Dear Physics Community,

Today the Globe reported that the Ragon Institute would go back into full operation, as an experiment, in the next couple of weeks.  Terry Ragon, who endowed the Institute, chairs the Physics Visiting Committee and is a great friend of our Department.  The Ragon Institute also works on antibody testing for COVID-19 and there was a Ragon Institute Webinar last week about their work, which was quite good

Academic Continuity Meeting

MIT Medical – is expanding its testing capabilities.  Cecilia reported the tent outside of MIT Medical will be replaced this weekend by a trailer to allow testing in a better environment and with more technicians. Self-reporting – if you or someone you know might have COVID-19 please contact covid19reports@mit.edu right away.  They can connect you with resources, testing, and MIT Medical

Fall term – remains a hot topic with a new option: half the student population on campus for half of the Fall term.  Not sure how it works.  I think in a week or so, the Departments will be given clear scenarios and asked to work on developing plans for them.

Physics Department

UROPs – the Department is working to find UROPs positions for the summer for any undergraduate who has filled out Cathy’s form, so please do that so we can move ahead.  If you are a student and already have a UROP planned for summer with someone, please write a proposal and apply for direct funding by May 7.  Faculty and the Department can also fund UROP positions, but first, we need to match students with faculty.

Why did sex evolve? – this Quanta article has some interesting ideas, aside from the diversity of offspring.

X-ray induced mutations – Quanta had a link to Herman Joseph Muller, who in 1926, discovered that X-ray radiation could cause genetic mutations.  This was before DNA was known.

Los Endos A look ahead – from Nergis.

Damn glad it is Friday.

Peter