Customer Reviews

NOVA: Einstein's Big Idea

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

EINSTEIN'S BIG IDEA is an absolutely fabulous documentary. This film truly sets the standard for NOVa and makes me lament the fact that more programming isn't done like this. If only the amount of money that goes into general programming went into PBS. That would be something else.

But enough of my own ridiculous desires. EINSTEIN'S BIG IDEA chronicles some of the most fascinating scientific work that has been done in the last couple of centuries. It is an idea so big that its implications have been vast, not just within the fields of science & mathematics, but in our society and culture at large. NOVA also shows how Einstein's achievement was not the happy accident we often see it as. Instead, this documentary seeks to situate his discovery by exploring the lives of other pioneers in related fields, richly filling out the personal lives of these scientists and, above all, situating their achievements in a rich history and context.

In the end, EINSTEIN'S BIG IDEA accomplishes two goals. First, I came away from the program with a bunch of ideas and information swimming in my head, the result of handing me the information in a digestible format. Second, I was entertained throughout the entire program. It truly didn't feel like I was learning--I was being entertained.

If only I could go back and replace some of the boring school films I had to watch in middle/high school with the sharp work of NOVA. It would have been a treat! If you haven't seen the excellent NOVA lineup, I suggest that you remedy it with a liberal dose! Happy viewing!

This program has more science than (Einstein Revealed, Newton's Dark Secrets and The Elegant Universe), although Newton's Dark Secrets has its moments.

Einstein's Big Idea is about the many contributions of earlier scientists leading Einstein to come up with E=mc2. It's also about the later usefulness of E=mc2 in nuclear physics. Unlike Einstein Revealed, which is a story almost entirely about the life of Einstein (private and public), Einstein's Big Idea is a story about science with its ups and downs. There are also some people stories as well, but they are added for dramatic value, which in my view helps instead of hinders the program.

I highly recommend this program for anyone who is interested in the evolution of scientific ideas (7 stars).

This is by far the best documentary I have ever seen and it doesn't even feel like one. Einstein's Big Idea truly takes you into the journey of light itself. It takes a hold of you from the beginning with its wonderful introduction into these people's lives and achievements, and it doesn't let go until the end. When you are watching the fascinating stories that make up the equation E=mc2, you relate to the characters and their struggles as if you were part of their discoveries. I specially offer a huge praise to the actor that portrays Einstein (the resemblance is uncanny) who makes you believe he is the icon himself. It is amazing how quickly your mind fills with questions and wonders beyond your average everyday thinking. It makes me wish I was a scientist in this period of time when all bets are off and not even God can tell you what to do.

This is a 112-minute NOVA production directed by Gary Johnstone based on the book E=MC2 by David Bodanis. John Lithgow narrates and Aiden McArdle stars as Albert Einstein. It's the kind of documentary that melds interviews with scientists and historians with reconstructions of historical events by actors. "Einstein's Big Idea" is a particularly good example of this genre.

Bodanis realized when he conceived the book that it wasn't enough merely to write about Einstein. It was necessary to bring Einstein's precursors and their ideas and discoveries into the mix. This film does the same and does it well. Recalled is the story of Michael Faraday who discovered electromagnetic induction and that of Antoine Lavoisier who demonstrated the conservation of matter. Worth noting is the influence of women in these stories. Shirley Henderson plays Einstein's first wife and fellow physicist Mileva Maric while Ty Glaser portrays Lavoisier's wife, Marie Anne, who was a fine chemist in her own right. Included is the sad story of Lise Meitner, Austrian born Jewish physicist, who was betrayed by fellow physicist Otto Hahn in Nazi Germany in that he won a Nobel Prize in large part because of work she had done.

What impressed me about this production was the fine acting by especially Shirley Henderson who is an outstanding actress, and Aiden McArdle who looked the spitting image of a young Albert Einstein. Ty Glaser was also very good. Johnstone's direction was first rate. His ability to recreate various time periods in a realistic way should propel him toward a career adapting historical novels to the screen.

The film concentrates on the personalities of the scientists and their struggles and successes. The actual science is secondary. Consequently this is a good film for people, especially young people, interested in science but without yet a lot of scientific training.

Just about to put this item into my cart for purchase, having caught it in mid-stream on local PBS programming, sat down to watch, and decided to share my excitement about it. I have a layperson's interest in physics and reality and religion and spirituality, etc, and a familiarity with bits and pieces of each. But, until this program, I had never been able to "wrap my head" around the concept of E = MC2. Every program I watched, every book I read, presumed some basic intimate previous knowledge of how this works...a knowledge that I simply did not possess. E = MC2 has become a catchphrase, widely used and perhaps not as widely understood...a stepping stone to other realizations but, if you're behind the curve, good luck on getting someone to explain it succinctly to you. This presentation showed me the concept in a way that no other had done...and I finally "got" it. I've always been in awe of the Universe; this show helped put into terms that I understand, a bit of how that universe works...and of the historical consequences of humankind's unraveling of this piece of the puzzle.

What's most impressive about this story is the presentation of science as a human endeavor, undertaken by people who struggle with issues of class, gender, politics and ego, just like the rest of the world does. It's a bit reminiscent of the James Burke "Connections" programs PBS ran years ago in that each element of the famous equation (E=mc2) has a fascinating story behind it involving fascinating people. This is groundbreaking work for NOVA, and I hope it indicates that more programs of this quality are in their production pipeline.

My physics class watched this movie as part of the course. Generally speaking High school students, such as myself, have short attention spans. However this ranks this one of the two movies I have watched where my peers did not sleep and actually watched the movie.

It was easy to think this film was going to be a dry, boring educational film on science and the universe. Instead, I found myself riveted to the screen, almost jumping up and down with excitement as these extraordinary scientists made their scientific discoveries which lead to the formulation of E=MC2 by Albert Einstein. The movie is both science and story telling; I did not expect the film to be about the lives of the scientists who came up with these discoveries, and I did not expect their stories to be so captivating. Watching the actors portray a look of stunned grace as their characters are slowly made aware of the secrets of the universe was profound. The science is easily digestable and is explained in easy to understand terms. I borrowed this from the public library and watched it at least 4 times before I returned it. As others have said here, I wish all documentaries could be this relevant, impactful, and beautiful.

Einstein's Big Idea is based on David Bodani's bestseller, E=mc2. It is a documentary showing the connections between three basic discoveries and how they led to Einstein's powerful equation E=mc2. (I enjoyed the personal stories of the men and women who discovered energy, and electromagnetism and the relationship of velocity and gravity)

Einstein had a fascination with light and its properties. How he determined that light is electromagnetic in nature and its relation to time is key. The documentary is a combination of connections between discoveries that mature across four centuries. Each seem isolated, but build to the point that leads to the ultimate power of the atom. Einstein is the right person in the right place at the right time to bring the discoveries together with great insight. Just as Carl Sagan has said, it comes down to the fact that the earth and everything on it, including all life, is made of stardust.

How a complicated theory captures the simple fact that energy, light, and matter are one in the same is exquisite detective work. E=mc2 leads to epiphanies in all fields of study. It shows we are one with all the universe and gives us a full picture of how all began.

The documentary/movie was easy and interesting to watch. I thoroughly enjoyed the learning experience and highly recommend it to all adults as well as junior and high school students.

Excellent program showing how chemistry and physics come together in E=mc^2. Shows clips from the lives of other famous scientists whose scientific finding where used by Einstein. Portrays all of these scientists as people who actually had lives outside of the laboratory. Very interesting and entertaining program to watch.