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Why the year 2005? For a good reason! 2005 marks 100 years since Albert Einstein, then an unknown scientist, reached the forefront of scientific research. During one year Albert Einstein published four articles on three different subjects, each of the articles a most important contribution to its respective field. One article explained the Brownian motion of particles. The other article explained the photoelectric effect for which he later won the Nobel Prize in physics. Thanks to this phenomenon, today we have light detectors, digital cameras and many other devices. Einstein's contribution was also an important stage in the path to the formulation of the theory of quantum mechanics years later.
The other two papers proposed for the first time the Theory of Relativity (Special) and the revolutionary identity of mass and energy revealed by this theory. Einstein is known to the public mainly for the publication of his Theory of Relativity, the Special Theory (1905), and the General Theory of Relativity, which he published a decade later, in 1915. Obviously, such notoriety could not have been achieved without the extensive empirical validation of these theories performed ever since.
Physicists and scientists around the world are preparing to mark the Year of Physics in as many ways possible in order to promote the “public relations” of physics. In the small State of Israel the year's significance is double. First, the fact that Einstein was Jewish and had special ties to the Zionist movement and the State of Israel connects us to this distinguished scientist. Second, physics plays a central role in academic research, civil and security implementations, and in education. Thus, it is important to bring physics to the attention of the widest possible public, especially to the student public.
The following are several of the programs that we are aware of at this stage. Science teachers are invited to join in the programs and integrate them in their study plans. More programs will probably be added in the future, and will be reported on separately.
Listen to Einstein's voice, about several matters, including Israel...
http://www.aip.org/history/einstein/sound/voice1.mp3
http://www.aip.org/history/einstein/sound/voice2.mp3
http://www.aip.org/history/einstein/sound/voice3.mp3
For Everybody at Every Home
Einstein@Home
An American - European project (especially for high school students) that enables the search of data from two laser interferometer gravitational wave observatories - LIGO in the US and GEO in Europe. With the help of software distributed to the participants, each private computer user can assist in analyzing the measurement data as part of the global effort of direct detection of gravitational waves. Here in Israel the program will offer training and background material for the following subjects: the theory of relativity, gravity, gravitational waves, and the way to discover them. In particular, we will encourage adults and youth to join the Einstein@Home program.
Full details will be posted in Hebrew on the website http://physyear.weizmann.ac.il and of course directly on the website
http://www.physics2005.org/events/einsteinathome/index.html#einsteinathome
Sounds of Music – Physics and Music
Lecture by Prof. Abraham Katzir (in Hebrew) on the physical nature of music and sounds. The lecture will be accompanied by many demonstrations. This physics lecture will conclude the Tel Aviv University “Bekur Hamahapecha” annual four lecture series commemorating the late Prof. Aharon Katzir.
Date & Time: 7:30 PM, May 9, 2005
Place: Smolarz lecture hall, Tel Aviv University
Introduction: Prof. S. Yankelevich, Rector, Tel Aviv University
Admission: Free.
Information: listserv@listserv.tau.ac.il
Mainly for Physicists
Einstein Legacy Conference by the Israeli Academy of Sciences
The Academy is organizing a four day conference in celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of Einstein’s miraculous year, under the title: "Albert Einstein Legacy – A One Hundred Years Perspective." The conference will take place at the Academy house in Jerusalem on the 10-13 of April 2005. Among more than the 20 scientists that have already confirmed their participation are the professors Yakir Aharonov, Haim Harari, Yuval Ne’eman, Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, David Gross, Sir Roger Penrose and more.
Click here to read the full details (PDF) of the Albert Einstein Symposium of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, 10 - 13 April 2005
Einstein Colloquia at Weizmann Institute of Science.
A series of 11 special lectures given by highly distinguished physicists started in November 2004 and will end on December 2005. The series opened with G. ‘t Hooft and will be concluded with a lecture by A. Sen. See details on the website: www.weizmann.ac.il/conferences/einstein
Lectures to the Public and Students
Physicists’ lectures in schools
Dozens of physicists have volunteered to give lectures in schools and community centers during the Year of Physics. The Supervisor of Physics Teaching at the Ministry of Education, “Bashaar” - Academic Community for the Israeli Society, the Israeli Physical Society, and Young@Science at the Weizmann Institute of Science are organizing a campaign of volunteer scientists from the field of physics to give lectures.. The Center of Physics Teachers and "Bashaar" will coordinate the contacts with schools, educational institutions, and community organizations that are interested in lectures for their students. Educators and teachers who are interested in more information can find it with the Supervisor of Physics Teaching at the Ministry of Education, on the website of “Bashaar”
http://www.bashaar.org.il, at http://physyear.weizmann.ac.il
and at www.physicaplus.org.il.
Educators and teachers who wish to coordinate lectures are invited to contact the Center of Physics Teachers or “Bashaar” http://www.bashaar.org.il , telephone 03-6424892.
Volunteer speakers are invited to contact Young@Science by e-mail youngweb@weizmann.ac.il.
The First Katzir- Makineni Lecture
Young@Science at the Weizmann Institute of Science will hold the first Katzir - Makineni Lecture this year. The lecture will be given every year by a senior scientist and outstanding high school students will be invited to attend. In honor of the Year of Physics, Professor Haim Harari will open the series with his lecture “An Introduction to the Future: Twenty Scientific Milestones in the 20th Century.” Prof. Harari, is a past president of the Weizmann Institute of Science, a world - renowned physicist and a winner of the Israel Prize. The lecture will take place on the International Science Day, 14 March, 2005, which coincides with the birthday of Albert Einstein.
More details can be found at the website of Young@Science www.weizmann.ac.il/young (for high school students).
Hemda School - Tel Aviv
The annual lecture series that the school holds is dedicated to the Year of Physics and three out of four lectures will be on physics:
- Prof. H. Harari will talk about neutrino physics and its implications to the early universe..
- “Thinking Machines - From the Dawn of Electronics to the Future of Nanotechnology” - Prof. M. Heiblum.
- “Albert Einstein - One Hundred Years of History, One Hundred Years of Glory, One Hundred Years of Mystery” - Prof. L. Kuri.
The school also opened a special relativity elective course in honor of the Year of Physics. Furthermore, the school is holding special activities to encourage female students to get involved in science. More details can be found on Hemda website www.hemda.org.il
(For the public and high school students).
http://minerva.tau.ac.il/
Lectures of the Astronomy Club at Tel Aviv University
The Astronomy Club of Tel Aviv University is organizing a series of lectures open to the public in honor of the Year of Physics. The lectures in the month of January 2005 are:
- Aesthetics in the Dark Cosmos: Black Holes, Dark Matter, Dark Energy” - Prof. Mario Libio, 2 January 2005.
- “Einstein’s Legacy: 1905 - The Miraculous Year of Unification and Generalization” - Prof. Hanoch Gutfreund, 5 January 2005.
- “The Cassini - Huygens Mission to Saturn” - Ronen Yaccobi, 19 January 2005.
The lectures are broadcast directly on the net. More details on these and future lectures can be found on the website of the Astronomy Club.
Class Activities
Physics Days of the Center of Physics Teachers and Young@Science at the Weizmann Institute of Science
The Center of Physics Teachers is organizing physics days for hundreds of high school students at the Weizmann Institute of Science. A time schedule is currently being prepared and will be published once established. Details will appear at http://physyear.weizmann.ac.il
Periodicals
A Special Magazine of Scientific American - Israel: “The Century of Einstein”
Ort Israel published a special edition of the Hebrew edition of Scientific American dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Albert Einstein meteoric breakthrough to the forefront of scientific research. The December 2004-January 2005 edition of the magazine includes a series of articles related to Einstein and his legacy.
Astronomy and Astrophysics for the Public
Meteors Shower - Geminid
No, the Geminid meteor shower that took place on 13-14 December 2004 is not a project of the World Year of Physics, but the organized meteor watch can surely be considered as such. The meteor shower lasted all night (at the rate of 150 meteors per hour). This year visibility conditions were especially good since the meteor shower occurred on the night of the new moon (first night of the month of Tevet), thus, the moonlight did not obstruct visibility. To achieve optimal visibility conditions, the Astronomy Club of Tel Aviv University traveled to the Ramon Crater for an activity that began already in the afternoon hours and lasted the whole night. Around 700 astronomy fans attended the observation at Henyon Be’erot inside the Crater. The Israeli Astronomical Association also organized an observation at Nahal Barak with around 200 participants.
The “Astronomy for Everyone Club“ of Young@Science held an activity at the Weizmann Institute facilitated by an Institute-wide blackout to improve visibility conditions. 300 people attended the gazing event.
For further astronomy activities during 2005 (including Perseid, Leonid and the Geminid meteor showers in December) look for coming notices at the website of the Astronomy Association http://www.astronomy.org.il , the website of the Astronomy Club http://wise-obs.tau.ac.il/astroclub , the website of Young@Science www.weizmann.ac.il/young and in other places.
International Events
“Physics for Tomorrow” - The Launch Conference of the International Year of Physics in Paris
A delegation of 6 young people will leave for the launch event that will take place at the Unesco Center in Paris, January 13-15, 2005. The delegation includes young people who participated in physics Olympiads, the Physics Tournament (“The Safes”) of Young@Science at Weizmann Institute of Science, and more.
Information on the conference can be found in the website http:///www.wyp2005.org/unesco and http://physyear.weizmann.ac.il.
[For high school students]
Youth Competitions
The 10th Shalheveth Freier Physics Tournament (“The Safes”) of Young@Science at Weizmann Institute of Science
This year Young@Science is organizing the 10th Shalheveth Freier Physics Tournament (“The Safes”). To mark the Year of Physics and the completion of the first decade of the tournament, a special celebratory ceremony will be held. The tournament itself will take place on 19 April, 2005 and the ceremony will take place the next day, 20 April, 2005. There will be an exhibition of all the 2005 “safes” on the day of the ceremony that will be open to the public. A record of over 60 “safes” from dozens of schools in Israel and several “safes” from foreign countries (Canada and Britain) are expected. You are invited! More details can be found at Young@Science website www.weizmann.ac.il/young
[High school students]
Competition events at Hemda School
Hemda School at Tel Aviv is conducting a series of competitions on subjects that touch on physics in honor of the World Year of Physics. Walking on water, egg dropping, building watches, and participating in other challenging activities are offered to the participants of the competitions.
Details can be found on Hemda website www.hemda.org.il
Museum Exhibitions
Einstein Exhibition at the Bloomfield Science Museum in Jerusalem
The exhibition that was developed by the American Museum of Natural History with the cooperation of the Hebrew University, Jerusalem (the owner of the Einstein Archives), which was exhibited at the science museums of Boston and Chicago will arrive at the Science Museum in Jerusalem in October 2005 in an Israeli version. In order to present it before the Israeli audience, the exhibition will be produced in Hebrew and Arabic (including graphics, subtitles for movies and new production of all the multi media mediums). A special chapter will be dedicated in the exhibition to the figure of Einstein as a Jew and a Zionist.
The exhibition will inaugurate a new wing at the museum of 700 sqm.
The Exhibition will have four main centers:
On the life of Einstein - from the time he was born in 1879, through his childhood, his outstanding achievements as a student (contrary to conventional notion…), his private letters and his publications. The Nobel Prize Medal and the certificate that Einstein received in 1921 are part of the exhibit in this center.
Einstein the scientist - interactive exhibits, multimedia and graphic panels that will demonstrate the revolution Einstein created in all areas related to light, space, time and motion.
Einstein and the World - as one of the most influential figures of our world, not only in science. Einstein was involved in social and political issues, supported the ideology of peace and human rights, and objected to nationalism. Einstein as a citizen of the world, a humanist, a Zionist and a Jew.
Theatre and educational laboratory - a center that includes educational programs for teachers and students. A 20- minute movie will be screened on the man, his personage, and his perspective on the world.
“The Face of a Genius, Albert Einstein - World Icon” in Ha’aretz Museum
An exhibition in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Theory of Relativity and the 50th anniversary of Einstein's death. Displayed among the exhibits are stamps, medals, and coins that bear his face, caricatures, letters, posters, books, and mail items signed by eminent physicians. The exhibition is based on the collection of Jack Gabor, and is scheduled to open on 22 February, 2005.
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