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My editorial board and I are pleased to introduce Controversies in Physiology, a new and exciting series in the Journal of Applied Physiology. It is our goal to encourage scientific debate on different relevant areas of investigation in applied physiology.

In the past, there has been no official channel by which to convey opposing scientific views in the Journal of Applied Physiology with the possible exception of the "Letters to the Editor," which by their nature are limited. There appears to be interest within the scientific community in such debates. For example, point-counter-point formats have been implemented in a number of scientific meetings to provide an opportunity in which strongly opposing views in particular areas can be expressed.

In this initiative for the Journal, the Editorial Board and I want to provide a written forum for authors to engage in scientific debate on different topics. We are excited to present the first in this series of written debates, "Opposing views on the alveolar surface, alveolar models, and the role of surfactant" by Emile Scarpelli and Brian A. Hills.

The debate featured in this series resulted directly from a "Letter to the Editor" submitted by Dr. Scarpelli in response to an Invited Review by Dr. Hills published in the Journal of Applied Physiology in November 1999. From Dr. Scarpelli's Letter to the Editor, it was clear that he held a strong, opposing view to that of Dr. Hills, consequently affording the opportunity to express this controversy in physiology in a written format.

As with any new series, we may need to slightly modify the format of future articles in the series. In this regard, any recommendations or criticism will be greatly appreciated. Please send your comments to the Editor at sieck.gary{at}mayo.edu.