Stephen Hawking

I watched a fascinating documentary on Stephen hawking last night. I learned that atoms are both bigger and smaller than I thought, both exist and don't exist. I also learned that we are still a long way away from explaining why our universe came into being. One of my personal regrets is, that I am useless at a maths. - I know it's a language...but I never learned it well enough to to have a full appreciation of its beauty.

Anyway a good programme last night....even if most of the numbers would go over my head.....(quantum Theory....general relativity....aaaaagghhh) :shock:

Declan

I learned that atoms are both bigger and smaller than I thought, both exist and don't exist.

Don't forget that sometimes television programs talk a lot of rubbish Declan.

I watched this, and although it wasnt bad it was a bit like a glossy magazine with lots of shiny images but very little content. I guess its a tough subject to get out to the masses in an hour long show, but i would think the folks watching it would be people with interest in the topic already and know a little bit on it.

I guess its more about the man and less about the science, but the science they presented was very limited in detail

I know you are right about the content....thin on the ground..but nice to see Stephen hawking's dedication in trying to answer what is probably the biggest question of all......what lit the fuse?...what wasit before it was a universe......or maybe it's "turtles all the way down"

Hi Declan
Damn, I meant to watch this program last night; I knew I was forgetting something! Don’t worry; you’re not the only one that has trouble trying to fathom the theories of the Universe/s, all the particles in my head go into quantum spin when I try to understand it to some degree! I do miss Carl Sagan from our TV screens.

Hi Peter, I agree somewhat.
I was under the impression that nearly all television programs talk a lot of rubbish most of the time, now we asked to pay more for it in the form of a licence fee hike apparently this year sometime. I guess the Eurovision, Pat Kenny’s salary and a lot of American, English and Irish balderdash is worth it, or at least those in RTE seem to think so. I wonder; any chance of RTE producing a regular quality astronomy TV program anytime soon.
Like the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, it is both difficult to predict the position on this and does anyone in RTE have the momentum to carry it out, rant over and out!

Clear skies
Mike

PS Declan
The answer to life, the universe and everything is “42”, what was the question again?

The Vikings got it just about right:

The origin of the universe is explained in the Younger Edda, a collection of Norse myths compiled around 1220 by the Icelandic magnate Snorri Sturleson.
In the beginning, says the Edda, there was nothing at all. “Earth was not found, nor heaven above, a Yawning gap there was, but grass nowhere.
“To the north and south of nothing lay regions of frost and fire, Niflheim and Muspelheim”.
The heat from Muspelheim melted some of the frost from Niflheim, and from the liquid drops there grew a giant, Ymer.
What did Ymer eat? It seems there was also a cow,Audhumla....etc...