"deep dive broccumentaries into science scandals and controversies"
August 22, 2022 10:24 AM   Subscribe

Enjoy 3 multi-part physics documentaries by BobbyBroccoli. With animation and charts openly inspired by Jon Bois, and storytelling that is informative and compelling enough for the physics-illiterate among us: America's Missing Collider: A Tale of 3 Presidents; The Rise, Lies, and Demise of Jan Hendrik Shon; The Bogdanoff Odyssey.
posted by wellifyouinsist (7 comments total) 14 users marked this as a favorite
 
The Superconducting Super Collider! Back from the days when Texas wasn't a toxic pool of anti-science nuts.
posted by Bee'sWing at 11:16 AM on August 22, 2022 [3 favorites]


Just started watching, not familiar with any of this material but its great so far. Its like Fighting in the Age of Loneliness for physics.
posted by Hume at 3:26 PM on August 22, 2022


Only just started watching this, but it's great, thanks for sharing it!
posted by wesleyac at 6:52 AM on August 23, 2022


LOL! Jan Hendrick Shon....there's somebody I haven't thought about for a long time.

I had a brief correspondence with Shon many years ago, regarding the effects of oxygen on electron transport properties of Carbon60.

He said he hadn't noticed any effect, I had trouble determining if oxygen was really my problem. The story ends there.
posted by Homemade Interossiter at 8:43 AM on August 23, 2022


Thanks, I will watch.

-----

Fermilab director R. R. Wilson testifying to Congress:

SENATOR PASTORE. Is there anything connected in the hopes of this accelerator that in any way involves the security of the country?

DR. WILSON. No, sir; I do not believe so. ... It only has to do with the respect with which we regard one another, the dignity of men, our love of culture. It has to do with those things. It has nothing to do with the military. I am sorry.

SENATOR PASTORE. Is there anything here that projects us in a position of being competitive with the Russians, with regard to this race?

DR. WILSON. Only from a long-range point of view, of a developing technology. Otherwise, it has to do with: Are we good painters, good sculptors, great poets? I mean all the things that we really venerate and honor in our country and are patriotic about. In that sense, this new knowledge has all to do with honor and country but it has nothing to do directly with defending our country except to help make it worth defending.
posted by neuron at 8:50 AM on August 23, 2022 [3 favorites]


thank you for these links!

I read a LOT of science books and read about a third of "Plastic Fantastic" which is referenced throughout the Schon cycle...I couldn't finish it. Dull and unengaging and rambling. These docs did a far better job.
posted by hearthpig at 8:55 AM on August 23, 2022 [1 favorite]


I watched the accelerator one last because it frankly seemed the least interesting of the three but it was really, really good! Such incredible depth of research! Added the guy to my patreon. (at some point i may need to start triaging my creator patreon habit...)
posted by hearthpig at 3:07 AM on August 24, 2022


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