“My Favorite Things,” physics edition

MAY 01, 2025

Randall Kamien

Superconductors ¹ and other exotics ²
Self-learning networks ³ and nanorobotics ⁴
Various planets surrounded by rings ⁵
These are a few of my favorite things

Landau and Lifshitz ^6–15 and extra dimensions ¹⁶ ^, ¹⁷
(Don’t forget Einstein’s summation conventions ¹⁸ )
Structural color on butterfly wings ¹⁹
These are a few of my favorite things

Confluent membranes all covered with live cells ²⁰
Snowflakes that stick to the spheres ²¹ and the micelles
Unification as promised by strings ²²
These are a few of my favorite things

Bad reviewers!
Grant renewals!
When I’m feeling had
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don’t feel so mad

References

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2. R. P. Feynman, M. Cohen, Phys. Rev. 102, 1189 (1956). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.102.1189
3. J. J. Hopfield, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 79, 2554 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.79.8.2554
4. R. P. Feynman, in Miniaturization, H. D. Gilbert, ed., Reinhold (1961), chap. 16.
5. B. A. Smith et al., Science 204, 951 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.204.4396.951
6. L. D. Landau, E. M. Lifshitz, Mechanics, 3rd ed., J. B. Sykes, J. S. Bell, trans., Butterworth-Heinemann (1976).
7. L. D. Landau, E. M. Lifshitz, The Classical Theory of Fields, 4th rev. ed., M. Hamermesh, Butterworth-Heinemann (1975).
8. L. D. Landau, E. M. Lifshitz, Quantum Mechanics: Non-Relativistic Theory, 3rd ed., rev., J. B. Sykes, J. S. Bell, trans., Pergamon Press (1977).
9. V. B. Berestetskii, E. M. Lifshitz, L. P. Pitaevskii, Quantum Electrodynamics, 2nd ed., J. B. Sykes, J. S. Bell, trans., Butterworth-Heinemann (1982).
10. L. D. Landau, E. M. Lifshitz, Statistical Physics, 3rd ed., rev., J. B. Sykes, M. J. Kearsley, trans., Butterworth-Heinemann (1980).
11. L. D. Landau, E. M. Lifshitz, Fluid Mechanics, 2nd ed., rev., J. B. Sykes, W. H. Reid, trans., Pergamon Press (1987).
12. L. D. Landau, E. M. Lifshitz, Theory of Elasticity, 3rd ed., rev., J. B. Sykes, W. H. Reid, trans., Butterworth-Heinemann (1986).
13. L. D. Landau, E. M. Lifshitz, L. P. Pitaevskii, Electrodynamics of Continuous Media, 2nd ed., rev., J. B. Sykes, J. S. Bell, M. J. Kearsley, trans., Pergamon Press (1984).
14. E. M. Lifshitz, L. P. Pitaevskii, Statistical Physics, Part 2: Theory of the Condensed State, J. B. Sykes, M. J. Kearsley, trans., Butterworth-Heinemann (1980).
15. E. M. Lifshitz, L. P. Pitaevskii, Physical Kinetics, J. B. Sykes, R. N. Franklin, trans., Butterworth-Heinemann (1981).
16. T. Kaluza, Sitzungsber. Preuss. Akad. Wiss., 1921, 966.
17. O. Klein, Z. Phys. 37, 895 (1926). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01397481
18. A. Einstein, Ann. Phys. (Leipzig) 49, 769 (1916). https://doi.org/10.1002/andp.19163540702
19. H. A. Hagen, Proc. Am. Acad. Arts Sci. 17, 234 (1881). https://doi.org/10.2307/25138651
20. H. Honda, J. Theor. Biol. 72, 523 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-5193(78)90315-6
21. H. Wan et al., Nat. Commun. 15, 3442 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-47844-x
22. M. B. Green, J. H. Schwarz, Phys. Lett. B 149, 117 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1016/0370-2693(84)91565-X

More about the Authors

Randall Kamien. (kamien@upenn.edu) University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.