In Our Time: 25 Concepts and Theories in the History of Physics: A BBC Radio 4 Collection

Melvyn Bragg and guests explore the history of physics through its most important ideas and hypotheses

'In Our Time is in a class of its own' New York Times

Eclectic, erudite and entertaining, In Our Time is one of Radio 4's most successful programmes, regularly attracting an audience of over 2 million for its discussions on every subject under the sun: from oceanography to Ovid.

In this special themed collection, Melvyn Bragg is joined by guest experts including Simon Schaffer, John Gribbin, Jim Al-Khalili and Sir Martin Rees to discuss 25 of the key laws, principles and problems of physics. Here are examinations of major concepts including plasma, radiation, matter and antimatter and the Second Law of Thermodynamics, as well as discourses on historical theories such as Zeno's paradoxes, the speed of light and relativity. Also featured are analyses of modern developments in physics, including the discovery and growing understanding of the proton, neutron and electron, the controversial breakthrough of nuclear technology, and the search for the holy grail of 20th century physics: the Grand Unified Theory.

Physicists, students of science and knowledge seekers will savour these wide-ranging, comprehensive and accessible discussions, which serve as a springboard to dive deeper into the fascinating fundamental principles that govern our universe.

Production credits Presented by Melvyn Bragg Produced by Thomas Morris and Simon Tillotson

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates:

Part I: Major Concepts States of Matter 3 April 2014 Heat 4 December 2008 Absolute Zero 7 March 2013 The Second Law of Thermodynamics 16 December 2004 Plasma 13 October 2016 Magnetism 29 September 2005 Radiation 12 November 2009 The Physics of Time 18 December 2008 Quantum Gravity 22 February 2001 Antimatter 4 October 2007 The Graviton 24 November 2005 Optics 1 March 2007 With Simon Schaffer, Jim Bennett and Emily Winterburn

Part II: Historical Theories Zeno's Paradoxes 22 September 2016 The Speed of Light 30 November 2006 The Laws of Motion 3 April 2008 Kinetic Theory 23 May 2019 Relativity 6 June 2013 The Physics of Reality 2 May 2002

Part III: Modern physics Grand Unified Theory 24 February 2000 The Electron 29 September 2022 Nuclear Physics 10 January 2002 Cosmic Rays 16 May 2013 The Proton 26 April 2018 The Neutron 14 April 2016 The Neutrino 14 April 2011

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© 2023 BBC Digital Audio (Lydbog): 9781529915761

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Lydbog: 12. oktober 2023