Read article: Von Neumann’s computer History Opinion and reviews Von Neumann’s computer A book on the early history of practical computers, reviewed by Martin Campbell-Kelly
Read article: Between the lines: Christmas special Policy and funding Opinion and reviews Between the lines: Christmas special A bumper crop of books reviewed by Margaret Harris and Tushna Commissariat
Read article: Vital forces Soft matter and liquids Opinion and reviews Vital forces A rare popular-science book on biophysics, reviewed by Richard Jones
Read article: What made Bell Labs special? Policy and funding Opinion and reviews What made Bell Labs special? A history of Bell Labs, reviewed by Andrew Gelman
Read article: Soft matter’s charismatic pioneer Superconductivity Opinion and reviews Soft matter’s charismatic pioneer A biography of Pierre-Gilles de Gennes, now available in English translation, reviewed by Tom McLeish
Read article: A strange cat in Dublin Quantum mechanics Opinion and reviews A strange cat in Dublin A new biography of Erwin Schrödinger, reviewed by Cormac O'Raifeartaigh
Read article: Web life Surfaces and interfaces Opinion and reviews Web life Ask Nature: a whole website devoted to biomimicry and its many applications
Read article: The physics of sport – readers’ pictures Philosophy, sociology and religion Opinion and reviews The physics of sport – readers’ pictures A selection of images from the Physics World photo challenge
Read article: Between the lines Ethics Opinion and reviews Between the lines A graphic novel about the first atomic bomb and a biography of the anti-nuclear campaigner Joseph Rotblat, reviewed by Margaret Harris
Read article: The science of Prometheus Philosophy, sociology and religion Opinion and reviews The science of Prometheus A collection of essays by the cosmopolitan chemist Roald Hoffmann, reviewed by Seymour Mauskopf