European Physics Laboratory

The U.S. National Commission for Unesco has been notified by Unesco’s Paris headquarters that the proposal for establishment of a European physics laboratory, made last year in Florence by I. I. Rabi, member of the U.S. delegation to the Fifth General Conference of Unesco, has received offers of financial support from France and Italy. An offer of 2,000,000 lire (about $3,125) from the National Research Council of Italy was accepted by Unesco’s Executive Board, and it was indicated that the French Government was considering a donation of 2,000,000 francs (about $5,555). A preliminary study of possibilities for setting up the laboratory is to be made under the direction of Unesco’s Natural Science Department, which is headed by Professor Pierre Auger. When a preliminary report on the study of the possibility of establishing the West European center is completed, it will be presented to a meeting of experts to be convened by Unesco. A number of Western European nations have already expressed interest in the project, and it is expected that additional financial help will be forthcoming.