The conversation between myself and Professor Lederman took place in Malmö, Sweden on August 25, 2007. The purpose of the conversation was to elaborate on the past, present and future of nature of science research and also to provide insights for beginning researchers. In this text I am providing the questions about which we talked and my…

Presents 11 responses received from U.S. scientists who have won Nobel Prizes (physics or physics-related work) indicating what books, discoveries, people, or issues of the last 50 years have most decisively influenced them. (Author/JN)

Summarizes some recent scientific achievements in particle physics, bioinorganic chemistry, geology, and the life sciences. Discusses research as it applies to the needs of society, including areas of concern for the future. Describes the role of the National Science Foundation as supporting research and education in the sciences and engineering.…

Briefly reviews past endeavors at achieving international communication among scientists. Describes present accomplishments of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics. Makes appeals for scientific and technological development to the development countries, to the international community, and to representations of the OPEC countries. (CS)

Discussed is the physicists' impact on the revolution in the earth sciences particularly involving the overthrow of the fixist notions in geology. Topics discussed include the mobile earth, the route to plate tectonics, radiometric dating, the earth's magnetic field, ocean floor spreading plate boundaries, infiltration of physics into geology and…

Reviews the status of high energy physics and the contributions resulting from research with particle accelerators. Supports the value of supercolliders and discusses its potential impact on scientific research. Also reviews and analyzes the basic components of the Standard Model. (ML)

Addresses the issues related to the construction of the Superconducting Supercollider (SSC) and to decisions associated with other big-budget research facilities. Examines questions concerning the collider's design, technology, construction, management, and operation. Also explores the international implications of the project. (ML)

An evaluation of four seventeenth and eighteenth century essays on optics revealed early trends in the evolution of scientific articles. The later articles showed a growing tendency to (1) separate practice from pure knowledge, (2) organize information around problems of knowledge and theory rather than around chronological events, (3) emphasize…

Argues that a United States built and operated Superconducting Supercollider (SSC) could strain the infrastructure of scientific research. Identifies the areas which would be adversely affected by the funding of the SSC. Advocates construction of the collider as an international enterprise. (ML)

The development, role, and current research in particle physics at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory are reviewed, including discussions of its mission to understand the structure of matter, a brief history of particle physics, and the nature and applications of superconductivity, among other topics. (JN)

The history of the sciences in America in 1880 is described as a time of considerable vitality in the disciplines of earth and life sciences. The natural scientific resources of the American continent are credited as contributing to the vitality. Pluralism of institutional support is discussed with a historical perspective. (SA)

Three issues are discussed that relate to (1) the need for the United States to become more technologically competitive and more daring in ways to produce, nurture and encourage high quality research and (2) the state of the talent pool that must produce the scientists, mathematicians and engineers to do this research. The first issue concerns…

A National Academy of Sciences conference was held in October, 1981 in Washington, D.C. to provide dialogs with key government officials and to suggest alternatives for wise allocation of limited resources to control damage to the United States' scientific and technological enterprise. Viewpoints and key recommendations are reported. (JN)