A Balanced Programme on Balance
The Infinite Monkey Cage
BBC
4.7 • 9.4K Ratings
🗓️ 28 November 2011
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The Infinite Monkeys, Brian Cox and Robin Ince, are joined on stage by Sir Paul Nurse, President of the Royal Society, and comedian and theology graduate Katy Brand to look at how science is portrayed in the press and whether opinion is ever as valid as evidence. Occasionally accused of lack of balance by lovers of astrology and the supernatural, the unashamedly rational and evidence loving duo tackle the issue of balance head on. Does the media skew scientific debate by giving too much weight to public opinion over the scientific evidence? Do important science messages get lost because scientists don't engage enough with seemingly irrational concerns and beliefs? A witty irreverent look at some of the issues surrounding the public's perception of science and how it's reported in the media.
Producer: Alexandra Feachem Presenters: Robin Ince and Brian Cox Guests: Katy Brand and Sir Paul Nurse.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is a download from the BBC. To find out more, visit bbc.co.uk |
| 0:05.6 | Slash Radio 4. |
| 0:08.3 | Welcome to the Infinite Monkey Cage. I'm Brian Cox. |
| 0:10.8 | And in the interest of balance, I'm Robin Inns. |
| 0:13.0 | And today's show is about balance. |
| 0:15.1 | So welcome to also the finite non-Simmian large open space. |
| 0:18.8 | This show will indeed be balanced in the finest |
| 0:21.2 | weekend traditions of the BBC. |
| 0:23.1 | For instance, I'm from North. |
| 0:24.6 | And I am totally different because I'm from the South. |
| 0:26.6 | Yes, I'm sorry. |
| 0:27.8 | I know that evidence shows that the universe began 13.73 |
| 0:31.0 | plus or minus, not 0.12 billion years ago. |
| 0:33.3 | And I know that Einsteinian hyperbolic geometry spacetime |
| 0:36.0 | will emerge intact from the recent neutrino results |
| 0:38.2 | from the opera experiment at Sun. |
| 0:42.1 | And I have a certificate, so I can swim 10 meters. |
| 0:47.4 | I know that ghosts violate the second law of thermodynamics. |
| 0:50.3 | The position of the planets against the fixed stars |
| 0:52.2 | have no influence at all on the behavior of human beings. |
| 0:55.0 | And water doesn't memorise nettles. |
| 0:59.8 | And in the interest of balance, I believe |
... |
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