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Unpopular Subjects? Is there a place in todays society for the study of useless subjects in our universities? Just over 100 years ago Fitzgerald argued in a well-written letter______ Nature that Universities must be allowed to study useless subjects-______ they dont，who will? He went 0n to use the ______ of Maxwells electrodynamics_as one case where a useless subject has been transformed to a useful subject. Nowadays this argument is again very much______ in many universities.Indeed one suspects that it is one of those arguments that must be______ anewby each generation.But now there is an added twist ~)--subjects must not only be useful，they must also be______ enough that students will flockto d0 them，and even flock to pay to do them. As universities become commercial operations，the pressure to______ subjects or departments that are less popular will become stronger and stronger, Perhaps this is most strongly______ at the moment by physics.There has been much______ in the press of universities that are closing down physics departments and incorporate them with mathematics or engineering departments. Many scientists think otherwise.They see physics as a______ science，which must be kept alive if only to______ a base for other sciences and engineering.It is of their great personal concern that physics teaching and research is under______ in many universities.How Can it be preserved in the rush towards commercial competition? A major turnaroundin student popularity may have to______ until the industrial world discovers that it needs physicists and starts paying them well. | 
