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So They Say

January 26, 1987

Verbatim excerpts from the media on the conduct of science. The Weapons of Seduction Scientists and engineers work for the weapons laboratories as William Press says …, because "scientific talent will inevitably flow to those fields where national priorities put incentives of money, prestige, or excitement." The training of many scientists and engineers is heavily supported by taxpayers. After completing their costly education, those who feel they owe a debt to society tend to apply their

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So They Say

January 26, 1987

Walter E. Massey, vice president for research and development at Argonne National Laboratory and professor of physics at the University of Chicago, has been elected president-elect of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He will take office on February 19 following the AAAS Annual Meeting in Chicago. Massey has been with Argonne since 1979 and prior to that was dean of the college of physics at Brown University. Massey also served on the National Science Board from 1978 to 19

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Suits on Biotech Rules Dismissed

By Gregory Byrne | January 26, 1987

WASHINGTON—Six months after the federal government published its set of proposed regulations governing biotechnology, two lawsuits aimed at overturning those regulations have failed. On December 22 Judge Gerhard A. Gesell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia dismissed a suit filed by environmental activist Jeremy Rifkin that sought to overturn the June 26 announcement on the grounds that it bypassed established federal rulemaking procedures. The same day, Gesell dismisse

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Technology on Display

By David Hounshell | January 26, 1987

Engines of Change: The American Industrial Revolution, 1790-1860. New permanent exhibit at the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Opened November 21, 1986. The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History recently opened a new exhibit on the industrial revolution in the United States. Covering some 6,000 square feet, the exhibit treats the development of American technology and industry from 1790 to 1860. Its thesis is that in these 70

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Testing Einstein's Theory

By George Lake | January 26, 1987

Was Einstein Right? Putting General Relativity to the Test. Clifford Will. Basic Books. New York, 1986. 296 pp., illus. $18.95. Einstein's theory of general relativity holds a unique position in science. Despite the controversy it has generated over the years, I've never heard it trivialized by the phrase "It's just a theory, isn't it?" Somehow, in this particular case, nearly everyone intuitively understands that a theory is the best thing in the world that science has to offer. This book tells

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The Global Village of Science

By Eugene Garfield | January 26, 1987

In launching The Scientist, we sought the support of distinguished scientists and science policymakers from around the world. Many agreed to serve as editorial consultants; their names are listed at the left. Many more, who are not formally associated with this newspaper, have enthusiastically aided us behind the scenes. Naturally, in becoming established, our association with notables helps break down the skepticism potential subscribers may harbor about yet another periodical. It also conveys

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U.K. Panel Seeks $1.5 Billion to Extend Alvey Computer Project

By John Stansell | January 26, 1987

LONDON—Britain needs to spend $1.5 billion on information technology research and applications to extend the results of the Alvey program now underway, according to a new report from a committee of government, academic and university administrators. The so-called IT 86 committee, formed early last year, has recommended $800 million in further research and $700 million for applications programs over an unspecified five-year period. Of the total for research, $75 million would be allocated a

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Who Decides What 'Rational' Means?

By Bj Luberoff | January 26, 1987

Herbert L. Meltzer displays a tendency toward either academic naiveté or neofascism when he suggests a "feasibility study" regarding "...neurochemical and environmental events that occur in the perinatal period and in the early years of life" that determine how "rational" a person is (The Scientist, December 15, 1986, p. 10). Dr. Meltzer is concerned that without "neurochemical and environmental" intervention, man may prove too irrational to survive in a nuclear age. Although I certainly sh

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'Five Senses to the Rescue'

January 12, 1987

In troubleshooting one must never forget the portable laboratory equipment that one carries around—the senses of sight, sound, scent, taste and touch. There is also the common sense that stops one tasting things if there is any cyanide about. Long years ago the Deutsche Hydriewerke started marketing non-soapy detergents of the cetyl or oleyl sulfate variety. Prior to World War II, the British textile industry was as dependent on German supplies of these materials as it had been on German d

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'Pork Barrel' Means More Labs, Jobs

By Bob Westgate | January 12, 1987

WASHINGTON—Seven universities and one hospital will receive $84.1 million this year in Energy Department funds to build research facilities. The congressional largesse, taken from funds initially budgeted for uranium enrichment programs, will mean hundreds of new jobs and more than one million additional square feet of laboratory, hospital and office space for American scientists. Critics see the appropriation as the latest example of "pork-barrel science"—a direct appeal to Congress

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