Videos On a Physicist Usual Work

[T.O.E Dream]

Does anybody know of any video's I can watch to learn what a physicist does?

 

[renob]

Why do you need a video when you can just visit your local high school?

 

[dx]

You mean your local university.

 

[jtbell]

If you're in the USA, keep an eye on the PBS "Nova" TV program. It often has shows dealing with physics topics, showing physicists at work on some experiment or other.

Aha, PBS even has some of them on line:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/programs/int_phys.html

 

[aerospaceut10]

Problem is, there is no "usual" work for physicists, as there are a huge range of applications/research topics that can be their focus.

 

[f95toli]

Also, physics takes time so a "real time" show would not really tell you very much.
Chances are that it would just be be program showing someone staring at a computer, occasionally typing something and constantly drinking coffee.
For the viewer there wouldn't be any way of telling if the person was working on a deep problem in string theory, analyzing experimental data or posting on PF (when he really should be working).

 

[Born2bwire]

Also, physics takes time so a "real time" show would not really tell you very much.
Chances are that it would just be be program showing someone staring at a computer, occasionally typing something and constantly drinking coffee.
For the viewer there wouldn't be any way of telling if the person was working on a deep problem in string theory, analyzing experimental data or posting on PF (when he really should be working).

Ha, I've worked at a particle accelerator and as cool as that is you'd still be bored to tears if you sat around and watched us work.

 

[mal4mac]

I can't see why there couldn't be a 'reality TV' programme about physicists that could edit out the boring bits and still give a good impression. Maybe:

http://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/200512/reality.cfm

Here's some to sift through, may give 'insights':

http://www.researchchannel.org/prog/subject.aspx?fID=572&pID=476

Might be better to read a book ' 'The Double Helix' by Crick and Watson gave a good impressions of the nuts and bolts of research. Also there's a book called "The Subjective Side of Science" by Mitroff, a sociologist who looked closely at the motivation and subjective experiences of NASA scientists.