May 2011

May 2011

• May 1, 2011
  letter: Right- or left-hand rule?
  A story in the February 2011 issue talks about how Andreas Moll “walked the crowd through the right-hand rule” during a particle physics slam, but the picture on page 7 shows everybody using their left hand. What's the deal?
• May 1, 2011
  signal to background: The James Bond of detectors
  Who needs secret agents when neutrinos are happy to spill the secrets of rogue nuclear activity?
• May 1, 2011
  signal to background: ALICE's tight squeeze
  Anyone who has ever tried to move a big piece of furniture through a small door knows a few centimeters can mean the difference between success and failure.
• May 1, 2011
  signal to background: Physics in a cornfield
  On a cool September evening in a cornfield south of Chicago, dozens of telescopes turned skyward for one of the largest star parties in the Midwest. At the center, Fermilab astrophysicist Dan Hooper was describing something no telescope can see.
• May 1, 2011
  signal to background: Disaster brings physics family closer
  A day after the devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, with strong aftershocks still testing surviving buildings, Japanese residents and physicists were offering beds, food, and rides to stranded foreign physicists.
• May 1, 2011
  signal to background: Saint protects European XFEL tunnel
  To the sound of a traditional German miners' song, the two tunnel builders were lifted up to a shrine on the wall directly above the giant tunnel boring machine. They gently placed a wooden statue of St. Barbara into the shrine.
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  May 1, 2011
  logbook: Protein structure
  Today, scientists at 22 synchrotron light sources are analyzing protein structures, and the worldwide Protein Data Bank contains the structures of more than 72,000 proteins.
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  May 1, 2011
  explain it in 60 seconds: Synchrotron radiation
  Synchrotron light gets its name from the synchrotron particle accelerators where it was first observed.
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  May 1, 2011
  application: Diapers
  In the United States, we buy more than 20 billion disposable diapers each year. That's a lot of baby bottoms to keep dry, and parents everywhere can thank particle accelerators for doing their part.
• May 1, 2011
  deconstruction: Dark Energy Camera goes to Chile
  Doing big science takes big effort and big cooperation. Building and installing one of the world''s largest digital cameras to conduct the most extensive galaxy survey to date requires scientists and manufacturers from across the globe. Researchers from 26 institutions enlisted the help of 129 companies in the United States and about half a dozen foreign ones to fabricate the often one-of-a-kind components for the Dark Energy Camera.
• May 1, 2011
  day in the life: Science fest
  Science fest feeds hunger for knowledge—hammering nails with a banana to spark interest in science and technology
• May 1, 2011
  feature: Eminently noble
  When it comes to detecting neutrinos or particles of dark matter, four noble elements--helium, neon, argon, and xenon--stand out for their standoffishness.
• May 1, 2011
  feature: LBNE: The inside buzz on a new science project
  Planning and designing the $900 million Long Baseline Neutrino Experiment takes more than a village. It takes a hive's worth of scientists, engineers, technicians, accountants, and other specialists of every stripe.
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  May 1, 2011
  feature: Shedding light
  Light sources are the ultimate killer apps for particle physics technology. Their brilliant X-rays illuminate every aspect of the material world, from the inner workings of cells to the intricate dance of the electrons that create chemical bonds. As these all-purpose scientific tools evolve, the payoffs include better batteries, greener energy, new high-performance materials, more effective drug treatments, and a deeper understanding of nature.
• May 1, 2011
  commentary: John Galayda: Adventures of a light-source bum
  I got involved in particle accelerators as a graduate student because I wanted to work in an area that had the potential to have a positive impact on people's lives in 10 to 20 years.
• May 1, 2011
  editorial: Not for the faint of heart
  Winter in northern Vermont is not for wimps. It has been an equally tough season for basic science, including particle physics.