[Sad_BB_Addict]

Another BBC "Science for the masses" series.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01qb0r1

Radio Times preview http://www.radiotimes.com/episode/tr...es-1---1-power

Article by Michael Mosley http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/0/21034983

[Sad_BB_Addict]

bumpity-bump!
I'll record it and watch CBB I think.

[Meilie]

What is this doing on TV at 9pm? It seems to be aimed at key stage 3 pupils.

[Rodney McKay]

Looks good, a bit simplistic but anything about science and engineering gets my vote.

[spanglerokapi]

Another annoying "dumbed down" science programme, dreadful

[sandydune]

It's quite interesting watt, watt.

[jonbwfc]

Originally Posted by spanglerokapi

Another annoying "dumbed down" science programme, dreadful

Nothing like a considered judgement is there?

[Kolin Klingon]

Originally Posted by Meilie

What is this doing on at 9pm? It seems to be aimed at key stage 3 pupils.

Stage 3 people who went to class and paid attention.

This is for those who didn't and that's a lot of people.

Those of us who already know the workings of all these things still find it interesting and sincerely hope that those who don't are learning something.

And by Christ, it's a million times less brain rotting than 99% of the other programmes!

[moondew]

Originally Posted by spanglerokapi

Another annoying "dumbed down" science programme, dreadful

I agree, and I was looking forward to this prog. Science can be interesting when explained in layman's terms, but this seems to be aimed at 10 year olds. When it started I thought it must be a schools programme.

[LostFool]

Originally Posted by Meilie

What is this doing on TV at 9pm? It seems to be aimed at key stage 3 pupils.

What's "stage 3" in old money?

It may be fairly basic but it's well produced with enthusiastic presenters. I'd agree it's on too late though.

[pinkyponk34]

A few more moving graphics would hep rather than practical demos.
I'm still unsure how the condenser works .

[seejay63]

Originally Posted by spanglerokapi

Another annoying "dumbed down" science programme, dreadful

It's only dumbed down if you already know all of this already. I'm sure there are plenty of people who don't understand how it all works -and the history of it - and will find this programme interesting.

[Kolin Klingon]

"It virtually invented the job!"

And now that we make sod all, we have invented the dole queue and the triple dip recession!

Ah, progress!

[Rodney McKay]

Originally Posted by seejay63

It's only dumbed down if you already know all of this already. I'm sure there are plenty of people who don't understand how it all works -and the history of it - and will find this programme interesting.

You're right, but the BBC shouldn't be afraid to challenge people. I fear they feel that people might turn off, but I think they're wrong.

It's one reason I like the Sky at Night, it never talks down to the audience.

[moondew]

Originally Posted by seejay63

It's only dumbed down if you already know all of this already. I'm sure there are plenty of people who don't understand how it all works -and the history of it - and will find this programme interesting.

The content is interesting, it's the presenting style that's off-putting. As it's aired after 9pm it should have a more adult approach to the subject.

[Rodney McKay]

Originally Posted by Kolin Klingon

"It virtually invented the job!"

And now that we make sod all, we have invented the dole queue and the triple dip recession!

Ah, progress!

How many of our politicians are engineers or scientists? Most are simply political drones who waffle on about red tape and the environment. Oh except the ones who shaft our engineers by giving our best ideas way to please their political masters in Europe or America.

[sandydune]

I do like the filming of the programme, the locations, buildings they have used.

[LostFool]

Originally Posted by moondew

The content is interesting, it's the presenting style that's off-putting. As it's aired after 9pm it should have a more adult approach to the subject.

If it was done in an Open University style then most people would have turned off at the first sign of an equation.

[Kolin Klingon]

Originally Posted by pinkyponk34

A few more moving graphics would hep rather than practical demos.
I'm still unsure how the condenser works .

Put steam into a tube.
Spray cold water onto it and it 'condenses' (turns back into water) leaving a vacuum in the space it took up.

Steam takes up more space that the water used to produce it. So a small amount of water when turned into steam takes up a lot of space. Cool it down with a spray of cold water and it returns to water and it's smaller size.

That leaves a vacuum behind which pulls the piston in (down) - Or the outside air pressure is greater than the inside vacuum and so pushes the piston in - the same thing said in a different way.

[jonbwfc]

Originally Posted by sandydune

I do like the filming of the programme, the locations, buildings they have used.

Agreed. It feels more like an illustrative history of engineering than a 'science' program as such.

[Rodney McKay]

I am amazed we haven't had the usual climate change lecture.......yet.

[Kolin Klingon]

Originally Posted by Rodney McKay

How many of our politicians are engineers or scientists? Most are simply political drones who waffle on about red tape and the environment. Oh except the ones who shaft our engineers by giving our best ideas way to please their political masters in Europe or America.

Margaret Thatcher was a scientist and look what she did with coal! (And the over 3 million unemployed!)

[Kolin Klingon]

"Electricity so cheap, only the rich will burn candles."

Emmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Ah, progress!

[DICKENS99]

I could easily imagine this being an early draft format of Dara O'Briain's Science Club, perhaps deciding that if the presenters have to be continually chuckling at each other it might as well be presented by a comedian, if that show hadn't come first.

[Kolin Klingon]

Now that use of a stator to make a turbine was interesting and simply presented.

*Off to the kitchen to make a Jet Engine!