Guerin - Robert L. Forward, a card carrying physicist ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_L._Forward ) of merit wrote a bit of quite passable Science Fiction, including two on the topic of emergent life and evolution on the surface of a neutron star. Star Quake and Dragon's Egg are a futuristic version of Edwin Abbot Abbot's Flatland of a sort where the anisotropy of the extreme gravitation on the surface of a Neutron star (thus reference to condensed matter physics) makes the emergent life on the surface virtually 2D.
Most entertaining and if you are intrigued at all by "real scientists" who have a knack for Science Fiction, Forward is your man. He died in 2002 > Here's an interesting and approachable free book from National Academies > Press. > You can preorder with PDF now or view the book online for free. Note the > chapters on "What Happens Far From Equilibrium" and "Physics of Life": > > > Condensed-Matter and Materials Physics: > The Science of the World Around Us > <http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309109698> > DESCRIPTION: As part of the 2010 physics decadal survey project, DOE and NSF > requested the NRC to assess opportunities, over roughly the next decade, in > condensed matter and materials physics (CMMP). The study is to review recent > accomplishments and new opportunities; identify potential future impact of > CMMP; > consider its contributions to national needs; assessing priorities for tools > and > facilities; analyze current research and funding; and make recommendations for > realizing the full benefit of CMMP. This report presents a survey of the CMMP > field during the last decade, including the state of federal and private > support > of CMMP within the United States, and looks ahead to the intellectual and > technological challenges of the coming decade. This discussion is centered > about > six grand challenges concerning energy demand, the physics of life, > information > technology, nanotechnology, complex phenomena, and behavior far from > equilibrium. > > -Steve > ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
