From 28 June to 2 July 1971 the German island town of Lindau in Nobel Prize Physicists Lake Constance close to the Austrian and Swiss borders was host to a gathering of illustrious men of meet at Lindau science when, for the 21st time, Nobel Laureates held their reunion there. The success of the first Lindau reunion (1951) of Nobel Prize win­ ners in medicine had inspired the organizers to invite the chemists and W. S. Newman the physicists in turn in subsequent years. After the first three-year cycle the United Kingdom, and an audience the dates of historical events. These it was decided to let students and of more than 500 from 8 countries deviations in the radiocarbon time young scientists also attend the daily filled the elegant Stadttheater. scale are due to changes in incident meetings so they could encounter The programme consisted of a num­ cosmic radiation (producing the these eminent men on an informal ber of lectures in the mornings, two carbon isotopes) brought about by and personal level. For the Nobel social functions, a platform dis­ variations in the geomagnetic field. Laureates too the Lindau gatherings cussion, an informal reunion between Thus chemistry may reveal man­ soon became an agreeable occasion students and Nobel Laureates and, kind’s remote past whereas its long­ for making or renewing acquain­ on the last day, the traditional term future could well be shaped by tances with their contemporaries, un­ steamer excursion on Lake Cons­ the developments mentioned by trammelled by the formalities of the tance to the island of Mainau belong­ Mössbauer, viz. new techniques for Stockholm ceremony and unrestric­ ing to Count Bernadotte, the patron analysing crystal structures to be used ted by the narrow limits of the of the reunion. in studying the most complex of crys­ conventional scientific conference. In most lectures, even if devoted tals, the proteins, with far-reaching Their lectures at Lindau do not have to experimental developments, the consequences on the development of to present anything fundamentally speakers succeeded in conveying biological sciences. new in science but illustrate chosen how their work had furthered man’s Illustrating his review of 60 years aspects of their work including their quest for knowledge about the uni­ of molecular beams with many per­ attitudes to its wider social implica­ verse and how this knowledge could sonal reminiscences Rabi looked tions. They are at the same time help to shape the future of society. back nostalgically towards his early freely accessible to the new ge­ days in physics not all that long ago, neration of thinkers and researchers. Investigating our Universe when few formalities were needed to The nature of the interstellar me­ move from one leading research The 7th Reunion of Physicists dium was the subject of Townes’ talk. centre to another. Apparatus was The following Nobel Prize holders In regions where infrared and mi­ simple and cheap and administrative came to Lindau this summer, all phy­ crowave techniques have only lately problems were minimal ; the results sicists except where stated other­ pierced the dense dust clouds, simple achieved, however, proved to be of wise ; the year is that of their award : organic molecules have been de­ profound and lasting consequence. Hannes Alfvén 1970 tected and one could speculate about Now facilities have increased enorm­ Walter H. Brattain 1956 life originating from these interstellar ously and the saying ‘ Life is a time- Adolf Butenandt (Chemistry) 1939 substances, although many facts consuming and expensive business ’ Paul A. M. Dirac 1933 speak against such assumptions. could well be applied to science. Manfred Eigen (Chemistry) 1967 Werner Forssmann (Medicine) 1956 Astrophysical implications were His belief in physics as the central Ragnar Frisch (Economics) 1969 evident in the effects Kastler con­ core of knowledge of our universe Maria Goeppert Mayer 1963 sidered when treating the behaviour was unshaken : it provides the tools Werner Heisenberg 1932 of atoms in strong fields of electro­ for all other research. Robert Hofstadter 1961 magnetic radiation, and were also J. Hans D. Jensen 1963 discussed by Lamb when he dealt Science, God and Politics Alfred Kastler 1966 with the highly excited states of the Much that started with physics has Willis E. Lamb 1955 helium atom. Describing the latest ended with chemistry, but with mo­ Willard F. Libby (Chemistry) 1960 Edwin M. McMillan (Chemistry) 1951 detectors developed for high-energy dern physics we often find ourselves Rudolf L. Mössbauer 1961 physics, Hofstadter bridged the gap in the realms of philosophy. Dirac Isidor I. Rabi 1944 between particle measurement as guided us there in characteristic Charles H. Townes 1964 practised on earth, using large style in his talk on fundamental pro­ Ernest T. S. Walton 1951 accelerators as source, and cosmic blems in physics. To the basic ques­ Eugene P. Wigner 1963 shower investigations by means of tions Among those absent owing to ill­ astronomical observatories in outer 1) Is there causality ? ness or last-minute commitments space. 2) Are space and time continuous ? were Murray Gell-Mann, Donald A. Cosmic rays indirectly help us to 3) Is there an ether ? Glaser, Tsung-Dao Lee and the USSR unravel the timetable of the recent quantum mechanics gave some ans­ physicists Nikolai G. Basov, Ilya M. history of our planet. Libby, the in­ wers and proved valid for low-energy Frank and A. M. Prokhorov. ventor of the technique of radio­ problems. In order to deal with high Altogether over 400 students and carbon dating, talked about a method energies and very small objects young scientists attended : 325 from of calibration using tree-ring and drastic changes in the foundations of Germany, 40 from France and smaller sediment data, which eliminates physics are required, such as Heisen­ groups from Austria, Switzerland and some puzzling discrepancies in fixing berg brought about in the twenties. 4 Photo PFEIFFER Different answers to the basic ques­ added expenditure by sacrifices in From left to right : (front row) R. L. Mössbauer, R. Hofstadter, Count Bernadotte, E. P. Wigner, tions may be needed and a new their national programme. Concentra­ Maria Goeppert-Mayer, I. I. Rabi ; (second row) mathematics will have to serve as tion of experimental facilities at A. Butenandt, W. Heisenberg, E. T. S. Walton, the basis for a complete theory of CERN avoided the risk of causing a W. F. Libby, J. H. D. Jensen, E. M. McMillan, physics. Finally he added a fourth science ' population explosion ’, al­ H. Alfvén, P. A. M. Dirac, W. H. Brattain, question : Is there a God ? and though a more even distribution of W. Forssmann, R. Frisch. attempted to answer it as a physicist. research centres in Europe remains If there is causality, there is no need desirable. The CERN decision was a for God and a definite answer to the good solution and a fruitful com­ ation that had already manifested question may be obtained by con­ promise. itself — albeit softly — during the sidering the origin of life in the Closer contacts between scientists official opening speeches of the universe. If the chances for life to and politicians were also envisaged Meeting, could now be voiced in start were found to be excessively by Frisch, the founder of the scien­ more precise terms. Heisenberg un­ small, divine intervention would be tific discipline of econometrics. Go­ doubtedly was the main target. Why necessary — a thought-provoking vernments should be helped to for­ had he changed his attitude on the confrontation of science with theo­ mulate the aims of their economic big accelerator — how could such logy presented in inimitable style by policy, and perhaps even their scien­ enormous expenditure be justified in one of whom it was said : There is no tific one, in precise terms capable of view of other, more urgent, demands God and Dirac is his prophet. being handled by computer. A so- of science and society — why such Where heavy expenditure is invol­ called preference function defining emphasis on fundamental research ved, political questions must be faced the aims could be established from to satisfy relatively few scientists — even by the purest of scientists. In the politicians’ answers to a system­ was European competition with the an eagerly awaited talk on the atically prepared set of interview already existent or planned giant aspects of physics and science questions. The social, economic or accelerators in the USA and USSR policy that enter into the planning scientific development programme really necessary ? Heisenberg reiter­ of large particle accelerators, Hei­ would then be worked out by com­ ated his arguments and pointed out senberg reviewed the development puter, to serve, after further dis­ the basic importance to all other of high-energy physics and agreed cussions, as a basis for a realistic sciences of the fundamental know­ that, early on, new insight had been policy. ledge acquired in elementary particle gained thanks to the provision of These glimpses of a science-guid­ physics. The CERN decision had to larger machines. Since then, however, ed and computer-controlled govern­ be a political one and, as such, to experimental results and theoretical ment of the future were a timely be a compromise ; in any case the considerations had convinced him reminder of the growing responsi­ benefits of successful international that, to continue expanding the size bility the scientist has towards cooperation were incalculable. In this of accelerators at great cost, would society as a whole. As Alfvén pointed discussion the differences in attitu­ not yield a commensurate return and out in his talk on the Pugwash des more than one generation apart so he became known as an outright Movement whose president he has became very evident.