Science Show

Sunday, April 6th 2008

Just watched most of a documentary from the BBC called 'Human Being Version 2.0'.

Sadly, this was still a science documentary version 1.0.

I remember reading about all those experiments, ideas and personalities when I was working for a small television production company in 2003/04. I even interviewed and developed stories with some of their talent.

And yet this was science documentary 2008. Surely science has moved faster than that? Is Ray Kurzweil still the most interesting person in the world of post humanism? Is M. Nicolelis still leading the world of brian science?

Perhaps, but ... the music! The mock-horror of the voiceover! The tediously slow roll out of ideas, subservient to the 'sexy' images.

There is a way that science and ideas can exist in a fast, exciting and even comic way ON TELEVISION (still the greatest communications device yet demonstrated to billions). It's... the In Conversation meets The Glass House. I call it Boff'n.

The concept is that you get six or seven smart, funny, well-read and connected people (three or so regulars, three or so guests) and they go hammer an tongs on ideas and science, personal beliefs and intuitions, in front of a live audience, with the very occasional throw to a video package or animation.

Anyone interested in a pilot?