Fundamental Symmetries and the Role of their Violations in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology:

The past 20th century and outlook to the next century

Martin Quack

maqu@ir.phys.chem.ethz.ch

Fundamental symmetries and their violations play a particular role in our understanding of nature. In the lecture we will start by out-lining some of the concepts in relation to molecular physics [1,2,3] in a very down to earth way, and then consider the consequences for and relationships to biology, physics and cosmology in a somewhat less down to earth perspective.

References:
[1] M. Quack, chapter 27 in "Femtosecond Chemistry", J. Manz and L. Woeste, eds., Proc. Berlin Conf. Femtosecond Chemistry, Berlin (March 1993), Verlag Chemie, Weinhein (1994), p. 781-818.
[2] M. Quack, in "Conceptual Tools for Understanding Nature". Proc. 2nd Internat. Symp. of Science and Epistemology Seminar, Trieste April 1993, G. Costa, G. Calucci, M. Giorig, eds., World Scientific Publ. Singapore (1995), p. 172-208.
[3] M. Quack, in Proceedings of the Symposium on Atomic and Surface Physics and Related Topics, SASP 98, Going/Kitzbuehel, Austria", A. Hansel, W. Lindinger eds., Institut fuer Ionenphysik der Universitaet Innsbruck, Austria, p. 2-26 to 2-28.