Michio Kaku

[Excited Penguin]

He seems to subscribe to Einstein's out-of-date pantheism. So, frankly, he sounds like a bit of a wack job. That can happen to people overly attached to their passions.

So I don't know much about him, but as regards to futurists, I have a great deal more respect for Ray Kurtzweil.

[Alex K]

Michio Kaku can't stop talking hyped bullsauce in general. At this point I just find him aggravating. He does everything I don't want a physics popularizer to do. I don't know about his religious beliefs though.

On a related note, but probably only understandable for us here. What do you think on Lesch? I kind of liked the guy when he was on space night on BR alpha. But now he's a little too present for my liking. I even find myself switching channels when he comes up.

Interesting question. I don't think very highly of him. Lest you think that I bash every other physicist science popularizer, I think very highly of Ranga Yogeshwar. He may not be a Professor in Munich and only have a Dipl. Phys., but he has real depth, knows a lot and is a serious science journalist. Ignoring Lesch's confused presentation style for a moment which you can like or not, a matter of taste, certainly not mine, but ok. Lesch is a plasma astrophysicist, and when he has talked about particle physics, cosmology and related fields (my research specialty) in the past he has talked utter rubbish without hesitation in a way that let me discard him as, for a lack of an appropriate English word, as a Schwätzer. On top of his definite lack of rigour, he lets a lot of his personal opinions, which I often don't share, seep through in his documentaries and presentation. For example, when talking about Exoplanets he was trying very hard to let life on earth seem as unlikely and rare as he could manage by means of rhetoric and an uneven presentation - he's a God believer, and it showed. Yogeshwar is a world class science popularizer, Lesch is a Laberbacke whom I would not trust on any topic that is not my specialty. He should not have tbe airtime he gets, we need someone on German TV who is a serious journalist yet inspiring and entertaining.

[Alex K]

see edit

[abaris]

I feel the same about Guido Knopp, who kind of falls into my field of expertise. How he ever passed his exams is beyond me. A used car salesman would probably have been a more fitting career, but the ZDF and the books written by others in his name, probably paid better. Apart from obviously being in love with himself.

[Alex K]

I feel the same about Guido Knopp, who kind of falls into my field of expertise. How he ever passed his exams is beyond me. A used car salesman would probably have been a more fitting career, but the ZDF and the books written by others in his name, probably paid better. Apart from obviously being in love with himself.

Interesting, good to know.
I'm sure Lesch is a competent plasma astrophysicist. But when you talk about something outside your *immediate* expertise, a great deal of care and humility is in order, and HL lacks that.

[abaris]

Interesting, good to know.
I'm sure Lesch is a competent plasma astrophysicist. But when you talk about something outside your *immediate* expertise, a great deal of care and humility is in order, and HL lacks that.

On BR alpha, he didn't actually appear as explaining how the earth ticks according to him, but having a one on one with some fellow scientist on different aspects of life. Mainly with a philosopher, who's name I forgot. It was kind of amusing to watch, but that was back in the mid to late 90ies.

I loved space night, mainly because of the footage of early space missions. It was good to watch some footage from my childhood with the tv on timer while falling asleep. Apart from the period music being in the background.

[Alex K]

Ah yes, those meetings with his philosopher friend in an Italian restaurant were pretty interesting! I remember one where Lesch questioned him about the "dogma" of constant growth in economy and that anyone who knows some maths should see that this is an impossible goal. I won't argue about that.