edward@engr.uky.edu (Edward C. Bennett) (10/20/87)
In article <1336@ilium.swatsun.UUCP> hirai@swatsun.UUCP (Eiji "A.G." Hirai) writes: > > I desperately hope that this series will not be as bad as another >science program that PBS showed recently. I do not remember the exact title >but the program attempted to show some theories on the various fundamental >forces in the Universe. It had the narrator climbing up a light tower >and opening windows when explaining the march back in time to the beginning >of the Universe. The program was "The Day the Universe Changed" by James Burke. He had a similar series about 8 years ago titled "Connections". > The show lacked any depth for those who were Physics majors or >were knowledgeable about the field of quantum physics, and was bery confusing >for those who were not. Either way, you lost out. I don't think Burke wanted to go into detail. What he was trying to show was how one seemingly insignificant event can change the course of history. I'm sorry that you didn't like TDTUC. I've always considered it and "Connections" to be some of the best stuff on PBS. (No, I didn't see "I, Claudius".) -- Edward C. Bennett DOMAIN: edward@engr.uky.edu UUCP: cbosgd!ukma!ukecc!edward "Goodnight M.A." BITNET: edward%ukecc.uucp@ukma "He's become a growling, snarling white-hot mass of canine terror"
rjchen@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Raymond Juimong Chen) (10/21/87)
edward@engr.uky.edu (Edward C. Bennett) said: >hirai@swatsun.UUCP (Eiji "A.G." Hirai) writes: >>I do not remember the exact title >>but the program attempted to show some theories on the various fundamental >>forces in the Universe. It had the narrator climbing up a light tower >>and opening windows when explaining the march back in time to the beginning >>of the Universe. > >The program was "The Day the Universe Changed" by James Burke. He had a >similar series about 8 years ago titled "Connections". >... >I'm sorry that you didn't like TDTUC. I've always considered it and >"Connections" to be some of the best stuff on PBS. (No, I didn't see "I, >Claudius".) I disagree. The program Eiji "A.G." Hirai refers to was a one-time special on the beginning of the universe. Titled something like "The Beginning of the Universe". It had its first run last year (maybe the year before), and I happened to find it quite interesting. Probably because I'm not a physics major (and therefore don't find the simplifications trivializing), but am greatly interested in the material (and I didn't get too lost by the technicalness). About TDTUC: I, too, am a great fan of "Connexions" and "TDTUC". (Too bad I missed most of the TDTUC episodes. Does anyone know when PBS plans on re-releasing the series?) Is there a TDTUC book available? (I saw a "Connections" book many years ago.) -- Raymond Chen, BITNET: (preferably) 6101695@pucc, rjchen@pucc ARPA: rjchen@pucc.PRINCETON.EDU UUCP: {allegra}!princeton!pucc!rjchen "Say something, please! ('Yes' would be best.)" - The Doctor
upton@ga.ecn.purdue.edu (David Upton) (10/21/87)
In article <1706@ukecc.engr.uky.edu> edward@engr.uky.edu (Edward C. Bennett) writes: >In article <1336@ilium.swatsun.UUCP> hirai@swatsun.UUCP (Eiji "A.G." Hirai) writes: >The program was "The Day the Universe Changed" by James Burke. He had a >similar series about 8 years ago titled "Connections". > >> The show lacked any depth for those who were Physics majors or >>were knowledgeable about the field of quantum physics, and was bery confusing >>for those who were not. Either way, you lost out. > >I'm sorry that you didn't like TDTUC. I've always considered it and >"Connections" to be some of the best stuff on PBS. (No, I didn't see "I, >Claudius".) > Yeuuch to "The Day the Universe Changed". I agree with A.G., it was shallow and unacceptable. The program was too concerned with dramatising history and not concerned enough with accuracy and relative importance. Hardly surprising, James Burke used to co-present a long running BBC program "Tomorrow's World" also known as "New Technology for the Under-Fives" which was extremely patronising and over-simplified. In my view, the DTUC was just another mechanism for James Burke to claim more of the British psuedo-intellectual entertainment market and enhance his own image as the omniscient investigative reporter. The BBC makes (used to make?) much better programs of the same ilk on a variety of scientific topics. -- David Upton Telephone(317) 494 7963 IE Dept. upton@gb.ecn.purdue.edu Purdue Univ. upton@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU West Lafayette, IN. ** Deuteronomy 23-1, hold on to 'em tight! **
bryan@megalon.cs.utexas.edu (Bryan Bayerdorffer) (10/22/87)
=-I missed most of the TDTUC episodes. Does anyone know when PBS plans on =-re-releasing the series?) Is there a TDTUC book available? (I saw a =-"Connections" book many years ago.) Yes, James Burke has a hardcover book out called 'The Day the Universe Changed.' The jacket even has the same hand-holding-a-mirror- sphere picture that opens the TV episodes. I too, liked what I saw very much, and would like to hear about any re-release of the series. ______________________________________________________________________________ /_____/_____/_____/_____/_____/_____/_____/_____/_____/_____/_____/_____/_____/ |_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____| _No dark sarcasm in the classroom|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|___ |____Teachers leave the kids alone__|_____|_____|bryan@ratliff.cs.utexas.edu__| ___|_____|_____|_____|___{ihnp4,seismo,...}!ut-sally!mothra.cs.utexas.edu!bryan |_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|
ix442@sdcc6.ucsd.EDU (Nidhal Guessoum) (10/22/87)
>>I do not remember the exact title >>but the program attempted to show some theories on the various fundamental >>forces in the Universe. It had the narrator climbing up a light tower >>and opening windows when explaining the march back in time to the beginning >>of the Universe. > > The program Eiji "A.G." Hirai refers to was a one-time > special on the beginning of the universe. Titled something like > "The Beginning of the Universe". It had its first run last year (maybe > the year before), and I happened to find it quite interesting. Probably > because I'm not a physics major (and therefore don't find the simplifications > trivializing), but am greatly interested in the material (and I didn't > get too lost by the technicalness). > The program you are refering to was titled " The Creation of the Universe," and was an excellent one if only for its computer animation . I *am* a physics major, an astrophysics graduate student as a matter of fact, and I thought the show was totally absorbing. I did get the feeling, however, that a "non-specialist" might get lost in the principles and in the technical jargon, even though they tried their best to simplify the ideas and terminology with analogies and animation. I also had a problem with the show, or more precisely with the interviewees, in that they made it appear as if physicists do understand everything about the history of the universe back to 1.0e-32 seconds after the creation of the universe, and that all is fine with the theories of cosmology. That is a totally wrong impression, as any impartial cosmology physicist will testify... Aside from that, the show was very nice; I recorded it on tape and still have it. Nidhal Guessoum U.C. San Diego
marcula@homxc.UUCP (10/22/87)
In article <987@phoenix.Princeton.EDU>, rjchen@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Raymond Juimong Chen) writes: > edward@engr.uky.edu (Edward C. Bennett) said: > >hirai@swatsun.UUCP (Eiji "A.G." Hirai) writes: > >>I do not remember the exact title > >>but the program attempted to show some theories on the various fundamental > >>forces in the Universe. It had the narrator climbing up a light tower > >>and opening windows when explaining the march back in time to the beginning > >>of the Universe. > > > >The program was "The Day the Universe Changed" by James Burke. He had a > >similar series about 8 years ago titled "Connections". > >... > >I'm sorry that you didn't like TDTUC. I've always considered it and > >"Connections" to be some of the best stuff on PBS. (No, I didn't see "I, > >Claudius".) > > I disagree. The program Eiji "A.G." Hirai refers to was a one-time > special on the beginning of the universe. Titled something like > "The Beginning of the Universe". It had its first run last year (maybe > the year before), and I happened to find it quite interesting. Probably > because I'm not a physics major (and therefore don't find the simplifications > trivializing), but am greatly interested in the material (and I didn't > get too lost by the technicalness). > > About TDTUC: I, too, am a great fan of "Connexions" and "TDTUC". (Too bad > I missed most of the TDTUC episodes. Does anyone know when PBS plans on > re-releasing the series?) Is there a TDTUC book available? (I saw a > "Connections" book many years ago.) > -- Excuse me, you are close but not correct.%-) The show is "Creation of the Universe". See earlier posting. I have to try run down this Connections thing. Sounds pretty interesting. One would think that the cable channel called the "Discovery Channel" would have monopoly on those older but decent science programs. Every time I tuned them in they are airing some dated animal show. Boy, if those guys every got their act together the networks would be in serious trouble. I would love to join video club that features these kinds of films. If any one knows of any - please share the info. Thanks.
majka@ubc-vision.UUCP (Marc Majka) (10/22/87)
In article <3410@sdcc6.ucsd.EDU> ix442@sdcc6.ucsd.EDU (Nidhal Guessoum) writes: >The program you are refering to was titled " The Creation of the >Universe," [...] I especially liked the acknowledgement at the end of that program: "The Creation of the Universe was made possible by a grant from Texas Instruments" No joke! --- Marc Majka
john@frog.UUCP (John Woods, Software) (10/23/87)
In article <987@phoenix.Princeton.EDU>, rjchen@phoenix.Princeton.EDU writes: >edward@engr.uky.edu (Edward C. Bennett) said: >>hirai@swatsun.UUCP (Eiji "A.G." Hirai) writes: >>>It had the narrator climbing up a light tower >>The program was "The Day the Universe Changed" by James Burke. He had a >I disagree. The program Eiji "A.G." Hirai refers to was ...titled something >like "The Beginning of the Universe". >Is there a TDTUC book available? Yes, and it's very good. He goes into more detail about some things, includes some items not in the TV broadcast, and doesn't include some things that were in the TV series. Kind of like the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"... :-) -- John Woods, Charles River Data Systems, Framingham MA, (617) 626-1101 ...!decvax!frog!john, ...!mit-eddie!jfw, jfw@eddie.mit.edu "Cutting the space budget really restores my faith in humanity. It eliminates dreams, goals, and ideals and lets us get straight to the business of hate, debauchery, and self-annihilation." -- Johnny Hart
glg@sfsup.UUCP (G.Gleason) (10/25/87)
In article <1706@ukecc.engr.uky.edu> edward@engr.uky.edu (Edward C. Bennett) writes: >In article <1336@ilium.swatsun.UUCP> hirai@swatsun.UUCP (Eiji "A.G." Hirai) writes: >> The show lacked any depth for those who were Physics majors or >>were knowledgeable about the field of quantum physics, and was bery confusing >>for those who were not. Either way, you lost out. >I don't think Burke wanted to go into detail. What he was trying to show >was how one seemingly insignificant event can change the course of history. >I'm sorry that you didn't like TDTUC. I've always considered it and >"Connections" to be some of the best stuff on PBS. (No, I didn't see "I, >Claudius".) I also give a big yes vote to both TDTUC and Connections. Somehow I don't think this is the show he was talking about, or was it. Both of these shows are much more concerned with the *process* of science and invention, and its connection to ordinary life. We must realize that scientific progress is not independant of ordinary human life. Discovery -> New Technologies -> New Household Products -> New Worldviews -> More Discovery, etc. etc. It is clear that we live in a different world than our grand-parents. Everyday items such as the telephone are essential to scientific progress. Science deals with bigger problems, and requires more interaction than it ever has, and this is just the beginning. Gerry Gleason
glg@sfsup.UUCP (G.Gleason) (10/25/87)
In article <987@phoenix.Princeton.EDU> rjchen@phoenix.UUCP (Raymond J. Chen) writes: >re-releasing the series?) Is there a TDTUC book available? (I saw a >"Connections" book many years ago.) Yes, I just saw it in a bookstore today. I also saw the book _The_Ring_ of_Truth_. I caught the rebroadcast of the first issue of TROT in the early hours of Thurs morning. It is excellent, Philip Morrison is an excellent educator and it shows in the program. Gerry Gleason