Naked Science Forum
General Discussion & Feedback => Radio Show & Podcast Feedback => Topic started by: DAVID_STEVENSON on 10/06/2009 16:30:03
-
DAVID_STEVENSON asked the Naked Scientists:
Dear Chris,
Â
I am a 62 year old doctor specializing in aviation medicine. Â I have never listened to a podcast (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/) until this week. Â I spend considerable time driving in my work, and have spent almost all of these many hours over the years listening to what is the love of my life, classical music (I play viola in the Cambridge University Musical Society II orchestra). In addition, I suppose partly being a doctor, and partly by inclination, I have a life-long interest in all aspects of science connected with how the universe works.
I have read many popular works on quantum mechanics and cosmology (popular, because the maths involved in more learned works completely defeat me) simply because I am filled with awe and wonder by the nature of the natural world, and by the exquisite beauty of the connections and interactions within the natural world which makes the universe work in the manner in which it does. Â I found the study of biochemistry fascinating, not because of its medical utility, but because of the shear beauty of the system. Â
One of the seminal events of my life was learning that, when one metabolises glucose and oxygen to obtain carbon dioxide, water, and energy, if you measure the weights of the first two substances and the resulting carbon dioxide and water, there is a slight difference in mass. If you plug the difference in mass into the E=mc^2 equation, the energy produced in this metabolic process is explained by the change in mass. Â It was the interconnectedness of biology and physics which fascinated me so.
Â
In any case, a doctor friend of mine with similar interests, who also lives some distance from our workplace, told me about podcasts (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/). Â I downloaded several (in which your podcasts (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/) figure heavily) over the weekend, and have listened to them during my morning run (accompanied by my border collie Pixel) and while doing household chores today. Â
I am stunned by the quality of what you do. You have achieved, in my humble view, an admirable balance between making the matters which you discuss interesting and enlightening, and yet not dumbing them down excessively. Your choice of topics is varied, and most are presented in a highly engaging and enlightening manner. Of course, I don't find every topic you discuss of interest, but I kept finding myself saying two things. Â First: Now, that is NEAT Second: What a fantastic way to learn more about the scientific world in what would have otherwise be dead time.
I thank you for a job superbly well done, and for opening up for me an entirely new way to learn about the beauty of science. Â
Â
David Stevenson
Wyton, Cambridgeshire
What do you think?
-
I couldn't possibly comment. Is this a question?
-
Well done Make it Lady, you're a champion
-
it is in the "Radio Show and Podcast Feedback" section. We're just really proud when people take the time to write to us and tell us they enjoy the show, so we put some of them into the feedback section...
and it can't hurt to blow your own trumpet occasionally...
-
I am a bit behind with my podcast listening but yesterday I listened to the one that came out on the 17th of May and I thought it was great. [:)]
Although if you asked me to tell you what the kitchen science was about, I wouldn't be able to tell you because I totally zoned out at that point. [::)]
Anyway, keep up the good work you NAKED SCIENTISTS!
-
Well done Make it Lady, you're a champion
I prefer to keep my tongue in my cheek.