November 24, 2000

Nature's Most Intimate Details

By RICHARD MONASTERSKY

A cadre of physicists uses precision to spy the inner workings of the universe

Each morning for 43 years, James E. Faller has woken up and tried to think of a way to beat Mother Nature at her own game. The match consumes him, as it does hundreds of other physicists around the world. They almost certainly won't win Nobel prizes, and they may see little progress in their lifetimes. But they struggle on, winning small points even while the grand goal often dances

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