We all know about the Big Bang, or at least have heard about it, but what really happened to create all the stellar constellations, galaxy clusters and our very own pale blue dot in the universe? Astronomers have some clues about how it may have happened, but much remained unsolved and up for speculation by […]
Ghost particle origins: the weird world of neutrinos
Why would scientists plumb a mile beneath the South Pole in search of clues to a riddle of cosmic proportions? To find out, tune into Perpetual Notion Machine’s conversation with Dr. Justin Vandenbroucke of UW-Madison about the strange high-energy subatomic particles known as neutrinos. Vandenbroucke is part of a team that recently observed the first […]
Albert Einstein and Genius
Who would have thought that a science radio show would be plugging a TV show? But Perpetual Notion Machine producer Dennis Shaffer not only loves science, he is a bit of a history buff. And the cable television National Geographic Channel has been airing a docudrama series on the life of Albert Einstein called Genius. […]
The Physics of Ant Swarms
Swarming ants flow like syrup or spring back like rubber balls, whichever suits them. Could this lead to self-healing bridges? Is there a swarm intelligence directing this behavior? New York Times science reporter James Gorman chats with Monday Buzz host Brian Standing.
The Wonders of Physics
Did you know that only 80% of Americans know that the center of the Earth is incredibly hot? Or that only 75% of people know that the Earth revolves around the Sun? On Wednesday July 24th, host Tim Hansel talked with University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor Clint Sprott about these startling statistics of physics and science literacy in the United States.