Screening + Discussion: Atom Part (1/3) - The Clash of the Titans

Greetings Fellow Cosmonauts!

Continuing with our nuclear energy theme, the next feature we will be watching will be the 3-part BBC4 series "Atom." Last week's film was great; it threw us right into the cutting edge of nuclear energy and discussed some of the latest prospects and difficulties facing the next generation of nuclear power plants. I would now like to take a step back and learn a little bit more about the fundamental physics of nuclear energy.

This series features our old pal Jim Al-Khalili who, as it turns out, is a professor of theoretical nuclear physics. We will be guided through the history of nuclear and atomic physics, beginning with discovery that all matter is made of atoms, and moving on to discuss how this breakthrough lead to our ability to harness the amazing amounts of energy released when these tiny particles are split apart. He ends by reflecting on how this simple discover spawned several different branches of modern science and resulted in some very strange implications in the fields of quantum mechanics and cosmology.

This Wednesday we will be watching part (1/3): The Clash of the Titans. A description of the episode is below:

The Clash of the Titans (59 min)

"The first of three programs in which nuclear physicist Professor Jim Al-Khalili tells the story of the greatest scientific discovery ever; that everything is made of atoms.

As scientists delved deep into the atom, into the very heart of matter, they unravelled nature's most shocking secrets. They had to abandon everything they believed in and create a whole new science, which today underpins the whole of physics, chemistry, biology and maybe even life itself.

The series tells a story of geniuses like Albert Einstein and Werner Heisenberg who were driven by their thirst for knowledge and glory. It is a story of false starts and conflicts, ambition and revelation, a story which leads us through some of the most exciting and exhilarating ideas ever conceived by the human race."

Now for some administrative details....

The space will be open for beverages and general schmoozing as early as 7:45PM. The viewing will start promptly at 8:25PM.

As usual, BYOB. +1's welcome (& encouraged!). Oh, and this is a pet friendly space. My dog is kind of an asshole, so I keep her at home, but if your pet is chill, feel free to bring 'em along!

There is a suggested donation of $2 which helps pay for the venue at Industry Lab. You can donate through the following methods:

Venmo: @reece-daniel

Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/reecedaniel

Cash: donation cup at event

You can also donate through meetup.com, but they take a 17% cut!!

Looking forward to seeing everyone Wednesday!

Regards,

Reece
Curator, Church of the Cosmos