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Contents of the May/June 1995 issue of Quantum

Feature articles

Smale’s Horseshoe

by Yuly Ilyashenko and Anna Kotova

When the American mathematician and Fields Medal winner Stephen Smale offered it to the world some 30 years ago, it caused a sensation in the field of differential equations. And yet this construction is simple enough to be presented within the framework of the high school math curriculum.

Airplanes in Ozone

by Albert Stasenko

The periodic “ozone hole” over Antarctica has been the subject of much research and debate. This article examines the effect of a new generation of jet aircraft on levels of atmospheric ozone.

Additional information

Four frequently updated files of frequently asked questions (FAQ) about stratospheric ozone depletion are available via a hypertext document and also by FTP. These files are posted monthly, usually in the third week of the month.

Jesse James Discovers the Heat Equation

by Kurt Kreith

An old ballad has it that the notorious train robber Jesse James “stole from the rich and he gave to the poor.” If he had studied physics instead of train schedules, he would have discovered that his economic agenda had much in common with so-called “diffusion processes.”

Magnetic Monopoly

by John Wylie

Magnetic monopoles—the subject of this article—may not even exist. But that doesn’t stop this physicist from investigating them full-bore and offering his readers some fascinating physics along the way.

Departments

Looking Back: The Great Art

by Semyon Gindikin

The controversial origins of “Cardano’s formula.”

Kaleidoscope: How’s Your Astronomy?

by Alexander Leonovich

Questions, interesting facts, and a microexperiment.

Physics Contest: The First Photon

by Arthur Eisenkraft and Larry D. Kirkpatrick

Problems concerning the particle nature of light, with a surprise visit from a vending machine that dispenses potato chips.

Math Investigations: Maximizing the Greatest

by George Berzsenyi

Another interesting problem in the literature that deserves to be generalized and could lead to independent research or a science project in mathematics.

Toy Store: Head over Heels

by Sergey Krivoshlykov

The mechanics of a topsy-turvy top.

How Do You Figure?: Challenges in Physics and Math

Brainteasers: Just for the Fun of It!

Check out this sample!

Happenings

Answers, Hints & Solutions

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