Home | Publications | APS News | May 2007 (Volume 16, Number 5)

May 2007 (Volume 16, Number 5)

May 2007 (Volume 16, Number 5)Entire Issue

News

Franklin's Secret Message Revealed
APS picks winners of the 2006 PhysicsQuest contest

Reliving the Good Old Days
Physicists celebrate the 20th anniversary of high-temperature superconductivity and the so-called "Woodstock of Physics"

Physicists Present Latest Results in Graphene and Metamaterials Research
Superlensing, graphene ribbons among the most exciting highlights

Session Explores New Sources of Oil and Gas
Large untapped reserves of heavy oils and natural gas offer promising alternative energy sources

March Prize and Award Recipients
Twenty-four distinguished physicists received various prizes and awards

Columnar Jointing Gives Rise to Natural Wonders
Scientists look for insights into the geophysics of Northern Ireland's Giant's Causeway and icy "penitentes"

Quantum Leap Reported for Entangled Photons
Vienna researchers set new record for transmitting quantum key wirelessly, traveling 144 km between two of the Canary Islands

Smart Organisms Use Physics to Find Their Food
Even the simplest creatures employ physics-based strategies to achieve the most effective hunting patterns

Oklahoma High School Physics Student Wins Intel Science Talent Search
Budding young physicist built her own spectrograph and used it to perform experiments

Physics Models Brought to Bear on Gene Transfer, Viral Vaccines
Michael Deems of Rice University hopes his work will deepen understanding of the evolutionary mechanisms for viruses, leading to more effective vaccines for the flu, dengue fever, and HIV

Microbe-Based Sensors Can Improve Security
Physicists are finding innovative ways to improve security technology with astronomically inspired and microbe-based sensors

Martian Features Provoke Sharp Debate
"Razorbacks" on the surface of Mars could be produced by dry grains of dust rather than flowing water

Advanced Lab Instructors Plan New Organization
Association would foster communication among lab instructors and provide professional recognition

Biomolecules Ready for Their Close-Up with New Imaging Methods
Cellular motion in cancer cells can be used as a built-in contrast agent using digital holographic imaging

Opinion

Letters
Correcting the Record on Pauli — Nepal Protest Brings Results — At APS, the Embargo Has Already Gone — Not Every Experiment Has to be Done — Claims for Wind Power Greatly Overblown

Inside the Beltway: Washington Analysis and Opinion
Twelve-Year Term Limits Twelve Years Later

The Back Page
Climate Change is All About Energy

Departments

Members in the Media
As quoted in other publications...

This Month in Physics History
May 1932: Chadwick reports the discovery of the neutron

Nose Out of Joint
/Users/karasik/Desktop/May 07 APS News for Web/Tim-Gay-for-web

Photo by James Riordon

Tim Gay’s nose is out of joint because, as shown in the picture, he tried, and failed, to balance a gyroscope on the tip of it. Gay, professor of physics at the University of Nebraska, was giving a public lecture at the APS March meeting on “the physics of football”; he has written a book with the same title, and is celebrated for his video spots shown at halftime on the stadium jumbotron during Nebraska football games. The gyroscope on his nose was meant to demonstrate conservation of angular momentum, but even though it fell off, the audience of several hundred, which included many school-age children, enjoyed the lecture and seemed to appreciate how much physics there is in blocking, tackling, punting and passing.

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Editor: Alan Chodos
Contributing Editor: Jennifer Ouellette
Staff Writer: Ernie Tretkoff
Art Director and Special Publications Manager: Kerry G. Johnson
Publication Designer and Production: Nancy Bennett-Karasik