reported in the next issue of APS News. employed by industry has been vated primarily by economic increasing. In the 1990s, 56% of impact. “In the era of the global physics PhDs worked in industry, economy, if physics as a profession April Plenary Speakers Set up from 36% in the 1950s. wants more investment, it has to As APS News goes to press, eight Gerald Gabrielse, Harvard, “String Theory, Branes, and, if you “At a time when the importance deliver economic prosperity, and of the nine plenary lectures at the “New Measurement of the Electron wish, the Anthropic Principle” of physics to the nation is increas- the people who do that are indus- APS April meeting in Jacksonville, Magnetic Moment and the Fine David Spergel, Princeton, ingly felt via its contributions to trial physicists. Industrial physics April 14-17, 2007, have been Structure Constant” “Cosmology After WMAP” economic growth and prosperity, is very important for the health of confirmed.The slate features many James E. Hansen, NASA, “The Steven Vigdor, Indiana,“New the role of the physicists who make physics in general, and physics distinguished speakers on a broad Threat to the Planet: Actions Needed Results from RHIC on the Spin these contributions in the APS has societies,” said Duke. range of topics. They are: to Avert Dangerous Climate Change” Structure of the Proton” declined to the point of being “It’s a very different world,” Steven Chu, LBL, “The Energy Jacqueline Hewitt, MIT, “The Meeting attendees will be able to almost invisible in the major APS said APS Executive Officer Judy Problem: What Can Physicists Do?” 21cm Background: A Probe of register online at http://www.aps.org activities,” the report says in its Franz. It is important for APS to Francis Everitt, Stanford, “First Reionization and the Dark Ages” /meet/APR07/ starting in early introduction. See TASK FORCE on page 5 Results from Gravity Probe B” Shamit Kachru, Stanford, November. Fellowship Nominations Go Electronic New Website Targets a Broader Audience Starting this year, any APS mem- 2008 deadlines, however, all the which every member is entitled. ber wishing to nominate a colleague paper should have been flushed out Those who have already set up their The address will be the same, but dents and educators, librarians, and for Fellowship will do so using the of the system. the look and feel will be very dif- the public (“physics enthusiasts”). userID and password but may have web. The previous system of down- As the system has worked up to ferent. This month APS unveils its The new website will emphasize forgotten them, can call or email loading, filling out and mailing in a now, sponsors had to mail in their new and improved website at the programs and resources APS Shelly Johnston at 301-209-3268, paper form has been discontinued. nominations, which were then logged www.aps.org. offers for these groups, while still [email protected] . Sponsors with- While most of the current con- catering to the needs of the primary The web-based form allows the into the system manually. Multiple out passwords can obtain them from tent will still be available on the new audience, APS members. The new sponsor to enter all the candidate's copies of each nomination had to be a link located on the Fellowship log- information, to upload support let- made, and then packages of nomi- site, it is intended to be better organ- site will also highlight other APS in page. ters, and to designate a co-sponsor nations had to be sent to the relevant ized, more attractive, easier to nav- websites, including the APS jour- “We have tried to eliminate all the (Fellowship nominations require two units’ Fellowship committees. With igate, and more useful to a wider nals, PhysicsCentral, and Physical bugs,” says Alan Chodos, APS audience. Review Focus. “This will raise APS members as sponsors). about 400 nominations received each Because Fellowship nominations year, a large expenditure of time and Associate Executive Officer, “but This is the first major redesign awareness of the whole family of undoubtedly some will remain. We since the APS site was launched in APS websites,” said webmaster are active for two years, the 2007 money has been involved. hope our members will be under- 1995. In 2005, the APS Executive Sara Conners. process will be a hybrid one, in which The web-based nomination sys- standing as we work to fix any resid- Board decided to update the site, in Content is organized to make the nominations submitted before tem is available at URL http://fellow- ual problems.” Sponsors who have order to better highlight APS pro- things easier to find. The site has the 2006 deadlines will still be in ship.aps.org. Since only APS mem- grams and services, especially those been designed with “user-centered paper, while the nominations that bers can sponsor Fellowship nomi- trouble in submitting their nomina- for groups other than APS mem- principles,” said Conners. arrive after the 2006 deadline will do nations, access to the form requires tions should contact Shelly Johnston bers, including policy makers, stu- WEBSITE continued on page 7 so electronically. By the time of the an APS userID and password, to as above. Mather, Smoot Share 2006 Nobel Prize in Physics APS fellow John C. Mather on the Cosmic Background universe, it was (NASA Goddard Space Flight Explorer (COBE) project. This unclear why the Center) shared the 2006 Nobel orbiting spacecraft was the first to universe con- Prize in physics with detect faint temperature tained stars and George Smoot variations in the cosmic galaxies rather

(Lawrence Berkeley microwave back- than an evenly John C. Mather National ground (CMB) radi- distributed dust Laboratory) for ation–the faint cloud. Theorists “their discovery of microwave signals had predicted that the blackbody from space that are a sensitive meas- form and remnants of the Big urement of anisotropy of the Bang. The CMB was microwaves from Photo credit: Sara Conners cosmic microwave first observed experi- the sky would George Smoot APS web content coordinator Kelly Osborn contemplates all the hard work background radiation.” mentally in the 1960s by reveal minute by many people that made possible the transition from the old APS web site Mather and Smoot will split a 10M Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson at temperature fluctuations, which rep- (left screen) to the new (right screen). After the launch of the new site, she Swedish Kroner (~$1.4M) prize. Bell Labs, for which they later resent variations in the density of will work with APS IT staff to keep it running, to update the content, and to The Nobel Prize Committee received the Nobel Prize. matter in the early universe. It was implement improvements as needed. cited the physicists for their work Prior to the COBE map of the MATHER, SMOOT continued on page 5 2 November • 2006 APS NEWS

Members in the Media This Month in Physics History

“The only way for someone to “Everyone knows what an icicle is kill string theory will be to come up and what it looks like, so this research November, 1783: Intrepid physicist first to fly with a better one.” is very accessible. I think it is amaz- Sean Carroll, Caltech, USA ing that science and math can explain n November 21, 1783, physicist Jean Francois cinated Parisians. The farm animals flew about 2 Today, September 18, 2006 something like this so well. It really Pilatre de Rozier, along with the Marquis miles, and returned to the ground unharmed after highlights the beauty of nature.” d'Arlandes, became the first humans to fly. about 8 minutes. Though the king didn’t care for the “An object at rest tends to remain Martin B. Short, University of O Their flight, in a hot air balloon designed by brothers stench of all the smoke, the flight was a success. at rest–that does apply to the Arizona, on the shape of Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier, was witnessed by On November 21, 1783, the balloon was ready for Redskins.” icicles, UPI, September 21, 2006 thousands in Paris, including the royal family and the first human passengers. Although King Louis James Trefil, George Mason Benjamin Franklin, and soon inspired a ballooning XVI said he wanted to send prisoners on this poten- “You're more likely to study snow University, on the Washington craze. tially dangerous experiment, physicist Pilatre de when you don't have a shovel in your Redskins’ losing record. The Pilatre de Rozier was born in Metz, France, in Rozier volunteered for the honor of being the first to hand.” Washington Times, September 19, 1754. He later became a physics and chemistry pro- fly in an untethered hot air balloon. Kenneth Libbrecht, Caltech, on 2006 fessor in Reims and a member He and the Marquis the physics of snowflakes, of the French Academy of d’Arlandes, who bravely agreed Associated Press, October 2, 2006 “Photonics has been a low-vol- Sciences. to accompany him, lifted off ume cottage industry. Everything The brothers Montgolfier from the center of Paris, rose to “Musicians say a violin is a‘little will change and laser communica- came from a large family in a height of about 3000 feet, and opened up.’ That is so vague.” tions will be everywhere, including Annonay, France that been suc- drifted for about 25 minutes George Bissinger, East Carolina fiber to the home.” cessful in the paper making before landing in the outskirts University, on trying to develop a John E. Bowers, UCSB, on an business for generations. of the city, about five miles from vocabulary for violins that announcement of silicon-based chips Working in the paper mill, the where they began. researchers, violin makers and musi- that can produce laser beams, The brothers noticed that smoke These early balloon flights cians can share. The Charlotte New York Times, September 17, 2006 tended to rise, and that it could were witnessed by Benjamin Observer, October 2, 2006 lift pieces of paper. The broth- Franklin, who was in Paris at the “In proteins, the three-dimension- ers made several unsuccessful time as ambassador to France. “The public assumes, ‘Well, al structure is very important to the balloon experiments indoors Franklin, intrigued by the idea maybe it's not true.’ In fact, the spread function, and this is just one example.” first. They filled a paper bag of flight, predicted that hot air is between bad and very, very bad.” Peter Virnau , MIT, on discover- with steam, which just made the balloons would soon be used Steven Chu, Lawrence Berkeley ing the most complicated knot ever bag soggy. The brothers had in the military for spying. National Lab, on the public percep- seen in a protein, United Press heard of Henry Cavendish’s Franklin died before being able tion of climate change, San Jose International, September 20, 2006 work showing that hydrogen to take a balloon ride himself. Mercury News, September 19, 2006 was much lighter than air, and In order to keep a hot air “Generally, inflation would pre- were eager to put that knowl- balloon from falling out of the “These are the equations of our dict a spherical universe.” edge to use to lift objects into sky, the air had to stay hot, but lives.” Gary Hinshaw, NASA, on some the air, but they couldn’t devise that required a fire lit beneath Wendy Zhang, University of research suggesting the universe is a way to contain the hydrogen. the balloon, which meant a Chicago, on the equations that gov- an ellipsoid, Los Angeles Times, Their first successful balloon was a bag made of heavy supply of fuel had to be carried along, and had ern the physics of fluids, UPI, September 30, 2006. paper and linen, open at the bottom. A fire held at the the further disadvantage that the fire tended to send October 9, 2006 MEMBERS continued on page 3 bottom heated the air in the bag. The heated air inside up sparks that could set the balloon on fire. the bag expanded, making it less dense than the sur- Another physicist, Jacques Alexandre Cesar NRC Releases AMO Physics Report rounding air, causing the bag to rise. Charles, solved that problem by making the first The Montgolfier brothers didn’t quite understand hydrogen balloon. Unlike the Montgolfier brothers, The National Research 2006.) The 17-member the physics involved– they believed thick smoke was Charles was able to contain the hydrogen, using rub- Council (NRC) has released a Committee that prepared the the key to keeping the bag aloft, so they burned things ber-coated silk. Not long after the Montgolfier’s first new report that charts the impor- AMO report was co-chaired by like straw, wool, and even old shoes to produce the public demonstration, Charles successfully launched tant contributions which atomic, Philip H. Bucksbaum and Robert densest possible smoke. Not recognizing that the heat his unmanned hydrogen balloon from Paris. It flew molecular, and optical (AMO) A. Eisenstein. had made the bag rise, the brothers also seem to have about 15 miles, and landed in a village outside Paris, science research has made, the The National Science believed at the time that they had produced a new, pre- where it was attacked by frightened peasants. promise that future research Foundation and the Department viously undiscovered gas that was lighter than air. Jean Francois Pilatre de Rozier also designed his offers, and how the federal gov- of Energy sponsored the study. A But even with their poor understanding, through own balloons, which used a combination of hot air ernment can most effectively sup- pre-publication draft of trial and error they were able to produce a working and hydrogen. On June 15, 1785, he became the first port these advances. While the this report, available at balloon. After making several small-scale tests, they to die in an air crash when his balloon exploded as report–entitled Controlling the http://www.nap.edu/cata- were ready for the first public demonstration. The ten- he was trying to cross the English Channel. Quantum World–focuses on these log/11705.html reviews how fun- meter diameter balloon was exhibited on June 4, Despite early accidents such as this one, balloon- fields, it provides recommenda- damental physics research in these 1783. Tethered to the ground, and carrying no passen- ing became a popular recreation, and these early tions and cautions that can be fields has contributed to improve- gers, the balloon rose high above the marketplace at flights inspired aviators to design more practical types applied to many other types of ments in the quality of life, nation- Annonay. of flying vessels, eventually leading to modern air- basic research. al security, homeland defense, Sparked by their success, but too cautious to fly planes. Though not very useful for travel since they This 224-page document is economic competitiveness, themselves, the Montgolfier brothers planned anoth- are slow and difficult to steer, balloons are still often one of a series of reports in a health, environment, and educa- er demonstration, this time with a sheep, a duck, and used in atmospheric, meteorological, and astrophys- decadal survey that NRC com- tion, among others. a rooster as passengers. The flight, on September 19, ical research. mittees will issue on various fields The committee gives general- 1783 in Versailles, was watched by king Louis XVI in physics. A report on elementary ly high marks to the support of the and Marie Antoinette, as well as a large crowd of fas- particle physics was released this federal government for research spring. (See APS News, June NRC continued on page 5

Series II, Vol. 15, No.10 Department, American Physical Society, One Physics Ellipse, Treasurer Physics and Society), J. H. Eberly (Laser Science), Leonard Feldman (Materials), Akif Balantekin (Nuclear), November 2006 College Park, MD 20740-3844, [email protected]. Joseph Serene*, Georgetown University (emeritus) APS NEWS Editor-in-Chief John Jaros* (Particles & Fields), Ronald Ruth (Physics © 2006 The American Physical Society For Nonmembers–Circulation and Fulfillment Division, Martin Blume*, Brookhaven National Laboratory of Beams), James Drake* (Plasma), Scott Milner (Polymer American Institute of Physics, Suite 1NO1, 2 Huntington (emeritus) Physics), Gianfranco Vidali, (New York Section), Paul Wolf Coden: ANWSEN ISSN: 1058-8132 Quadrangle, Melville, NY 11747-4502. Allow at least 6 Past-President (Ohio Section) Editor ...... Alan Chodos weeks advance notice. For address changes, please send both Marvin L. Cohen*, University of California, Berkeley Associate Editor ...... Jennifer Ouellette the old and new addresses, and, if possible, include a mail- General Councillors ADVISORS Staff Writer ...... Ernie Tretkoff ing label from a recent issue. Requests from subscribers for Christina Back, Janet Conrad, Wendell Hill, Evelyn Hu*, Representatives from Other Societies Art Director and Special Publications Manager ...... Kerry G. Johnson missing issues will be honored without charge only if received Ann Orel, Arthur Ramirez, Richart Slusher, Laura Smoliar* Kenneth Heller, AAPT; Marc Brodsky, AIP Design and Production ...... Nancy Bennett-Karasik within 6 months of the issue’s actual date of publication. International Councillor International Advisors Forefronts Editor ...... Craig Davis Periodical Postage Paid at College Park, MD and at addition- Albrecht Wagner María Esther Ortiz, Mexican Physical Society Proofreader ...... Edward Lee al mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to APS Chair, Nominating Committee Louis Marchildon, Canadian Association of Physicists APS News (ISSN: 1058-8132) is published 11X the right to select and to edit for length or clarity. All corre- News, Membership Department, American Physical Society, Thomas Rosenbaum yearly, monthly, except the August/September issue, by spondence regarding APS News should be directed to: Editor, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844. Chair, Panel on Public Affairs Staff Representatives the American Physical Society, One Physics Ellipse, APS News, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740- Ernest Moniz Alan Chodos, Associate Executive Officer; Ken Cole, College Park, MD 20740-3844, (301) 209-3200. It 3844, E-mail: [email protected]. APS COUNCIL 2006 Division, Forum and Section Councillors Special Assistant to the Executive Officer; Amy Flatten contains news of the Society and of its Divisions, President Charles Dermer (Astrophysics), Kate Kirby* (Atomic, Director of International Affairs; Ted Hodapp, Director Topical Groups, Sections and Forums; advance Subscriptions:APS News is an on-membership publication John J. Hopfield*, Princeton University Molecular & Optical Physics) Robert Eisenberg (Biological), of Education and Outreach; Michael Lubell, Director, information on meetings of the Society; and reports to delivered by Periodical Mail. Members residing abroad may President-Elect Charles S. Parmenter (Chemical), Moses H. Chan Public Affairs; Stanley Brown, Editorial Director; the Society by its committees and task forces, as well receive airfreight delivery for a fee of $15. Nonmembers: Leo P. Kadanoff*, University of Chicago (Condensed Matter Physics), Richard M. Martin Christine Giaccone, Director, Journal Operations; as opinions. Subscription rates are available at http://librarians.aps.org/ Vice-President (Computational), Harry Swinney* (Fluid Dynamics), Peter Michael Stephens, Controller and Assistant Treasurer institutional.html. Arthur Bienenstock*, Stanford University Zimmerman (Forum on Education), Roger Stuewer (Forum Letters to the editor are welcomed from the member- Executive Officer on History of Physics), Patricia Mooney* (Forum on ship. Letters must be signed and should include an Subscription orders, renewals and address changes should Judy R. Franz*, University of Alabama, Huntsville Industrial and Applied Physics), David Ernst (Forum on * Members of the APS Executive Board address and daytime telephone number. The APS reserves be addressed as follows: For APS Members–Membership (on leave) International Physics), Philip “Bo” Hammer* (Forum on APS NEWS November• 2006 3

Mass Media Fellows Reflect on Summer Science Writing Experience A Fond Farewell

Ed. Note: Each year APS sponsors and Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar two mass media fellows as part of developed the fantastic ideas behind a program run by the AAAS. black holes. At WOSU, my stories Typically graduate students in were of course much shorter and sim- physics or a related field, they spend pler, but I was able to call them my eight weeks working for a mass own. I was given the opportunity to media outlet, learning how to com- find a story idea, report on it by con- municate science to the public. APS ducting interviews, write it, and then mass media fellow Marcus Woo produce it, combining my own voice spent his summer at WOSU-AM in with sound-bites and natural sounds Columbus Ohio, while Rachel to illustrate the story. I learned about Courtland spent the summer at US Marcus Woo and covered many topics, from earth- News and World Report in Wasps are drawn to the yellow color, quakes and bird songs to algal blooms Washington D.C. APS News asked and the detergent allows the surface and astronomy. And hearing yourself them to tell our readers a bit about tension of the water to break when a for the first time on your own clock their experiences. wasp lands, spelling doom for the radio is pretty strange, to say the unsuspecting insect. The mesh tent least. Bitten by the Science Bug channels wasps up into a bottle of From this brief but rewarding By Marcus Woo ethanol, where, unfortunately for summer experience, I learned a lit- them, they become part of what the tle bit about the importance and Photo Credit: Ken Cole It was a humble set-up, just off the scientists call “bug soup.” They col- necessity of journalism. I didn't have On September 13, APS hosted a reception on Capitol Hill in honor of the retiring Chairman of side of the road, amidst brush and lect the wasps in plastic bags and any prior journalism experience, and the House Science Committee, Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY). The event was attended by sev- eral members of Congress, Congressional staff, members of the Administration, and numer- trees at the edge of a forested area. I store them in freezers back in the ignorance would've made it easy to ous representatives of the Washington science policy community. In the picture, APS President swatted at mosquitoes flying in the lab, where undergraduates and grad- dismiss journalists as sensationalist, John Hopfield (right) expresses his appreciation to Boehlert for years of staunch support for science. As a memento of the occasion, Hopfield presented Boehlert with a special doorstop hot and humid air. Plastic yellow uate students have the tedious task of superficial, or unscrupulous, willing edition of "The Physical Review: the First Hundred Years" (visible under Boehlert's left arm). trays filled with clear liquid littered documenting and mounting them. to do anything for an exclusive scoop. the ground, and a small mesh tent sat At first glance, this seems to be rel- Sometimes, this may be true. But unassumingly beside a tall bush. The atively modest science. No one’s try- from doing a story on global warm- NAS Study Finds Barriers tent and the yellow trays, which ing to cure cancer or to solve the ing I realized that, at their best, jour- weren't more than shallow disposable dark matter problem. They’re just a nalists occupy an essential place in Remain for Women Physicists handful of scientists who have devot- bowls, were wasp traps. society, as vanguards of information, A National Academy of Sciences women in the upper ranks of science ed their careers to learning about a I was accompanying the curator with power to influence opinions, (NAS) study analyzing the barriers could be attributed to “innate” intel- specific type of bug. But this basic for the Ohio State University insect actions, and the way society pro- to hiring and promotion experi- lectual deficiencies. The report cited research reminded me that science, collection on his daily task of check- gresses–or regresses. With the ever- enced by women in academia con- numerous studies that have found at its purest, is nothing but a simple ing the wasp traps. This past summer, growing impact of complex scientif- cluded that women in science and no significant biological differences quest to understand Nature and all its I was in Columbus, Ohio, as an ic ideas like global warming on peo- engineering are hindered by bias between men and women in math tiny parts. Science is a grand story, AAAS Mass Media Fellow, spon- ple's lives, the way science commu- and “outmoded institutional struc- and science that could account for a story about learning and explor- sored by APS. I was working at nicators tell the story of science tures” in academia. Entitled Beyond their lower representation on facul- ing, concepts and abstractions, exot- National Public Radio affiliate becomes increasingly important. Bias and Barriers: Fulfilling the ties and in leadership positions. ic particles and complex molecules. WOSU-AM, and was wandering the This fellowship corroborated my Potential of Women in Academic The panel also found that women The road-side wasp traps are an halls of OSU while waiting to do an growing belief that stories are funda- Science and Engineering, the NAS faculty are generally paid less and example of how science doesn’t just interview with a scientist for a story. mental, that we are all protagonists panel report called for a broad promoted more slowly than their inhabit million-dollar laboratories or After walking into the insect collec- in our own life stories, that our his- national effort to eliminate gender male peers. Furthermore, such dis- eccentric minds, but that it lives any- tion, the curator came up and talked tories, our futures, and the way we bias in universities in order to max- crepancies don’t appear to be based where and everywhere, as tangible to me. I soon found out he was part understand the world and universe are imize the potential of women sci- on productivity, the significance of and real as a wasp sting. Like the of a project to collect wasps from all like cosmic strings, weaving an entists and engineers in academia. their work, or other performance way an elegant equation encapsu- around the world, and that he was epic tapestry that is the human con- While women now account for one- measures. Rather, it seems to stem lates a theory of physics, the simple going to go collecting later that after- dition. Science–our pursuit to under- fifth of America’s scientific and from more arbitrary criteria, such as story of collecting wasps by the road- noon at a local site across the street. stand Nature–is a story that's an inte- technical workforce–compared to “assertiveness”–a trait which may side captures the grand tale of science. Curious as to how wasps were col- gral part of this epic. While some only 3% some 40 years ago, those be viewed as unacceptable in Perhaps more so than print media, lected, and being on the look-out for science stories are more complicat- gains are not reflected in their rep- women, but desirable in men. radio is all about storytelling. Some another story idea, I said I'd go with ed than others, with more subplots resentation on university and col- Nearly two dozen recommen- of my early inspiration to study him as soon as my other interview and characters, involving genomes lege faculty. dations are cited in the report to physics was the stories of scientists, was finished. and quarks, in their barest of forms Among the more notable find- address these issues. For instance, of the idiosyncratic Richard Wasp collecting is simple enough. they all take the shape of a simple ings, the NAS panel dismissed the university administrators should Feynman, and how characters like Scientists first fill yellow trays with story about a guy collecting wasps by notion that the relative dearth of NAS STUDY continued on page 4 Albert Einstein, Sir Arthur Eddington, water and dishwashing detergent. the road.

MEMBERS continued from page 2 Here’s To My Health phone with experts quickly became obnoxious, tough-guy ones. By Rachel Courtland the most exhilarating part of the My physics background also internship. One day, I’d be chatting proved handy in the problem-solv- “We felt like if we could per- From my time in the laboratory, about seasonal affective disorder ing aspects of writing process: find- fect that bomb and stop that war, I know that you shouldn’t drink cof- and the FDA’s drug approval ing the story, rearranging ideas, and then we were doing a good thing. fee around the chemical hood. I also process. The next, I was talking eliminating clutter. We were saving lives.” know that exercise is good, ciga- about raw oyster harvesting in the I’ve suspected for a while that Daniel Gillespie, on his work rettes are bad, nutrition is important, Pacific Northwest. I wrote about science journalism would be a good on the bomb in 1944, The New and hand-washing can head off a lot how researchers now think that career for me, but until I started York Times, October 6, 2006 of trouble. But that’s pretty much the humidity doesn’t help the croup and work at U.S. News, I had no idea extent of my health knowledge. Rachel Courtland about the ongoing efforts to find a what it would be like. When I left “You'd have to be a lot more When I tell people I studied physics, way to prevent asthma, which often graduate school with a masters, I was an asset. advanced to get a small yield on I pretty much mean studied only reduces lung function at an extraor- thought I would work in science My lack of knowledge about the purpose than to get a small yield physics. Got a basic question about dinarily young age. Sometimes policy as a liaison between field meant I couldn’t and thus did- by accident. There's no reason to solid-state physics, cosmology, elec- tracking down information was researchers and the government. n’t spend an inordinate amount of believe they were that brilliant.” tromagnetism, mechanics, statisti- tricky. I once spent an entire after- But in the middle of a fellowship at time going over every research Anthony Fainberg, on North cal mechanics, astrophysics, or noon trying to confirm the cost of the National Academy of Sciences, paper. My physics training helped Korea’s nuclear weapons test, optics? I’m your gal. Just don’t ask a routine test. knee-deep in report writing, I found me quickly assess papers; even if the Philadelphia Inquirer, October me anything about biology. For the most part, all the doctors policy itself less interesting than terms were foreign, the basic statis- 11, 2006 I had this horrifying realization and officials I spoke with were help- the harrowing process of getting tics and methodology were easy to when I found out that APS was ful, patient, and gracious. Even the complex ideas out of my head and evaluate. After going over back- “It's vindication for an awful sponsoring my internship at the pharmaceutical representative I onto paper. In the future, I hope to ground material, I got to the heart lot of people's faith in us.” health and medicine desk at U.S. called during dinnertime, on his cell write about a wider range of science of reporting: interviews. John Mather, NASA, on win- News and World Report in phone, while he was away at a con- topics, especially physics. I have I was a little self-conscious at ning the Nobel Prize, Associated Washington, D.C. In the end, ference in Florida, took the time to APS to thank for getting me start- first, but spending the day on the Press, October 3, 2006. though, I found that my ignorance answer all my questions, even my ed on this path. 4 November • 2006 APS NEWS

NAS STUDY continued from page 3 require departments to demonstrate enterprise, but bias and outmoded August/September 2006). Yet at the evidence of having conducted fair practices governing academic suc- same time, many had concerns and broad talent searches before cess impede their progress almost about family and child-rearing approving appointments. every step of the way,” said Donna responsibilities and feelings of iso- Institutions should consider form- Shalala, president of the University lation from colleagues, as well as Innovation and Competitiveness: ing a collaborative, self-monitor- of Miami, who chaired the com- the People’s Business ing body to recommend standards mittee that produced the report. concerns about funding, equipment for recruitment, retention and pro- “Fundamental changes in the culture and lab space. That survey was con- By Michael S. Lubell, ment running until November 17. motion of faculty, capable of collect- and opportunities at America’s ducted by the Statistical Research APS Director of Public Affairs It’s no wonder that in the latest ing data and tracking compliance research universities are urgently Center of the American Institute of If Congress fails to fully fund the polls two thirds of the public gives across institutions. Ultimately, the needed. Unless a deeper talent pool Physics (AIP), in conjunction with American Competitiveness Initiative Congress a grade of F for perform- kind of broad, sweeping cultural is tapped, it will be difficult for our the 2005 Second International before leaving town for good later ance. How that judgment will trans- late into Election-Day voting is not change in academia envisioned by country to maintain our competitive- Conference of Women in Physics. this month, partisan bickering will the NAS panel must start at the top ness in science and engineering.” yet clear, but well regarded analysts, The AIP report is available not be the reason. with trustees, university presidents These findings come on the heels The need to address innovation such as Charlie Cook and Thomas online at http://www.aip.org/statis- and provosts. of a 2005 international survey that and competitiveness has been one of Mann, and polling organizations, In short, “Women are capable found that most women physicists tics/trends/gendertrends.html. The the few issues on which Democrats such as the Rasmussen Reports and of contributing more to the nation’s would choose a physics career NAS report is available online at and Republicans have been able to Zogby International, say the odds science and engineering research all over again (APS News, http://national-academies.org. agree. And remarkably, they have are better than even that the come to consensus on just what kind Democrats will take over at least of federal R&D spending is neces- one house. sary to keep the nation’s high-tech That may or may not be good for economy humming–for the new fis- the country, depending upon your cal year, a 14.1 percent increase for perspective. But for the American the Department of Energy’s Office Competitiveness Initiative (ACI), it Back to School: What’s the Point of a College Education? of Science, a 7.8 percent increase could spell trouble. Here’s why. for the National Science Foundation If the Republicans were to retain By Janet D. Stemwedel and an 18 percent increase (once control of both the House and the have very strong feelings about to avoid living on your parents’ pected, and your sense of satisfac- earmarks are taken into considera- Senate, they would likely pass the what the point of a college edu- couch. tion when you figure something tion) for the core programs of the remaining appropriations bills in the Ication should be. First and fore- A college degree that is just about out. You have the power to imag- National Institute of Standards and one week the leadership has said it will keep Congress in town before most: a college education is not job training for a particular career in a ine ways the world could be differ- Technology. adjourning sine die. They would training. particular field is a gigantic gamble. ent. You even have the ability (the Even more remarkably, those are probably do this by wrapping sev- I’m not saying you should be It leaves you vulnerable to changes responsibility?) to try to make the the very funding levels the White eral of the existing bills together in unemployable when you graduate. large and small. I want a college world different. House has endorsed. So getting the minibuses or lump them all into one But getting some specific set of education to give you something This is what I think a college budgets passed for these agencies giant omnibus piece of legislation facts or skills that prepares you for better. What is valuable about a col- should be a piece of cake, right? education should give you: lots of comprising thousands of pages that a particular job in a particular set- lege education is not something a Wrong! Not for the 109th Congress. hands-on experience using your members will have no time to read ting is a very narrow kind of edu- lousy economic cycle can take Remember 1948? That year, mind so you know different ways before voting yea or nay. In this sce- cation. It’s the kind of education away. Democrat Harry S. Truman scored you can think about things and you nario, it is likely that ACI would that you might be able to get in 18 Back when the dot-com bubble start to figure out what you care what historians regard as the great- est upset in presidential campaign receive virtually full funding. months or less at a technical insti- was a-poppin’, I was teaching about. history. He did it by ignoring his But if the Democrats wrest con- tute, or even in your first month on Boethius. (Anucius Manlius Yes, you may encounter a lot of Republican opponent, New York trol of both houses, they would have the job. If all you need is a partic- Severinus Boethius, c. 480 - c. 526. facts in your college education, but Governor Thomas E. Dewey, and a great incentive to tie up the Senate, ular “skill set,” why slog through 4 You were thinking of someone the real value of those facts is that running, instead, against what he forcing a Continuing Resolution until (or 5, or 6, or 7, ...) years to get a else?) they give you experience thinking called the Do-Nothing Congress. February when the 110th Congress bachelor’s degree? Why go through So, Boethius was this big-time about them in different ways. What would convene under their control. that huge checklist of General Roman patrician who was Master of But if the 80th Congress did noth- you come away with is the ability ing, the 109th Congress, according If Democrats succeed in winning Education courses that have no the Offices for King Theodoric, to think about different facts out only one house, a year-long obvious connection to your intend- until he was accused of treason and to Hill analysts, has done even less there in the “real world.” You get the the last two years–if that is mathe- Continuing Resolution looms as a ed career? Why, for that matter, magic, tossed in jail, tortured, and ability to use the facts you encounter possibility. complete all those major require- killed in a particularly nasty way. matically possible. to draw your own conclusions rather Except for the two spending bills Continuing Resolutions in the ments that have no obvious con- Before his execution, he had a lot than having to take someone else's past have generally kept spending at nection to your intended career? of time to mope. Indeed, how could covering Defense and Homeland word for it. (The thing about those the lowest of three levels–the previ- Because everyone's doing it? he avoid wallowing in just how far Security, all other appropriations other people who will just tell you ous year’s spending, the appropria- If all we gave you was job train- he had fallen from having it all? bills failed to make it to the Senate what you should think? Sometimes floor before October 1, the start of tions passed by the House or the ing, you'd be in a tough spot. While in prison, Boethius wrote they lie.) the new fiscal year. The upper cham- appropriations passed by the Senate. Specific jobs can change quite a Consolations of Philosophy, an Thinking is hard. It requires a lot ber did little else, except for endless With ACI carrying big increases for lot. Software engineers use differ- imagined dialogue between him- more effort than floating through the debates and a few pieces of legisla- Fiscal Year 2007, such a path forward ent programming languages, and self and Lady Philosophy. Here's a world on auto-pilot. But once you tion on highly-partisan wedge issues would put science on hold for anoth- deal with different platforms, than synopsis: get started, it's more addictive than such as voter identification cards, er year. they did only a few years ago. Boethius: Boy, it really sucks to potato chips. Thinking is fun. Even sex education, gun control and bor- Of course the public could send Scientists work with new techniques be me. I had everything and now I a little slice of a life of the mind der fences. On September 29 the their elected representatives a clear against the background of new dis- have nothing. message when the pollsters call. (maybe reading a novel on the bus Senate decided to call a halt to the coveries. Teachers have to deal with Lady Philosophy: Dude, snap dysfunctional agony. About all it Bury the partisan hatchets and begin constantly changing state standards out of it. The stuff that really mat- every morning) can counteract a could do was muster the votes need- doing the people’s business, as mem- (and the attendant standardized ters is the stuff that even a sudden fair bit of drudgery (like the job ed to pass a Continuing Resolution bers of Congress are fond of calling tests) and funding priorities. change of fortune can't take from you’re riding that bus to get to). that would keep the federal govern- their work. Let’s hope they do. Chances are the specific job-relat- you. The joe-job is sometimes unavoid- ed facts with which you walk out of A job is nice. So is political able; you've got to eat. But nourish- here will be obsolete before you've power, a fancy chariot, hangers-on. ing your mind gives you something better than just biological existence. Letters paid off your student loans. But you can have all these things Beltway Columns Feature Superficial Analysis More than that, the economy can and still not be happy or fulfilled. A college education can do an awful lot to help you survive the job How much longer do you need to industrial world, due to the depend- change rather drastically. Back And, if your happiness depends on fill page space with Michael Lubell's ence of Europe, Japan, and China market. People who are good at when I graduated from college, a having such things, you're pretty rants? (“Inside the Beltway,” APS on foreign sources of oil (actually, thinking and who like to learn can degree in computer science was an vulnerable to sudden reversals. News, August/September 2006.) The Lubell obliquely mentions this two be very adaptable in a changing instant ticket to the good life. Start- So how can a human find fulfill- APS members deserve to get some paragraphs later). But beyond that, economy. But a really good college ups were falling over each other to ment that isn't all about having lots insightful and original thought about the Middle East is roiling with an education prepares you for life. It snatch up anyone who could write of stuff, or a high-paying job, or a Washington political events. What Islamic fundamentalist movement. helps give you the mental tools to code. Twenty-two year olds were top-rated sit-com? What do you we get in Lubell’s column, instead, I should hope we focus on that. driving fancy cars and eating lunch have that's really yours? What is live a life that matters to you. are sophomoric opinions. Is this the best “Washington at swanky restaurants, or playing the piece of your life that no one can Janet D. Stemwedel is an assis- For example, in his latest “analy- Analysis and Opinion” that the APS ping-pong in the office while trying take away? tant professor of philosophy sis” he muses that “it’s hard to see can find to inform its critical and to work out in their heads how much You have your mind. You have at San Jose State University. She why the Middle East should be such highly educated members? If APS their stock options were worth. the ability to think about things, to writes a blog called Adventures in a focus of American foreign poli- can’t do better than this, then it Boom, meet Bust. When the bub- experience the world, to decide what Ethics and Science (http://science- cy–except for our extraordinary shouldn’t do a political column at ble burst, a solid education in com- matters to you and how you want blogs.com/ethicsandscience). dependence on foreign sources of all. puter science was no kind of guar- to pursue it. You have your sense of Before becoming a philosopher, she oil.” I guess Lubell hasn't noticed Thomas J. Karr antee that you'd be able to work as curiosity and wonder when you earned a Ph.D. in physical chem- that the Middle East is also a high Baltimore, Maryland a programmer. Or that you'd be able encounter something new and unex- istry. foreign policy concern of the entire APS NEWS November • 2006 5

AIP Survey Finds Increase in Physics Degrees TASK FORCE continued from page 1 The number of bachelor’s undergraduate degree production from 2003 to 2004. The total num- retain this segment of its member- access to all the physics literature, degrees in physics continues to has risen sharply for the fifth year ber of first year graduate students ship, she said. “All those who think not just APS journals, one impor- increase, and PhD production is in a row, the report states. Physics in the fall of 2004 was 3040, a of themselves as as physicists are tant finding of the survey was that expected to increase in the next few bachelor’s degrees account for less decrease of 4% from the previous important to the community.” they need ways to locate informa- years as well, according to a recent than 0.4% of the bachelor’s degrees year. As part of its study, the task tion from a variety of sources. report by the AIP Statistical awarded in the US. Foreign citizens Some foreign students who force made use of a recent survey Many work as consultants or in Research Center. make up only about 6% of bache- expected to enroll in a graduate pro- of industrial members. The survey small companies and do not have The 2004 Enrollments and lors recipients. gram were delayed by visa prob- found that industrial physicists use institutional access to the litera- Degrees Report reports the results About one-third of new bache- lems. Previous surveys found that physics on the job, but they are ture. of a survey sent to all 767 US lor’s degree recipients immediate- in 2002 about 20% of foreign stu- less likely to attend APS meetings One currently available resource physics departments in the fall of ly enroll in graduate school in dents were at least initially prevent- and publish in APS journals. They industrial physicists may find use- 2004. physics or astronomy, and an addi- ed from attending their intended are connected to the APS primari- ful is Scitation, a free online search Among other findings, the sur- tional fifth immediately enroll in graduate program. By 2004, only ly through Physics Today and APS engine for physics literature. Many vey found that increasing numbers graduate school in some other field, 12% were delayed or prevented News. Most (almost 70 percent) industrial physicists could use this of undergraduates are taking an mostly engineering. The rest enter from attending. belong to some other profession- tool, but may not be aware of it or introductory physics course; about the workforce. Foreign students made up about al society in addition to APS. know how to use it, so the task 362,000 students took an introduc- The number of US citizens 43% of the first year students at US According to the survey, many force recommended APS draw tory class in 2004. enrolling as first year graduate stu- physics departments in 2004. This industrial physicists are unaware of attention to this resource. In 2004, US physics departments dents increased slightly from 2003 is the lowest percentage since the the Forum on Industrial and However, although Scitation offers awarded 4965 bachelor’s degrees, to 2004, and is up by 50% from the early 1990’s. According to the Applied Physics (FIAP) and its a way to search for papers, users a 36% increase over the low in 1999. low in 1998. However, the number report, this is attributable more to activities. “These people feel like must still have a subscription to In fact, there had been steady of foreign citizens enrolling as first changes in US citizen enrollment they’re on the outside,” said Duke. the journal or purchase individual declines in the 1990’s, but now year graduate students fell by 11% One finding of the survey was AIP SURVEY continued on page 7 articles in order to access the full that industrial physicists, who do text of articles they wish to view. not often attend APS meetings, MATHER, SMOOT continued from page 1 Expanding and improving APS need improved ways to network. member article packs could also proposed that denser portions “The COBE project The task force recommended served as seeds for galaxies that was a very difficult and investigating the possibility of help industrial members, especial- formed later. speculative experiment,” facilitating an online network, sim- ly those in small companies that COBE was the first experi- APS President John ilar to myspace.com, which would don’t have journal subscriptions. ment sensitive enough to con- Hopfield added upon enable networking and interactions Currently APS members can pur- firm the predicted temperature learning of the prize. “It among industrial physicists and chase article packs of 20 APS jour- variations encoded in the map of was extraordinary to would contain a list of persons nal articles for $50. Those article the microwave background. carry out the measure- together with their expertise. The packs are limited to articles pub- COBE found variations at the ment so well. Mather and task force also recommends lished in the past three years. The level of parts per hundred thou- Smoot are richly deserv- improving the on-line search task force suggests that to make sand against an overall average ing of the Nobel Prize. In engine for APS meetings, the those article packs more useful to temperature of 2.7 K. COBE was these political times I add Bulletin of the American Physical industrial members, this be expand- also the first to provide a very pre- my fervent hope that our Society (BAPS) to enable more ed to include all online issues of cise average temperature of the level of investment in US complex searches. An improved APS journals. They also recom- universe: 2.726 K. physical science research search of the archives of APS meet- mend that those who purchase an It was not an easy experiment and education once again ing programs could help industri- article should be allowed to share to perform. The faint variations becomes adequate, and al physicists to find experts in a cer- it with their colleagues as long as in the CMB temperature had to that American science tain field of physics who can be no copyright laws are broken. be measured against a foreground may still be strong consulted about a problem, find The task force also recommends cloud of microwave radiation enough to receive such students with certain skills for job creating new categories of mem- coming from our solar system, awards twenty years openings, and restrict the search to bership that would bundle journal our galaxy and other celestial hence.” a geographic region to allow face- article packs with the membership objects. Furthermore, the motion Since then, other to-face interaction with experts fee. These classes of membership of Earth around the sun, the sun CMB detectors– without having to travel. might be attractive to industrial around the Milky Way, and the notably Boomerang and The Society should also consultants and physicists at small Milky Way within our local clus- Credit: COBE/DMR Science Team. DASI–added more and improve recognition for industri- companies. ter of galaxies also had to be taken more detail to the al members, the task force says. Different contributions to the Cosmic Microwave Because industrial physicists into account. Background Radiation based on two years of COBE microwave background. Industrial members do not receive need access to all the physics lit- Mather and Smoot, together Observation. The most recent and best a proportionate share of APS erature, not just APS journals, the with other members of the COBE microwave measure- awards, prizes, and Fellowship, task force recommends APS “work project collaboration, first teen years ago.“I remember attend- ments have been presented by the according to the task force. This ing the COBE talk in ‘92,” says with other AIP member societies to announced the discovery. The 1992 WMAP detector, which supplies issue should be addressed and create all-AIP-and- member-soci- APS April meeting in Washington, Franz. “We all knew it was excit- the best values for important cosmo- remedied, the task force suggests, ing at the time. In recent years, peo- ety journal packs for individual DC. (See the 1992 press release logical parameters. These include and efforts should be made to APS members and to allow AIP announcing the COBE mapping ple tended to ask not whether it was the age of the universe, the overall secure more active participation worthy of a Nobel Prize, but when and member societies to create breakthrough at www.aip.org/ curvature of spacetime, and the time of its industrial members in APS , similar offerings to small firms as pnu/1992/split/pnu077-1.htm) the Nobel Committee would get when the first atoms formed, as well especially prize and award commit- well as individual members.” This APS Executive Officer Judy around to presenting them with the as the first star. tees. More Fellowship slots should is an important recommendation, Franz was at the APS meeting four- award. I'm glad they finally ended be allotted to industrial physicists, the task force emphasized. “This is the suspense.” and the APS should sponsor a prize what the APS is all about: for the industrial applications of Disseminating the knowledge of NRC continued from page 2 physics in the biannual years that physics to the folks that can use this the American Institute of Physics knowledge to create products and (AIP) Prize for the Industrial services that serve mankind and in these fields, noting that most of of the nation’s defense strategy for ity of the science involved. Applications of Physics is not the funding increase has occurred more than half a century,” it states. With regard to workforce chal- awarded. generate economic prosperity. This at DOE, NIST, and NSF. These The committee also called for lenges, the committee “agrees with Academic physicists publish is a high calling for the APS in the agencies provide most of the fund- continued attention and funding many other observers that the num- papers and attend meetings, and 21st century,” the task force report ing for AMO science. for theoretical research. “Given ber of American students choosing are rewarded for those activities. says. However, this recommenda- “There has been remarkable that progress on the experimental physical sciences as a career is “That culture is not shared by the tion will be challenging to imple- scientific progress in AMO physics side has been phenomenal, this is dangerously low. Without remedi- new industrial physics communi- ment, and would require coordina- in the past 10 years,” said exactly the time that theoretical ation, this problem is likely to open ty,” said Duke. “The new industri- tion with AIP and other member Eisenstein. “Several of the fund- science can play an important up an unacceptable expertise gap al physics members have a differ- societies. ing agencies have done well in role,” said Eisenstein. between the United States and ent value system.” They produce APS staff and committees will supporting AMO science.” Funding will be of critical other countries.” It also noted the products, not knowledge. Industrial consider and attempt to implement However, the report expresses importance to addressing six broad importance of international col- physicists are discouraged from the task force recommendations. some concern about the decline in “grand challenges” that the com- laboration to future advances in attending meetings and publish- The other members of the task research funding in general and in mittee identified. these fields. ing papers so that they will not force were Alex Panchula, Stefan basic research funding in particu- The report also notes that there Based on reporting by FYI, the give away trade secrets. Therefore, Zollner, Mohsen Yeganeh (Exxon lar at Department of Defense agen- are “very significant added pres- American Institute of Physics recognition for industrial members Research & Engineering), and cies. “This is troubling especially sures . . . on research group budg- Bulletin of Science Policy News needs to take into account their Chris Armstrong, (Keithley because fundamental scientific ets,” because of the high cost of (http://aip.org/fyi ). different value system, the task Instruments). Judy Franz served research has been a critical part instrumentation and the complex- force says. as APS liaison. Since industrial physicists need 6 November • 2006 APS NEWS

Ninety Years of Optics Innovation Highlight 2006 Laser Science Meeting

Single-pixel digital cameras and flow affects the structure of micro- sage in this optical noise. new images showing how the brain scopic nerve cells (neurons) in the Shape-Shifting Blood Cells. recovers from stroke were among brains of live mice. The researchers Responding to various chemical and the highlights at Frontiers in Optics studied special mice with brain neu- temperature changes, living cells And the winner is... 2006–the 90th Annual Meeting of the rons that contain the YFP protein, change their shape and their vol- Last March APS News announced a contest for the best physics cross- Optical Society of America which lights up in response to laser ume. The outer layers (membranes) word puzzle. Our panel of experts took into account both the intrinsic merit (OSA)–held October 8-12 in light. In addition, the researchers of red blood cells, for example, can of the puzzle and the amount of physics content, and has come up with three Rochester, New York. Co-located introduced a fluorescent polymer change by tens of nanometers on prize-winning puzzles. Top prize goes to Gary Hodes of the Weizmann Institute with Laser Science XXII, the annu- that fails to enter blood cells but gets time scales of tens of milliseconds. in Israel, whose puzzle is reproduced on this page. The other prize-winning al conference of the APS Division of absorbed by plasma, the liquid por- Now an MIT group has figured out puzzles were submitted by Michael A. Pelizzari and Stephen Irons. All Laser Science, the meeting also cel- tion of blood. When irradiated, the a way of studying such tiny, quick three will receive a copy of the book “Physics in the Twentieth Century.” ebrated 90 years of innovations in plasma glows and blood cells show fluctuations, and how they are relat- Readers are cautioned that (a) Hodes's puzzle is very hard (it is in the style optics. up as dark structures on a bright ed to the cell’s osmotic behavior–that of a “cryptic crossword”); and (b) the numbering system is unconvention- In a plenary and awards presen- background. This enables the team is, to the cell’s ongoing effort to al, since in many places numbers are repeated, once for across and once for tation, Nobel Laureate Steven maintain a balance in the down. Answers to the puzzle appear with the online version of this issue. Chu, the director of Lawrence concentration of ions Clues Livermore National between itself and its sur- Across Down Laboratory, provided a scien- roundings. It can do this, 2 This is an actual difference 1 A curious element tist's perspective on the glob- for instance, by admitting or 3 A useful place to send papers 2 A very short length of wood al energy problem, with expelling water. If the 4 Unidirectional flow 3 Distance 5 Reversed voltage drop 4 45 down of 45 across emphasis on climate change, osmotic imbalance 6 What you need for this puzzle 5 Below this value, things really move then outlined our current becomes too great, howev- 7 Straight from the wall 6 Male cats are made of these options and some areas of er, the cells can burst, an 14 Charges sometimes do this 7 Can be noisy 15 He’s on the level 8 Occurs in physics but not in energy research that may lead action called lysis. Diseased 16 This has one in the form of a band commerce to society-transforming tech- cells are more prone to lysis. 18 A striptease at the atomic level 9 Not quite microwaves nologies. On the left a close-up view of spine vessel relationship in Gabriel Popescu, a 19 Low temperature resistance unit? 10 Energy of an electron gas 20 An increasingly common referee 11 Not positive about this abbreviation Lee Goldstein of Harvard mouse brain in vivo. On the right, projection image show- researcher in the MIT laser ing Texas-Red labeled vasculature and green labeled comment 12 Complement of red Medical School described dendrites taken from a transgenic mouse before induc- spectroscopy lab of Michael 21 French Canadian research council 13 Think sharply evidence that optical tests can tion of ischemia in vivo. Note the cerebral vessels cours- Feld, says that their optical 22 This word is in the correct position 14 A positive outcome of a crusade 23 This term becomes less common 15 A heavy leader ing through the dendritic arbors. detect the signs of microscopy measurements because of email 16 Go to great lengths to amass some Alzheimer's disease in the of the role of osmotic pres- 24 Flows - at the moment time eye even before symptoms appear in to look simultaneously at blood flow sure in red blood cell flickering are 25 Type of number 17 2 by 24 across 26 Rotates 18 A lamp inherited from ones central the brain. as well as important nerve-cell struc- likely to help in understanding clin- 27 Opposite of 23 down American forefathers Single-Pixel Digital Cameras. tures that can be damaged during a ical problems such as the effects of 28 Scatter-brained scientist 19...Handbook of Chemistry and Physics A single-pixel camera, scientists at stroke. the malaria virus on the red blood cell 29 Basic electrical properties 20 This technique resonates with 30 Transpond NSF many users Rice University believe, could even- Murphy’s team found that if blood membrane and changes in the 31 One of the most important compo 21 A stupid mixup over a molten element tually lead to a consumer product flow is restored within 10 to 60 min- mechanical properties of the cells nents of a Gordon conference 22 Unit of energy that requires less power consumption utes following even severe stroke during sickle cell disease. 32 Force 23 An archaic form of 20 across 33 A chemist’s answer for a biological 25 High level proceedings and storage space without sacrific- conditions, the dendrite and spine New Eye Instrumentation. mishap to physicists 26 Energy – even for laymen ing image detail. The new approach structure is mostly restored, demon- Employing methods from astronomy 34 Will force you to eat 27 Environmentally friendly way of aims to confront one of the basic strating that the brain's ability to and physics, researchers presented 35 Elves might use this technique getting down to detail 36 It’s both a solid and a gas. 28 Some physicists prefer to work on dilemmas of digital imaging, name- recover from a stroke may be even advances in eye instrumentation that 37 A weighty term this ly the huge waste of data in going more remarkable than previously promise to detect eye diseases much 38 You’ll find a horse here in equilibrium 29 Grind from a million numbers (the light thought. Preliminary measurements earlier. Ann Elsner and Benno Petrig 39 A Roman lab coat? 30 A law to boast about 40 Only one electron at a time 31 Transports by four wheels, not two levels from a picture taken with a suggest that the nerve cells with of Indiana University presented a 41 These are positively left behind 32 Not heavy but intermittent megapixel camera) to something like recovered structure restore their func- new tool for detecting eye diseases 45 Philanthropic species 39 Directional 10,000 numbers, corresponding to tion as well, according to the resulting from diabetic retinopathy, 46 A Gaussian system of units for 40 This club is for some physicists slow people 41 16 across has one of these the result of a data-reduction trans- researchers. a class of retina-related eye diseases 47 A more international system 42 An Oxford university address formation that takes place right on Fiber Optic Stealth that affects 45 percent of those with 48 Has a well-defined internal crystal 43 Like 20 down the chip inside the camera. Transmissions. Bernard Wu and diabetes and includes diabetes-relat- structure 44 Having eyes that are charged 49 Narrowly fluoresces 45 A lot of people live there The Rice camera gets rid of the Evgenii Narimanov of Princeton ed cataracts and glaucoma. 50 A particular family 46 A current limiter million pixels and views the scene University presented a method for Other research groups are using a 51 A very small unknown object 47 Spread by an urge to dive with a single pixel. Instead of look- transmitting secret messages over technique borrowed from astronomy, 52 Popular length units 48 Most got their first physics lessons 53 Eyes see backwards here ing once at the object using a million existing public fiber-optic networks. called adaptive optics (AO), which 54 A certain type of pot does this 49 Not the most interesting of scientists pixels, it looks 10,000 times using This technique could immediately uses a special mirror whose surface 55 Violet 50 For a particle, this could be either a one pixel. In each of those view- allow inexpensive, widespread, and can be deformed to help a telescope 56 A unit of 24 across little or a lot of energy 57 Captain’s ruling springs to mind 51 A unit of time ings, however, the light from the secure transmission of confidential remove the effect of atmospheric 58 This will mess things up 52 Logic circuit object reflects off the myriad sur- and sensitive data by governments distortion to obtain clearer images of 59 A unit you can't resist 53 Another version of 51 down faces of a digital micromirror device, and businesses. far-away objects. Over the last five 60 This outshines 15 down 54 Increasing potential energy 61 This guy is still on the up–for the 55 Not as far as 9 down the same technology used in projec- Wu and Narimanov’s technique is years, researchers have introduced moment 56 A few cases of this published in tion TVs and digital movie projec- not the usual form of encryption, in laser-based ophthalmoscopes that 62 Sticky particles reputable journals tors. which computer software scrambles use AO technology. 63 392 Hz or some multiple 64 Letters useful also for public How the Brain Recovers from a message. Instead, this is a more Yuhua Zhang of the University of relations Stroke. New study results provide hardware-oriented form of encryp- California, Berkeley presented a new- 65 A junction encouraging new information on tion–it uses the real-world properties generation AO scan- 66 spin fast to get away from the smell how the brain can recover after of an optical-fiber network to cloak ning laser ophthalmo- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 severe strokes if treated early. It is the a message. The sender transmits an scope (AOSLO) that 3 456 first published experiment monitor- optical signal that is so faint that it uses a micro-electro- ing blood flow and individual brain is very hard to detect, let alone mechanical deformable 7 13 14 15 15 16 16 17 cells at the same time. Tim Murphy decode. The method takes advan- mirror. This miniature, 18 19 20 20 of the University of British Columbia tage of the fact that real-world fiber flexible mirror could 21 22 23 21 said the result suggests that rapid optics systems inevitably have low potentially be mass- treatment could offer new hope to levels of “noise,” random jitters in produced, thus offering 24 22 23 25 26 human stroke patients. the light waves that transmit infor- the prospect of a small- 2627 27 2828 29

Murphy and his colleagues mation through the network. The er, more cost-effective 3029 31 30 32 33 watched how the disruption of blood new technique hides the secret mes- AO system. 34 35 36 31

ETS Announces Newly Revised GRE Test 37 38 32 39 40

40 41 41 4243 44 45 Starting in the fall of 2007, the ulty members are involved with will place less empha- Educational Testing Service will admissions to their graduate pro- sis on vocabulary and 46 47 48 46 49 introduce some changes to the GRE grams, and almost all graduate pro- more emphasis on skills 50 47 51 general test. grams require applicants to take the related to graduate 52 48 53 54 Physics departments need to be GRE general and subject tests. The work, such as complex aware of these changes, says Ted physics subject test will remain reasoning. There will 5549 50 56 Hodapp, APS Director of Education, unchanged. be more reading pas- 57 51 58 so they can advise students who may In the new general test, both the sages. The new quanti- 59 52 60 53 be preparing for this test, and so they verbal and quantitative sections will tative reasoning section understand what the the scores mean focus more on the skills necessary for will have fewer geom- 61 62 5463 55 56 when considering applications to success in graduate school. The ver- etry questions and more 64 65 66 their graduate programs. Many fac- bal reasoning section of the new test ETS continued on page 7 APS NEWS November • 2006 7

Nine Physicists Honored at November Division Meetings ANNOUNCEMENTS Five APS prizes and awards will Citation: “For developing the gral experiments as invited talks at be awarded this month, honoring Fast Ignition inertial fusion concept the APS. APS CONGRESSIONAL SCIENCE FELLOWSHIP nine physicists for their work in plas- and for demonstrating key aspects of 2007-2008 ma physics and fluid dynamics. The it in a series of experiments that have Rosenbluth Award 2006 James Clerk Maxwell Prize, catalyzed the world-wide effort on Cameron Geddes Excellence in Plasma Physics Award the concept.” Lawrence Berkeley National THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY is currently accept- and Rosenbluth Award will be pre- Kodama is a professor of engi- Laboratory ing applications for the Congressional Science Fellowship Program. sented during the annual meeting of neering at Osaka University. He stud- Fellows serve one year on the staff of a senator, representative or Citation: “For experimental and the APS Division of Plasma Physics, ied electrical engineering and sci- congressional committee. They are afforded an opportunity to learn to be held October 30 to November ence at Osaka University, earning computational studies of channel- the legislative process and explore science policy issues from the 3 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The his PhD degree in 1990. He was a guided laser wakefield accelerators.” lawmakers’ perspective. In turn, Fellows have the opportunity to 2006 Fluid Dynamics Prize and visiting researcher at Clarendon Geddes is a physicist in the LOA- lend scientific and technical expertise to public policy issues. SIS program at Lawrence Berkeley Andreas Acrivos Award will be pre- Laboratory, Oxford University and QUALIFICATIONS include a PhD or equivalent in physics or sented during the annual meeting of Central Laser Facility, Rutherford National Laboratory, where he works a closely related field, a strong interest in science and technology the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics, Appleton in UK from 1990 to 1992, on laser-driven particle acceleration policy, and, ideally, some experience in applying scientific knowl- to be held November 19-21 in Tampa when he joined Osaka University’s and intense laser-matter interaction. edge toward the solution of societal problems. Fellows are required Bay, Florida. Institute of Laser Engineering. He is He received his PhD in physics in to be US citizens and members of the APS. now exploring high energy density 2005 from the University of James Clerk Maxwell TERM OF APPOINTMENT is one year, beginning in science in methods of introducing a California, Berkeley. His thesis work September of 2007 with participation in a two-week orientation spon- Prize plasma photonics concept to con- demonstrated the first laser-driven sored by AAAS. Fellows have considerable choice in congression- Chandrashekhar J. Joshi trol intense light and high energy accelerator in which the laser pulse al assignments. University of California density charged particles. propagation was controlled by a pre- Los Angeles Norreys started his study of laser- formed plasma channel, resulting in A STIPEND of $50,000 is offered in addition to allowances for plasma interaction physics at Royal production of mono-energetic beams relocation, in-service travel, and health insurance premiums. Citation: “For his insight and Hollow College, University of for the first time in a laser wakefield APPLICATION should consist of a letter of intent of leadership in applying plasma con- London. After obtaining his PhD in accelerator. approximately two pages, a list of key publications, a two-page cepts to high energy electron and 1988, he was awarded a JSPS post- resume, and three letters of reference. Please see the APS website positron acceleration, and for his doctoral fellowship at the Institute of creative exploration of related aspects Fluid Dynamics (http://www.aps.org/public_affairs/fellow/index.cfm) for detailed Laser Engineering at Osaka Prize information on materials required for applying and other informa- of plasma physics.” University, Japan. He took up a posi- Joshi is a Distinguished Professor tion on the program. tion at the Rutherford Appleton Thomas Lundgren of Electrical Engineering at UCLA. Laboratory upon his return to the University of Minnesota He is also the director of the Center ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS MUST BE UK in 1990. He has held a number for High Frequency Electronics and Citation: “For his insightful the- POSTMARKED BY JANUARY 15, 2007 AND SHOULD of UK research council grants that heads the Neptune Laboratory for oretical contributions to numerous BE SENT TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS: have investigated high intensity laser- Advanced Accelerator Research at areas of fluid mechanics, most plasma interaction physics relevant UCLA. He received his PhD in 1978 notably in the fields of turbulence and APS Congressional Science Fellowship Program to fast ignition of fusion targets. He from Hull University in the UK. vortex dynamics.” c/o Jackie Beamon-Kiene has led the Physics Group at the Following a two year stint as a APS Executive Office Central Laser Facility since 2001, Biographical information research associate at the National One Physics Ellipse and is currently a visiting professor unavailable at press time. Research Council of Canada, where College Park, MD 20740-3843 of physics at the Blackett Laboratory, he worked on laser-plasma interac- Imperial College London. Andreas Acrivos tions, he joined UCLA. Joshi has Tabak received his PhD from the Award built a strong research group that University of California, Berkeley in has done pioneering work in the Eric Lauga Now Appearing in RMP: Recently Posted 1975 in experimental high energy areas of laser-plasma instabilities, MIT Reviews and Colloquia physics. He followed this work with plasma-based light sources, laser- You will find the following in the online edition of post-doctoral training in elementary Citation: “For his dissertation, fusion, and basic plasma experi- Reviews of Modern Physics at http://rmp.aps.org particles at the Weizmann Institute ‘Slip, Swim, Mix, Pack: Fluid ments. His group is best known, Tests of the standard electroweak model in nuclear beta decay of Science and at Carnegie Mellon Mechanics at the Micron Scale,’ a however, for developing the field of Nathal Severijns, Marcus Beck and Oscar Naviliat–Cuncic University. Since 1980, Tabak has treatment of slip and mixing relevant plasma-based particle accelerators been associated with Lawrence to micron-scale geometries, swim- over the past two decades. He is also The standard model of elementary particle physics has established Livermore National Laboratory and ming of micro-organisms, and self- a past recipient of DPP’s Excellence itself through its great success in the description of a wealth of is now a group leader in the Defense assembly of colloidal particles.” in Plasma Physics Award. physical phenomena. Despite its success, however, many open and Nuclear Technology Department Lauga received an undergraduate questions towards its general validity remain. The present article Award for Excellence as well as Associate Program Leader degree from the Ecole Polytechnique reviews the current status of precision tests of the electroweak in Plasma Physics for Inertial Fusion Target Design in in France in 1998, and then joined model in the low energy sector by considering nuclear beta decay, Research the Fusion Energy Program. His cur- the Corps de Mines program at the which is a semileptonic strangeness–conserving process involving rent research involves designing opti- Ecole des Mines in Paris, during to lowest order only the lightest leptons and quarks interacting via Ryosuke Kodama mized implosion systems and reduc- exchange of heavy vector bosons. The potential and prospects of Osaka University which he spent a year at the ing ignition laser requirements for University of California, San Diego. such precision measurements, in particular, are emphasized to look Peter Norreys Fast Ignition. After receiving the French equiva- for physics beyond the standard model. Rutherford Appleton Tanaka finished his PhD at the lent of a master’s degree from the Laboratory Laboratory for Laser Energetics, WEBSITE continued from page 1 University of Paris IV, he went on to A calendar of upcoming meet- staff member, Kelly Osborn, to coor- Max Tabak University of Rochester in 1982. He earn his PhD in 2005 from Harvard ings and a set of quick links will also dinate content for the website. She Lawrence Livermore stayed at the University of Rochester University. His thesis work con- enhance usability of the new site for will stay in touch with all APS depart- National Laboratory for three years and then he joined the faculty at Osaka University. His cerned theoretical investigations of APS members. ments to ensure that content is up-to- Kazuo Tanaka major interests include fast ignition, flow behavior at the micron scale. He Throughout the redesign process, date and well organized. Osaka University laser plasma interactions, and equa- is currently an assistant professor of Beaconfire Consulting assisted APS The new site will be updated reg- Scott Wilks tions of state. He reported the first applied mathematics at MIT, focus- staff with the strategy, architecture, ularly to feature different APS pro- Lawrence Livermore deuterium fuel implosion using foam ing on problems in biofluid mechan- and design and development of the grams and highlight news items, so National Laboratory spherical shells and fast ignition inte- ics and microfluidics. new site. APS has also hired a new users should check back often.

ETS continued from page 6 AIP SURVEY continued from page 5 questions related to “real-life” scenar- puter on approximately 30 days per than to changes in the number of predict steady increases in the num- women increased since 1993 to a ios. The new analytical writing meas- year, and starting times will be stag- foreigners enrolling. ber of physics PhDs through the high of 23% in 2001, and has lev- ure will use more focused prompts gered across time zones to address There were 1090 PhDs awarded 2009-2010 academic year. The pro- eled out since then. The proportion to reduce the possibility of reliance security concerns. in the class of 2004, about 26% portion of PhDs earned by foreign of PhDs awarded to women dropped on memorized materials. The new test will have a new scor- fewer than the number of PhDs pro- citizens has increased from 45% in to 16% in 2004, down from the high ETS will also change the way the ing scale, and scores on the new test duced about a decade ago. 2000 to 54% in 2004, but the study of 18% in 2003. test is administered. The GRE gen- cannot be compared directly with On average, PhD recipients in predicts that US citizens will be the Minorities continue to be under- 2002 and 2003 reported taking six majority again within a few years. represented among physics degree eral test had been a computer-based scores on the old version, though years of full time study and research In the PhD class of 2003, 68% recipients at all levels, the report adaptive test, which presented ques- ETS will issue a concordance table to complete their degrees. accepted a postdoc as their first states. tions to the test taker according to per- that will help users understand the PhD production has been flat for position. The percentage accepting Historically black colleges and formance on previous questions. relationship between old and new the past several years. Based on postdocs continues to increase, universities (HBCUs) accounted Starting in the fall of 2007, the GRE scores. first year enrollment figures and according to the report. for 52% of all physics bachelors will be a linear test, with all test tak- More information about the the average time it takes students to The proportion of bachelors and 31% of PhDs conferred to ers receiving the same questions. revised GRE can be found at earn a degree, the report’s authors degrees in physics awarded to African Americans, the study found. The test will be administered on com- www.ets.org/gre. 8 November • 2006 APS NEWS The Back Page

t has become hard for us to high attack strength. When a given watch a nightly news bul- The Mother (Nature) of All Wars? attack unit undertakes an attack, it letin without hearing phras- creates a number of casualties pro- es such as “thirty dead in Modern Wars, Global Terrorism, and Complexity Science portional to its strength–hence the Iraq,” “five wounded in distribution of attack-unit strengths Afghanistan,” “three guer- by Neil F. Johnson will reflect the distribution of casu- Irilla attacks in Colombia,” or “ten alties which arise in the war. killed in a terrorist bomb in Indonesia.” We are then typ- When our model is solved analytically, it produces a ically presented with a number of studio experts who try power-law with α =2.5. If we then make the group for- to explain away the numbers by drawing on idiosyncrat- mation-dissociation probabilities depend on the existing ic details of the conflict in question. Although often uncon- group sizes, this α value can be moved toward 2.0 or 3.0, vincing, their approach is perfectly defensible given the thereby incorporating all the results for modern wars. very different origins, motivations, locations and durations Generalizing the model further to include multiple insur- of these separate conflicts. However recent research by a gent groups, yields a near-perfect fit with the real data over multi-disciplinary team of Complexity scientists suggests the entire range of x, including the nonlinear deviations that all these sociological, political and strategic experts at high and low x. Hence we can explain the entire range may have missed something crucial. of casualty events in all modern wars and terrorism using Using techniques from the physics of Complex Systems, slight variations of the same basic model. the research team has shown that the dynamics underly- While outside the realm of traditional physics, this new ing all such modern conflicts, including global terrorism, line of physics research has led to a novel quantitative are remarkably universal. Furthermore they have devel- understanding of current world conflicts, terrorism and oped a physics-based theory describing the dynamics of insurgent warfare. In particular, it suggests that the dynam- insurgent group formation and attacks, which neatly ics of insurgent group formation are the same across all explains the universal patterns observed in all modern arenas–from the jungles of Colombia through to the wars and terrorism. The implications are quite sobering: Log-log plot of the fraction of all events in the Iraq War with x or more casu- deserts of Iraq, and including the entire world stage of glob- Regardless of the origins and locations of modern conflicts, alties, versus x. Squares are actual war data. The line is produced by the al terrorism. In short, the way in which modern wars and physics-based analytic model (see inset). All modern wars, including terror- the insurgent groups in each case are operating in the ism, show power-law like behavior with exponents in the vicinity of 2.5. The terrorism are being waged has less to do with geography same way. In short, it is effectively the same enemy on all analytic model considers insurgent armies as an ecology of attack units, which or ideology, and more to do with the day-to-day mechan- fronts. undergo frequent coalescence and fragmentation. The number of dark shad- ics of human insurgency–in other words, it is simply the There are two reasons why the field of human conflict ows is proportional to the number of casualties which each attack unit can way in which insurgent groups of human beings fight when typically inflict in a conflict event. Full details are given in e-print “Universal should be of interest to a physicist. First, the increased avail- patterns underlying ongoing wars and terrorism,” by Neil F. Johnson, Mike faced with a much stronger, but more rigid, opponent. As ability of computerized datasets means that there is a data Spagat, Jorge A. Restrepo, Oscar Becerra, Juan Camilo Bohorquez, Nicolas a consequence of this, it would seem that unless the revolution underway across the social sciences–just as Suarez, Elvira Maria Restrepo, Roberto Zarama, which is available at stronger, but more rigid, opponent can change its tactics, the field of astronomy recently caught alight as a result http://xxx.lanl.gov/abs/physics/0605035 the same statistical patterns of casualties will be repeat- of improved data collection. Human conflict is as old as ed indefinitely into the future. mankind itself–however, a lack of reliable time-series data It means there is no typical size of event –unlike the bell-curve What about the future of this research? Having looked at in the past has kept it out of reach of the quantitative sciences. for population heights, for example, which is centered around event sizes, we are now focusing on their timing–not only in This has now changed with the media, governments and an average height. Deadly events with many casualties will ongoing wars, but also in organized crime activity including non-governmental organizations all now regularly collecting occur–rarely, but they will occur. This is again unlike the case homicides, kidnappings and extortion. With the help of Sean data on ongoing conflicts. Admittedly the analysis of their of heights, where the chances that someone will be taller than Gourley, Juan Camilo Bohorquez and Elvira Restrepo at the datasets is not always straightforward–not only do the indi- ten feet are truly negligible. Universidad de Los Andes in Colombia, we have success- vidual agencies differ in their numbers, but the way in which But the surprises don't stop there. Not only did we obtain fully created multi-agent models which mimic the decision- the figures are reported can differ quite markedly. Extensive straight-line slopes, but these slopes all produced a power- making dynamics of insurgent groups, just as had been done cross-checks from the various sources must therefore be car- law exponent α near 2.5. Furthermore Aaron Clauset and co- earlier for groups of financial traders within the so-called ried out prior to any data analysis. workers recently analyzed an extensive database of global Econophysics community (see Financial Market Complexity The second reason touches the fascinating aspect of terror events, and also obtained a power-law–with an α value (Oxford University Press, 2003)). By analyzing the size, Complexity Science itself. In particular, modern wars seem equal to 2.5. By contrast when we looked at data from older timing and spatial coordinates of a given event, as well as to exhibit all the common characteristics of Complex Systems: wars–such as the civil wars in the US, Spain and Russia –we the groups involved, we are now able to reconstruct the pos- (1) There is feedback, both at the microscopic and macro- found no statistical evidence for a power-law at all. sible trails which a particular insurgent group might have fol- scopic scale, yielding a system with memory and non- Furthermore, the power-law exponent is insensitive to any lowed. Just as in a multi-species ecological setting within the Markovian dynamics. (2) The time-series of events is non- systematic over- or under-reporting of casualties, because the natural world, we are interested in determining the behav- stationary. (3) There are many types of “particle,” according overall number of casualties is just a normalizing factor. iors and possible protocols which arise when a particular group to the various armed actors, and they interact in possibly time- Hence the power-law signature successfully focuses on the from insurgent army A happens to cross the path of a partic- dependent ways. The war's evolution is then driven by this war's internal pattern of events and hence casualties, as ular group from insurgent army B. In particular, we are try- ecology of agents. (4) The agents can adapt their behavior opposed to simply monitoring the aggregate number. ing to deduce whether they decide to fight each other, col- and decisions based on past outcomes. The system is far But why should 2.5 be such a magic number for modern laborate, ignore each other–or even consciously avoid each from equilibrium and can exhibit extreme behavior–for exam- wars and global terrorism? To answer this, we developed a other. Going further, we know that wars like the ones in ple, if the strategies of several groups of agents suddenly coin- model of dynamical group-formation to describe an insur- Colombia and Afghanistan have taken place against the back- cide. (5) The observed war constitutes a single realization of gent force. Our cue came from the fact that most modern wars, drop of an illicit trade such as drug trafficking. This activi- the system's possible trajectories. (6) The system is open, with including terrorism, can be characterized by an asymmetric ty provides an effective nutrient supply in the form of money this coupling to the environment making it hard to distinguish ‘David-and-Goliath’ structure in which a small, but agile, insur- for buying supplies and weapons, and thereby helps feed the between exogenous (i.e. outside) and endogenous (i.e. inter- gent force faces a much stronger, but more rigid, institution- war as a whole. So just like a fungus will thrive in a forest, nal, self-generated) effects. al force such as a state’s army. Because of its less rigid struc- or a cancer tumour will thrive in a host, these armed groups Mike Spagat from the University of London, Jorge Restrepo ture, the insurgent force is able to self-organize itself into a are fed by a rich source of nutrients which allows them to and Roberto Zarama in Bogota, Colombia, and I have com- loosely connected soup of attack units which combine and self-organize into a robust structure. Admittedly, just like a piled, cross-checked and analyzed event datasets for a wide dissociate over time in response to their own ad hoc opera- jungle itself, this is all very far from our everyday experiences variety of ongoing and recent wars, including acts of global tions, and in response to the state army's operations. These as physicists. But the exciting news is that the tools to help terrorism. In each case, we plotted the histogram of the num- attack units are shown in the inset in the figure. The number answer such unlikely questions are now beginning to emerge ber of events within a given war with x or more casualties, of dark shadows in each unit is proportional to the number –and they are emerging from a very unlikely source: Physics. versus x, on a log-log plot. What we found was really quite of casualties that that unit will inflict in a typical conflict event. startling. Although wars are the antithesis of a ordered sys- Each attack unit comprises a group of people, weapons, tem, the datapoints for each war fell neatly on to a straight explosives, machines, or even information, which temporar- Neil Johnson is a Professor of line (see the figure). This suggests a power-law behavior, which ily organizes itself to act as a single unit. In the case of peo- Physics at Oxford University, we then confirmed statistically. We repeated this exercise for ple, this means that they are probably connected by a com- where he runs a research group wars as diverse as Israel, Senegal, Peru, Afghanistan and mon location, or by some common communication system. focusing on complex systems in Colombia. In each case we obtained a power-law, i.e. the frac- However, an attack unit may also consist of a combination the classical and quantum tion of events with x casualties varies as x-a. This finding is of people and objects–for example, explosives plus a few peo- domains. See“Financial remarkable given the different conditions, locations and dura- ple, such as in the case of suicide bombers. Such an attack Market Complexity,” (Oxford tions of these separate wars. For example, the Iraq war is being unit, while only containing a few people, could have a high University Press, 2003) and fought in the desert and cities and is fairly recent, while the attack strength. Information could also be a valuable part of “Two's Company, Three is twenty-year old Colombian war is being fought in mountain- an attack unit. A lone suicide bomber who knows when a cer- Complexity”(Oneworld ous jungle regions against a back-drop of drug-trafficking and tain place will be densely populated–for example a military Publishing, 2007) for more details. Mafia activity. This power-law finding also has some very canteen at lunchtimes–and who knows how to get into such important practical implications in terms of military planning. a place unnoticed, will also represent an attack unit with a

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