The Indian astronomer who was mocked at Cambridge | Shattering Stars
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- Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
- When scientific pursuits are subject to human shortcomings: the Indian scientist made to wait 50 years for his Nobel Prize.
Director and Producer: Peter Galison (galison.schola...)
Producer and Editor: Chyld King
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In the early 1930s, the Indian-born physicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (1910-95), who was then studying at the University of Cambridge in the UK, proposed that not all stars become white dwarves at the end of their lifecycle. Instead, the brilliant young scientist argued, when stars were of a certain mass, they would form something denser than had ever previously been observed. As the US historian of science Daniel Kennefick explains in the short documentary Shattering Stars, Chandrasekhar was ‘knocking on the door of what we would now call a black hole’.
Directed by Peter Galison, a historian of science at Harvard University, Shattering Stars explores how Chandrasekhar’s groundbreaking theories would draw both the attention and ridicule of Arthur Eddington, who was then perhaps the world’s preeminent astronomer. In doing so, Eddington likely set back progress in his field, and certainly altered the trajectory of Chandrasekhar’s life and career. Chandrasekhar would ultimately win the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1983 for his work on stellar evolution - albeit some 50 years after he’d presented his ideas to the Royal Astronomical Society. Told through animation and audio recordings - including of Chandrasekhar himself - Galison’s short highlights the life and work of one of the 20th century’s most brilliant scientific minds, while exploring how scientific pursuits are inevitably subject to human shortcomings.
Movie will come up on Chandrashekhar Subramaniam and his legendary discovery.
Eddington gets a lot of lopsided recognition amongst people and not nearly enough scorn. He was, at least some of the time to some of his peers, an intellectual bully and would offer his own personal beliefs and opinions as if they were scientific evidence or at least carried some sort of scientific weight simply because they were asserted by him. That makes him a hypocrite in at least some ways.
Moreover at times he demonstrates a clear intellectual dishonesty--here noted in the film where he comes to see Chandrasekhar frequently--peering over Chandrasekhar's shoulder at his work only to reveal his real motivations and outlook after the fact at the Astronomical Society talk. This is the sort of thing that happens when a person's ego is more important to them than their pursuit of truth and knowledge. Again, this makes Eddington sport the stripes of a hypocrite.
Thanks you for making this film. More people need to understand that Eddington--despite his contributions to science--is no hero and that, as in this particular instance, his own character flaws not only interfered in the course of at least this one young scientist's life, but also in the course of science itself. Boo-urns, Eddington, boo-urns.
Chandrasekhar's monograph on hydrodynamic and hydromagnetic stability (published in 1961) is considered one of the classics in fluid dynamics.
Do you have it's pdf? Can't find one
He!was a true inspiration yet the story is a sad reflection of the racism that exists even today in the world of academia, science and knowledge.
Well done, Chandrashekhar. You have inspired and become a wonderful role model to all people of science!
Yea but now the education system is limiting the critical thinking of many young Indians. Only your memory power matters. Now only those lucky few who are taught to think will be among the stars
What do you mean by limiting critical thinking? The education system hasn't changed for so long. It's about interest and curiosity
@@truthboi400 the system hasn't changed, but the popular methods and "core" Motto has. Teachers won't teach basic human values, So how would you expect them to teach how to be curious?
Awesome. Awesome. A Celebration of the gift of scientific enquiry and the love of Truth
My first time to see such a genius among the genius. Truly proud of Dr. S. Chandrashekhar. Thanks to you humanity has many steps forward in astrology and scientific studies. I'm such many more will be able to move forward from where you left off. 🎉🎉❤❤
Such a great video. Please making such kind of content.
Pure gold!
Thankyou Aeon ...
pls Video Ko public Kariye
vedic knowledge maker keeper hearer
Where the hell is vedic knowledge here ....
Superb. No doubt he is best.
Bravo 👏
What a captivating story. And devastating too. Thank you
awesome note of history
Beautiful! Thanks Aeon.
awesome work!
Wow 🎉
Loved it
Nice ❤