Physics and Literature

Summary: Although physics and literature are not often mixed, there are places where these topics overlap. One physicist at CERN, JJ Gomez, has been overlapping these two interests.
He has previously written a story on his experience working at CERN and a book concerning the issues of potential energy sources. He is considering writing a new book focusing on nuclear energy. Right now, however, he is working on a book aimed at young adults. He hopes to introduce physics topics without all the complex facts. I look forward to seeing what he comes up with. Since he is a fan of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, I have high hopes for his book.

His previous works:
Book of short stories: La agonía de las libélulas (Agony of the dragonflies)
Materia Extraña
El ecologista nuclear (The Nuclear Environmentalist, now published in English)



CERN Courier: http://cerncourier.com/cws/article/cern/52360

The end of Herschel's telescope

Summary: ESA's Herschel telescope, best known for its stunning images of nebulae like the Pillars of Creation, is set to take its last images later this month. this is a planned shut down. Due to the scientific instruments to take its images, the telescope needed to be constantly cooled to almost absolute zero temperatures. However, there is only so much coolant that can be flown with a satellite. The liquid is due to run out this month as expected.
Scientists are rushing to try and fit in as many observations as they can before the telescope ceases to function and they send it into orbit around the sun.
The images will be archived somewhere that they can be easily accessed.

BBC News: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21668712

Another puzzle piece in the Standard Model

Summary: Scientists have now detected D-mesons (a very small and elusive particle) oscillating between matter and antimatter. Weird, but super cool. This was predicted to occur since the other mesons have already been proven to exhibit this weird behavior. Furthermore, this evidence crosses the "five-sigma" level of statistical certainty that is needed to declare it an actual discovery.



BBC News: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21594357