INTELLIGENT DESIGN
Session M50 looks at the impact of this topic much in the news and the efforts of many to keep science education on a scientific footing. Jeremy Gunn (American Civil Liberties Union) will review some of the legal milestones concerning the teaching of evolution, such as the Scopes trial of 1925, and will suggest how scientists can contribute to the ongoing debate. Marshall Berman (Sandia National Lab and past vice president of the New Mexico State Board of Education) looks at the social and political standing of science and of religious fundamentalism. Francis Slakey (APS) will review past policy action by the American Physical Society and current efforts in this area. Finally, Cornelia Dean of the New York Times will describe how the evolution and intelligent design issue has been covered in her newspaper. (Tuesday night, March 14, Marriot Hotel, Grand Salon V)

BUILDING A BETTER VIRUS
Viruses are very simple organisms, consisting of little more than a membrane surrounding genetic material. The microorganisms propagate through hijacking other cells by inserting their DNA into their victims, which in turn begin churning out copies of the infecting virus. Rahul Sharma and You-Yeon Won (yywon@ecn.purdue.edu, 765-494-4077) of Purdue are building artificial analogues of viruses designed to deliver therapeutic genetic material, instead of causing disease. The researchers create their artificial viruses with a trio of polymers; one that binds to a DNA molecule and collapses it to a compact size, and two others that encapsulate the DNA in a coating much like a virus' membrane. Although the work is still in early stages, it could lead to an efficient gene therapy method that mimics the ancient and effective infection behavior of natural viruses. (V16.2)

SINGLES' BAR FOR SPINS
Rice and MIT resear
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Contact: James Riordon
riordon@aps.org
301-209-3238
American Physical Society
17-Mar-2006