The Planets with Brian Cox

[banjaxed]

I have missed both so far so it looks like catch up will be used when I get the time.

[Demonperformer]

I, too, quickly get bored with the CGI. I find the easiest way to "watch" things like this is to do something else at the same time and just listen to the commentary. Caught ep2 last night ... he did seem to be a bit obsessed with the idea of finding life, which I personally feel is a question that is never going to provide a satisfactory answer. This is because (1) I think there won't be any [science currently has no idea how organic molecules become "alive", so the argument that the universe is so big there must be life elsewhere carries very little weight with me], and (2) not finding it will not stop people saying "but maybe it is there anyway".

[MarsG76]

37 minutes ago, Demonperformer said:

I, too, quickly get bored with the CGI. I find the easiest way to "watch" things like this is to do something else at the same time and just listen to the commentary. Caught ep2 last night ... he did seem to be a bit obsessed with the idea of finding life, which I personally feel is a question that is never going to provide a satisfactory answer. This is because (1) I think there won't be any [science currently has no idea how organic molecules become "alive", so the argument that the universe is so big there must be life elsewhere carries very little weight with me], and (2) not finding it will not stop people saying "but maybe it is there anyway".

The "Universe is so big that it's arrogant to say there's no life out there" argument by the likes of neil degrasse "there are more stars in the milkyway galaxy than there are atoms in the universe" tyson is like saying that if you had an infinite number of monkey with an infinite number of type writers randomly bashing away, that in a infinite amount of time one would rewrite the entire literature collection in existence and that will be in existence.... I say, "Show me proof not philosophy"....

[Gina]

Repeat of Episode 2 coming up on BBC TWO in a few minutes.

[MarsG76]

7 minutes ago, Gina said:

Repeat of Episode 2 coming up on BBC TWO in a few minutes.

Great... I get to miss another one...

enjoy...

[Hawksmoor]

I quite like Prof Brian and his wistful asides on escarpments. Doubling up on the lens flare in one episode was probably a flare too far but taken in the round it's easy on the eye and brain after we've had our dinner, washed up and sat down with a coffee. Best of all my partner said during the last episode "Brian's beginning to look his age".  I never saw that coming, as for years that man has been cosmology's answer to Peter Pan. Third star from the right and keep on til morning Brian!

George stir crazy because of the cold and torrential rain in Lowestoft.

[Gina]

Just starting...

[Kn4fty]

I enjoy his presentation. He really seems to enjoy what he does and it bleeds over to the viewers. Hope to get more of his material on this side of the pond 

Rob

[Alien 13]

33 minutes ago, Kn4fty said:

I enjoy his presentation. He really seems to enjoy what he does and it bleeds over to the viewers. Hope to get more of his material on this side of the pond 

Rob

I agree, he would certainly be near the top of my list of people I would love to have a drink and chat with down the local pub (bar).

Alan

[Gina]

That was good - very interesting, I thought.

[cletrac1922]

He was Down Under last year, co-hosting Star Gazer Live

He was also quest speaker at Science Week, in Brisbane, and general admission was A$400

Was also 100 tickets available to meet him back stage afterwards, and tickets for that were A$1200

Still find him very interesting to listen to, and with Star Gazer live, was no pre-recording, 

John 

[andrew s]

12 minutes ago, Gina said:

That was good - very interesting, I thought.

Bit too much BC enjoying being on unnecessary locations staring into the distance for my taste.  Some good real images.

Regards Andrew 

[Gina]

Yes, that's true.  With a fair amount of padding but overall pretty good.

[Craney]

" First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out,

of landing that man, Brian Cox on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth" 

Go on,   its worth the increase in the license fee......

[Alien 13]

I like the padding, the staring into the distance and most of all the soundtrack although that seemed a bit toned down this week, its called engaging with the masses who dont yet realize they have an interest in science...

Alan

[lenscap]

As a keen observer, I have noticed that  BBC science documentaries always include a lingering shot of the presenter driving an enormous SUV across picturesque parts of the southwestern USA.

I propose that this should be known as Cox's Law.

[andrew s]

13 minutes ago, Craney said:

" First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out,

of landing that man, Brian Cox on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth" 

Go on,   its worth the increase in the license fee......

Fully support getting him there not sure about the return. (Only kidding)

13 minutes ago, Alien 13 said:

I like the padding, the staring into the distance and most of all the soundtrack although that seemed a bit toned down this week, its called engaging with the masses who dont yet realize they have an interest in science...

Alan

 But it is not science it's just posing and being a celebrity. I know I am being a science snob!

Regards Andrew 

[Alien 13]

10 minutes ago, andrew s said:

 But it is not science it's just posing and being a celebrity. I know I am being a science snob!

Its the way of the world I am afraid but does have benefits, Albert Eisenstein was the biggest celebrity in the world of science and am sure he inspired those that followed... and most importantly the general public.

Alan

Edited June 11, 2019 by Alien 13

[JamesF]

15 minutes ago, lenscap said:

As a keen observer, I have noticed that  BBC science documentaries always include a lingering shot of the presenter driving an enormous SUV across picturesque parts of the southwestern USA.

I propose that this should be known as Cox's Law.

Oddly enough, there is already a Cox's Theorem, and named after a physicist too.  Though in this case the theorem applies to probability.

James

[Macavity]

I ENJOY "Brian Cox" programs now! I'm somewhat a "computer graphics groupie"? lol
I think he raised a number of interesting (less known) ideas re. Planet migrations etc. 😎

I still dislike being "told what to think" by whippersnapper "young" Particle Physicists
re. "Religion & Politics" (c.f. Twitter stuff). Idem Alice Roberts and Jim Al-Khalili... But! 😛

Edited June 12, 2019 by Macavity

[DaveS]

I would have liked a diagram showing planetary migration through time rather than just hand-waving, besides you cannot discuss the migration of Jupiter / Saturn without also discussing the ejection from the solar system of "Planet X", a Neptune sized object that took away a lot of the angular momentum, and the migration of Uranus / Neptune which IIRC changed places.

Having said which, I liked the program too, and am looking forward to the next episode.

[Bukko]

1 hour ago, DaveS said:

I would have liked a diagram showing planetary migration through time rather than just hand-waving, besides you cannot discuss the migration of Jupiter / Saturn without also discussing the ejection from the solar system of "Planet X", a Neptune sized object that took away a lot of the angular momentum, and the migration of Uranus / Neptune which IIRC changed places.

Having said which, I liked the program too, and am looking forward to the next episode.

I think you might have hit on the plot line for the next series...

Gordon.

[Yearofthegoat]

He seems to have improved his delivery this series.

It's never going to satisfy everyone - and doesn't (shouldn't) intend to. There are lots of other resources out there for more detail on the science. I watch this with my kids who are 8 and 9, and they don't have much trouble following it. Which is great.

[Gina]

Yes, I too think this series is better.

[Ouroboros]

I thought last night's episode on Jupiter was a tad slow in parts. I kept saying to the TV "Oh, get on with it".

I also dislike his tendency to quiet often state as fact things that are really just best estimates based on the evidence as it is now. To give him his due, however, he does occassionally add words  like "we think" or "the evidence suggests" etc.