Feature: From Atom Smashers to X-ray Movies
When particle accelerators gave birth to the powerful X-ray microscopes known as synchrotrons, they revolutionized the study of virtually every field of science. Now the Linac Coherent Light Source promises to make an equally big leap, making movies of atoms and molecules in action and changing the way we think about matter.
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Editorial:
The Balance of ScienceThe relationship between particle physics and other sciences is by no means one-way, and the most common path to innovation has particle physics technologies and science combining with those from other disciplines to create something entirely new.
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Commentary:
Lesley StoneIt’s time more scientists got involved in politics. Scientists have a way of thinking that is transferable to the policy realm; problem-solving, evidence-based thinking and testing hypotheses are all likely to generate good policy. And getting involved is easier than you think.
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Departments:
Signal to BackgroundTesla coils sing electrifying duets; printers crank out 3D prototypes; breadsick souls hold tastings in Tsukuba; geeks cruise the Caribbean; Congress gains a physicist; Numb3rs character joins the DZero experiment.
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Profile:
Persis DrellLayoffs, budget cuts, a call for new vision in high-energy physics—in her first months as director of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, Persis Drell had a lot to navigate.
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Feature:
Secrets of the PyramidsIn a boon for archaeology, particle physicists plan to probe ancient structures for tombs and other hidden chambers. The key to the technology is the muon, a cousin of the electron that rains harmlessly from the sky.
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Feature:
Outsider ScienceAmateur scientists make important contributions in a number of fields, from astronomy to ornithology. But very few have the background needed to succeed in high-energy physics.
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Gallery:
Miro Dance TheaterThe dancers race around the circle, faster, faster. Wham! They collide, spinning off in various directions. Far from accidental, the choreographed collisions tell the story of science at Fermilab.
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Essay:
Tobin RothleinWe needed formulas or calculations that could translate into the movement of bodies through space and guide the dancers as they improvised. As we toured Fermilab, learned more about the machines and the science, and brainstormed with physicists, we found what we were looking for.
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Logbook:
The Nuclear ForceOn November 1, 1934, at the age of 27, Hideki Yukawa began to write the first draft of an article that would earn him the 1949 Nobel Prize in Physics. He set out to explain the force that binds together protons and neutrons, forming atomic nuclei.
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Explain it in 60 Seconds:
Rare DecaysRare particle decays could provide a unique glimpse of subatomic processes that elude the direct reach of even the most powerful particle colliders on Earth.
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You’re not a trained scientist, but you think you have a great idea that will turn
established physics on its head—if only you can get the right people to listen. What
to do? Researchers who get these pleas on a regular basis say most ignore
the basic rules needed to get a proper hearing: Do your homework. Understand
the language of science. Make sure your theory agrees with the results of past
experiments. Use reasoned arguments. And, gosh-darn it, get the math right! See
story.
Photo: Reidar Hahn, Fermilab
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