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**Chris** · Jul 21, 2006, 12:06 am

I got this book back in 2002, Saw this series on PBS when it aired. Just came across this site. Check out a couple of episodes. Its really interesting stuff.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/elegant/program.html

**Jack** · Jul 21, 2006, 02:21 am

Very cool. Thanks. (How come so many of these great shows originate with WGBH?)

Plasma Snake[D] · Jul 21, 2006, 02:24 am

I miss these types of shows. I remember those seemingly dry documentaries showing the "lion carefully stalking it's prey." Nowadays all you really see on Discovery and TLC is home design junk and reality shows.

Milton Bradley · Jul 21, 2006, 05:46 am

Quote:

Quote by: Isherwood

Very cool. Thanks. (How come so many of these great shows originate with WGBH?)

A seemingly disproportionate percentage in my experience. WGBH Boston is a great resource for many of the highly cerebral educational productions that air on all PBS stations across the country.

I don't know what they are doing right, but I have been a fan for quite some time.

**Chris** · Jul 21, 2006, 09:52 am

Quote:

Quote by: Isherwood

Very cool. Thanks. (How come so many of these great shows originate with WGBH?)

cause WGBH is from Boston :)

**Chris** · Jul 21, 2006, 09:53 am

Quote:

Quote by: Plasma Snake[D

] I miss these types of shows. I remember those seemingly dry documentaries showing the "lion carefully stalking it's prey." Nowadays all you really see on Discovery and TLC is home design junk and reality shows.

yes, and choppers!

"Hey you guys we gotta finish this bike!"

Please!

**Chris** · Jul 21, 2006, 09:55 am

I like the interviews with some of the greatest minds on earth today. Excellent.

The Second Law · Jul 21, 2006, 10:53 am

Interesting stuff, yes, but string theory isn't science by any means. I watched the first few hours but didn't watch anymore because I was looking for a scientific program, not one of science fiction. While true that string theory has some mathematical basis, it's effectively worthless to us other than being something out of which one can make a neat NOVA program.

--Second

**Jack** · Jul 21, 2006, 11:39 am

Quote:

While true that string theory has some mathematical basis, it's effectively worthless to us

I would say that any attempt to explain the underpinnings of reality is worth exploring, and fascinating as well. Much of quantum physics is difficult to wrap your brain around, but that doesn't mean the effort to do so is worthless.

Aeris · Jul 21, 2006, 11:46 am

I watched that in astronomy last year. I found it very intriguing, but I'm not all that interested in the hard sciences.

The Second Law · Jul 21, 2006, 11:50 am

Think of it as saying that God does everything by himself. He makes all those little particles bounce around and attract and everything like that.

That's an explanation for the underpinnings of reality, and so is the suggestion that undetectable unicorns push things around, but neither of those are worth exploring (okay, at least in the experimental sense. Think about it all you want, because that's free, except when the NSF gives so much money to theorists, grumble grumble) because they're not scientific. Nobody can predict what God will do or find out whether or not there really are little unicorns inside of us, so those two theories are entirely worthless and we can get no further in our understanding of how everything works.

String theory is the same way. Technically, it could be tested, so it's not entirely a construct, but in order to test some of its claims, we'd need a particle accelerator that's as big as the universe, so I don't think we'll be doing that, well, ever.

--Second

Osborn F Enready · Jul 22, 2006, 01:43 pm

Might as well close the patent office eh Second Law?

LOL

They will explain it, if man doesn't extinct himself first in the name of some dogma, or confused perception of reality exploiting the people via force.......... oh wait, thats happening now......

**Chris** · Jul 24, 2006, 08:10 am

Another fine piece of programming from GBH

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...eid=searchfeed

Jul 21, 2006, 12:06 am	#1 (permalink) (top)
Chris Gamma-ray burst Location: Nashville Posts: 6,355	Its Educational I got this book back in 2002, Saw this series on PBS when it aired. Just came across this site. Check out a couple of episodes. Its really interesting stuff. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/elegant/program.html I'm voting against the theocratic psychopaths Shared

Jul 21, 2006, 02:21 am	#2 (permalink) (top)
Jack formerly Isherwood Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 13,743	Very cool. Thanks. (How come so many of these great shows originate with WGBH?) The Forum Rules Radical Atheist Heathen Queer Let's agree to respect each others views, no matter how wrong yours may be. (Ashleigh Brilliant)

Jul 21, 2006, 02:24 am	#3 (permalink) (top)
Plasma Snake[D] Cause for Concern Location: Planet Earth Posts: 664	I miss these types of shows. I remember those seemingly dry documentaries showing the "lion carefully stalking it's prey." Nowadays all you really see on Discovery and TLC is home design junk and reality shows. Isa14:21Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers. Deu24:16The fathers shall not be put to death for the children,neither shall the kids be put to death for the fathers.

Jul 21, 2006, 09:55 am	#7 (permalink) (top)
Chris Gamma-ray burst Location: Nashville Posts: 6,355	I like the interviews with some of the greatest minds on earth today. Excellent. I'm voting against the theocratic psychopaths Shared

Jul 22, 2006, 01:43 pm	#12 (permalink) (top)
Osborn F Enready Principled Observer Location: Toledo, Ohio Posts: 13,873	Might as well close the patent office eh Second Law? LOL They will explain it, if man doesn't extinct himself first in the name of some dogma, or confused perception of reality exploiting the people via force.......... oh wait, thats happening now...... Petition of Redress of Grievances: http://www.givemeliberty.org/default.htm Canadian Lawsuit Against Their National Banks: http://www.freewebs.com/classaction/ Osborn F. Enready

Jul 21, 2006, 10:53 am	#8 (permalink) (top)
The Second Law Molten Ash Location: Texas Posts: 98	Interesting stuff, yes, but string theory isn't science by any means. I watched the first few hours but didn't watch anymore because I was looking for a scientific program, not one of science fiction. While true that string theory has some mathematical basis, it's effectively worthless to us other than being something out of which one can make a neat NOVA program. --Second

Jul 21, 2006, 11:50 am	#11 (permalink) (top)
The Second Law Molten Ash Location: Texas Posts: 98	Think of it as saying that God does everything by himself. He makes all those little particles bounce around and attract and everything like that. That's an explanation for the underpinnings of reality, and so is the suggestion that undetectable unicorns push things around, but neither of those are worth exploring (okay, at least in the experimental sense. Think about it all you want, because that's free, except when the NSF gives so much money to theorists, grumble grumble) because they're not scientific. Nobody can predict what God will do or find out whether or not there really are little unicorns inside of us, so those two theories are entirely worthless and we can get no further in our understanding of how everything works. String theory is the same way. Technically, it could be tested, so it's not entirely a construct, but in order to test some of its claims, we'd need a particle accelerator that's as big as the universe, so I don't think we'll be doing that, well, ever. --Second

Jul 24, 2006, 08:10 am	#13 (permalink) (top)
Chris Gamma-ray burst Location: Nashville Posts: 6,355	Another fine piece of programming from GBH http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...eid=searchfeed I'm voting against the theocratic psychopaths Shared