I want them to do a version of this show similar to The Elements for the iPad. Imagine an interactive encyclopedia of the Solar System, with each planet having it's own section full of animation and images, along with him reading a descriptive text like an audiobook, pinned together with an overarching segment dealing with the interplanetary 'stuff' like the khyper belt and an on-screen orrery that shows the planets in orbit round the sun as a kind of index...

It would be epicly good.

Jon

You could call it the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy…

Will you need to wear a towel whilst watching it?

A dressing gown should be fine, provided you know where your towel is.

We've been very impressed with it, great series, excellent enthusiastic presenter.

A little surprised about a few people complaining about Brian Cox, after all he is a key figure in the LHC project, a prof. and a real expert on his subject, guess you can't please all of the people all of the time – perhaps those complaining know more than him?! Seen him on several docs before and always liked his style.

It was a great 5 parter, all still on iPlayer too. Good to see the BBC isn't completely dumbing down, compare this with Bang Goes the Theory, which assumes you aren't even up to speed with primary level science.

(I've just moved over from the dying MU forums, this is a great place!)

Hello!

Welcome

I agree about BGTT it is sometimes really bad.

Welcome

Welcome.

You'd be amazed at how many people aren't up to speed with primary science (or have merrily forgotten what they learned at school in the dim and distant past.

The BBC, more than any other broadcaster, has a duty to try and cover all age ranges and all abilities so they need basic programs as well as more advanced ones. I would agree they've slipped more towards to basic side of things but they still produce some absolute corkers. Solar System, The Sky at Night, virtually all of the output of Natural History unit and a fair amount on BBC4 spring to mind. I would however happily give the person responsible for Horizon in recent times a severe kicking.

Some Horizon episodes have been interesting, albeit a little light. I remember when it was just talking heads with equations on blackboards behind them. I do feel that you need illustration and demonstration to show a point. Horizon did, at one point, suffer from the notion that it was only for those people who already knew the subject in discussion.

The BBC used to have a little science series called QED which took a lighter approach to science. It used to have Kenny Everett from time to time.

I like Brian Cox - he has an infectious interest in his subject, and he can convey that to camera. It’s a rare talent - I can count TV presenters on one hand that can do that. He was able to put a pretty complex idea across with some rocks and a few lines in some sand. I get the feeling that his lectures are fun and “value added”.

A kicking is too nice. Strap him/her down and inject Histamine and LSD under the skin then sit back

Wow your parties must be really harsh!

but fun

I enjoyed the series, but then again, I do like this sort of thing- with one major caveat.

As fascinating as space is, the vast majority of us, for the time being, will not even leave our atmosphere, let alone travel even to the moon, never mind our nearest planetary neighbours; and the concept of travelling to the nearest stars is an even less likely eventuality- for the moment at least. This puts me off getting really enthusiastic about it all.

In many ways, I would rather be an archaeologist. Although the past is just as inaccessible as our neighbours in space, at least I could hold something tangible in my hand and know that it was made, and used by a real person, hundreds, if not thousands of years ago. In this way, I feel I could get more satisfaction from archaeology.

However, every time I see an excellent program like this, and by "like this" I do include the program presented by Sam Neill, I want to dash off to the Atlas mountains with a telescope the size of an oil drum and start star gazing.

Huge astrological rocks thrown at Brian Cox

http://www.techradar.com/news/world-of- ... cox-682328