The sounds of science: a symphony for many instruments and voices

Abstract

This paper is a celebration of the frontiers of science. Goodenough, the maestro who transformed energy usage and technology through the invention of the lithium ion battery, opens the programme, reflecting on the ultimate limits of battery technology. This applied theme continues through the subsequent pieces on energy related topics (the sodium ion battery and artificial fuels, by Mansson) and the ultimate challenge for 3 dimensional printing the eventual production of life, by Atala. A passage by Alexander follows, reflecting on a related issue: How might an artificially produced human being behave? Next comes a consideration of consiousness and free will by Allen and Lidstrom. Further voices and new instruments enter as Bowen, Mauranyapin and Madsen discuss whether dynamical processes of single molecules might be observed in their native state. The exploitation of chaos in science and technology, applications of Bose Einstein condensates and a consideration of the significance of entropy follow in pieces by Reichl, Rasel and Allen, respectively. Katsnelson and Koonin then discuss the potential generalisation of thermodynamic concepts in the context of biological evolution. Entering with the music of the cosmos, Yasskin discusses whether we might be able to observe torsion in the geometry of the universe. The crescendo comes with the crisis of singularities, their nature and whether they can be resolved through quantum effects, in the composition of Coley. The climax is Krenn, Melvin and Zeilinger consideration of how computer code can be autonomously surprising and creative. In a harmonious counterpoint, Yampolskiy concludes that such code is not yet able to take responsibility for coauthoring a paper.

Please send comments and questions to Suzy Lidstrom

References in corpus (24)

• Many-Body Physics with Ultracold Gases
• Detection of 15 dB Squeezed States of Light and their Application for the Absolute Calibration of Photoelectric Quantum Efficiency
• Quantum Nature of the Big Bang
• Learning phase transitions by confusion
• Interferometry with Bose-Einstein Condensates in Microgravity
• Space-borne Bose-Einstein condensation for precision interferometry
• Super-resolution enhancement by quantum image scanning microscopy
• Information Loss
• Entanglement by Path Identity
• Achronal averaged null energy condition
• Multiaxis atom interferometry with a single diode laser and a pyramidal magneto-optical trap
• String Theory Effects on Five-Dimensional Black Hole Physics
• Quantum Experiments and Graphs: Multiparty States as coherent superpositions of Perfect Matchings
• Spikes in the Mixmaster regime of G_2 cosmologies
• Towards physical principles of biological evolution
• Black hole entropy, the black hole information paradox, and time travel paradoxes from a new perspective
• Graceful exit via polymerization of pre-big bang cosmology
• Design of conditions for emergence of self-replicators
• Rényi entropy yields artificial biases not in the data and incorrect updating due to the finite-size data
• Dark matter candidate with well-defined mass and couplings
• Horizon Detection and Higher Dimensional Black Rings
• Two natural scenarios for dark matter particles coexisting with supersymmetry
• Light, the universe, and everything -- 12 Herculean tasks for quantum cowboys and black diamond skiers
• Saving supersymmetry and dark matter WIMPs -- a new kind of dark matter candidate with well-defined mass and couplings

Cited by in corpus (2)

• Magnetism and Ion Diffusion in Honeycomb Layered Oxide K${}_2$Ni${}_2$TeO${}_6$: First Time Study by Muon Spin Rotation & Neutron Scattering
• The sounds of science a symphony for many instruments and voices part II