Static electricity demo with Julius Sumner Miller | Why Is It So?

Here Professor Julius Sumner Miller demonstrates the electrostatic phenomenon with a Wimshurst Machine. Sparks fly! Can you answer the good Professor's questions? What made the sound and light?
'Why Is It So?' was a classic Australian television series that ran on the ABC from 1963 to 1986. It features the enigmatic Professor Julius Sumner Miller. Read more here: www.abc.net.au/science/article...
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[@keithadams6706]

I really appreciate his attitude and devotion. We need more like him.

[@gazza9481]

My father used to drag us kids out of bed early on a Sunday morning, sit us in front of the B&W tele and say to us sternly, "listen and learn from one of the greatest minds of this century"

[@21stcenturyozman20]

Prof Miller and his "Why is It So?" program takes me back to my early teens. I loved that series.

[@artistjoh]

Julius Sumner Miller was an inspiration to us all back then. More entertaining than Thunderbirds, more enduring in memory than a thousand other programs, his passion for physics and making it real is amazing. He knew Einstein, and at one point worked with him, and It is obvious that the two men had very similar sorts of personalities. It is said that it was Einstein who inspired Professor Miller to dedicate the rest of his life to lighting a passion for physics in young people. It was a very astute observation from Einstein to push Miller toward this goal because there has never been a more wonderful science communicator as Julius Sumner Miller. He set the pioneering standard that all wonderful science communicators who followed him have tried to live up to. All the Bill Nye’s and Neil de Grasse Tyson’s stand on the shoulders of an incredible predecessor, a humble physicist who was always asking “why is it so?” And then not giving the answer, but challenging the audience to think for themselves. What a wonderful man.

[@Reddgum]

Indeed. I could myself fortunate to have watched 'Why is it so?" on ABC while I was a kid growing up in Perth. JSM sparked a keen interest in science for me. As an adult, I look back with a certain sense of fondness for this guy that would be cast today as a crazy-haired mad scientist, but back then he was a true hero - one that would stop me in my tracks and come racing inside to watch his antics on TV.

[@lauriem6322]

'more enduring in memory than a thousand other programs': spot on, you only need to say "why is it so' to instantly conjure up fond memories of this one.

[@Cashcrop54]

I had not seen the “Why Is It So” programs before but loved the ones fro PBS back in the 60’s. Fun to see all these again. He is a gifted teacher. And he took these demonstrations to the US Air Force Academy every couple years to teach. Incredible!

[@shiddy.]

RUclips captioning system insists his name is Julius Salmonella

[@TET2005]

This tagline is classic: Physics is my business...

[@timmack2415]

I remember watching the good professor as a kid

[@chriswaterman3823]

HE ,himself was a powerful force of NATURE , and from what I learned , a good friend of Dr Albert Einstein ( you may have heard of him ) as well as being multi lingual .

[@Rakeshkumar30]

Super duper cool professor ❤️

[@charlesallan6771]

Renowned Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth is one of his descendants. So is Dr. Ogden Wernstrom through a grandmother !

[@syedsalahoddin536]

He is the best! ❤

[@williambruchman]

Love it

[@philipstallwood9813]

Can it produce the same amount of energy as a glass and a half of full cream milk.

[@firstkings99]

There used to be a clip on the electrostatic precipitator...where has it gone?

[@jayeshnehete7488]

I wish we had such teachers now!

[@dizzman5546]

were they from marist brothers at eastwood nsw

[@ianlong3761]

👍

[@sandwichman100]

mixing inches and metric, very unusual

[@dauntlessRRs]

Not when you work in an old Harley Davidson Shop in Australia ;)

[@vijayveriyan9555]

When these videos are made

[@dominus1708]

1:43 lol
what fur do you use?
cat fur or dog fur any kind of animal you like,
but it must be from an animal that has trusted you.

[@brianh02]

Professor, where's my cat?

[@darwinthompson391]

Why is it so ????

[@loveasapologetics]

We are grown adults watching what is essentially Bill Nye...

[@patryklewandowski5377]

i like he gives people almost zero information xD

[@wpf312]

Poor doggo!

[@Kirillissimus]

It had to be sacrificed for greater good.