Comments on: Professor Brian Cox on Newsnight

By: Robin

Robin — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:12:08 +0000

Replying to Queen Jane (and Gia’s comment):

Facing a choice between physics, architecture and writing probably means that you will manage 2/3 in the medium career term, QJ. Combining physics and architecture seems difficult although if you got into nano stuff, you will be able design and build your own big molecules, a bit like an architect. I urge you to put a lot of effort into writing (good English). No better language for prose was ever devised, despite what the French say. If you must talk street stuff with your friends, make sure you keep proper English going on the side. If u tlk @ intervws like u tlk 2 yr m8s, no one will ever hire you to a decent job. I’d say do physics, keep architecture going as a “hobby”, writing about it as well as physics. Try very hard to keep your maths up. You need it to do physics well. We describe complicated systems by using maths formulae. It’s the only way.

Now as for being head of particle physics, I gave that up 3 years ago and was hired on to do research into anything I liked, provided it was 50% physics and 50% biology. And I write stuff, like I have 3 books in progress. So in the long term, you can do whatever you like, 3 things, even more so if you are good at it.

good luck.

By: Branislav Kovacevic

Branislav Kovacevic — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 23:25:27 +0000

Hello Gia!

My respect goes to Brian for being able to not punch DK in the face. Seriously, some twa.. Err I mean people, make me wanna rip my face off.

I mean, just go and read some of the comments at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/09/06/do0604.xml

I hate that feeling when I am practically ashamed for being human being because of other people stupidity…

By: queen jane

queen jane — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:12:47 +0000

that’s what i wanted to read about! The good rewarding part(which still comes as a treat in everyday research i do for my own)because anything else makes the first one tastier.Thank you, Gia!

By: giagia

giagia — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:20:14 +0000

Queen Jane- a scientist does research into things that have yet to be discovered, they write papers on their research, lecture if they’ve got a lecturing position… They also seem to travel around the world to conferences with other scientists fairly often, too! With Brian I’ve been to conferences in Rio, Japan, Vietnam and the usual places like France, Italy, Germany…

Maybe Prof Robin Marshall will see this and let you know some more. He’s the Head of the Particle Physics Group at Manchester… :)

By: Philip Moriarty

Philip Moriarty — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 08:32:34 +0000

I work in the same general research field as David King, namely surface science. As I’ve discussed in a little more detail in a post at the Discover blog , it’s been immensely depressing to listen to the president of the British Association for the Advancement of Science put forward the view that much of basic research is a waste of taxpayers’ money. (King will argue that the preceding statement doesn’t capture the “caveats” of his position. I would in turn argue that an ex-chief scientific advisor should be sufficiently media-savvy to realise just how his comments would be interpreted. The timing of his “broadside” against basic research was certainly impeccable and showed a very good understanding of how to manipulate the media).

Brian Cox’s performance on Newsnight was simply fantastic – impassioned, entertaining, inspiring, and focused. (I can now almost forgive him for contributing to that New Labour anthem “Things can only get better”…)

By: queen jane

queen jane — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:44:05 +0000

Gia, what does a scientist do?I’m 13 so i was thinking i can still choose between physics, architecture and writing:)

By: Beadyboo

Beadyboo — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 13:47:27 +0000

This is truly fabulous. I love the fact that Paxman – who one is not overly fond of – cannot get a word in edgeways – I am sure at some point I heard JP make a comment about wiping intelligent life off the earth – I really hope this isn’t JP alluding to the doomsday theories -he may be a bit of a pompous arse (am I allowed to say that?) but one would hope he might be a faction of the beeb that wouldn’t get drawn into all the will it – won’t it end lunacy. BBC breakfast anchors – yes that’s you Turnbull – ought to be ashamed of themselves for scaring my 9 year old daugher silly on the morning of the 10th. Usefully this brings me to being here and mooching about, reading with interest rather than the apathy that most publications and/or blogs instill in me these days, thanks to you and BC for being so human, accessable, grounded and reasoned. I am an ex journalist and am all to aware of why the media takes the bait and runs with it at lightning speed with the trolls stampeding behind but my young daugher does not. When she returned home from school a couple of weeks back, lips quivering, eyes as big as saucers, visibly shaken by the verbal bullys spreading the playground word and one particularly inept teacher who, when asked if the world might end, commented, “well yeah it might” (I phoned headteacher!), well it was all I could do to promptly sit her down in front of YouTube and watch a variety of clips of the Prof explaining things in his inimitable way. As I said – thanks. :)

By: Robin

Robin — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 17:56:33 +0000

Well done Chris!
Do you mean Gia, that people actually talk to popbitch, as apposed to them doin a bit of research.
If we said,
putting aside recent events
he’s a
walking talking dawking hawking,
how long before pb post that?

I had a plan/plot for the Hawking Hole at JB. Brian might remember. H thwarted me by getting married for the 2nd time on the relevant weekend.

Prof R

By: giagia

giagia — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 17:51:16 +0000

Robin-

Yes, that ‘nickname’ was made up 5 years ago by Chris Morris when I told that I was getting married. He said, ‘What? To Walking Hawking?’ I probably told only 2 people, so clearly one of them told Popbitch… :)

By: Robin

Robin — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 16:33:04 +0000

um,
my TV connexions have just phoned to ask if I know Brian’s nickname in celeb circles. I didn’t :D

It’s a good one and I’ll let you put it out Gia.

One could add a third rhymer if things turn out.

Prof R