Brian Cox

[Simon Pieman]

Although he didn't know for certain, it's believed Moore is the only person to have met the first person to fly a plane (can't remember who it was and Google's being no help), the first person into space (Gagarin) and the first person on the moon (Armstrong) Quite a feat if true especially as the plane guy was way back in the 30s.

The plane guys were the infamous Wright brothers who successfully built and flew non-powered and powered aircraft at the turn of the 20th century, far earlier than you think.

[leefer]

You haven't got a huge knowledge of this science thing have you?

Probably more than you would think Lumps.....my post was said as a tongue in cheek comment.

I mean lets face it the great scientists of the past all thought the world would be ended by now anyway....what did they know

As i said a lot of science(like global warming)is complete hogwash based on a few theories by a few so called eminent scientists.

I prefer real scientists....the ones who discover remedies etc than the new wave lot we have now.....is it really that important to know when the world is going to end or how deep a black hole is.
Granted it is mind bogling..............but it wont feed starving kids in nations who havn't even got clean water to drink.

Do like the man Cox though,seems to be down to earth(sorry).....and is certainly getting people interested in Science again.

[Lumps]

To be fair the bloke's a theoretical physicist. He's not going to breed you any super spuds or cure cancer, but he is a real scientist.

Just because something is difficult to understand, doesn't mean it isn't important. Read his book:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=why+e+mc2&tag=googhydr-21&index=aps&hvadid=6826679341&ref=pd_sl_7jqrle9096_e

It'll make your head hurt. Then you'll read the chapter again, think you've got it, try to explain to to someone else, and read it for the third time.

[leefer]

To be fair the bloke's a theoretical physicist. He's not going to breed you any super spuds or cure cancer, but he is a real scientist.

Just because something is difficult to understand, doesn't mean it isn't important. Read his book:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=why+e+mc2&tag=googhydr-21&index=aps&hvadid=6826679341&ref=pd_sl_7jqrle9096_e

It'll make your head hurt. Then you'll read the chapter again, think you've got it, try to explain to to someone else, and read it for the third time.

Fair enough.......quick question though....would Einstein have been so brainy if he couldn't read and write?
That was my sort of point......this kind of science is of course incredible and mind boggling.....things like splitting the Atom is wayyyyyyyyyy past my point of being able to understand.

A mate has the book by Cox,and is spellbound by it.

[Samdy Gray]

But how can the energy distribute itself throughout the universe if the universe no longer exists?

Well in some regards the universe will still exist, there'll just be nothing left in it and no concept of time.

[flammableBen]

I fucking love all science. I think that the desire to understand not only the world around us, but ourselves and our place in the universe, is what really sets humanity apart as special.

Searching for the building blocks of matter and searching out the fundimental building blocks of everything might not solve cancer or world hunger tomorrow, but increasing our understanding of the way everything works can't be a bad thing.

[Saxondale]

Yes, but we know the answers.  God did it all in 7 days and if you dont believe that you will go to hell.

No really.  An ex nazi youth bloke with a big house in rome and a pointy hat told me.

[BANGKOK RED]

Leefer

A lot of this stuff really does help us and sooner than you might think. You might think that the size of a black hole is irrelevant, for example, but the maths that even thinking about it produces helps is on all sorts of ways.

Look at the LHC, they are looking for something that they aren't even sure exists. They are also researching powerful energy sources that you hear about on star trek and stuff. This can make an enormous difference to many people in the future.

And what if the like of Cox weren't looking into physics, do you think they'd just switch to medicine instead? People get this good at stuff because they are interested in it. If they are not interested in medicine they'd probably just and up doing something non-sciency instead.

[Highland Robin]

Yes, but we know the answers.  God did it all in 7 days and if you dont believe that you will go to hell.

No really.  An ex nazi youth bloke with a big house in rome and a pointy hat told me.

I wasn't going to join in with this cos I really am not a scientist, and could never get beyond arithmetic in Maths!  But with GKN's wind up, I now can't resist.....  All I would say is don't just discount or poo hoo the religious stuff.  Whatever may be argued about specific belief systems and teachings of various religious traditions, the fact is that human beings have had the religious instinct within their make-up since for ever.  It may just be some wild, uncontrollable gene which desperately searches for an answer to everything even to the point of irrationality...but it may not.  You might be surprised (or not) at how many of our premier scientists worldwide not only retain their faith but actually find it strengthened by their scientific exploration...on the basis that the more knowledge that is gained, the more remarkable and mysterious the world/universe becomes.

[Ginginho]

the fact is that human beings have had the religious instinct within their make-up since for ever.

What are you waffling on about?

However, I agree there are weak similarities between science and religion.
Take the Large Hardon Collider for example, billions have been spent to create this fucking thing to search for something (Higgs Boson, or the aptly named God Particle) that may or may not exist.
In the same vein, people who are religious believe in god, and live their life by him, and he may or may not exist.

Of course people are searching for answers all the time, about their existence and origin, but this has fuck all to do with religion.

[BANGKOK RED]

The difference being that scientists are aware that the Higgs may or may not exist and everything they think they know might be wrong.

The religious believe that god is absolutely true and anything to suggest the contrary is absolutely false.

Science isn't absolute, religion is. There's a mahoosive difference between the two.

[jayohaitchenn]

I wasn't going to join in with this cos I really am not a scientist, and could never get beyond arithmetic in Maths!  But with GKN's wind up, I now can't resist.....  All I would say is don't just discount or poo hoo the religious stuff.  Whatever may be argued about specific belief systems and teachings of various religious traditions, the fact is that human beings have had the religious instinct within their make-up since for ever.  It may just be some wild, uncontrollable gene which desperately searches for an answer to everything even to the point of irrationality...but it may not.  You might be surprised (or not) at how many of our premier scientists worldwide not only retain their faith but actually find it strengthened by their scientific exploration...on the basis that the more knowledge that is gained, the more remarkable and mysterious the world/universe becomes.

You seem like a reasonable bloke, and I know you're some sort of preacher but for crying out loud! People lean towards religion because of fear of death. That is the only reason.

Organised religion and the study of science are polar opposites.

[Samdy Gray]

Oh yes, the age old religion vs. science debate. I don't think even the might of TEF is up for solving this one.

[BANGKOK RED]

Oh yes, the age old religion vs. science debate. I don't think even the might of TEF is up for solving this one.

I bet we give it a good go though.

[Samdy Gray]

I bet alarm bells are ringing in the Vatican as we type.