September 1999 Contents

ARTICLES

Radiation Risk and Ethics

The established worldwide practice of protecting people from radiation costs hundreds of billions of dollars a year to implement and may well determine the world's future energy system. But is it right? — Zbigniew Jaworowski

Computational Materials Science: The Era of Applied Quantum Mechanics

The properties of new and artificially structured materials can be predicted and explained entirely by computations, using atomic numbers as the only input — Jerzy Bernholc

I. I. Rabi as Educator and Science Warrior

Rabi the educator argued passionately for science as an integral component of our culture. For Rabi the statesman, Benjamin Franklin was the figure in American history most worthy of emulation — Gerald Holton

DEPARTMENTS

Reference Frame

Why do they leave physics?— Philip W. Anderson

Search and Discovery

• Bose condensates produce coherent nonlinear behavior

• Alpha radiation can damage DNA even when it misses the cell nucleus

• Lasing demonstrated in tiny cavities made with photonic crystals

• Adaptive optics at the new 8-meter Gemini telescope

• AVS to Meet in Seattle in October

Washington Reports

• With science budgets facing debacle in FY 2000, Clinton's science adviser calls for action now

• Science loses an urbane champion in Congress with death of George Brown after 18 terms

• NSF funds five new S&T centers, the first ones in eight years

• Washington briefings: In desperate need of a jump START; The power of one over CTBT

Physics Community

• To realize its space exploration plans, ESA must revise its strategies

• Physics whizzes quizzed in Padua

• Wagner takes DESY reins

• Physicist tapped to head EC research

• AIP agrees to lesser role in Russian journals

• Web Watch

Books

American Science in an Age of Anxiety: Scientists, Anticommunism, and the Cold War, J. Wang (reviewed by R. H. March)

Rayleigh-Benard Convection: Structures and Dynamics, A. V. Getling reviewed by E. A. Spiegel)

Nonlinear Optics: Basic Concepts, D. L. Mills (reviewed by R. R. Freeman)

Galaxy Formation, M. S. Longair (reviewed by M. Steinmetz)

Physics of the Space Environment, T. I. Gombosi (reviewed by G. D. Holman)

Molecular Symmetry and Spectroscopy, P. R. Bunker and P. Jensen (reviewed by C. Jungen)

Plus ...

Our regular sections: New Products, We Hear That, Obituaries, and Information Exchange.