A Distant Light: Scientists and Public Policy (Masters of Modern Physics)

A collection of essays by a Nobel Prize Laureate on a wide range of problems facing the world, and the role of scientists in solving them. Kendall was one of a group of physicists who founded the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) and is currently chairman of its board of directors. UCS is today a voice of authority in US government science policy, particularly with regard to environment issues. Together, these essays represent both the successes and failures of science to impact public policy, and offer practical guidelines for involvement in science policy. They are roughly chronological, organised by subject with introductions, beginning with the controversies on nuclear power safety and Three Mile Island, then followed by sections on national security issues, global environmental and resource problems, and radioactive cleanup. Kendall’s Nobel Prize lecture is also included (and is the only really technical material in the book), while the photos are from a 1992 exhibition of his work. Beyond March 4.- One Nuclear Power.- Press Release: Nuclear Power.- Nuclear Reactor Safety: An Evaluation of New Evidence.- Cooling Water.- Nuclear Safety.- The Failure of Nuclear Power.- Two Science.- Structure of the Proton and the Neutron.- Deep Inelastic Scattering: Experiments on the Proton and the Observation of Scaling.- Three National Security and Nuclear Weapons.- News Release: Announcing Declaration on the Nuclear Arms Race.- Declaration on the Nuclear Arms Race.- Spaced-Based Ballistic Missile Defense.- The Fallacy of Star Wars.- Accidental Nuclear War.- Dismantle Armageddon.- Four Global Environmental and Resource Issues.- Appeal by American Scientists to Prevent Global Warming.- Speech to the United Nations Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee.- Press Release: Announcing World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity.- World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity.- Constraints on the Expansion of the Global Food Supply.- Meeting Population, Environment and Resource Challenges: The Costs of Inaction.- Bioengineering of Crops.- Five Cleanup of Radioactive Contamination.- Alternative Futures for the Department of Energy National Laboratories.- Six Current Issues.- Quenching the Wild Wells of Kuwait.- Post-Conflict Mine Clearing.- 10.1007/978-1-4419-8507-1_26.- 305.