Groks Science Radio Show And Podcast

The asymmetric structure of biologically active molecules has confounded those interested in replicating their structures. However, novel chemical methods are being developed to attack this synthetic problem, as revealed on this episode.

The hype surrounding the Google IPO may have overshadowed the vast number of competing search engines. On this program, we talked with Kathy Rittweger, cofounder of one such search engine called Bguidx.

Traveling in the age of the internet can be perilous, but also profitable if you know your way around. On this program, we uncovered the best internet travel options for the frugal traveler.

Gamma ray bursts occur following massive stellar events, but their presence still remains enigmatic. On this program, we examined the astrophysics behind these intriguing signals.

Predicting earthquakes is of prime importance to urban regions situated near fault zones. The science behind these methods was explored with the recent recipient of the prestigious Japan Academy Prize, Prof. Hiroo Kanamori.

While electronic mail has revolutionized global communication, its ubiquity is not without a cost. Spam. How does one deal with the ever growing amounts of electronic junk mail. On this program, we featured one innovative approach.

Science fiction films provide a unique forum for showcasing our hopes, fears, and dreams. But, to what degree does science matter in science fiction? We probed this issue on this weeks episode with Gregg Rickmann, editor of the Science Fiction Film Reader.

Legendary journalist, Bill Moyers, joined us to discuss some current issues of big media and journalism.

Technological gadgets promise to ease the burden of every day living, but often prove more trouble than they are worth. On this week's program, we explored making technology more fun and user-friendly with Prof. Donald Norman from Northwestern University.

Egypt continues to intrigue archaeologists with its seemingly endless supply of artifacts. Many recent findings are shedding new light on this ancient society. We discussed this issue with Mark Rose, editor of Archaeology magazine.

The effort to legalize marijuana remains a major issue in society. The relative merits and disadvantages of such a policy were discussed on this program.

Robert Oppenheimer is perhaps best known as the lead scientist on the Manhattan Project to develop the atom bomb. But, the personal aspects of this important individual have remained untold. We explored these stories with Prof. Jeremy Bernstein, author of Oppenheimer: Portrait of an enigma.

The Riemann Hypothesis has been proclaimed as the greatest unsolved problem in mathematics, having remained unsolved for over a century. The person who solves it can claim a million dollar prize from the American Institute of Mathematics. We discussed this hypothesis with John Derbyshire, author of Prime Obsession.

Communicating ideas to a mass audience is quickly becoming democratized by the internet. However, transmitting these ideas effectively may determine the voices that are heard and those that are ignored. On this show, we discussed the creative commons with Prof. Lawrence Lessig of Stanford University.

During the quantum revolution, the views of the physical universe at the atomic scale were changing rapidly. During this tumultuous time, two physicists, Neils Bohr and Albert Einstein, struggled over this rapidly changing landscape. On this show Edmond Blair Bolles discussed his book, Einstein Defiant: Genius vs. genius in the quantum revolution.

Electronic commerce is rapidly replacing traditional avenues for retail sales. However, the full potential of this technology has yet to be fully realized. On this program, we discussed the organizational aspects of e-commerce with Dr. Mehdi Khosrow-Pour.

The growing limitation on energy resources does not necessitate an increase in energy production. An increase in efficiency may resolve many of these difficulties. On this program, the former director of the EPA, Dr. John Hoffman, discussed efficient energy use.

While most would readily accept that the brain controls behavior, few would acknowledge the role that genes play in shaping our actions. On this program, we investigated the guid between genes and behavior with Prof. Gary Marcus from NYU.

Although beauty may appear to be an abstract concept, our sense of beauty may have firm biological underpinnings in the normal operations of our visual system. We discussed this issue with Prof. Shinsuke Shimojo from Caltech.

The field of sociobiology attempts to attribute many behaviors to evolutionary causes. But, the justification for these attempts is often tenuous at best. On this program, we discussed sociobiology and models of human behavior with Dr. Richard C. Francis, author of Why Men Won't Ask for Directions: The Seductions of Sociobiology.