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Talk:Brian Cox (physicist)

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Can we insert this about Cox saying phases of Moon caused by Earth's shadow?

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http://www.skepticcanary.com/2012/02/22/professor-brian-cox-stands-up-for-science/:

Sven Hargroth

March 11, 2012 at 11:26 pm

The phases of the Moon are caused by the Earth’s shadow:

Brian Cox wrote, “I apparently said in a radio interview that the phases of the Moon are caused by the Earth’s shadow, which is clearly bollocks! Unless I was talking about a lunar eclipse, I can’t understand what I must have been thinking. Probably the end of a long day.” [37] Steve C wrote, “Here’s a fact for you: Brian Cox believes that the phases of the Moon are caused by the shadow of the Earth falling on the surface of the Moon. This was broadcast on BBC Radio Wales on 19th January 2012. I have the recording if anyone wants it, and I have been trying to ‘undo’ this damage in conversation with people for weeks since. For me, any suggestion of scientific credibility he held prior to this collapsed in on itself instantly.” [38] Trailer for a radio programme on BBC Radio Wales this morning. It’s a phone-in item for programme guest Prof. Brian Cox. Little kid (sounded 5 or 6 years old) asks: Why is the moon sometime round and sometimes looks like a banana. Prof Cox: “That’s the shadow of the earth.”[39]

81.154.168.149 (talk) 16:24, 29 October 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Professor of what?

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This is being fought out in the article's change history, which is clearly the wrong place for it.

How about discussing it here and reaching a consensus?

Nick Levine (talk) 18:12, 8 December 2021 (UTC)[reply]

@Nick Levine: the department of Physics and Astronomy at Manchester University refer to Cox only as "Royal Society Professor for Public Engagement in Science" in their online staff list [1]. There's no mention at the moment of him also being a professor of particle physics there. Do you think we should amend the lead of the article in line with this? Neiltonks (talk) 10:32, 21 February 2022 (UTC)[reply]
@Neiltonks: it’s tempting. But two editors do not a consensus make. Give it a couple of weeks, see if anyone objects? Nick Levine (talk) 19:41, 21 February 2022 (UTC)[reply]
I cannot find a current reference that lists him with a different title. Clearly he was a professor of particle physics a few years ago. The Royal Society listed him as a professor of particle physics as recently as 2016 https://royalsociety.org/people/brian-cox-12855/, but that is the most recent source I found with that title. Allecher (talk) 20:17, 21 February 2022 (UTC)[reply]
We can eliminate "Professor of Earth's Shadow" Clean Arlene (talk) 01:02, 14 August 2022 (UTC)[reply]

"Brian Cox (physicist" listed at Redirects for discussion

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An editor has identified a potential problem with the redirect Brian Cox (physicist and has thus listed it for discussion. This discussion will occur at Wikipedia:Redirects for discussion/Log/2022 October 27#Brian Cox (physicist until a consensus is reached, and readers of this page are welcome to contribute to the discussion. Steel1943 (talk) 20:20, 27 October 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Successor TO WHAT OR WHOM?

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"Cox has been described as the natural successor for the BBC's scientific programming by both David Attenborough and Patrick Moore."

One is not a successor *for* something. I suspect this is intended to denote or suggest that Attenborough and Moore, (though the latter is tagged as unattested) have described Cox as "natural successors" to themselves, but that's not what the text says. I am inclined to delete the paragraph in its entirety: it's nothing more than celebrity gossip in any case. Sebum-n-soda (talk) 17:20, 12 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]