Playing with Science
by Tom Stoppard
With illustrations from some of his work, a noted playwright talks about science and art—how
and where they converge and diverge, mostly the former. In the process of tracing these affinities,
he touches on language, aesthetics, creativity, and reality.
Whatever Happened to Cold Fusion?
by David L. Goodstein
As everyone knows, the "discovery" of this cheap energy source was discredited shortly
after it was announced. But even though cold fusion seems to be impossible, some people keep on
trying. Do they merit a hearing from the scientific community?
Sing a Song of Benzene, A Pocket Full of π
by Douglas L. Smith
Benzene-containing amino acids, long slighted as molecular filler, appear to play a key role
in communications between nerve cells. Benzene rings line the pocket of a receptor molecule,
where their π-electrons may help recognize the messenger molecule.
Departments
SURFboard: A CAPsule of Chemistry