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May 2011 (Volume 20, Number 5)

May 2011 (Volume 20, Number 5) Entire issue

News

Promise Lies Ahead for Superconductivity After 100 Years
During the March Meeting, scientists, researchers and historians marked the 100th anniversary of the discovery of superconductivity by recalling its history and promise

Fukushima Disaster Alters Dialogue at Nuclear Session
After the nuclear accident in Japan, March's "Drowning in Carbon" session became a focal point for discussing the potential and pitfalls of nuclear power

March Meeting Teems with Graphene Talks
Graphene is one of the hottest areas of research in physics, buoyed by the recent Nobel Prize

New Awards Issue a Call for Nominations
APS members are urged to nominate candidates for APS awards that are making their debut this year

APS Website Hosts Ethics Training Materials
Faculty and others looking to teach the ethics of physics research can now access an activity and discussion guide on the APS website

Materials Physicists Attracted to Spider Webs
The physics of spider webs was among the many breakthroughs in materials science presented at this year’s March Meeting

Spice Ingredient Touted as Explosive Detector
New research into chemical detectors has led down some unorthodox roads, including how an ingredient in some curries can be used to detect explosives

Physics Sheds Light on Cancer and Bacteria Evolution
Physicists who presented their research at this year’s March Meeting hope to use physics to unlock the secrets of such deadly phenomena as tumor metastasis and drug resistance

Opinion

Letters to the Editor
Don’t Be Ridiculous!• Strange Memory Demands Confirmation • Let APS Members Speak for Themselves

The Back Page
The Gulf Oil Spill Commission: An Inside Look

Viewpoint
Another SSC Moment?

Inside the Beltway
The Path Forward May Get Considerably Harder

Departments

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

This Month in Physics History
François-Marie Raoult and Raoult’s Law: May 23, 1887

The Education Corner
A column on educational programs and publications

Zero Gravity: The Lighter Side of Science
Willebrord Snellius, also known as Willebrord Snel (or Snell) van Royen

Profiles in Versatility
Developing Hands-On Sustainable Energy Solutions

Congressman “Lights Up”

Photo by Michael Lucibella

At a reception on Capitol Hill on April 6, the Science-Engineering-Technology Working Group (SETWG), to which APS belongs, presented two members of Congress with the George E. Brown, Jr. Leadership Award for their work on issues related to science, technology and engineering. In the photo, APS Head of Public Outreach Becky Thompson (right) gives an LED "throwie" to Congressman Daniel Lipinski (D-IL), one of the Award recipients.
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March Meeting Prize and Award Recipients

Photo by EventWork Photography

APS President Barry Barish presented prizes and awards to these individuals at the March Meeting ceremonial session in Dallas.
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