Einstein's Big Idea: Oct 11 on PBS

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around an upcoming PBS airing of a program titled "Einstein's Big Idea," scheduled for October 11. Participants express interest in the program, share viewing strategies, and discuss the content and historical figures featured in the episode.

Discussion Character

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  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note the airing date and suggest marking calendars or setting up recording devices.
  • There is a discussion about the availability of the program online, with some expressing hope for video segments similar to previous NOVA episodes.
  • Participants share their experiences and plans regarding viewing the program, including using various methods to access it without cable.
  • One participant highlights the historical context of the symbol for the speed of light, noting its Latin origin and changes in notation over time.
  • Several scientists mentioned in the program are listed, with participants discussing their contributions to the understanding of matter and energy.
  • There is a question about whether this PBS program is the same as a previously aired program on the Discovery Channel, with some uncertainty expressed regarding the content and duration of both shows.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the airing details and express interest in the program, but there is uncertainty regarding the comparison to a previous Discovery Channel airing. No consensus is reached on whether the programs are the same.

Contextual Notes

Some participants mention the need to check local listings for airing times, indicating variability in availability across regions. There is also a reference to the historical context of scientific notation that may require further exploration.

ZapperZ
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If you are in the US, or have access to Public Broacasting Station signal, you may want to mark your calendar or your TIVO for Oct. 11 next week.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/einstein/

Zz.
 
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Thanks! I'll have to see if my rabbit ears can pick that up!
 
I'll have to see if Access TV from Edmonton is going to be airing it. I don't get cable. If not, maybe I'll set up a VCR at the GF's neice's place and tape it from cable. Thanks for the heads-up.
 
Don't forget, for many parts of the country, this episode airs tonight!

Zz.
 
When can I watch it online?
 
c is for celeritas

Excellent video! caught it the other evening.. it is scheduled to air at least one more time this week (of Oct 11th). There were several scientists they mentioned, I was not aware of. Next time it airs, i'd like to tape it..
Here's one thing I learned.. Did you know that c comes from Latin celeritas for speed and now the universal symbol for speed of light in vacuum. Whereas in mid to late 1800s, the most common symbol for speed of light was V which Maxwell began using in 1865. Einstein even adopted this notation for his first few papers on relativity up to 1905. ref
 
Last edited:
i missed it

dang... will it air again for a second time?
 
check your local listings..(try link that robphy gave) It is scheduled to air several more times this weekend.
 
  • #10
Here are some of the scientists they highlighted. Each of their contributions were unique and important leading to the discovery (or demonstration) of how matter and energy are directly connected. reference
Michael Faraday
Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier
James Clerk Maxwell
Emilie du Châtelet
Albert Einstein
Lise Meitner and Otto Robert Frisch
 
  • #11
Is this the same one that they had aired on... i think the discovery channel? It has the same name and I think the one on discovery was 2 hours long too.
 
  • #12
I don't know if it was the same, but you can compare.. Here is the pbs website that lists what their NOVA program included. I looked at the Discovery channel website and it seems they took down their information about the Einstein programs they aired.

By the way I noticed I forgot to include Otto Hahn who was Lise Meitner's partner in discovering the nature of splitting an atom. Otto Frisch was her nephew. Frisch was helping Lise when the realization came to her that her experiments with Hahn resulted in splitting an atom (of Uranium) .
 

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