Cern 1996

Particle physics aims to investigate matter on the very smallest of scales; the fundamental particles that make up the universe. It is a famous irony that while particle physicists investigate the tiniest shreds of matter they need the largest equipment to do so. (Other physicists, aggrieved with ever increasing amounts of funding being poured into particle physics, always remind us 'it's not how big it is, it's what you do with it that counts!') CERN is a prime example, it investigates particles far smaller than an atom, yet the main experiment is a huge doughnut shaped ring, 33 kilometres in circumference. This experiment is buried 100 metres underground, and spaced along its length are enormous cavities holding the massive detectors. It is a huge shock to step out of the lift into a cavern many times bigger than School and knowing that in front of you is equipment recreating the early stages of the big bang itself.

On 6 June 1996 an ISCO group, including nine Westminsters and two teachers, left Heathrow for Geneva. We spent the next day exploring Geneva, by ferry in the morning and foot in the afternoon (and in the process found out how expensive it was to get drunk - strictly as a theoretical exercise, not a practical one, of course). Having to sleep the night in a youth hostel, sharing a room with seven others, was made up for the next day by actually seeing CERN itself.

CERN, because of its enormous cost is very much a multinational endeavour. (As one physicist put it, its official language is not so much English as broken English). What impressed us most was that the physicists were exceptionally friendly, answering all of our questions with real enthusiasm. CERN consists of much more than just a 33 kilometre collider, including CHORUS, an experiment to measure the mass of the possibly massless neutrino, a particle so unreactive that on average 6 million miles of lead is needed to make it interact.

We have, of course, to end with the cliche of recommending CERN to you. But for those armchair physicists among you, Particle Physics (a new book by the Head of Physics) may be more to your taste, available from all good book shops.

Leon-Chiew Foong (RR) and James Acton (RR)

The 1997 Henry Tizard Memorial Lecture

Consciousness bothers us all in one way or another; why else should so many of the world's religions promise that it will not end? It is us, it is what we call 'reality', and mostly we would dearly like to know what it is. Computer scientists want to know if their machines can emulate it; chemists want to know which molecules might mediate it; biologists would like to identify the structures in which it is cast. Medics want insight as to why it sometimes goes wrong, and most people seek to modify it in one way or another at some time in their lives.

Thus it was certain that Susan Greenfield, Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Oxford, and Gresham Professor of Physics, would find a large and enthusiastic audience for the 1997 Tizard Lecture. Fresh from her appearance on Desert Island Discs the previous Sunday, where she had chosen for her one record Beethoven over Marvin Gaye (but not even the eminent are wholly perfect), Susan Greenfield gave a charismatic performance which led one of the Remove the next day to exclaim 'doesn't she just make you want to go and work with her!'

Susan Greenfield's views on consciousness were given in the form of an analogy, of a stone falling into a pond with the ripples spreading out. She envisages an epicentre within the brain, from which influence spreads to other neurons, the extent of this influence varying from time to time and depending on the nature of the processing required. It is a highly fluid view of the mechanisms in the brain, quite unlike the 'hard-wired' picture which is probably what many people have. The thesis was pursued with vigour, and was evidently much appreciated; importantly, it was probably far from universally accepted. The best test of a Tizard Lecture is not whether the audience has received an hour's worth of instruction, but rather an hour's worth of ideas which will lead to further argument and hence to a better understanding. Science is not 'right' or 'wrong', rather it should be seen as the ferment of controversy which it really is. Susan Greenfield's theses can be read in her writings, and those of the many other people active in the field; the enthusiasm and commitment which she showed, and which will be well-remembered (but how?) will have been the spur to many to learn more. It was an admirable evening, complemented by the Chairman, Professor Jeffrey Gray of The Maudsley. He wanted to offer a couple of Westminsters a job, based on their questions.

Rod Beavon

Anyone not presently on the mailing list who would like an invitation to the 1998 Henry Tizard Memorial Lecture should write to the Head of Science, 7-9 Dean Bradley Street, SW1P 3EP, or fax on 0171 222 0853.