A Night with the Stars

Absolutely brilliant crimbo telly, particularly if like me you loved the Ri's Christmas lectures growing up(still do)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...ith_the_Stars/.

Quote:

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For one night only, Professor Brian Cox goes unplugged in a specially recorded programme from the lecture theatre of the Royal Institution of Great Britain. In his own inimitable style, Brian takes an audience of famous faces, scientists and members of the public on a journey through some of the most challenging concepts in physics.

With the help of Jonathan Ross, Simon Pegg, Sarah Millican and James May, Brian shows how diamonds - the hardest material in nature - are made up of nothingness; how things can be in an infinite number of places at once; why everything we see or touch in the universe exists; and how a diamond in the heart of London is in communication with the largest diamond in the cosmos.

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I enjoyed this for the pure theatre of it all, but I was left wondering what it was all for by the end. It wasn't clear to me what he set out to do, and therefore wasn't clear what he achieved.
It was also clear that the 'stars' had no idea what Brian Cox was talking about. So, was the point to humiliate some celebrities, or to get more 'Brian Cox on the telly', or explain about diamonds, explain what quantum theory is....? Not sure.

Having said all that, I did enjoy it; I love Brian's enthusiasm and passion, which comes through very clearly, and he is desperate to get that wonder and joy across to people. Does wonders for science.

I thought it was good. As a quantum noob, I learnt 2 things!
1. Heisenberg uncertainty principle (at least a much better understanding of it!)
2. How all the matter in a black hole can be so small

I do hope that Sarah Millican was pulling his leg and playing dumb for the lols.....

Isn't Brian May a scientist as well? I thought I'd read that he'd gone back to uni or summat...

Was good fun though i wish they'd stop shoving celebrities in our faces..lol..
Much prefer Jim Al-Khalili's programmes on similar subjects...though i suppose we should be glad any science is shown on TV in these days of Total Wipeout and Strictly something.