APS News

March 2001 (Volume 10, Number 3)

Members in the Media

Ed. Note: Much press coverage in January was devoted to experiments that achieved the "stopping of light". We begin with three sample quotes on this topic:

"We've been able to hold it there and just let it go, and what comes out is the same as what we sent in. So it's like a freeze frame."
-Ron Walsworth, Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, New York Times, January 18, 2001


"The idea of quantum information is in its infancy. We hope for wonderful things. Our imagination hasn't figured out what the possibilities are."
-David F. Phillips, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Harvard Crimson, January 19, 2001


"What we're talking about is something which on the one hand is much simpler than what they're saying, and also subtler."
-Marlan Scully, Texas A&M University, Dallas Morning News, January 29, 2001


"These are terrible books, and they're probably a strong component of why we do so poorly in science."
-John Hubisz, North Carolina State University, on his research into errors in physics textbooks, AP, January 14, 2001


"If I had been a congressman assessing the project on a cost-benefit basis I might have been doubtful. But since the space station is up there it would be silly not to use the real estate."
-Richard Mewaldt, Caltech, on doing science on the space station, Financial Times, January 12, 2001


"It's not something that particle physicists wanted, desired, predicted or anticipated. This is something we have been forced to consider because of observations."
-Paul Steinhardt, Princeton University, on the "dark energy" in the universe, Dallas Morning News, January 8, 2001.


"Brad Pitt, Julianne Moore, Tiger Woods and Lisa Ling can all give thanks to the turkey that gave its life not just to be Thanksgiving dinner but to be the specimen used in the first experiment that gave birth to LASIK."
-James J. Wynne, IBM, on the experiments (unfortunately fatal to the turkey) that led to LASIK surgery, W Magazine, February issue.

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Editor: Alan Chodos
Associate Editor: Jennifer Ouellette

March 2001 (Volume 10, Number 3)

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Articles in this Issue
2001 APS March Meeting Moves to Pacific Northwest
Kleppner, Lamb to Head NMD Study
Major Improvements Underway at PROLA
Dresselhaus Reflects on Brief but Productive Term at DOE
Letters
Viewpoint
Zero Gravity: The Lighter Side of Science
Members in the Media
This Month in Physics History
Physics and Technology Forefronts
Inside the Beltway: A Washington Analysis
The Back Page