Editorial – Pugwash : Physicists, nuclear weapons and scientists’ responsibility
Born during the Cold War, the Pugwash movement gathers physicists who promote the peaceful use of science.
Many scientists were shocked by what happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, even among those who had supported or taken part in the Manhattan project. In 1955 Einstein teamed with mathematician and Nobel Prize laureate in Literature Bertrand Russell to sign and promote a manifesto encouraging scientists to work for a peaceful use of science and attach more importance to the survival of the human species rather than political beliefs: …
The first joint EPS-APS Historic Site: the Einstein House in Bern
Walking through the historic centre of Bern, the curious traveller comes across a sign at Kramgasse 49 indicating the “Einsteinhaus”. Walking up the steep, narrow staircase, it is possible to visit the apartment where Albert Einstein lived from 1903 to 1905.
During his time in Bern, A. Einstein lived with his wife and baby while working a 48 hour week as a clerk in the Patent Office. Despite a busy family and professional life, A. Einstein also published the 4 papers that revolutionised physics at the beginning of the 20th century.
EuNPC2015: “The Future of Nuclear Physics, Today!”
The KVI-Center for Advanced Radiation Technology (KVI-CART) was the host of the 3rd European Nuclear Physics Conference (EuNPC2015) that was held from August 31 to September 4, 2015, in the city of Groningen, in the Netherlands. The conference, an activity of the Nuclear Physics Division of the European Physical Society, was the successor of earlier events held in Bochum (2009) and in Bucharest (2012). EuNPC2015 was the showcase for the most recent developments in the field of nuclear physics covering a wide range of topics from fundamental aspects to applications. This year’s edition focused on talented young scientists.
France inaugurates APOLLON Laser
The summer of the International Year of Light ended brilliantly in France.
After PETAL’s achievement celebrated in mid-September near Bordeaux (see related e-EPS news of this issue), the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), the Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) together with Université Paris-Saclay (which includes the Ecole Polytechnique, ENSTA, IOGS and the Université Paris-Sud) inaugurated the APOLLON laser facility on the 29th of October 2015. This inauguration took place in the presence of the French State Secretary for Higher Education and Research, Mr. Thierry Mandon, the Vice-President of the Ile-de-France Regional …
International Year of Light news
Queen Letizia of Spain to chair the Honorary Committee of the International Year of Light in Spain
IYL 2015 African Regional Conference celebrated in Ghana
SPIE People’s Choice winning photo illustrates life with little access to electricity
GalileoMobile’s new documentary celebrates Cosmic Light
International Conference GIREP EPEC 2015
The Conference of the International Research Group on Physics Teaching [GIREP] and the European Physical Society – Physics Education Division [EPS PED] was held on 6-10 June 2015. The GIREP-EPEC meeting, recognised as an EPS Europhysics Conference, was organised by University of Wrocław [UWr] (Institute of Experimental Physics, Physics Teaching Department and Foundation for University of Wrocław) at the time of the Jubilee of the 70th Anniversary of the Polish Academic Community in Wrocław. It belongs to a series of GIREP conferences [1]. The conference was organised by Ewa Dębowska (Chair of the Organizing Committee) and Tomasz Greczyło …
Guido Altarelli
We have learned with great sadness that the distinguished Italian theoretical physicist Guido Altarelli passed away on the 30th of September 2015.
Guido was a major figure in the field of particle physics, who made important contributions to the understanding of electroweak and strong interactions, neutrinos, and theories beyond the standard model. He had recently shared the prestigious EPS High Energy Physics Prize
Inauguration of PETAL at the French Megajoule Laser Facility
On 29 May 2015, PETAL, (PETawatt Aquitaine Laser), delivered a power of 1.2 Petawatt (one million billion Watts). Supplying almost 1000 Joules of optical energy during less than 1 picosecond (1 psec = 10-12 sec.), thus making PETAL the first facility to overcome the Petawatt power barrier at the highest energy level within one beamline. It becomes the most powerful kilojoule-class laser in the world to date. Part of the Megajoule Laser Facility [LMJ] near Bordeaux, France, this instrument positions the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission [CEA] in a leading position worldwide for building and exploiting powerful lasers.
EPS Edison Volta Prize 2016: Call for nominations
Nominations are now open for the Edison Volta Prize of the European Physical Society [EPS]. The award – intended to promote excellence in research – will be given in recognition of outstanding research and…
IYL 2015 Best Practice Exchange Event
On 9 October 2015 the German Physical Society [DPG] organized a meeting between National Node representatives of the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies 2015 [IYL 2015] at the Magnus Haus in Berlin, Germany. The focus of the meeting was to exchange best practices examples of IYL 2015 activities and events, resulting sustainable development and possible further cooperative actions for the future.
2015 Nobel Prize in Physics to T. Kajita and A.B. McDonald
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Physics for 2015 to Takaaki Kajita, Super-Kamiokande Collaboration, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan, and Arthur B. McDonald, Sudbury Neutrino Observatory Collaboration, Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada
Featured in EPL
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