Assuming that dark matter is a weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) species X produced in the early Universe as a cold thermal relic, we study the collider signal of pp or pp →XX + jets and its distinguishability from standard-model background processes associated with jets and missing energy. We assume that the WIMP is the sole particle related to dark matter within reach of the LHC -a "maverick" particle -and that it couples to quarks through a higher dimensional contact interaction. We simulate the WIMP final-state signal XX + jets and dominant standard-model (SM) background processes and find that the dark-matter production process results in higher energies for the colored final state partons than do the standard-model background processes. As a consequence, the detectable signature of maverick dark matter is an excess over standard-model expectations of events consisting of large missing transverse energy, together with large leading jet transverse momentum and scalar sum of the transverse momenta of the jets. Existing Tevatron data and forthcoming LHC data can constrain (or discover!) maverick dark matter.

Despite compelling arguments that significant discoveries of physics beyond the standard model are likely to be made at the Large Hadron Collider, it remains possible that this machine will make no such discoveries, or will make no discoveries directly relevant to the dark matter problem. In this article, we study the ability of astrophysical experiments to deduce the nature of dark matter in such a scenario. In most dark matter studies, the relic abundance and detection prospects are evaluated within the context of some specific particle physics model or models (e.g., supersymmetry). Here, assuming a single weakly interacting massive particle constitutes the Universe's dark matter, we attempt to develop a modelindependent approach toward the phenomenology of such particles in the absence of any discoveries at the Large Hadron Collider. In particular, we consider generic fermionic or scalar dark matter particles with a variety of interaction forms, and calculate the corresponding constraints from and sensitivity of direct and indirect detection experiments. The results may provide some guidance in disentangling information from future direct and indirect detection experiments.

Photometric UBVI CCD photometry is presented for NGC 188 and Berkeley 17. Color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) are constructed and reach well past the main-sequence turnoff for both clusters. Cluster ages are determined by means of isochrone fitting to the cluster CMDs. These fits are constrained to agree with spectroscopic metallicity and reddening estimates. Cluster ages are determined to be 7:0 AE 0:5 Gyr for NGC 188 and 10:0 AE 1:0 Gyr for Berkeley 17, where the errors refer to uncertainties in the relative age determinations. These ages are compared to the ages of relatively metal-rich inner halo/thick-disk globular clusters and other old open clusters. Berkeley 17 and NGC 6791 are the oldest open clusters, with ages of 10 Gyr. They are 2 Gyr younger than the thick-disk globular clusters. These results confirm the status of Berkeley 17 as one of the oldest known open clusters in the Milky Way, and its age provides a lower limit to the age of the Galactic disk.

Three emerging technologies in physics education are evaluated from the interdisciplinary perspective of cognitive science and physics education research. The technologies -Physlet Physics, the Andes Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS), and Microcomputer-Based Laboratory (MBL) Tools -are assessed particularly in terms of their potential at promoting conceptual change, developing expert-like problem-solving skills, and achieving the goals of the traditional physics laboratory. Pedagogical methods to maximize the potential of each educational technology are suggested.