The Elegant Universe

I must recommend this fascinating series on ...PHYSICS!

(remember Ode to Doco blog, though not all Docos purpose is to educate so i guess i would classify this as an educational program but i digress)
Good use of visual aids, no flash without purpose.
Presenter, knows his stuff, coherent (this is physics) breaking it down to almost undestandable lay-persons level without turning into physics for dummies.

So far part 1 and 2 (Subtitled: The Strings the Thing) has aired 7.30 SBS Mon and i think more will follow. I unfortunatley i missed half of ep1.

To update everyone.

In the world of physics there are two areas:

The Theory of Relativity -think Einstein and gravity
The discipline regulating the world of the large that is planets and stars. These sets of rules present a stable predictable picture of the universe.
which clashes with
Quantumn Mechanics- forces of strong+weak nuclei and electromagnetics (?! hey i've only seen 2 eps)
The world of the very very smallthink atoms and even smaller! According to these rules the universe is seen as unpredicatble. The way Martin Greene explains it (the presenter) its abit like walking into a very weird bar. You order orange juice but theres no real way to predict that you'll get it. Hey you might even arrive in the bar before you got there.

The ties that bind:

Starting with Einstein he of great mind and wacky hair the search for unity between the two has lead some to the 'Theory of Everything' - 'The String Theory'.
Atoms are pretty small right?
(Rhetorical Q no answer needed)
within atoms are even smaller parts
within those parts are even even smaller parts
now within those parts are pieces of oscillating energy strings
these make up everything, are in every piece of matter
(which just kinda reminds me of those micro things that create the 'force' in starwars)
so if those scientists can figure out how they work the rest should fall into place i think.

Problem: strings are so small, the theory so new, uncertain (he started to talk about needing extra dimensions and it got all too sci-fi for me) that the theory is 'safe'.

Who knew scientists could provide interesting talking heads (shots- typically waist up and sprouting info direct to camera)
Scientist guy :If it cannot be proved, replicated in a lab is it a science or philosophy?

trying new flavours- Ginseng Tic-tacs