An update from July 2022: James Lovelock passed away, surrounded by family, on his 103rd birthday. I'm very grateful to have been able to interview him, and my deepest condolences to his family. Rest in peace. His obituary is worth reading, because it covers so much: www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jul/27/james-lovelock-obituary
If you want to take his ideas seriously, you should go vegan. Animal agriculture is responsible for 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions, amongst other forms of environmental damage.
“So I decided to ask him about it” was the biggest twist, I wasn’t expecting a 1950s scientist to still be living. Just goes to show how important it is to record knowledge while we still can
Seriously, that was wonderful to watch. Now I want to just hear him tell stories for the next six hours. I can only hope to have such good stories and such a sense of humor at that age. Great job Tom, amazing video.
Indeed. It made my day to relive his adventures with him. And what a treasure piece of history that almost got lost. Good work Doctor L, and good work Tom Scott.
I saw a 101 year old scientist talk about being in a highly radiated room reviving frozen hamsters with a microwave. Tom, the title was accurate, I'm not disappointed.
Imagine being a top of the line scientist, doing all kinds of research, contributing a lot of things to science and then somebody knocks your door asking "Sir did you, by any chance, microwave hamsters?"
Lovelock had a classic mad scientist moment where his experiment was doing weird stuff to his room, like lighting up the lamps and making things catch on fire, while reanimating a dead animal.
@@nothingisreal6816 oh that happens all the time when we invent new physics, the universe has to readjust itself around the new rules. I mean discover, discover new rules...
@@chamarasilva7700 I was going to say, if he's looking that good at that age after all that exposure to radiation I'm going to start running my microwave with the door open! (Don't try this at home 😆)
I tend to do them in the microwave for about 5 minutes and then finish them in the oven for half an hour to crisp up the skin Edit: Make sure you prick it all over with a fork before you nuke it. Tend to heat the oven to 200/180c (fan), stick it on a baking tray, rub a little oil over it, and then some salt and pepper to give some nice flavour to the skin. Delicious
@@crumpet3302 Is it though? There have been a lot of cruel and unethical experiments done whose results have been used in further research. A lot of advancements have come from unethical experimentation, but I don't think the ends justify the means.
That is what happens when a mind is put to use an entire lifetime. "working out" the mind through reading, studying, teaching, has been proven to prevent the good stuff many elders get , mainly dementia.
Oh my God. This man's cognitive ability at age 101 was so good it actually relieved my own fear of old age. You can see he had some speech hiccups, much like anyone would have while tired or nervous, but when the sentences came out, they were perfectly sound and relaying information was effortless. I wish to have such a brain when I'm old.
Lots of research now on what you can do to maintain cognitive health. Get regular exercise, maintain strong social connections, and don't stop learning and trying new things.
The guy seemed so enthusiastic about being interviewed. Very wholesome. Imagine if this guy just came up to you at such an old age to ask about your inventions.
I come back to this video a lot. I can’t help but feel that James Lovelock was the very last of a certain type of person we may never see again. I’m still very thankful that Tom got to introduce this brilliant man to the world.
Please report bots everyone 🙏 in all social media platform. The content creators can't do much while the platforms does nothing, report them and help the algorithms delete it so no one gets scammed.
- hey can I borrow one of your magnetrons? - why? what are you doing to do with it? - I'm going to freeze hamsters and warm them up again to see what happens - Are you serious? You can keep it!
- why? what are you doing to do with it? - I'm going to freeze hamsters and warm them up again to see what happens. I have a feeling this'll go viral more than half a century later. - Sounds dangerous! - Yes, but not exactly what you're thinking.
@@fex144 I wonder why that is. Almost as if current times seem to offer less freedom to do stuff like being a "scientist" (scientist as an occupation, like Tom pointed out)
@@absolutefocus2749 So a couple years back I read an article where a psychatrist claimed that people these days don't have to face problems, no war, no threat of starvation, access to services and such... for the most part of course in the western world. And that makes people extremly susceptible as their bar of what they can mentally handle doesn't get pushed. Take it with a grain of salt it was one article I read years ago so I might also remember just a bunch of nonsense
WOW!! Did not see the "I went to interview him" part coming! Cannot believe that 1) he's still alive, and 2) his mind is so sharp and clear! That's really fantastic!!!
I had an inkling based upon Tom's previous antics. "You can't visit the northernmost bit of Iceland without chartering a plane. [cut] So I chartered a plane." It was still a bit surprising, but as soon as I heard that Tom was interviewing the guy, I was like "Yep, that's what Tom would do."
I don't think I've ever seen the "historical scientist who discovered this" is actually still alive and willing to tell the story before. Really unique and incredible story, Tom
Oh scientists are around, and they tell the truth about their creations. But you'll never be allowed to know about it unless the democrats who run the social media tech world green light it. Take the PCR test for example. most people aren't aware that it isnt capable of detecting infection, the creator himself said this. Yet thats how we test for covid. And you wonder why the CDC reports 50% inaccurate testing
"He's 101 years old and takes a walk on this beach every day" i have this image in my head of Tom just standing there in a random beach, 6am in the morning, stopping someone who vaguely looks old enough to be 90+ and ask "by any chance, did you put a hamster in a microwave while you were younger?"
It amazes me when people around age 100 still have their minds so intact. It's a testament to how important it is to keep reading and thinking to maintain your brain, just as exercise is to maintain your body.
How he's managed to keep his mind so agile is worth further investigation, isn't it!? I assume it's to do with sustained mental exercise, but I bet there's a more solid proof in there somewhere.
In fact, excercising your body is more important than exercising your brain to keep your brain working correctly! That daily walk by the beach provided us this wonderful video.
Wow it's like the people that are the audience for videos like this just came to the realization that life after 100 is possible or something. Everyone is commenting on how amazed they are that lovelock is still alive. Thousands of people are in his same condition!
But you all should keep in mind, that luck still plays a large factor. You can be the most healthy person on the planet, try to stay fit when getting older and keep reading and still get dementia in your 70s, a cataract or die of cancer that had been passed on through genes. All the while someone who smokes a pack a day of cigs lives well into their 90s. We often try to calm us down with wishful thinking, that we are the ones who will remain sharp when they get older, but often the most tragic things happen when they where out of your control. Not to say you shouldn't keep your mind engaged, just saying it won't be a free ticket to everlong life.
I don't know what to be amazed of the most: - Radar can cook - The fact that the hamsters were successfully reanimated - James Lovelock is alive and well at the age 102. His memory is also working astonishingly well
Probably because he's a scientist for a living. People in science/engineering/etc. (people that have to think critically for a living) very often keep their mental aptitudes to much higher ages. Losing extreme amounts of memory and mental function isn't a guarantee with aging.
I absolutely adore RUclips creators who wind up doing primary research for whatever random deep dives they happen to be on. Im so glad you asked this question in time, there are a few times when a creator brought up that they weren't in time to interview the primary source.
That is the best looking 101 year old I think I've ever seen! And alert, able to still converse about science from years past, able to walk daily on the shore... Amazing!
Rest in peace Dr. Lovelock❤ 103 is a heck of an age to get to, so glad this video exists of you getting to talk about your crazy scientist life with a big smile on your face
Especially so - if the research base was just outside Portsmouth it would have been a top secret naval base, which is still there. I could see it from where I'm sitting - if it wasn't so cloudy (and if the houses weren't in the way!).
I could tell how delighted Lovelock was to be interviewed about that experiment, really wonderful to see. People talking about things they're passionate about never fails to put a smile on my face.
When Tom started listing Lovelocks accomplishments I almost got choked up. Dude’s had multiple history changing inventions and I’ve never heard of him. Legend by any sense of the word.
This is the third time I've watched this and it still makes me smile. Mr. Lovelock is adorable when he talks about the light bulbs lighting randomly from the radiation bouncing around the room. I love everything about this piece.
Hearing people talk vividly about things that happened 70 years ago scares me and makes me think I have a condition because my memory recall of events is almost non existent, I can remember places I worked at 10 or 15 years ago and what the job entailed but no details, no colleague's names, nothing specific. Just that I worked there for several years. And yet when it comes to trivia and general knowledge I'm practically a sponge as once I learn something it sticks. I can give you a detailed run down of the Punic wars but I can't describe what any of my previous homes were like :/
@@krashd it's all about your intent and interest in the info. I remember the titleI, and songwriters name (and often even the albums' name) of nearly every song I've ever heard. However I can barely remember concepts from basic algebraic math, especially balancing polynomial equations.
Turns out, running microwaves in your lab with no shielding, setting fire to things and lighting up lightbulbs is actually the key to a long life. Huh. Who would have thought?
This started out as me going “Tom, you don’t need to tell me Microwaves are interesting, I’m a fan of Technology Connections,” but then when you gave us a 101 year old scientist happily recalling his experiments, I got really happy. This video was great, and I’m happy you decided to make a video on the “boring” concept of microwaves!
You know that being asked about this made James Locklove’s entire year. We need to interview more former scientists and history makers about the things the school books don’t feel important enough to talk about
Microwaves are not ionising radiation, there isn't any hidden underlying damage like with nuclear radiation. It's like standing near a furnace, you're either obviously hurt, or you're fine
I love the title of this video, and the fulfillment of its premise through a genuinely unique interview and an amazing story. Thank you for making the internet a better place!
@@wendimunson844 Well, it's not the kind of radiation people usually think of. Visible light could be called radiation the same as the stuff a microwave uses (which is even lower energy than visible, far from the ionising radiation that does the cancer and all that). The dangerous part is the amount of it, but at a distance, it probably wouldn't do much to your body.
@@blahhblaah74 was literally thinking that. I'm off now to rip the door off my microwave and jam couple of things in the catch so I can run it being open.
Imagine being that old and still remembering and being able to articulate specific details of experiments you conducted more years ago than many people will live.
No offense to him intended, but how do we know that what he's "remembering" is what is true? I mean, my parents are in their 90s and they have upon occasion remembered things that didn't happen, or that I know happened differently.
@@jb888888888 It's similar to his "Reanimation of rats from body temperatures between 0 and 1° C by microwave diathermy. " paper from 1955...but of course, not as lighthearted and without the fun parts. Are there any interesting major conflicts you spotted from this vs the historical records?
Imagine you live a quiet peaceful life and a complete stranger comes to you and he's interested in crazy things you've done 80 years ago. That's so cool!
Well, I think it's fairly obvious, isn't it? The guy was working on freezing and reanimating humans 70 years ago. He's still alive, and looks and sounds half his age. Do the math. =P
@@bennoreuter4393 Microwave radiation isn't ionizing. It makes molecules rotate faster and thus "heat up" but it can't alter chemical bonds, such as those in your DNA, the photons don't have enough energy. The only danger regarding unshielded microwaves is getting burns.
Thank you for that substantive look back, and my eyes opened when you actually had your subject present for the interview. A delightful man, which might not have come through otherwise. Many concise lessons here. Be well. 👀🎯🎈
My position involves working with older demographics. The correlation of reduced coherence and age is really not a smooth as you'd expect. I've talked to 55 year olds that hardly remember what I explained 30 seconds ago, and I've talked to 90 year olds that I don't have to explain anything to because they did their own research already. It's really changed my perspective on aging.
Yes! It was indeed lighthearted and silly! I tried to recreate this experiment with the labradors i procured for testing! It was sad that I had to freeze them to death but it was justified because it was in the name of science! It all got much more lighthearted when one of them regained consciousness though, I just know if they could talk, they all would have thanked me for it!
Seeing that not only is James Lovelock still alive, but also has his wits, is one of the greatest plot twists this year. I really didn't see that coming!
he was so happy to remember his glory days as a scientist, you could really see his eyes light up whaen he was describing his magnetron faraday cage hamster box
One of the limitations of RUclips as a medium is that you have to summarise a whole story into a title and thumbnail. I couldn't do that here without being unfair to the people I'm talking about, or giving away a big part of the piece too early, or using too many words. Ah well. I hope everyone else finds the story as interesting as I did!
The bit on James telling his story is exactly like sitting on the carpet listening to your grandad telling stories about his youth. So nostalgic, thanks Tom!
I love the kid-like enthusiasm with which James talks about microwave radiation lighting up the light bulbs and banknotes around the room, the kind of tomfoolery the dangers of which you only realize in retrospect
Your "I promise this story ..." appeared in my RUclips suggestions (I enjoy educational "channels") and I admit it tickled my interest but I was not willing to take the dive so passed it over (and I am re-examining my internal curiosity configuration file). Your channel was recommended to me, I watched the video: brilliant. I thank you for introducing me to James Lovelock; two exceptional individuals star in this video. And all in a hoodie ...
Don't let you distract you from the fact that in 1998, the Undertaker threw Mankind off Hell in a Cell, and plummeted sixteen feet through an announcer's table.
His giddiness while explaining how light bulbs were lighting up and pound notes were catching fire as radiation bounced around the room is priceless ❤️
Whoa, whoa, you actually *spoke* to James Lovelock? That’s kind of stunning. Actually finding the guy who did the thing in the 1950s is something you truly don’t see every day.
And the fact that this person is still alive is kinda shocking too. Not a usual things for a people to met someone who's part of a big history moment that still alive these days tho
@@SiPakRubah my point was the longer ago the thing happened, the worse your odds are that the person is both still alive and you’ll actually find them.
getting to interview a 100 year old scientist about his work one (1) year before his death is insane....the title wasnt lying this really was interesting.
This entire video was a hell of a trip and the fact that James Lovelock is still alive and happy to talk to you about this was just the biggest lovely surprise.
This is a testimony to Tom's reputation as a RUclips creator. I looked at that title and immediately believed him, never once thinking it was clickbait.
Tom Scott doesn't have to "promise" that any video he puts up will be interesting. Interest & passion for any topic exudes from his face & is a joy to watch, & learn something along the way.
Lovely that James is still around, a living piece of history who is actually celebrating his 102nd birthday in 14 days from now ( today is the 12th of july 2021 )
Might be cool if a few of us could send him a birthday card, thanking him for his scientific achievements and interesting story on hamsters and microwaves.
An update from July 2022: James Lovelock passed away, surrounded by family, on his 103rd birthday. I'm very grateful to have been able to interview him, and my deepest condolences to his family. Rest in peace. His obituary is worth reading, because it covers so much: www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jul/27/james-lovelock-obituary
i just talked about him and this video to colleagues on monday
If you want to take his ideas seriously, you should go vegan. Animal agriculture is responsible for 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions, amongst other forms of environmental damage.
I am glad this video popped up on my feed today, and that I watched it.
I clicked on this video randomly and now I'm sad
I saw the news and immediately came back to this video
“So I decided to ask him about it” was the biggest twist, I wasn’t expecting a 1950s scientist to still be living. Just goes to show how important it is to record knowledge while we still can
ikr
@@DyslexicMitochondria Ayyy bro I watch ur channeII. Love ur work
@@DyslexicMitochondria hello there
biggest twist since "so I chartered a plane"
I literally yelled WHAT at that part
man's 101 years old and can still speak perfectly and recall the exact story. legend
absolute legend. it's great that this information is documented :D
And I can not remember something I did last week. God damnit.
Man's? You married to him or something?
@@leonardol8158 To be fair if you'd brought a hamster back to life you'd probably remember!
@@SQWEKERZ Hahah, true!
A 101 year old scientist explaining his crazy experiments is the best smile I ever saw.
nice pfp
@@RichConnerGMN Thank you, I'm quite proud of it.
I love his smile at 7:57
Seriously, that was wonderful to watch. Now I want to just hear him tell stories for the next six hours. I can only hope to have such good stories and such a sense of humor at that age. Great job Tom, amazing video.
Indeed. It made my day to relive his adventures with him. And what a treasure piece of history that almost got lost.
Good work Doctor L, and good work Tom Scott.
wow that guy was SHARP for 101. unbelievable
Ironically SHARP is a brand of microwave ovens.
Omg look at da verified guy
If you microwave enough rodents you too can be a centurion
I read this 3 minutes through and thought you were talking about Tom haha
@@somemusicnerd637 he is
"So I asked him"
Now that's a twist I didn't see coming.
Me too. I didn't expect him to still be alive.
The video title is doing no good obscuring this!
I saw a 101 year old scientist talk about being in a highly radiated room reviving frozen hamsters with a microwave.
Tom, the title was accurate, I'm not disappointed.
Agreed 😂
You dont understand how harmless microwaves are do you? Your phone receives signals with microwaves 🤣
@@leemon908 Uhhhh.. it was the 50s and may I refer to 8:10 in the video? Just watch the video before commenting.
@@leemon908 Ok but it doesn't light up lightbulbs or set banknotes on fire lmao
@@leemon908 your phone doesn't put out 1000 watts of them though.
Imagine being a top of the line scientist, doing all kinds of research, contributing a lot of things to science and then somebody knocks your door asking "Sir did you, by any chance, microwave hamsters?"
Probably makes you think "finally, I get to talk about that instead of Mars for once"
Dimi dimi bende aynısını düşünüyordum reis :D
Me: 6:26 👁👄👁
@@iiiivvvv9986
That sounds very real.
@@goldzero9373 Adam bir saat adamın yaptığı araştırmayı anlattı, neden öyle birşey düşündün?
This guy was literally watching technology evolve before his eyes
wait you can freeze someone and then bring them back to life why haven't they perfected this tech then we would have cryo tech finally
@@raven4k998 if you watched the video he said we are to big
@@raven4k998 10:18
He wasn’t just watching he was helping evolve it further
@@raven4k998 size is a very important factor to this, we are bigger, but molecules don’t get bigger.
Lovelock had a classic mad scientist moment where his experiment was doing weird stuff to his room, like lighting up the lamps and making things catch on fire, while reanimating a dead animal.
And the smile he's got talking about it
"It's ALIIIIVE!"
Which things catched on fire? I missed that.
@@nothingisreal6816 oh that happens all the time when we invent new physics, the universe has to readjust itself around the new rules. I mean discover, discover new rules...
@@nothingisreal6816 Pound notes. 🔥
Mr. Lovelock is by far be the healthiest clearest-minded 101 year old I've ever seen, that alone was incredible.
I care for a 98 year old who has a similar level of clarity.
maybe open microwave had something to do with that **X-Files theme song starts**
He's just stored in the fridge most of the time.
He's only just been thawed after 20 years in cryopreservation
@@chamarasilva7700 I was going to say, if he's looking that good at that age after all that exposure to radiation I'm going to start running my microwave with the door open! (Don't try this at home 😆)
I can't think of a single reason why a story about microwaves wouldn't be immensely interesting!
everyone was talking about you :o
They are indeed quite fascinating.
hello hello
I mean, its not like they are Heat Pumps....
Even the legends watch other legends. You make interesting videos that I didn't know I wanted to watch till after I watch it. So thank you got that
The fact that he was willing to be interview all these years later made me so happy. And how happy he was to share.
He microwaved hamsters.
@@Felix-ix7icthankfully!! 😀
@@Felix-ix7icdo you need me to call whine-1-1 for a waaambulance?
"I put a potato in and baked it. It was alright."
Microwaves in a nutshell, tbh.
I tend to do them in the microwave for about 5 minutes and then finish them in the oven for half an hour to crisp up the skin
Edit: Make sure you prick it all over with a fork before you nuke it. Tend to heat the oven to 200/180c (fan), stick it on a baking tray, rub a little oil over it, and then some salt and pepper to give some nice flavour to the skin. Delicious
Ζήτω Η Βασιλεία Ρωμαίων
I thought this haha
*Perfectly alright
Wash it, perforate with a fork, heat for 10 minutes, chop it in half, mash with a fork, and add butter.
"So I went to ask him about it..."
I nearly spit out my tea with surprise. What a great reveal. What a great story!
I did not see that coming in a story set in 1956!👍😁
It's the "So i chartered a plane!" all over again
Absolutely delightful that you can talk to someone aged 101 about something that took place in the mid 1950s.
Yes Tom just casually rolled that revelation grenade into the conversation.
And I'm happy to note that as of now, in middle of 2022, Dr. James Lovelock is very much alive at the ripe old age of 102!
10:50 "You cannot freeze a human, ..." when he stuttered there, I just could picture him finishing that with "I know, I've tried"
"You can't freeze a human, and in an unrelated note, want to hear how my colleague lost his left hand to frostbite?"
@@Winasaurus If you put antifreeze into thewhole of that hand, it will freeze without ice crystal damage- the cause of frostbite
fREEZING a human the water crystals cut up tissue so it not possible
I love how this old inventor says giddily "I put a potato in it, and baked it, and it was completely allright"
And then I tortured an animal..
@@Diggnuts For important medical research.
@@crumpet3302 still torture
@@Electrk Sure, but if it's supporting research that could save hundreds of thousands or millions of lives... It's probably justified.
@@crumpet3302 Is it though? There have been a lot of cruel and unethical experiments done whose results have been used in further research. A lot of advancements have come from unethical experimentation, but I don't think the ends justify the means.
Just over a century old and the guy was still speaking clearly, smiling and full of life.
Maybe the unconfined microwaves gave him a longer life lmao
@Parikrma You did
@Parikrma it was me. I asked
I agree Rufus
That is what happens when a mind is put to use an entire lifetime. "working out" the mind through reading, studying, teaching, has been proven to prevent the good stuff many elders get , mainly dementia.
James Lovelock is the spriteliest 101 year old that I have ever seen. What a privilege to hear his story. Thanks Tom.
101, and his mind's still sharp. Makes it seem that being old might not be so bad after all.
l
@@imightbebiased9311 Well, for a majority of people, it sadly is.
Can we please have a whole "Tom Scott & Lovelock" series, where they discuss whatever topic they find interesting?
@@Babaroi I think its a case of use it or lose it.
Oh my God. This man's cognitive ability at age 101 was so good it actually relieved my own fear of old age. You can see he had some speech hiccups, much like anyone would have while tired or nervous, but when the sentences came out, they were perfectly sound and relaying information was effortless. I wish to have such a brain when I'm old.
Lots of research now on what you can do to maintain cognitive health. Get regular exercise, maintain strong social connections, and don't stop learning and trying new things.
Can we just appreciate the fact that Tom Scott got this amazing interview with this legend. I bet we would never had the right answer without him!
Best RUclipsr without exception..
I'm envious.
Dr. Lovelock seems absolutely charming. It would be a pleasure to listen to him talk for hours.
I'm thrilled that the guy at his age has such a sharp mind and is able to recall these things so clearly.
The guy seemed so enthusiastic about being interviewed. Very wholesome. Imagine if this guy just came up to you at such an old age to ask about your inventions.
seemed like such a sweet fella.
"Sonny you the calibration all wrong in here, put it here and it'll work"
I love how happy lovelock is telling this story. He’s just so happy to share his science with the world
Could you imagine being phoned up by somebody who's really interested in hearing about something you worked on 60 years ago?
"Yes I'd like to talk to you about hamsters. For my RUclips Channel. With the microwaves, yes."
It was a joy to watch
*his inventions 😄
Oh ya that was absolutely wonderful, his sly smile when talking about light bulbs turning on and things catching on fire was awesome
I come back to this video a lot. I can’t help but feel that James Lovelock was the very last of a certain type of person we may never see again. I’m still very thankful that Tom got to introduce this brilliant man to the world.
I can't believe the fact that this story could have been completely lost to history if Tom hadn't stumbled upon a random line.
@Rita - F*СΚ MΈ ! nobody:
Bots: The
@Rita - F*СΚ MΈ ! The?
These bots are high
Please report bots everyone 🙏 in all social media platform. The content creators can't do much while the platforms does nothing, report them and help the algorithms delete it so no one gets scammed.
now imagine how many such stories were lost, because noone stumbled upon them
- hey can I borrow one of your magnetrons?
- why? what are you doing to do with it?
- I'm going to freeze hamsters and warm them up again to see what happens
- Are you serious? You can keep it!
- why? what are you doing to do with it?
- I'm going to freeze hamsters and warm them up again to see what happens. I have a feeling this'll go viral more than half a century later.
- Sounds dangerous!
- Yes, but not exactly what you're thinking.
100 years old James Lovelock is better at recalling stories than me at my 20s
This is exactly what I was thinking. How lucky you must be to be that clear of thought at such an age!
you have 20 ? you look like 45 already
lets be honest. his stories are more interesting and memorable than just about all of out stories combined
you cant just simply forget such story
@@monad_tcp damn you didnt need to murder him
My word, James Lovelock was in incredible shape and incredibly sharp for 101 years old. May he rest in peace.
Two wives, many inventions, Dorset coast, can't beat it!
Mr. Lovelock seems just so happy to be talking about this, it’s heartwarming and inspiring that he’s still so passionate after so many decades.
Meanwhile a lot of 20 year olds seem withered and disinterested and cold.
@@fex144 Don't need to call me out like that
@@fex144 I wonder why that is. Almost as if current times seem to offer less freedom to do stuff like being a "scientist" (scientist as an occupation, like Tom pointed out)
Ha....heartwarming.
@@absolutefocus2749 So a couple years back I read an article where a psychatrist claimed that people these days don't have to face problems, no war, no threat of starvation, access to services and such... for the most part of course in the western world. And that makes people extremly susceptible as their bar of what they can mentally handle doesn't get pushed. Take it with a grain of salt it was one article I read years ago so I might also remember just a bunch of nonsense
He's so lucid for his age, this guy is a treasure.
Lucid. Wth. Okay. Weird choice of WORD'S
@@MusaGaming ?
@@MusaGaming why are you confused?
I know his hair's going grey, but of course Tom's still lucid, he's only 37!
@@MusaGaming wth to you
"A hamster is an acceptable size" is a phrase I did not know I needed in my life until I heard it.
r/BrandNewSentence
It's really not that weird of a sentence?
WOW!! Did not see the "I went to interview him" part coming! Cannot believe that 1) he's still alive, and 2) his mind is so sharp and clear! That's really fantastic!!!
I had an inkling based upon Tom's previous antics. "You can't visit the northernmost bit of Iceland without chartering a plane. [cut] So I chartered a plane." It was still a bit surprising, but as soon as I heard that Tom was interviewing the guy, I was like "Yep, that's what Tom would do."
It is fantastic! His smile while talking reminded me of Feynman talking science
It's those everyday walks on the beach, i tell ya!
In the end, playing with microwaves is not so bad.
Well as a former scientist and inventor his grey matter most be folded and layered like a million nand gates.
I don't think I've ever seen the "historical scientist who discovered this" is actually still alive and willing to tell the story before. Really unique and incredible story, Tom
Jax1 how cool is this? We need more of it Tom!
I think that most scientists will talk at length and with great enthusiasm about their interests.
Mashallah
Oh scientists are around, and they tell the truth about their creations. But you'll never be allowed to know about it unless the democrats who run the social media tech world green light it. Take the PCR test for example. most people aren't aware that it isnt capable of detecting infection, the creator himself said this. Yet thats how we test for covid. And you wonder why the CDC reports 50% inaccurate testing
Mr Lovelock looks so exited to tell Tom about his research and that's really wholesome
*excited
@@deshalso it's a typo
@@postnubilaphoebus96 currect
@@johnvarley4561 *incorrect
This is the kind of elderly life I want. 101 years old, still speaking great, and even walking daily
Seeing him talk so excitedly about his experiments nearly 70 years ago is adorable.
@Rita - F*СΚ MΈ ! piss off, rita is temporary, lovelock is forever
I agree! The experiments were not very ethical but he's forgiven cause he's an awesome inventor and an awesome person for giving an interview at 101!!
@Rita - F*СΚ MΈ ! Rita is temporary, Doom Is ETERNAL
@@Folkert.Cornelius lot more humane then doing it in humans
"He's 101 years old and takes a walk on this beach every day"
i have this image in my head of Tom just standing there in a random beach, 6am in the morning, stopping someone who vaguely looks old enough to be 90+ and ask
"by any chance, did you put a hamster in a microwave while you were younger?"
“Hello sir! Did you by any chance put hamsters in microwaves? No? Alright. Good day.”
It's the age of the internet. I'm not sure you want some to answer that question.
Only when you quote it like that do I realise that this whole video was a ruse actually intended as a dating advertisement.
He's like "they dont know i invented the microwave"
@@JKVeganAbroad 🎶 *lowered expectations* 🎶
It amazes me when people around age 100 still have their minds so intact. It's a testament to how important it is to keep reading and thinking to maintain your brain, just as exercise is to maintain your body.
How he's managed to keep his mind so agile is worth further investigation, isn't it!? I assume it's to do with sustained mental exercise, but I bet there's a more solid proof in there somewhere.
In fact, excercising your body is more important than exercising your brain to keep your brain working correctly!
That daily walk by the beach provided us this wonderful video.
Wow it's like the people that are the audience for videos like this just came to the realization that life after 100 is possible or something. Everyone is commenting on how amazed they are that lovelock is still alive. Thousands of people are in his same condition!
But you all should keep in mind, that luck still plays a large factor. You can be the most healthy person on the planet, try to stay fit when getting older and keep reading and still get dementia in your 70s, a cataract or die of cancer that had been passed on through genes. All the while someone who smokes a pack a day of cigs lives well into their 90s.
We often try to calm us down with wishful thinking, that we are the ones who will remain sharp when they get older, but often the most tragic things happen when they where out of your control.
Not to say you shouldn't keep your mind engaged, just saying it won't be a free ticket to everlong life.
mind and body. i’m sure those daily walks on the beach are helping too
You can see his face light up as he talks about his crazy scientific experiments, what an incredible human being
“So I went to ask him about it” Extremely blessed. I did not expect him to still be with us.
and still be quite remarkably hale to boot.
Sharp as a tack!
Very happy to see this great mind still kicking it.
I don't know what to be amazed of the most:
- Radar can cook
- The fact that the hamsters were successfully reanimated
- James Lovelock is alive and well at the age 102. His memory is also working astonishingly well
- the fact that James Lovelock remembers that the radar was 30W at 30MHz.
Probably because he's a scientist for a living. People in science/engineering/etc. (people that have to think critically for a living) very often keep their mental aptitudes to much higher ages. Losing extreme amounts of memory and mental function isn't a guarantee with aging.
You know I saw this before the vid loaded and now I’m very intrigued with what the hell im about to experience
@@ForTheOmnissiah Being 102, "for a living" is also such a funny quote to use for him.
i was so excited to see james lovelock alive and giving an interview 😭 idk its so cool to see scientists i thought should have been dead
Mr Lovelock looks so happy as if he's been waiting his whole life for someone to ask him about it
I've waited years for someone to ask me about my theories!
@@Lena-xy8id and you'll wait a few more years
Wouldn't you like to talk about being a microwave warlock scientist, reanimating hamsters?!
@@Lena-xy8id what theories do you have?
Probably why he's still alive. He's just been waiting to tell everyone his story.
I absolutely adore RUclips creators who wind up doing primary research for whatever random deep dives they happen to be on. Im so glad you asked this question in time, there are a few times when a creator brought up that they weren't in time to interview the primary source.
RIP James, died on his 103rd birthday yesterday.
The most interesting scientist I'd never heard of until Tom introduced us all.
So he was born and died on the same day of year?
Rip
RIP :(
@@Chuusuisetsujojutsu Yes he was born on July 26th 1919 and died July 26th 2022
100 and 3, that's one hell of a run.
That is the best looking 101 year old I think I've ever seen! And alert, able to still converse about science from years past, able to walk daily on the shore... Amazing!
It's possible the latter caused the former, but I prefer to believe Lovelock knows something we don't
@@scrambledmandible THIS!!
It's great! In addition to the walks, it probably helps that he's been keeping his mind busy throughout his life :)
Im guessing its all that point blank radiation from the microwaves.
The freezing actually does work on humans 😉😉 the cells stay young but the body gets older in appearance 😉😉
When you said "so I asked him" and I heard his voice, my jaw dropped. Absolutely fascinating
Took me a second for it to sink in!
Very same
Rest in peace Dr. Lovelock❤ 103 is a heck of an age to get to, so glad this video exists of you getting to talk about your crazy scientist life with a big smile on your face
"Do you mind if I borrow a bit of military kit to revive a hamster?"
"Here you go, mate. You can keep it.
"Top lad."
Imagine this happening today! Oh my god this would be hours of meetings, days of paperwork, weeks of negotiations and would cost probably millions.
@@amberpask9701 imagine the amount of innovation truly lost because there simply was so much time lost to beuracracy.
Especially so - if the research base was just outside Portsmouth it would have been a top secret naval base, which is still there. I could see it from where I'm sitting - if it wasn't so cloudy (and if the houses weren't in the way!).
@@amberpask9701 I mean today stuff is a bit more dangerous.
@@1nsaniel I mean they were microwaving everyone in the room... things back then were dangerous, they just didn't know it yet.
I could tell how delighted Lovelock was to be interviewed about that experiment, really wonderful to see. People talking about things they're passionate about never fails to put a smile on my face.
I hope to be as joyful as him when I’m old
When Tom started listing Lovelocks accomplishments I almost got choked up. Dude’s had multiple history changing inventions and I’ve never heard of him. Legend by any sense of the word.
Absolutely
This is the third time I've watched this and it still makes me smile. Mr. Lovelock is adorable when he talks about the light bulbs lighting randomly from the radiation bouncing around the room. I love everything about this piece.
The shock and joy of James being alive at 101 was the best part of this.
And still walking on the Beach and writing books!
Can confirm: my heart is smiling with joy... big time! 🥰
Born in 1919
Me: Awh that's a shame would've liked a conversation
Tom: At 101...
Me: What!?
Imagine Tom's shock and joy of finding this out. "What? He's still alive?! .............may I interview him? Please........?"
I want to be a scientist. All that radiation and stupid stuff must be really good for your body! :D
That 101-year-dude looks like a healthy and clear minded 80 year old, I'm impressed. All the best for him!
@@ezicarus8216 It's a thousand times better than mine and I'm not even a quarter his age.
Some people just get the good genes.
Hearing people talk vividly about things that happened 70 years ago scares me and makes me think I have a condition because my memory recall of events is almost non existent, I can remember places I worked at 10 or 15 years ago and what the job entailed but no details, no colleague's names, nothing specific. Just that I worked there for several years.
And yet when it comes to trivia and general knowledge I'm practically a sponge as once I learn something it sticks. I can give you a detailed run down of the Punic wars but I can't describe what any of my previous homes were like :/
@@krashd it's all about your intent and interest in the info.
I remember the titleI, and songwriters name (and often even the albums' name) of nearly every song I've ever heard. However I can barely remember concepts from basic algebraic math, especially balancing polynomial equations.
Looks like frequent exposure to electromagnetic radiation makes wonders, hehe.
** Need moar 5G towers! **
For many Hamsters; it was a heartwarming story.
NOOOOO 😭😭😭😭
Bro Literally heartwarming!
Oh no
Body warming too
that pun was horrible, have a like
Loved that interview with James. His recall was amazing, thanks for sharing the interview and obituary.
The twist that James Lovelock is STILL ALIVE actually broke my brain for a few seconds
I thought it was going to be a phone/skype interview, and then we see the guy *in the flesh,* moving around and talking like a guy half his age
me too
Turns out, running microwaves in your lab with no shielding, setting fire to things and lighting up lightbulbs is actually the key to a long life. Huh. Who would have thought?
@@WarrenGarabrandt [citation needed]
@@TheSecondVersion Actually almost 3 times younger.
"What kind of job did you have when you were younger grandpa?" "Oh, several things, I used to microwave hamsters for a while."
It's the kind of story that would make the most unruly kids interested in science
😁 😁 😁 😁 😁 😁 😁
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⠀⠀⠀⣴⠿⠏⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢳⡀⠀⡏⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢷
⠀⠀⢠⣟⣋⡀⢀⣀⣀⡀⠀⣀⡀⣧⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⡇
⠀⠀⢸⣯⡭⠁⠸⣛⣟⠆⡴⣻⡲⣿⠀⣸⠀⠀OK⠀ ⡇
⠀⠀⣟⣿⡭⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢱⠀⠀⣿⠀⢹⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⡇
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⣿⣿⣧⣀⣿.........⣀⣰⣏⣘⣆⣀⠀⠀
@@bobpobcf9723 sus
Haha
This started out as me going “Tom, you don’t need to tell me Microwaves are interesting, I’m a fan of Technology Connections,” but then when you gave us a 101 year old scientist happily recalling his experiments, I got really happy. This video was great, and I’m happy you decided to make a video on the “boring” concept of microwaves!
You too? Sweet!
Ahem. Look up. Tech Connections commented on here.
Miss your videos !! Time for a binge rewatch
I've never seen someone smile so brightly from saying "I put a potato in it, and baked it"
*smile fades slightly* “it was perfectly alright”. If that doesn’t sum up using a microwave to reheat food, I don’t know what does.
Linda Tripp would be tripping!!!
@@user-cc7vx7sw4z imagine being the person who discovered the disappointment of a potato cooked in the microwave
That reminds me of Light Yagami for some reason...
@@thesenamesaretaken it might not be a culinary masterpiece but it is much quicker than doing it in the oven!
101 years old and happens to be alive for this video. That IS interesting!
Very.
Might have not taken a paracetamol for a slight pain here and then.
Not only alive but very coherent and sharp as a tack.
Especially considering his exposure to microwaves....🤨
@@danarea51 Yes! An incredibly youthful 101 years old, makes you wonder!😮
@@danarea51 well, microwaves heat things up and that's it. You can get burns but not much more than that.
You know that being asked about this made James Locklove’s entire year. We need to interview more former scientists and history makers about the things the school books don’t feel important enough to talk about
And get conversations with them recorded!
Agreed!
Lovelock*
Reminds me of SmarterEveryDay's video that interviewed an Apollo 11 engineer.
Absolutely
My mind was blown by this video. It's hard to believe that experiment worked. The interview with the still-sharp 101-year-old was incredible too.
The interview with James Lovelock is one of the lovliest things I've seen in a long long time. What a charming old chap.
The guy casually exposed himself to unshielded microwave radiation in his youth and is still strolling down the beach at 101
The wavelength of microwave radiation are too big (≈1cm) to cause much harm
Best summary of the guy till now
@@karthiksashank6829
Warning: Still do not try this without proper shielding and protection. Don't do this at home either.
Microwaves are not ionising radiation, there isn't any hidden underlying damage like with nuclear radiation. It's like standing near a furnace, you're either obviously hurt, or you're fine
Whaaat he's 101?! Damn. I thought he's like 80 xD
Lovelock still being alive was more of a surprise than any M Night Shamylan movie
Still alive and kicking at 101 in 2021 - what a legend
HAHA! You've obviously watched plenty of them! :)
Doesn’t look much older than bill gates
@Luc Bloom maybe that's his secret?
still alive and doesn’t look/act a day over 70, despite being around all that unchecked radiation! what a legend
I love the title of this video, and the fulfillment of its premise through a genuinely unique interview and an amazing story. Thank you for making the internet a better place!
I'm grateful that a legend like him is still with us at 101 years old!
Absolute legend
Its him again, hello how are you everywhere?
Tom you definitely need to do an extended interview with this fine gentleman.
Tom?
Oh nevermind
The most amazing part of this video is how good that gentleman looks for 101.
Especially with (or perhaps due to) his exposure to radiation!
@@wendimunson844 Well, it's not the kind of radiation people usually think of. Visible light could be called radiation the same as the stuff a microwave uses (which is even lower energy than visible, far from the ionising radiation that does the cancer and all that). The dangerous part is the amount of it, but at a distance, it probably wouldn't do much to your body.
@@Sleksin that's crazy
Me halfway through: “Shame Lovelock has passed away. Would have been good to…nope. Nope the dude is over 100 and in better nick mentally than I am”
Perhaps open microwave radiation is a good anti-age treatment
Same! Half way thought... "It would be really good if they could have got an interview with him" and then we did :)
@@blahhblaah74 Tom should've added that in as another 'do not try this at home'. 😅
@@blahhblaah74 was literally thinking that. I'm off now to rip the door off my microwave and jam couple of things in the catch so I can run it being open.
That's exactly what I was thinking
One of your very best videos Tom. Brilliant stuff!
Imagine being that old and still remembering and being able to articulate specific details of experiments you conducted more years ago than many people will live.
No offense to him intended, but how do we know that what he's "remembering" is what is true? I mean, my parents are in their 90s and they have upon occasion remembered things that didn't happen, or that I know happened differently.
@@jb888888888 Because these experiments and their results were written down? This was science, not just having fun
@@jb888888888 It's similar to his "Reanimation of rats from body temperatures between 0 and 1° C by microwave diathermy. " paper from 1955...but of course, not as lighthearted and without the fun parts. Are there any interesting major conflicts you spotted from this vs the historical records?
Good to see a vigorous old coot still jamming. Kudos to friends for helping keep pencils sharp.
@@cherylm2C6671 Good to see an "old coot"? I think that "famous world class scientist" would perhaps be the better term.
Imagine you live a quiet peaceful life and a complete stranger comes to you and he's interested in crazy things you've done 80 years ago. That's so cool!
I wouldn't want to talk about stuff I did only 5 years ago, let alone 80
@@RNCHFND If it was hamster resurrection you probably would.
Tom Scott is far away from a complete stranger dumbass.
@@theenzoferrari458 Are you stupid...everyone is a stranger if you don't know them
@@theenzoferrari458 A person you don't know personally is a stranger.
This is the most lucid and intelligent 101 year old I've ever scene, godspeed
indeed it’s quite a scene... wait what ?
haha i wanna be like him when im 101
@@DyslexicMitochondria me too
Well, I think it's fairly obvious, isn't it? The guy was working on freezing and reanimating humans 70 years ago. He's still alive, and looks and sounds half his age. Do the math. =P
101 more like 80
The way he describes his experiments with such detail, and enthusiasm is just amazing.
I'm surprised that Tom was able to get an interview with a 101 year old scientist about an experiment decades ago
That interview made both of their days I'm sure. That was awesome.
absolutely hope my mind is as good as mr lovelock's at 101.
@@CCCW mr lovelock is whoi aspire to be in the future
I would have assumed him to be dead or at least have Leukemia due to radiation.
@@bennoreuter4393 Microwave radiation isn't ionizing. It makes molecules rotate faster and thus "heat up" but it can't alter chemical bonds, such as those in your DNA, the photons don't have enough energy. The only danger regarding unshielded microwaves is getting burns.
It's absolutely brilliant that we have an 101 year old in the video. He's looking remarkably spritely for his age
And he's amazingly coherent too!
I'm sad that he's sharper than me at twice my age.
@@dont8430 Wasn’t going to.
@@dont8430 fine you’ve convinced me not too
@@dont8430 shut it
"microwaved hamster necromancy" is not a phrase i thought would be passing through my mind today
It is a good phrase
Sounds like a death metal song name
@@peir5074 Or album
r/BrandNewSentence
scary but interesting
Thank you for that substantive look back, and my eyes opened when you actually had your subject present for the interview. A delightful man, which might not have come through otherwise. Many concise lessons here. Be well. 👀🎯🎈
101 year old guy is more coherent than me. What an absolutely incredible dude
Ikr, dudes still sharp as a tack
James Lovelock is not just any guy.
My position involves working with older demographics. The correlation of reduced coherence and age is really not a smooth as you'd expect. I've talked to 55 year olds that hardly remember what I explained 30 seconds ago, and I've talked to 90 year olds that I don't have to explain anything to because they did their own research already. It's really changed my perspective on aging.
@@rapdactyl probably has got to do with a combination of diet, iq, activities and stress that makes you healthier later in life.
Yaaaap....
Lovelock’s constant smile made this sound like an oddly lighthearted and silly experiment. I absolutely love this guy
Yes! It was indeed lighthearted and silly! I tried to recreate this experiment with the labradors i procured for testing! It was sad that I had to freeze them to death but it was justified because it was in the name of science! It all got much more lighthearted when one of them regained consciousness though, I just know if they could talk, they all would have thanked me for it!
Seeing that not only is James Lovelock still alive, but also has his wits, is one of the greatest plot twists this year. I really didn't see that coming!
Well NAH, you don't say
Imagine his intellect in his heyday
Managed to avoid covid, a real sign of western intelligence
Maybe the radiation gave him superpowers.
My neighbour is about 5 months younger (Dec 1919) and similarly sharp. Must have been a good year!
This is genuinely the nuttiest story I've ever heard and I'm not surprised it came from you Tom
It looks like you made Mr. Lovelock's day by asking him to tell his story
I see a joy in him telling the story. It reminds me while im still a kid and spend time with my late great grandma.
Interviewing James Lovelock at 101, that is some unbelievable work
Probably quite difficult to do during COVID too
The legend who heated the hamsters
The reveal that Lovelock was still alive just hit me harder than I would've thought.
I literally had to pause the video to recover from the shock
and he's a centenarian!
Science rockstar
Exactly
And still has all his marbles. Can't get much better than that
he was so happy to remember his glory days as a scientist, you could really see his eyes light up whaen he was describing his magnetron faraday cage hamster box
One of the limitations of RUclips as a medium is that you have to summarise a whole story into a title and thumbnail. I couldn't do that here without being unfair to the people I'm talking about, or giving away a big part of the piece too early, or using too many words. Ah well. I hope everyone else finds the story as interesting as I did!
Ok
Ok what's interesting
4 days old, as usual!
Neat
4 days ago
The bit on James telling his story is exactly like sitting on the carpet listening to your grandad telling stories about his youth. So nostalgic, thanks Tom!
I love the kid-like enthusiasm with which James talks about microwave radiation lighting up the light bulbs and banknotes around the room, the kind of tomfoolery the dangers of which you only realize in retrospect
Your "I promise this story ..." appeared in my RUclips suggestions (I enjoy educational "channels") and I admit it tickled my interest but I was not willing to take the dive so passed it over (and I am re-examining my internal curiosity configuration file). Your channel was recommended to me, I watched the video: brilliant. I thank you for introducing me to James Lovelock; two exceptional individuals star in this video. And all in a hoodie ...
What a fantastic story. One of your best Tom
Absolutely, only Tom can start a video like he’s messing about and proceed to blow you away with a fantastic story. You are a treasure Tom !
I agree. I expected a good video and we got a GREAT video.
Don't let you distract you from the fact that in 1998, the Undertaker threw Mankind off Hell in a Cell, and plummeted sixteen feet through an announcer's table.
Hey, I love your content!
@@eustache_dauger WORD!
lovelock: "i put a potato in it...and baked it!"
his wholesome little smile-
His giddiness while explaining how light bulbs were lighting up and pound notes were catching fire as radiation bounced around the room is priceless ❤️
Love him
What a legend!
loved it
YES
Whoa, whoa, you actually *spoke* to James Lovelock? That’s kind of stunning. Actually finding the guy who did the thing in the 1950s is something you truly don’t see every day.
And the fact that this person is still alive is kinda shocking too.
Not a usual things for a people to met someone who's part of a big history moment that still alive these days tho
Turns out he's an absolute gangster, too
@@bruhbigchungus A gangster? In what way
@@SiPakRubah my point was the longer ago the thing happened, the worse your odds are that the person is both still alive and you’ll actually find them.
@@jdatlas4668 Agreed
getting to interview a 100 year old scientist about his work one (1) year before his death is insane....the title wasnt lying this really was interesting.
This entire video was a hell of a trip and the fact that James Lovelock is still alive and happy to talk to you about this was just the biggest lovely surprise.
Right??
The smile on James' face while recounting his story showed just how passionate about his profession is.
If you invented microwaving hamsters, you would be too!
This is a testimony to Tom's reputation as a RUclips creator. I looked at that title and immediately believed him, never once thinking it was clickbait.
Yep
Yep
Yep
Tom Scott doesn't have to "promise" that any video he puts up will be interesting. Interest & passion for any topic exudes from his face & is a joy to watch, & learn something along the way.
Lovely that James is still around, a living piece of history who is actually celebrating his 102nd birthday in 14 days from now ( today is the 12th of july 2021 )
Might be cool if a few of us could send him a birthday card, thanking him for his scientific achievements and interesting story on hamsters and microwaves.
@@DiederikCA Can we do that?! Where would we send it?
@@Dudukina Tom tells you exactly where to send it. Address it to "vaguely around here, on the South Coast of England."
Living legend
Amazing