Good Physics Documentaries - Find Out What to Watch Now!

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around recommendations for physics and science documentaries, exploring various titles and themes related to physics, mathematics, and broader scientific topics. Participants share their experiences and suggest different types of documentaries, including historical accounts and dramatizations.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about good physics documentaries, expressing a desire for new recommendations.
  • Another participant suggests "Newton's Dark Secrets," highlighting its focus on Newton's life and his interest in alchemy.
  • Some participants broaden the scope to include any science documentaries, mentioning titles like "absolute zero" and "Little Boy and Fat Man," which depict significant scientific developments.
  • A suggestion is made to check out layman-type courses from a specific website, emphasizing the educational value of these resources.
  • Links to streaming platforms such as Hulu for "Cosmos" and PBS Nova episodes are provided, along with a mention of a unique documentary titled "Gymkata."
  • Participants discuss the documentary "The Arrow," which covers the Avro Arrow aircraft and its historical significance, with some sharing personal experiences related to it.
  • Recommendations for other science-related shows like "TIME WARP" and "UNIVERSE" are also mentioned, with notes on their educational content and pacing.
  • Questions arise about the existence of documentaries focused on obtaining a PhD, leading to a mention of the film "Dark Matter" as a related, albeit fictional, representation.
  • Another participant recommends "Dangerous Knowledge," which covers the lives of notable mathematicians and logicians.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants present a variety of recommendations and opinions, with no clear consensus on the best documentaries. Multiple competing views and suggestions remain throughout the discussion.

Contextual Notes

Some recommendations may depend on personal preferences for style and content, and there are varying opinions on the educational value of certain documentaries. The discussion includes both factual documentaries and dramatizations, which may not be universally accepted as educational resources.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in physics, mathematics, and science documentaries, as well as those looking for educational resources in these fields.

T.O.E Dream
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I'm really bored, does any have a good physics documentary. I've watched a lot of the good ones but maybe I haven't seen one of them.

Sorry I don't know where to put this, so can anyone move it the right spot?
 
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Newton's Dark Secrets.

Basically the life and times of Newton. Eventually gets into his little-known dabbling in alchemy.
 
flatmaster said:
Newton's Dark Secrets.

Basically the life and times of Newton. Eventually gets into his little-known dabbling in alchemy.

I've watched it. I guess when i say physics doc. I really mean any science documentary. For example, physics, philosophy, mathematics.
 
These are not documentaries but it might interest you: http://www.teach12.com

They have some killer layman-type courses on several scientific topics. I've bought 4 of them. I especially recommend the one by Alex Fillippenko. Now there's a guy who loves science and has an incredible ability to teach.
 
If you go to Hulu you can watch for free Carl Sagan's Cosmos series ( http://www.hulu.com/cosmos ) and some PBS Nova episodes ( http://www.hulu.com/nova ). If you go to YouTube you can watch (in ten-minute installments) Gymkata, a documentary on how the U.S. government fused gymnastics and karate to help further its Star Wars missile defense system ( ). You can also find a quick summary of that documentary ( ) as well as a clip from its most intellectually stimulating sequence ( ).
 
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Just finished watching absolute zero.

And, it's preety good!
 
There was a great movie which I believe was called 'Little Boy and Fat Man', depicting the development of the atomic bomb.
Also, if you aren't averse to Canuck productions, there a docudrama (some made up dialogue and a couple of characters fused into one) all about the Avro Arrow (which was the most superior aircraft on the face of the planet at the time). I think that it's available from CBC television if not on the net. Most of the actor-duplicated real people involved in the project went on to design the Apollo mission, the Concorde, the Shuttle, and a lot of other things. (The lunar lander used by Apollo was originally designed to be launched from the Arrow.) It's a fascinating study of both (simplified) aeronautical engineering and the stupidity of politics. (If you have trouble finding it, Google Dan Ackroyd (who starred in it) and you'll probably find some links to it.
 
The movie is called "The Arrow"
 
  • #10
maverick_starstrider said:
The movie is called "The Arrow"

Quite right. That's the name that I wrote on my video tape of the TV showing, but I wasn't sure if it was the official title. Thanks.
 
  • #12
you may watch TIME WARP as well...it shows things around us in slow motion...it's entertaining and educational at the same time...
 
  • #13
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9fCPhspOCQ
 
  • #14
Try UNIVERSE now on the history channel if it's available where you are...quite good but a tad slow due to superfluous visuals for those with some background.
 
  • #15
How about mathematics documentaries?
 
  • #16
have there been any documentaries made that are about someone getting their phd?
 
  • #18
Dangerous Knowledge by the BBC covers the life and work of Georg Cantor, Ludwig Boltzmann, Kurt Gödel, and Alan Turing. It was enjoyable and is on YouTube and Google Video.
 
  • #19
> have there been any documentaries made that are about someone getting their phd?

It isn't a documentary, but Dark Matter is a mostly-fictional representation of a grad student. I'll warn you ahead of time that it's very depressing and presents a severely altered view of a real event.
 

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