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Actually, IIRC the Arabic number system had it's origin in India. There was an excellent BBC program on the history of mathematics which showed some early examples.

Yup. So shove that in the face of the next Arab who starts waxing rhapsodic on their great culture. Everything that bears their name came from India, and India, after a rough patch, is still a center of technical brilliance, and the Arab states are still sandy hellholes.

Actually, IIRC the Arabic number system had it's origin in India. There was an excellent BBC program on the history of mathematics which showed some early examples.

This was a recent series on BBC TV. Also a level 1 course at the OU which would be good for your brighter high school students. See: http://www.open2.net/storyofmaths/ http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?C01TM190 http://www.amazon.com/Story-Mathematics-Anne-Rooney/dp/1841939404

I've always been curious about these statistics. The per capita figure is a mean calculation, and it seems to be thrown around a lot as the only meaningful measure of cost. I'd be very interested to see a comparison of the median health costs for a few different countries. Could these statistics be victims of the type of "above average number of legs" distortion that the mean is known to be sensitive to? Perhaps the per capita expense is higher in privatized health systems, but do most people really spend more?

Forgot the links,
http://www.open2.net/coast/introducingclimatechang e.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologic_temperature_ record

Why is fructose is considered to cause obesity in America and to be a health food in Europe? Might-the-glucose-syrup-be-the-problem?

1. 10-20 million of Texans have been starved to death, as their food "surplases" were confiscated.
2. 90% percent of farmers joined collective farms.
3. The concept of "money" was eliminated.
4. 30 million of Americans were declared "enemies of the people" and sentenced to 25 years of labor camps without the right to correspondence.

Just putting it into perspective... There are abuses, and there are other abuses...

Unfortunaely I can't find the name of a program that aired in the UK about 6 months ago. It took a team of 4 people to a deserted island and each week they had a task to complete each, they were only allowed to use what was on the island and what was given to them each week (as well as a tool set because, well no tools = screwed). They had to do things like make fireworks, record a song and various other "minor" things which required them to render down various things to achieve the chemicals they needed to complete each task. What they did and what it resulted in was very clearly labeled, having real science explained behind it.

Would that be Rough Science? In particular, it sounds like the second series. I've seen a couple of the series over the past few years, and I believe it did a pretty good job of being a science show – the interest comes from watching people who actually know what they're doing, designing and building ingenious solutions (admittedly with very convenient tools and materials available) to problems that aren't inherently interesting (like making toothpaste or measuring the speed of a glacier), rather than relying on 'interesting' problems that are large/dangerous/explosive and lacking focus on the solution process.

You mean Rough Science http://www.open2.net/roughscience/

I said the same thing before I bought a DVR.

In just the last month I've taped a bunch of stuff in the wee hours on nerdly channels like PBS, History Channel, etc:

Himalaya travelogue
documentary about Egyptian religion and religious architecture
restoring a medieval temple in the mountains of Nepal
a series about famous cities - Carthage, Constantinople, Venice
archeological investigations of 2 US Civil War battlegrounds
some episodes of Rough Science

Also, I never miss the local news. Sometimes it only takes 5 minutes to watch the whole thing since I fast-forward thru bullshit human interest stories, but I get to watch all the bits I care about.

That's what Vasari says, in his Lives of the Artists (1550): http://www.fordham.edu/HALSALL/basis/vasari/vasari 5.htm

Please go read http://www.open2.net/civilwar/ and http://www.olivercromwell.org/ before trying to Educate people about the English Civil wars.

In this case the myth was that Arcamedies had an army of soliders with highly polished shields. On command the soliders directed the sunlight at the advancing ships. And burned to dust an entire fleet. No not one boat, but an entire advancing fleet.

It's funny but I'd already heard about this because I've received spam trying to sell me crocodile related cures.

There is at least one chain of spam circulating using this research from the BBC of all places to back their claims.

The Power of Nightmares

BBC TV run through some ideas, also check the Open University Reith lectures on "Exploring Fear"

I have just seen a BBC documentary series about Leonardo where they tested Leonardo's designs for a robot, a parachute, a tank, a scubasuit and a glider. It was pretty cool and there was indeed in each drawing of the machines some kind of an (intentional) error which prevented them from working in the beginning. More about the BBC series: http://www.open2.net/leonardo/index.htm

I don't know about a continuous channel, but you can get a few hours per year from the Royal Institution's Christmas lectures which are shown on British TV (and available to buy). Alternatively, if you don't mind the lecturers being somewhat unfashionable, the BBC shows Open University courses overnight.

I been pretty happy with The OU and MythTV for a while now. Not sure if you can get OU in the states though.

I think David Kahns "The Code Breakers" is the best source, but I can't find my copy of it:(

But Simon Sings "Codebook" has something about it. See also
http://www.simonsingh.net/History_of_the_Science_o f_Secrecy.html
and
http://www.open2.net/ictportal/comm/security/singh 3.htm

Also see the section: "Security properties" in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptanalysis_of_the_ Enigma

The BBC and Open University have a nice section on this. Its worth looking at.
You can calculate the distance of the earth from the sun.

If you're in the UK, the BBC have some programs covering this on Tuesday. There's live coverage at 9.50AM on BBC1 and another program on at 12PM on BBC1. Theres a full hour program on BBC2 at 11.20PM. All presented by Adam Hart-Davis.

The BBC and Open University have a nice section on this. Its worth looking at.
You can calculate the distance of the earth from the sun.

If you're in the UK, the BBC have some programs covering this on Tuesday. There's live coverage at 9.50AM on BBC1 and another program on at 12PM on BBC1. Theres a full hour program on BBC2 at 11.20PM. All presented by Adam Hart-Davis.

A bit about Sir Norman (Lord) Foster: http://www.open2.net/modernity/4_9.htm

The BBC with Open University did a series called Hollywood Science. They covered Ice Cold in Alex. Click here for more info.

The BBC with Open University did a series called Hollywood Science. They covered Ice Cold in Alex. Click here for more info.

The BBC with Open University did a really good science series called Hollywood Science. Link.

Originally it was aired late at night but got moved to a more prime slot, I can't remember what time. Anyway it was very good and accessible because one of the presentors is Robert Llewellyn, the actor who played Kryton in Red Dwarf.

Its definetelly worth seeing if you ever get the chance.

Can Jackie Chan really bend iron bars? Is Paul Newman's stomach capable of holding 50 eggs? Does that bus really have enough Speed to jump the gap?

Parenthetically, the 50 egg question is answered by the BBC Open University here.

They did, but it wasn't as grim as the model they made of Paul Newman's stomach to prove that there's no way he could eat fifty hard boiled eggs.

"In The Great Outdoors John Candy eats a 96-ounce steak. Well, we made the equivalent weight in hamburgers - 26 massive burgers. I ate two and half pounds (40 ounces) of the stuff . The first two were quite nice but after that ... my jaw ached for days from all the chewing ..."

In the UK, the BBC has a lot of good science programs. BBC2 more really, because of the connections with the Open University, but there's also some other interesting things on. It's a long way from being a dedicated science channel, but it does a better job then any other channel I've seen, even the ones on Cable/Satellite.

Science Shack is good, with Adam Hart-Davis and his enthusiam for odd and fun experiments. Time Commanders is something I should mention, even if that's more military history, but only because I enjoy strategy games, and the idea of letting contestants take one side of an famous battles is good. If only they'd do a head-to-head version too :). The Human Mind and other documentary series like that are interesting, and deal with a lot of biology stuff. The Sky at Night is the longest running program in the world, and is interesting if you're into astronomy. Then there's also Rough Science, which is where a group of scientists have to complete tasks such as panning gold or building a generator whilst stuck out in the middle of nowhere with little resources. And Hollywood Science I like too.

Now if only they'd take all of these and all the rest and stick them on one channel for convenience :)

In the UK, the BBC has a lot of good science programs. BBC2 more really, because of the connections with the Open University, but there's also some other interesting things on. It's a long way from being a dedicated science channel, but it does a better job then any other channel I've seen, even the ones on Cable/Satellite.

Science Shack is good, with Adam Hart-Davis and his enthusiam for odd and fun experiments. Time Commanders is something I should mention, even if that's more military history, but only because I enjoy strategy games, and the idea of letting contestants take one side of an famous battles is good. If only they'd do a head-to-head version too :). The Human Mind and other documentary series like that are interesting, and deal with a lot of biology stuff. The Sky at Night is the longest running program in the world, and is interesting if you're into astronomy. Then there's also Rough Science, which is where a group of scientists have to complete tasks such as panning gold or building a generator whilst stuck out in the middle of nowhere with little resources. And Hollywood Science I like too.

Now if only they'd take all of these and all the rest and stick them on one channel for convenience :)

In the UK, the BBC has a lot of good science programs. BBC2 more really, because of the connections with the Open University, but there's also some other interesting things on. It's a long way from being a dedicated science channel, but it does a better job then any other channel I've seen, even the ones on Cable/Satellite.

Science Shack is good, with Adam Hart-Davis and his enthusiam for odd and fun experiments. Time Commanders is something I should mention, even if that's more military history, but only because I enjoy strategy games, and the idea of letting contestants take one side of an famous battles is good. If only they'd do a head-to-head version too :). The Human Mind and other documentary series like that are interesting, and deal with a lot of biology stuff. The Sky at Night is the longest running program in the world, and is interesting if you're into astronomy. Then there's also Rough Science, which is where a group of scientists have to complete tasks such as panning gold or building a generator whilst stuck out in the middle of nowhere with little resources. And Hollywood Science I like too.

Now if only they'd take all of these and all the rest and stick them on one channel for convenience :)

hehehehe
and ontopic, yeah baby!

This was on the BBC, produced for the Open University.

I remember it being very good, but because it was for the OU, it was shown at about 1:00 AM so only insomniacs could watch it.

Check the show's site

BBC's Open University has a program called "Hollywood Science". Its a shame they only produced a few episodes.

Check it outhere.

The Open University in the UK had a series of short programmes called "Hollywood Science", which checks out the scientific credibility of scenes from films, presented by Robert Llewelyn (of "Scrapheap Challenge" aka "Junkyard Wars" fame).

They have a website here with information from the shows.

The simulation of Paul Newmans stomach in "Cool Hand Luke" was particularly gruesome...

-Baz

As opposed to Queens? :-)

Actually we did have a little republican experiment here, chap called Cromwell. This led to the development of democratic ideals by Locke, Hume & co. which were copied almost verbatim into the US Constitution. Anyway, this republic basically followed the general pattern of announcing liberty, fraternity etc. and then embarking on massive civil war. Pikes and muskets were the main weapons, but they still managed to cause the biggest body count until the first world war. There's just been a middling TV series on it, not seen it but might be coming your way.

Here's a thought: What would happen if every time John Katz posted an article, NOONE responded to it?

"Silence gives assent". In other words, by not challenging the nonsense that he writes it appears to the silent masses that he is correct.

But this article was hopeless, both from a writing viepoint and a content viewpoint. What is it? Is it a book review? The part 1 would seem to suggest not.

The clue is normally in the first paragraph - let's reread it and see. Apparently it's the first part of a series that deals with "the new intersection of art, science, and technology". What new intersection. Art has being "intersecting" with science and technology always.

Bronze is invented - before you know it some bleedin' artisan has knocked together a few brooches and statues with it. High technology hard stone chisels - some la-de-day arty farty type is carving designs with them. Someone invents plaster walls - some painter sticks a fresco on them. I'd defy him to find *any* time in recorded history that there has not been an interplay between science and art.

So the central thesis behind this (probably interminable) series of articles is moot. The event - the sundering and reconciliation - he is postulating just didn't take place.

The C.P. Snow "two culture's" bit could have been interesting (although the remarks were originally made in 1959, not "in the 1960s") but was only mentioned in passing. Sort of a commentry comparing the viewpoint of C.P. Snow (whose views did not represent a consensus even at the time) with the reality of the world today. A recent example of the interplay between the Arts and Science would be "Beagle II" where artist Damien Hurst and pop group Blur contributed material for the probe to be used on the surface of mars (one is a colour calibration chart and the other is music for telemetry purposes).

But instead we got a retread of what appears to be a not very original book.