Reviews recent developments in the study of an ultrafast process which utilizes short flashes of light. (SL)

Reviews recent developments in the field of laser fusion. (SL)

Reviews recent developments in the fields of ultraviolet lasers and rare gas lasers. (SL)

The goals of solar photovoltaic technology in contributing to America's future energy needs are presented in this study conducted by the American Physical Society. Although the time needed for photovoltaics to become popular is several decades away, according to the author, short-range applications are given. (Author/SA)

Describes in detail the experimental procedures followed by Davison and Germer in 1927 in their discovery of electron diffraction. (SL)

Presents supportive statements from a member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR and a Nobel Peace Prize winner that the scientific community has an obligation to inform the public fully about the impact of scientific developments. Autobiographical data concerning the author is also included. (CS)

In the 1930s, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar found a fundamental parameter that determines the density of stars. Although recognized as a major discovery, it was generally unaccepted by astronomers because the work was ridiculed by a preeminent astronomer (Arthur Eddington). The controversy and current understanding of stellar evolution are discussed.…

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)

Discusses implications of the recent actions of Federal agencies, through export control regulations, to control the open exchange of scientific ideas. Reactions of the National Academy of Sciences and several professional physics organizations are described. Impact on foreign students and publication is also discussed. (CS)