I guess you've all heard the stories, and the theories and the jokes when something really bad happens - like the Japanese earthquake- or a big storm, that "It's 2012.. it's coming"
I guess the most well known theory, is the 'Myan theory' which in simple terms states that the Myans calendar 'ends' on the 21st (-23rd) of December 2012. And as The Mayan calendar has been correct about many astrological events so far, this is apparently signalling the end of the world!!
Mayan Calendar on display at the Field Museum in Chicago Illinois
Here's a website which from what I can see is basically looking for anything and everything that 'proves' that the end is nigh... even Britney's in on it! woo!
But even the '2012theories' website dismisses this theory.. and just a simple search of google brings up more articles for dismissing the theory as rubbish than actually convincing me that I should stop studying and start travelling round the world before my ultimate demise.. (not even stopping to buy christmas presents because hey.. what's the point?!)
Here's a couple.. (1) and (2)
So, is it all just a theory? Or is the end of the world coming before I've celebrated my 21st?? I asked the world!
EDIT:: I'm glad to see that, so far, that logic has won out over the hype of 'Arghhh we're all going to die'.. Guess this means I'll have to buy those christmas presents after all..
Sometimes of course, everything gets bad press.. including science.
I took a look at some of the most controversial news stories around science..
One of the biggest and most controverscial and high profile science debates has been whether the MMR jab causes autism in children. the deabte started when a leading doctor - Dr Andrew Wakefield, a specialist in bowel diseases conducted a study into whether the jab caused changes in children who were 'normal' before reciving the jab. Dr. Wakefield was sure that a number of children he had seen begun with symptoms of a new bowel disease which linked to autism. He created a research report on this and suggested at the press confrence that the MMR jab should therefore not be used. This caused a media storm, which has still not been forgotten today. Debates are still ongoing, and Dr. Wakefield has since been struck from the medical register.
And whilst MMR take up has suffered after Dr. Wakefields claims, the take up in cumbria is now starting to rise..
Another thing I came across whilst on the Bang Goes the Theory website was the new evolving use of the general public in scientific studies. It's called Citizen science - Basically you, me and everyone in the general public can get involved in helping scientists understand everything science by getting involved with individual studies! The studies can involve everything from clouds and wind speed (as featured on last night's show!) to helping scientists at the Open University understand human nature!!
Which is exactly what I did!! Follow this link, to do a 20ish minute test, and not only find out what type of risks you're more likely to take in life, but also help science! What could be better?? :D
(Downside being a 2min sign up to the BBC website, but that can be used for all sorts - go on, don't let something small put you off!!)
Below are my lovely results!!
This general result doesn't suprise me, I was given some more detailed results on how I over-estimated lethal risks and under-estimated non-lethal risks in most of the examples I was given. But I'm not wanting to show you the graphs just yet as I think they'll give anyone reading this before doing the test the answers!! So I wont do that.. but here is another graph of how likely I am to take certain risks!
I now actually honestly feel like I've learnt something about myself in one way, but in another I'm not overly shocked or suprised by the results - Everyone I meet says I'm a bit outspoken and SEEM confident, though I'm really not!!
I just know my opinions, am not shy in expressing them, and that can sometimes get me into trouble!! Ooops!!
I don't think anyone who has perused the listings of television on a Monday night has missed seeing a small portion of Bang Goes the Theory. It's tag line is that it's 'Putting Science to the test' testing out new and old scientific theories with a group of 3 'in studio' scientists - Liz, Dallas and Jem - and one Dr Yan who is seen once an episode 'out in the field' testing out some theories, usually the more complicated and 'geeky' to fit his profile. He's actually my favourite of the 4 of them!
The Bang Goes the Theory Team, From left - Dr. Yan, Jem, Liz and Dallas.
Picture from BBC Website
The show is generally good, with fun parts of science being explained along side serious more complicated theories. Dr. Yan especially is good at explaining more complicated theories in a fun way, as shown by the following video where he explains how human balance works... By making people fall over!
There are loads more videos here to watch, actually over 100, all on different subjects. Most likely 75% will make you laugh, think or be amazed. Actually after watching some of them it started me looking at everything around me differently... like velcro and even creepy crawlies!! But I suppose everyone has their own interests and facinations, just do take a look.. I promise it's worth it! :)
There are also links on the BBC Bang website to all sorts of other things, like The Open University and links to view the last programme and other suplementary links... loads of stuff to get your brain thinking!!
Also if they've wet your appetite for sciencey knowledge then Bang is actually going on a road trip!
On the road trip you can..
Meet the Bang presenters
Watch our spectacular stage show
Be part of Dr Yan's street science
Have a go in the interactive area
Ask our panel of experts your favourite science question
Below I have made a map of the locations and dates for each event so far confirmed. There will be more locations and updates added so keep checking back!
But I thought i'd also do a quick search on some other websites for forums and blogs.. see what else is 'out there' so to speak especially science blogs..so i had a quick look and this is what I found....
Now I think if you mention Science, Physics or space to any one who's seen the television in the past year.. they will inevitably mention Professor Brian Cox at some point or another - Especially any hot blooded female, who have all become interested in the cosmos because of this baby-faced, floppy haired genius (the genius is my opinion.. though include me in those females who think he's amazing!)
Presenting the Award for Specialist Factual Programme at the 2010 BAFTA's
Photo from Bafta.org
It may seem like a large accolade to bestow upon this mans shoulders but for me, he is the guy I credit with, as I said in the title, making science, and especially the stars and physics (my - if pressed - least favourite science subject) 'cool' again!
In his most recent series - Wonders Of the Universe - He explains the details of things such as the end of the universe, and why scientists know it's going to end in a set number of years with such passion and simplicity that the viewer cannot help but stick with him and relate the new knowledge of something so complicated and depressing to friends, and yet still find it fascinating!!
What I also love about this series- because it's not all depressing and about how the world's going to end and we're all going to die I promise you are the views of nature and the wonders of - not just the universe as the title of the series would expect you to believe - the earth that we live on. I personally think clips from the show like the one's below make you appreciate the beauty of the earth that most of the time passes us by...
I think the clip above also shows, as Brian says, how magnificent and clever the ancient civilisation of humans were more intelligent than we give them credit for... I mean we always imagine the 'cavemen' banging around with sticks and grunting... where as alot of them were making structures like this, working out the position of sun, and where to build the towers, and it still works, they weren't even a tiny bit out... Just amazing.
Aaaand... just for all you people who don't think this guy's amazing.. here's 7 facts you may be suprised (or may not..) to know about this lovely fella..
1) Despite his baby-faced looks and general 'cuteness' - though I never understand when guys are classed as cute but anyway.. he's actually 43.
2) As well as working on Wonders of the Universe, he is also...
a Royal Society University Research Fellow
a professor at the University of Manchester,
member of the High Energy Physics group at the University of Manchester
works on the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, near Geneva, Switzerland.
Co-Presenter of the comedy science magazine programme - ,The Infinite Monkey Cagewith Robin Ince on Radio 4 (Due to return in May 2011)
3) He is married to US blogger Gia Milinovich who he lives with in London with their son, and Gia's son from a previous relationship..
4) He IS the reason Mr. Tony Blair got into power in 1997 - fact! No really, he's not just a geeky scientist, he's a musician too, the keyboard player in the band D:Ream - who had a few Number 1 hits including 'things can only get better' ... (He was also in the boyband Dare in the 80's..)
5) Awards he has recieved include; British Association's Lord Kelvin Award,and in 2010 won the Institute of PhysicsKelvin Prize for his work in communicating the appeal and excitement of physics to the general public!! And was nominated for and won Best Presenter and Best Science/Natural History program by the Royal Television Society for Wonders of the Solar System (which also won best documentary series of 2010).
He also has and OBE from the Queen, for his services for science..
7) And lastly but not leastly... He's a northern lad!! Born and brought up in Oldham, and still based at the University of Manchester... what could make this guy better??
One of the biggest debates that i hear surounding science is the debate on whether 'the big bang' actually happened or whether, as many see it - God created the world, and everything on it. There's no doubt you will have heard both of these theories before, but just to refresh your memories...
the universe and everything in it could not have come into being without a supreme being causing it to happen
The Big Bang theory/Evolution:
The Big Bang theory describes how the Universe began in a rapid expansion about 13.7 billion years ago and has evolved since that time.
"According to the Big Bang model, the universe was originally in an extremely hot and dense state that expanded rapidly. This expansion caused the universe to cool and resulted in the present diluted state that continues to expand today." - BBC Universe Website. (Take a look at this webiste.. really good with clips to explain too!)
The biggest theory of evolution that everyone has heard of is Darwin's theory of evolution, which states that all life on earth is related and has evolved over thousands of years into the life that we see today. It's all very complex with there being different parts of the theory like Natural Selection. (click the website to find out more!) and whilst his theory is now being changed and challenged as we know more about the genes and thousands of complex structures that now 'make up' life on earth. I think it's a still a theory that's relevant and way ahead of it's time. A good grounding for expansion as they say..
We all know the diagrams with the monkey's to man.. Thought this was a funny way of looking at it.!
Picture from here
I'd rather let you make up your own mind than tell you what I think is the 'correct theory' to believe.. but evolution for me, has the bggest basis, and as someone who's still not sure about the 'big man upstairs' I think I'll go with the thought of only believing what I have proof for, however naive that may sound...
I thought I'd go for another survey of 500people, just to see what the world thinks, below are the results on a map.. Orange spots are for evolution. Blue spots are for Creation. Green Spots are for 'a bit of both' Red spots are for Other thoughts.
EDIT: The results from this question are actually pretty close to what I expected to see from different countries throughout the world. With Europe, Australia and America mostly believing in Evolution or a bit of both.. and the more religious countries like the 'bible belt' of America and India and the countries on the continent of Africa chosing 'creationism.
