More Things in Heaven and Earth: A Celebration of Physics at the Millennium

The 20 th century has been a golden age of physics, a period of remarkable achievements unlike any other in history. From the foundations of twentieth century physics, notably quantum mechanics and relativity, to the great practical inventions such as the transistor and the laser which followed, our lives have been transformed by discoveries made by some of the most brilliant minds of our century. "More Things in Heaven and Earth", with essays by preeminent scientists across the spectrum of physics on key developments and future trends in their fields, presents a portrait of contemporary physics at this moment in time. The book was inspired by the 100 th anniversary in 1999 of the founding of the American Physical Society. This anniversary, coinciding with the close of the 20 th century, presents a unique opportunity to celebrate the field's contributions to society and to its current, and doubtless future, vibrancy. The APS invited some of the world's most noted physicists, among them 15 Nobel Laureates (three of whom were awarded their prizes while this volume was in preparation), to contribute to this collection. The result is a unique and fascinating tour of physics written from the personal vantage points of many of the distinguished scientists who helped elevate physics to its current status. It is being published as a special issue of Reviews of Modern Physics, and is here published in a hard cover edition for a broader readership. The book begins with nine concise historical overviews of die principal areas of physics, followed by 45 essays organized by major subfields. While some technical material is included in some of the essays, the subject matter should for the most part be accessible to readers with some scientific background. The book highlights many important achievements and current research activities, without claiming to be all-inclusive. As physics bas spread its influence throughout society, it has permeated other sciences and practical areas, and therefore the book includes essays on the applications of physics to such fields as medicine, the communications industry, the military, and nuclear energy sources. Physics is a living subject, evolving and developing even as you look at it. This is nowhere more evident than in the fact that during the preparation of this book many authors continued to rewrite their articles as new developments appeared, up to the last possible moment before publication. Together these essays present a fascinating portrait of physics at a unique time in its evolution.