January 1999 Contents

ARTICLES

Teaching Physics: Figuring Out What Works

Research on three questions is improving instruction: What is involved in understanding physics? What do students bring to physics classes? How do they respond to what they are taught? -- Edward F. Redish and Richard N. Steinberg

Catalysis and Surface Science

Modern surface physics is transforming the black art of catalysis, revealing a fascinating choreography followed by reacting atoms and moledules -- Gerhard Ertl and Hans-Joachim Freund

Correlated-Photon Metrology without Absolute Standards

The quantum correlation of paired photons produced in nonlinear optical crystals promises meteorologists something of a free lunch: absolute measurements that don't require absolute standards -- Alan Migdall

The First Ten Million Millennia or So

-- Don L. Anderson

DEPARTMENTS

Search and Discovery

• Visible progress made in three-dimensional photonic 'crystals'

• Combustion in two dimensions yields fingering instability

• SLAC's asymmetric B factory will study CP violation

Washington Reports

• DOE seeks to convert Russia's nuclear cities into commercial centers to prevent loose nukes

• Richter's impending retirement as SLAC's director deepens concern about changing the guard at DOE labs

• Washington ins & outs: Moler leaves DOE; Staffin moves up; McTague retires

Physics Community

• How will the new engineering education criteria affect physics?

• Physics anxiety in engineering

• Canadian scientists and nuclear industry plan joint research reactor

• Howes will lead AAPT in 2001

• Student-run physics conference enters its 35th year

• HRL Laboratories hosted AIP's Corporate Associates

• Web Watch

Books

To Light Such a Candle: Chapters in the History of Science and Technology, K. J. Laidler (reviewed by G. Wise)

A Modern Course in Statistical Physics, L. E. Reichl (reviewed by S. N. Coppersmith)

Sliding Friction: Physical Principles and Applications, B. N. J. Persson (reviewed by N. D. Spencer)

A Complete Introduction to Modern NMR Spectroscopy, R. S. Macomber (reviewed by G. S. Harbison)

Randomness, D. J. Bennett (reviewed by S. Gasiorowicz)

The Little Book of the Big Bang: A Cosmic Primer, C. Hogan (reviewed by R. A. Daly)

Pulsar Astronomy, A. G. Lyne and F. Graham-Smith (reviewed by S. E. Thorsett)

Plus ...

Our regular sections: Physics Update, Letters, New Products, We Hear That, and Information Exchange.