BBC's Dangerous Knowledge explores the lives and work of Georg Cantor, Ludwig Boltzmann, Kurt Gödel and Alan Turing, fascinating figures all. It conveys their research with an intensity that provides a glimpse into their agonies, some imposed and many self-created. These guys didn't end well, but then endings aren't everything.
I object to what I consider the over-dramatization which mars some of the narration, with phrases like "Boltzmann had discovered one of the fundamental equations which makes the Universe work" (I have a feeling the Universe would work fine without us discovering the equation) being debatable at best, but this documentary does provides a good overview of three mathematicians and one physicist whose lives aren't usually covered. If you ignore the occasional dip into sensationalism it's a lot of fun, and very well-produced. Oh, and it was awesome to see interview clips with Roger Penrose!
As a result of watching this I'm now interested in the work of Hugo von Hofmannsthal.
2 comments:
One spanish physicist that you used to admire (talking everywhere around about him, buying all his books and asking him to sign them) , has died recently.
The little goblin told me about it.
http://www.elpais.com/articulo/Necrologicas/investigador/cientifico/siempre/busco/excelencia/elpepinec/20080607elpepinec_2/Tes
I think after talking about the BBC documentary on Goedel, Boltzmann, Cantor and co. you should dedicate a post to Yndurain. Every good alumnus of him did something, look at tony.
Cheers (as they say over here) from London,
Sergio.
Wow, I had no idea. "talking everywhere " etc lol! Not exactly...but you're right, he should get a post. Thanks for the update! :-)
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