To The Best of Our Knowledge from Wisconsin Public Radio

It's hard for our three dimensional brains to imagine a four dimensional world, but many physicists believe it's all around us. A world where you could walk through walls, dip your hand into a locked safe, or stuff a whale into a sphere the size of a marble. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, exploring the higher dimensions of hyperspace. Also, the physics of foam, from cappuccino to packing-peanuts. And the man behind the quark, a biography of Murray Gell-Mann.

Science researcher Clifford Pickover takes Judith Strasser on a conceptual tour of the fourth dimension, and other highlights of hyperspace. Pickover is the author of "Surfing through Hyperspace: Understanding Higher Universes in Six Easy Lessons." Also, physicist David Willey talks about the death-defying stunts he demonstrates in the classroom to get his students interested in science. Willey walks on fire and broken glass, lies on a bed of nails, and sticks his hand into molten lead. He teaches physics at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.

George Johnson is a science writer for the New York Times and biographer of physicist Murray Gell-Mann. He tells Steve Paulson about Gell-Mann's rivalry with fellow genius Richard Feynman; his generosity toward younger colleagues; and reputation for rude and cutting remarks. Johnson's book is "Strange Beauty: Murray Gell-Mann and the Revolution in Twentieth Century Physics." And, we hear a brief excerpt from an interview with Murray Gell-Mann on the subject of complexity and chaos.

Thomas Bass is the author of "The Predictors: How A Band of Maverick Physicists Used Chaos Theory to Trade Their Way to a Fortune on Wall Street." He tells Judith Strasser about the two chaos theorists - Norman Packard and Doyne Farmer - his book is about, and tells her how they're doing. Also, physicist Sidney Perkowitz tells Jim Fleming why foam in all its forms (from the head on a glass of beer to packing peanuts) fascinates him and his colleagues. Perkowitz teaches at Emory University in Atlanta and is the author of "Universal Foam: From Cappuccino to the Cosmos."

Distribution dates:

• week of 02/11/2001 - hour 1
• week of 01/30/2000 - hour 2