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Wisconsin Public Radio

FUTURE PHYSICS

Program 06-10-08-A

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The physics world has a darling - it's called string theory. The idea that the universe is composed of infinitesimal vibrating strings. String theory has been the subject of bestselling books, popular TV series and countless articles. But is it a dead end street? In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge - the physics feud. Why some scientists says string theory is a brain drain that isn't even provable.

SEGMENT 1:

Marcus Chown is a former Radio Astronomer and the author of "The Quantum Zoo." He is agog at the wonder of the universe and tells Anne Strainchamps that we haven't begun to understand the strangeness of it all. Also, Lee Smolin tells Steve Paulson about the debate in the blogosphere about string theory's failure to advance the field of physics beyond the accepted model. Smolin's book is "The Trouble with Physics: The Rise of String Theory, the Fall of a Science and What Comes Next." He says String Theory may be true, but if we can't prove or disprove it, the entire scientific method is in jeopardy.

SEGMENT 2:

Jason Soares is a member of the band "Aspects of Physics." He tells Jim Fleming that much of their music has to do with the mathematics of the ratios of how we assign tones into scales in music. "Aspects of Physics" has a new album called "Ping." Also, Len Fisher believes in practical physics. His book, "How to Dunk a Doughnut" gives scientific explanations for the minutiae of everyday life. He talks with Jim Fleming.

SEGMENT 3:

Russell Stannard is professor of physics emeritus at Open University in London and the author of the Uncle Albert books – a series of books for children about physics. He tells Steve Paulson why children can handle ideas that challenge adults, and why the internationally successful series is not available in the United States.

CD copies are available at 1-800-747-7444. Ask for program number 06-10-08-A.

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Books:

Len Fisher, How to Dunk a Doughnut: The Science of Everyday Life (Penguin)
Lee Smolin, The Trouble with Physics (Houghton Mifflin)
Russell Stannard, The Curious History of God (Templeton Foundation Press, 2003)

Websites:

• Books by Russell Stannard
  http://www.here-i-amonline.org/otherbooks.htm

Music:

• Brain in a Box: The Science Fiction Collection./ Rhino Disc 4. Incidental Lounge -Guitars in Space - Billy Mure -Saturday Night on Saturn - Lee Baxter -Moon Gas - Dick Hyman -Space Reflex (Blues in 5/4) - Dick Hyman
• Aspects of Physics/ Ping/Imputor
  -Neutrino
  -Ping
  -Reversevent
  
  

Distribution dates:

week of 08/26/2007 - hour 1 week of 10/08/2006 - hour 1

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Questions and comments can be addressed to: flemingj@wpr.org

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