自动精密磁强计

1999年1月，我在“业余科学家”专栏上介绍了一种用于检测地球磁场微小涨落的有趣装置。此装置实际上是一台灵敏的扭力天平。两块小的稀土磁铁固定在一根张紧的尼龙丝上，此外还有一块小反射镜也粘在尼龙丝上，反射镜把一束激光向远处的墙反射过去。用其它的磁铁对这台仪器进     

磁悬浮列车（Maglev）：一种新途径

《一千零一夜》中的一个古典神话故事“艾哈迈德王子与仙女”讲述的是一个王子坐在魔毯上——该魔毯靠不可见的力量支撑着——漫游世界。而魔毯的现代版便是磁悬浮列车，或者称之为maglev。由于支撑maglev的是空气而不是铁轨，因此磁悬浮列车比普通列车更快速也更高效。磁悬浮列车的概念出现于上个世纪60年代末，     

陷入混沌

当我还是物理系的学生时，我的大部分时间都用在研究子虚乌有的东西上，诸如无摩擦力的滑轮、无质量的弹簧以及不随高度而变的重力等。科学家们早应意识到，真实的系统与其环境之间存在着一些难于进行实际测量的相互作用，而随着时间的推移这些效应就逐渐积累起来，因此我们知道，理想的解法仅能在一定的时间内描述系统。而我们所不知道的则是这一段时间可能有多短。     

世界末日的忧伤

病毒横行，环境灾难，灰雾蔓延——天文学家Martin Rees爵士预测，人类文明在这种种祸害的围攻之下熬到二十二世纪的机会只有50％。     

Learning of musculoskeletal ligament stress testing in a gross anatomy laboratory

Human anatomy in physical therapy programs is a basic science course serving as a foundation for subsequent clinical courses. Integration of anatomy with a clinical emphasis throughout a curriculum provides opportunities for reinforcement of previously learned material. Considering the human cadaver laboratory as a fixed cost to our program, we sought opportunities to add value to the resource via vertical integration into a clinical skills course taught later in the curriculum. We designed an opportunity for second-year physical therapy students to revisit the human anatomy laboratory to study select clinical musculoskeletal tests and the associated anatomy in a clinically relevant context. Students performed select orthopedic ligament test on human cadavers, then incised specific structures and repeated the tests. Students were able to feel and visualize the function of pertinent anatomy associated with the clinical tests. Ninety-five percent of respondents reported that the ligament stress testing experience enhanced their understanding of orthopedic clinical tests with 91% reporting an enhanced understanding of anatomy related to specific clinical tests. Likewise, the experience was perceived as enjoyable and valuable with 86% of respondents reporting the experience as enjoyable and 100% responding the experience should continue as part of the curriculum.     

Government management of two media-facilitated crises involving dioxin contamination of food

Incidents become crises through a constant and intense public scrutiny facilitated by the media. Two incidents involving dioxin contamination of food led to crises in Belgium and the Republic of Ireland in 1999 and 2008, respectively. Thought to cause cancer in humans, dioxins reached the food supply in both incidents through the contamination of fat used for animal feed. The food and agricultural industries connected to each incident relied on crisis management activities of federal governments to limit adverse public reaction. Analysis of the management of the two crises by their respective federal governments, and a subsequent review of crisis management literature, led to the development of an effective crisis management model. Such a model, appropriately employed, may insulate industries associated with a crisis against damaged reputations and financial loss.