Bulletin of the American Physical Society
2005 APS April Meeting
Saturday–Tuesday, April 16–19, 2005; Tampa, FL
Session T6: Forum on Physics and Society and Forum on History of Physics Award Session (Followed by FPS Business Meeting) |
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Sponsoring Units: FPS FHP Chair: Joel Primack, University of California-Santa Cruz Room: Marriott Tampa Waterside Grand Salon I/J |
Monday, April 18, 2005 1:30PM - 2:06PM |
T6.00001: FHP Pais Award Talk: Physics, History, and the History of Physics Invited Speaker: This first Abraham Pais Lecture will begin with the story of my own transformation from theoretical physicist to historian of physics. I will go on by illustrating my historian’s approach through a discussion of the issues raised by Einstein’s first paper of 1905; this is the paper physicists refer to so often – and so inadequately -- as his ``paper on the photoelectric effect.'' The lecture will conclude with a few, brief remarks on how the history of physics is essentially like any other sort of history. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, April 18, 2005 2:06PM - 2:42PM |
T6.00002: Burton Award Talk: Science Under Attack: Intelligent Design Invited Speaker: Science is under attack in many places throughout our society, from the White House to the classroom. I will concentrate my remarks here on the emerging threat to science education associated with the effort to have Intelligent Design incorporated into high school science curricula. While this may appear to be primarily an attack on evolutionary biology, it is in fact motivated by an effort to undermine the teaching of science itself as a discipline based on the scientific method. Moreover, the key proponents of this methodology are not misguided scientists, they are highly refined political operatives who are motivated by a desire to incorporate religion directly in science classes. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, April 18, 2005 2:42PM - 2:54PM |
T6.00003: Leo Szilard and the role of physicists in countering nuclear threats Invited Speaker: Even before the first nuclear bomb was tested, Leo Szilard led efforts by physicists to assert leadership on the use of nuclear weapons. He warned about the future possibility of delivering nuclear weapons by missiles and also pointed out the ease by which nuclear bombs could simply be carried across borders. The U.S. has had an anti-ballistic missile program since the 1950's. Initially it was intended to counter a Soviet nuclear threat but with the end of the cold war the goal was changed to dealing with accidental or unauthorized launches of Russian ICBMs. More recently, the goal of the U.S. missile defense program was shifted to countering a possible future threat posed by emerging missile states. The APS Study of boost- phase intercept was carried out in the Szilard tradition of physicists providing leadership on public policy issues involving science ad technology, in the hope that factual analysis of technical problems can contribute to better public policy. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, April 18, 2005 2:54PM - 3:06PM |
T6.00004: Current nuclear threats and possible responses Invited Speaker: Over the last 50 years, the United States has spent more than \$100 billion developing and building a variety of systems intended to defend its territory against intercontinental-range ballistic missiles. Most of these systems never became operational and ultimately all were judged ineffective. The United States is currently spending about \$10 billion per year developing technologies and systems intended to defend against missiles that might be acquired in the future by North Korea or Iran. This presentation will discuss these efforts ad whether they are likely to be more effective than those of the past. It will also discuss the proper role of anti-ballistic programs at a time when the threat of a nuclear attack on the U.S. by terrorists armed with nuclear weapons is thought to be much higher than the threat of an attack by nuclear-armed ballistic missles. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, April 18, 2005 3:06PM - 3:18PM |
T6.00005: The impact of the APS study and the future of boost-phase defense against ballistic missiles Invited Speaker: The APS study Boost-Phase Intercept Systems for National Missle Defense has provided a foundation for all policy and technical discussions of the topic, and has arguably affected the evolution of U.S. boost-phase defense programs. This presentation will summarize critiques and responses to the study, particularly the analysis of of space-based defense. It will describe the impact of the study and conclude with a discussion of where boost-phase missile defense is headed. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, April 18, 2005 3:18PM - 3:30PM |
T6.00006: Technical approaches to reducing the threat of nuclear terrorism Invited Speaker: The threat of a nuclear attack on the United States by terrorists using a smuggled weapon is now considered more likely than an attack by a nuclear-armed ballistic missle. Consequently it is important to understand what can be done to detect and intercept a nuclear weapon being smuggled into the United States. A significant quantity of smuggled nuclear material has been intercepted already, but science and technology have so far contributed little to its interception. The critical special nuclear materials, plutonium and highly enriched uranium, are only weakly radioactive and detection of their radioactivity is limited both by atmospheric attenuation and by competition with natural backgrounds. Although many schemes for long-range detection of radioactivity have been proposed, none so far appears feasible. Detection of nuclear radiation can be improved using new technologies and sensing systems, but it will still be possible only at relatively small distances. Consequently the best approach to containing dangerous nuclear materials is at their sources; containment within lengthy borders and large areas is extremely difficult. [Preview Abstract] |
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