A Helium Superfluid Wins Physics Prize
The 1996 Nobel Prize in physics was awarded today to David Lee and Robert Richardson of Cornell University and Douglas Osheroff of Stanford University for their discovery of an unusual liquid form of the isotope helium-3. The discovery opened up an unexplored world of microscopic interactions in the field of low-temperature physics.
Ancient Egypt’s Israeli Beachhead
Archaeologists have reported uncovering a 5000-year-old Egyptian-style tomb in southern Israel. The tomb, the first of its kind, offers fresh evidence that early Egyptian civilization had a foothold in ancient Palestine.
Far-Out Cosmic Walls
New findings suggest that galaxies form massive wall-like structures in the far reaches of the universe. In the 1 November issue of the Astrophysical Journal, Judith Cohen of the California Institute of Technology and colleagues at the University of Hawaii report evidence for what may be walls of galaxies as far as 8 billion light-years away, indicating that matter formed distinct structures earlier in the universe's history than many scientists expected.
South Africa Sets Sights on Biggest Southern Telescope
South African astronomers are making a pitch to build what would be the largest telescope in the Southern Hemisphere. Officials of the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) and a U.S. delegation of astronomers will meet with South African government officials in Pretoria later this week to try to persuade the government to ante up $10 million, half the estimated cost of the proposed telescope.
Telemedicine: Not Yet What the Doctor Ordered
WASHINGTON--A panel of medical and health-policy experts today released a report* urging developers of telemedicine to evaluate projects more rigorously and come up with ways to make the technology affordable in today's climate of controlling medical costs.
French Museum: Anthropology Makes Way for Art
PARIS--President Jacques Chirac announced on 7 October that a major new Museum of Civilization and Early Arts will be created here in the Chaillot Palace, across the river Seine from the Eiffel Tower. The decision ended a bitter "museum war" that had pitted two groups of scientists against each other.
Immunology Breakthrough Earns Nobel Prize
The 1996 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine has been awarded to Australia's Peter C. Doherty and Switzerland's Rolf Zinkernagel for their breakthrough insights into the inner workings of the human immune system.