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DVD Description
Who are we? Why are we here? Where do we come from? These are among the most enduring and profound questions we can ask, and it is an essential part of human nature to want to find the answers.
We can trace our ancestry back hundreds of thousands of years to the dawn of humankind, but in reality our story extends much further back:
it starts with the beginning of the universe. Our universe began 13.7 billion years ago, and today it is filled with over 100 billion galaxies, each containing hundreds of billions of stars, and a breathtaking array of wonders.
In this groundbreaking new series Prof. B Cox tells the epic story of our universe and shows how its story is also our story.
We can trace our ancestry back hundreds of thousands of years to the dawn of humankind, but in reality our story extends much further back:
it starts with the beginning of the universe. Our universe began 13.7 billion years ago, and today it is filled with over 100 billion galaxies, each containing hundreds of billions of stars, and a breathtaking array of wonders.
In this groundbreaking new series Prof. B Cox tells the epic story of our universe and shows how its story is also our story.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
178 of 184 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
This series, and Brian Cox's informal presentation style, always seem to divide opinion, and as I write this there are six other reviews on here, half of them favourable, the other half not.
However, it's telling that the unfavourable reviews are critical of a) the globe-trotting Cox does during the series or b) the level at which the programme's narrative is pitched. Both criticisms are misguided, as it's clear that Cox's intention is not to provide a GCSE curriculum programme, nor to preach to the converted (i.e. astronomers and physicists), but to convey something in particular to the layman.
The clue is in the series' title, and it is wonders - and the sense of wonder at the universe - that Cox is keen to impart. The use of different locations and landscapes as visual metaphors is one part of this approach to the subject matter, and provides the viewer's eye with something to latch on to during what are sometimes reasonably lengthy explanations of nuclear reactions or the life cycle of stars. He could, of course, have increased the amount of CGI on display (and would have got criticised for that too, no doubt), or used more static shots of star fields or diagrams.
But television is a visual medium and it deserves the chance to make the most of the advantages it can offer over books or radio, i.e. supplying visual stimuli. To play to a medium's strength in this way is not showy, nor shallow. It is a direct consequence of choosing to use the medium of television in the first place. The programme chooses to take us to interesting locations because it is attempting to invoke a sense of wonder. And that's easier to do in exotic places than it is in an Open University style studio with a white board in the background.
If you are looking for a precise, and technically detailed, account of our current knowledge of the cosmos, then go read a book on the subject - it's the medium that is most apt for communicating that information. Expecting a TV series to do the same thing is unrealistic, and just a little bit lazy. For example, I loved Jacob Bronowski's 70s series on human progress, 'The Ascent of Man', and learnt a lot from it - but never in as much detail as I could from the books it made me want to go and read afterwards.
In short, if you are looking to be indoctrinated with enthusiasm for the subject matter, and be inspired to go and find out more for yourself, then this is as good a starting point as you could wish to have.
However, it's telling that the unfavourable reviews are critical of a) the globe-trotting Cox does during the series or b) the level at which the programme's narrative is pitched. Both criticisms are misguided, as it's clear that Cox's intention is not to provide a GCSE curriculum programme, nor to preach to the converted (i.e. astronomers and physicists), but to convey something in particular to the layman.
The clue is in the series' title, and it is wonders - and the sense of wonder at the universe - that Cox is keen to impart. The use of different locations and landscapes as visual metaphors is one part of this approach to the subject matter, and provides the viewer's eye with something to latch on to during what are sometimes reasonably lengthy explanations of nuclear reactions or the life cycle of stars. He could, of course, have increased the amount of CGI on display (and would have got criticised for that too, no doubt), or used more static shots of star fields or diagrams.
But television is a visual medium and it deserves the chance to make the most of the advantages it can offer over books or radio, i.e. supplying visual stimuli. To play to a medium's strength in this way is not showy, nor shallow. It is a direct consequence of choosing to use the medium of television in the first place. The programme chooses to take us to interesting locations because it is attempting to invoke a sense of wonder. And that's easier to do in exotic places than it is in an Open University style studio with a white board in the background.
If you are looking for a precise, and technically detailed, account of our current knowledge of the cosmos, then go read a book on the subject - it's the medium that is most apt for communicating that information. Expecting a TV series to do the same thing is unrealistic, and just a little bit lazy. For example, I loved Jacob Bronowski's 70s series on human progress, 'The Ascent of Man', and learnt a lot from it - but never in as much detail as I could from the books it made me want to go and read afterwards.
In short, if you are looking to be indoctrinated with enthusiasm for the subject matter, and be inspired to go and find out more for yourself, then this is as good a starting point as you could wish to have.
41 of 44 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The minority who did not like "Wonders of the Solar System" will not like "Wonders of the Universe", but the many more who did like it will enjoy this one too. It has been claimed that it has little serious science. This is true. For example, compare what was said about the arrow of time and entropy with the Wikipedia page on the subject, which contains much more information. However, this misses the point. Professor Cox has rightly described the series as a "cinematic experience". It combines state-of-the-art CGI, wonderful astronomical photos, soaring music, exotic locations, fancy camerawork, and the infectious enthusiasm of Cox himself. As for the science, there may not be much depth but the topics covered are very well done and explained with crystal clarity. Everybody watching these DVDs, whether a child or a pensioner, will complete their viewing with some understanding of topics ranging from the life and death of the universe and the formation of the elements, to gravity and light. Just as important it is likely to have inspired enthusiasm and a sense of wonder. For that we must thank Brian Cox. The impact he has made with both "Wonders" series can be gauged by the fact he is being called by many "the David Attenborough of astrophysics". High praise indeed.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
Brian Cox is a good storyteller. He is excellent at communicating a complex subject in simple terms with very nice analogies. I particularly liked the episode named Destiny. The concept of entropy is explained nicely and the episode feels quite dramatic and terrifying, even though the time scale is so vast that at the human scale, it is like it will never happen.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Dissapointing
Is this a travel documentary or a science programme? I mean, for example, do you really need to travel to a condemned Brazilian prison block to explain the eventual death and... Read more
Published 1 day ago by Zyx
wonders of the universe
an exellent and informative view of our universe.prof cox is superlative and shows great enthusiasm,which makes for brilliant viewing.an exellent tool for education for all ages.
Published 28 days ago by chris h
Wonders of the Universe Blu Ray
This is a really great disc, graphics are amazing. Concepts are explained well and in an interesting way. Brian Cox certainly makes physics interesting and relevant.
Published 3 months ago by Rocks
Wonderful
A wonderful series, just as good if not better than the previous series. Whereas the last series explained the workings of the most amazing objects in the solar system, Wonders of... Read more
Published 3 months ago by kane
A wonder to watch
Anybody can go on the internet and teach themselves about the many wonders of our Universe. Hell, if you are lucky enough and have the mind for it you could even go and study... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Kristian
A Truly Remarkable, Accessible Tour of The Cosmos
Professor Brian Cox returns after helping us explore our Galactic Backyard in 'Wonders of The Solar System' with his new series 'Wonders of The Universe' Complex theories on the... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Captainmac
Review of single disc Blu-ray edition
I noticed that Amazon have lumped the reviews of all the editions of this documentary together, so you can't really tell the difference between the standard DVD release, the two... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Diziet
xmaspresentreview4Paul
Paul has told me that when he got back home to Durham following his Christmas UK travels, he was delighted with this DVD
Published 5 months ago by podolipotter
Might strain your blind faith!
This is a must see for everyone in my view. This chap lays it all out with remarkable clarity - I particularly enjoyed his explanation of entropy. Read more
Published 7 months ago by I. Larman
wonders of the universe dvd and book
i really enjoyed these dvd's and play them frequently. professor brian cox gives an excellant explanation of the cosmos, that even I (not a scholar by any means)find I am... Read more
Published 7 months ago by the joyces
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