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Focuses on the celebration of the Einstein Year in 2005. Anniversary for physics; Contributions of Albert Einstein to physics.

The article cites several theories to explain why ice is slippery, including that of professor Robert M. Rosenberg who published and article on the topic in the December issue of "Physics Today" magazine. Several theories are considered and several experiments by scientists are described that attempt to explain why ice is slippery.

Examines whether the traits of the universe are random or inevitable. Discussion of "counterfactual history," in which historians brainstorm about how the course of human history would have changed if events turned out differently; Similarities between this exercise and what scientists are doing when they ask which numbers in physics and cosmology are accidents or emerge inevitably from unified laws of nature; Examples of questions that scientists are asking; Research into the density of matter in the university and what would occur if density were less or more than it currently is; Discussion of the anthropic principle and how it relates to density; Reason why anthropic thinking can be dangerous, according to astronomer Mario Livio; View that cosmic numbers necessary for matter, galaxies, stars and life have yet to be determined if they are an accident or fundamental physics.

Reports on the reason on why fewer women made it to the top in Physics as compared to the men in the U.S. Enthusiasm to sacrifice; Difference in intrinsic aptitude between the sexes; Job level of women.

Presents information from physicists about the potential of traveling through time. Comments from Dr. Ronald Mallett, a professor of physics at the University of Connecticut-Storrs, regarding recent interest in the notion of time-travel; Impact of Einstein's theory of relativity in current work on time-travel; Work of Kip Thorne and colleagues at Caltech, focusing on wormholes; Discussion of the motion picture to be released next week called "Timeline," which uses wormholes in their story of time travel.

Focuses on the shape of protons. Discussion of measurement and shape within subatomic realm; Comments from Dr. Xiangdong Ji, professor of physics at the University of Maryland; Reference to quantum mechanics in which an object does not exist in a definite place and time; Results of experiments at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News (Va.) where researchers slammed electrons into protons and recorded the motions; Comments from other physics professor Dr. Gerald A. Miller about the experiments.

Discusses the renaissance of physics and the study of subatomic particles. How a new generation of physicists is coming up with radical ideas about how the universe may be constructed; The search for extra dimensions; and the building blocks of space and time; Deficiencies of the standard model of physics which are being challenged by young physicists.