Brian Cox (physicist): Difference between revisions

'''Brian Edward Cox''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|CBE|FRS}} (born 3 March 1968) is <!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE WHAT COX IS PROFESSOR OF, WITHOUT REACHING SOME FORM OF CONSENSUS ON THE TALK PAGE FIRST. THANKS--> an English physicist and musician who is a [[professor]] of [[particle physics]] in the [[School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester|School of Physics and Astronomy]] at the [[University of Manchester]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://inspirehep.net/author/profile/B.E.Cox.1 |title=Cox, Brian E. – Profile – INSPIRE-HEP |access-date=23 July 2015 |archive-date=23 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181023055153/https://inspirehep.net/author/profile/B.E.Cox.1 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.manchester.ac.uk/research/brian.cox/ |title=Prof Brian Cox – personal details |access-date=30 December 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151030075809/http://www.manchester.ac.uk/research/brian.cox |archive-date=30 October 2015 }}</ref> and Thethe Royal Society Professor for Public Engagement in Science.<ref>{{cite web|title=Brian Cox|publisher=The Royal Society|url=https://royalsociety.org/people/brian-cox-12855/|accessdate=8 December 2021}}</ref> He is best known to the public as the presenter of science programmes, especially BBC Radio 4’s ''The Infinite Monkey Cage'' and the ''Wonders of...'' series<ref name="imdb">{{IMDb name|2207118|Professor Brian Cox}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title='Brian Cox effect' leads to surge in demand for physics |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/9793822/Brian-Cox-effect-leads-to-surge-in-demand-for-physics.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/9793822/Brian-Cox-effect-leads-to-surge-in-demand-for-physics.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=30 January 2013 |access-date=30 January 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref> and for [[popular science]] books, such as ''[[Why Does E=mc²?|Why Does E=mc²?]]'' and ''[[The Quantum Universe]]''.

Cox has been described as the natural successor for the [[BBC]]'s scientific programming by both [[David Attenborough]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Sir David Attenborough says he would like to pass on the baton to Professor Brian Cox |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/9837922/Sir-David-Attenborough-says-he-would-like-to-pass-on-the-baton-to-Professor-Brian-Cox.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/9837922/Sir-David-Attenborough-says-he-would-like-to-pass-on-the-baton-to-Professor-Brian-Cox.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=30 January 2013 |access-date=30 January 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref> and [[Patrick Moore]].{{Not verified in body|date=July 2022}} Before his academic career, Cox was a keyboard player for the British bands [[Dare (band)|Dare]] and [[D Ream|D:Ream]].

HeCox has stated in many interviews and in an episode of ''Wonders of the Universe''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00zdhtg |title=BBC Two Programmes – Wonders of the Universe |access-date=29 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110402065141/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00zdhtg |archive-date=2 April 2011 }}</ref> that when he was 12, the book ''[[Cosmos (Sagan book)|Cosmos]]'' by [[Carl Sagan]] was a key factor in inspiring him to become a physicist.<ref name="birthdate"/> He said on ''[[The Jonathan Ross Show]]'' that he performed poorly on his maths [[GCE Advanced Level|A-level exam]]: "I got a D&nbsp;... I was really not very good&nbsp;... I found out you need to practise."<ref>{{cite news |title=Jonathan Ross welcomes Matt Smith to his Friday night show |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2010/03_march/26/ross.shtml |publisher=BBC |access-date=4 October 2012 |date=26 March 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140421200522/http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2010/03_march/26/ross.shtml |archive-date=21 April 2014 }}</ref>

In the 1980s and early 1990s, Cox was a [[keyboard player]] with the rock band [[Dare (band)|Dare]].<ref>{{cite news |title=A Life in the Day: Dr Brian Cox |url=http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/the_way_we_live/article3403949.ece |newspaper=[[The Times]] |date=24 February 2008 |access-date=6 January 2011 |location=London |first1=Philippe |last1=Naughton |first2=Miles |last2=Costello |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705172637/http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/the_way_we_live/article3403949.ece |archive-date=5 July 2008}}</ref> Dare released two albums with Cox – ''Out of the Silence'' in 1988 and ''Blood from Stone'' in 1991. He subsequently joined dance act [[D-Ream|D:Ream]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2010/apr/04/brian-cox-observer-profile |title=Brian Cox: The man with the stars in his eyes |author=Caspar Llewellyn Smith |newspaper=[[The Observer]] |date=4 April 2010 |access-date=6 December 2010 |location=London}}</ref> a group that had several hits in the [[UK Singles Chart|UK charts]], including the number one "[[Things Can Only Get Better (D:Ream song)|Things Can Only Get Better]]",.<ref>[http://www.everyhit.co.uk/ UK top 40 hit database], EveryHit.co.uk (search result for ''D:Ream''), done 6 September 2008</ref> later used as a [[New Labour]] election anthem, although he did not play on the track. Cox wrote the foreword of the official [[Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark]] biography, ''OMD: Pretending to See the Future'' (2018), having been an "obsessive" fan of the band in his youth. He said of their songs, "They shaped my character and inspired me to make music."<ref>{{cite book|last=Houghton|first=Richard|date=2018|chapter=Foreword|title=OMD: Pretending to See the Future|publisher=This Day in Music Books|isbn=978-19995927211-999592-72-1}}</ref>

Cox continues to perform sporadically. In 2015, he appeared as a guest keyboardist during a performance of the song "[[Your Silent Face]]" by [[New Order (band)|New Order]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/brexit-news-new-order-why-europe-made-us-what-we-are-today-15838/|title=New Order: Why Europe made us what we are today|last=Sumner|first=Bernard|author-link=Bernard Sumner|date=30 November 2016|website=[[The New European]]|access-date=9 September 2022}}</ref> He played a live rendition of OMD's "[[Enola Gay (song)|Enola Gay]]", alongside frontman [[Andy McCluskey]], in 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hotpress.com/culture/omds-andy-mccluskey-im-really-happy-that-i-dont-have-to-pander-to-a-tiktok-generation-to-get-my-songs-heard-22960473|title=OMD's Andy McCluskey: 'I'm really happy that I don't have to pander to a TikTok generation to get my songs heard'|last=Brayden|first=Kate|date=4 April 2023|website=[[Hot Press]]|access-date=3 November 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404165128/https://www.hotpress.com/culture/omds-andy-mccluskey-im-really-happy-that-i-dont-have-to-pander-to-a-tiktok-generation-to-get-my-songs-heard-22960473|archive-date=4 April 2023}}</ref> On June 29th 2024, Cox appeared at the [[Glastonbury Festival]] with D:Ream to perform ''Things Can Only Get Better''

Since November 2009, Cox has co-presented a [[BBC Radio 4]] "comedy science magazine programme", ''[[The Infinite Monkey Cage]]'' with comedian [[Robin Ince]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/radio4/2010/06/ |title=Live chat: science fiction vs science fact |first=Steve |last=Bowbrick |work=[[BBC Radio 4]] |date=28 June 2010 |access-date=6 July 2010}}</ref> Guests have included comedians [[Tim Minchin]], [[Alexei Sayle]], [[Dara Ó&nbsp;Briain]], and scientists including [[Alice Roberts]] of the BBC show ''[[The Incredible Human Journey]]'', and astrophysicist [[Neil deGrasse Tyson]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b085tq49|title=The Infinite Monkey Cage Christmas Special, The Infinite Monkey Cage – BBC Radio 4|website=BBC|access-date=2 November 2017}}</ref> Cox also appeared in Ince's ''[[Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People]]''. He was a regular contributor to the [[BBC 6 Music]] Breakfast Show (and the Afternoon Show since 2019) with [[Shaun Keaveny]], with a weekly feature, and an annual Christmas special<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ep 253 - The Two Brians Christmas Special - Brian Eno and Prof Brian Cox join Shaun|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000cnnt|url-status=live|access-date=2021-11-04|website=[[BBC]]|language=en-GB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210101093442/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000cnnt |archive-date=1 January 2021 }}</ref> with Keaveny and [[Brian Eno]]. He appeared on 24 July 2009 episode of [[Robert Llewellyn]]'s ''[[Carpool (web series)|CarPool]]'' podcast series.<ref>CarPool, ''[http://www.llewtube.com/ Brian Cox on CarPool] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090423114846/http://www.llewtube.com/ |date=23 April 2009 }},'' 24 July 2009. Retrieved 19 September 2009.</ref>

Cox has also appeared numerous times at [[TED (conference)|TED]], giving talks on the LHC and particle physics.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ted.com/speakers/brian_cox |title=Brian Cox |work=[[TED (conference)|TED]] |access-date=6 January 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ted.com/talks/brian_cox_on_cern_s_supercollider |title=Brian Cox: CERN's supercollider |work=TED |date=March 2008 |access-date=7 July 2014}}</ref> In 2009 he appeared in [[People (magazine)|''People'' magazine]]'s Sexiest Men Alive.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://atlas.ch/news/2009/sexiest-physicist.html |title=ATLAS physicist voted sexiest in the world |first=Ceri |last=Perkins |work=[[ATLAS experiment|ATLAS]] eNews |date=February 2009 |access-date=7 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723123307/http://atlas.ch/news/2009/sexiest-physicist.html |archive-date=23 July 2011 }}</ref> In 2010, he was featured in ''The Case for Mars'' by [[Symphony of Science]]. In November 2010 he made a promotional appearance in the [[Covent Garden]] [[Apple Store]], talking about his new [[e-book]] set to accompany his new television series as well as answering audience questions.<ref>[http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/about-harpercollins/Imprints/collins/Pages/Collins.aspx Landmark Apple Store Event for Professor Cox] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130331074719/http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/about-harpercollins/Imprints/collins/Pages/Collins.aspx |date=31 March 2013 }}, press release from [[HarperCollins]], 24 November 2010. Retrieved 6 December 2010.</ref>

|

|

| rowspan="2" | BBC Two

| ''Moments[[Charlie ofBrooker's WonderWeekly Wipe]]''

| rowspan="2" | 2024

Cox has received many awards for his efforts to popularize science. In 2002 he was elected an International Fellow of [[The Explorers Club]] and in 2006 he received the [[British Association]]'s [[William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin|Lord Kelvin]] Award for this work. He held a prestigious [[Royal Society University Research Fellowship]] (an early-career [[Research Fellow]]ship scheme) from 2006 to 2013.<ref name=frs>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429121525/https://royalsociety.org/people/brian-cox-12855/ |archive-date=29 April 2016 |url=https://royalsociety.org/people/brian-cox-12855/ |publisher=[[Royal Society]] |title=Professor Brian Cox OBE FRS |author=Anon|year=2016|location=London}} One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from the royalsociety.org website where: {{blockquote|"All text published under the heading 'Biography' on Fellow profile pages is available under [[Creative Commons license|Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License]]." --{{cite web|url=https://royalsociety.org/about-us/terms-conditions-policies/ |title=Royal Society Terms, conditions and policies}}}}</ref> A frequent lecturer, he was [[keynote speaker]] at the Australian [[Science Festival]] in 2006, and in 2010 won the [[Institute of Physics]] [[Kelvin Medal and Prize]] for his work in communicating the appeal and excitement of physics to the general public.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iop.org/about/awards/education/kelvin/medallists/page_43988.html |title=2010 Kelvin medal and prize |publisher=Institute of Physics |year=2014 |access-date=7 July 2014}}</ref>

In July 2012, Cox was conferred the honorary award of [[Doctor of the University]] (Hon DUniv) from the [[University of Huddersfield]], presented by [[Patrick Stewart|Sir Patrick Stewart]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-19004302 |date=26 July 2012 |title=Brian Cox receives degree from Sir Patrick Stewart |publisher=BBC |access-date=12 November 2012}}</ref><ref>[https://www.hud.ac.uk/about/honorary-graduates/#_ga=2.183491055.873472234.1703271541-206686235.1703271541 Honorary awards are a recognition of national and international success] - website of the [[University of Huddersfield]]</ref> Later that year, he was awarded the Institute of Physics [[President's Medal of the IOP|President's medal]] by [[Peter Knight (physicist)|Sir Peter Knight]], following which he gave a speech on the value of education in science and the need to invest more in future generations of scientists.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iop.org/about/awards/2012/page_57524.html|title=IOP Awards 2012: Professor Brian Cox delivers a key note speech}}</ref> On 5 October 2012, Cox was awarded the honorary degree of [[Doctor of the University]] (DUniv) by the [[Open University]] for his "Exceptional contribution to Education and Culture".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www8.open.ac.uk/students/ceremonies/files/ceremonies/file/Graduate-Directory-2012-WEB.pdf |title=Conferment of Honorary Degrees and Presentation of Graduates |publisher=The Open University |year=2012 |access-date=7 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221235231/http://www.open.ac.uk/students/ceremonies/files/ceremonies/file/Graduate-Directory-2012-WEB.pdf |archive-date=21 February 2014 }}</ref> In 2012 he also was awarded the [[Michael Faraday Prize]] of the [[Royal Society]] "for his excellent work in science communication."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://royalsociety.org/awards/michael-faraday-prize/ |title=The Royal Society Michael Faraday Prize |publisher=Royal Society |access-date=17 October 2012}}</ref> He was elected a [[List of Fellows of the Royal Society elected in 2016|Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 2016]].<ref name=frs/> In 2022, he was awarded Thethe [[Hawking Fellowship]] by the [[Cambridge Union]] in the [[University of Cambridge]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Brian Cox awarded Hawking Fellowship |url=https://www.hawking.org.uk/news/the-professor-hawking-fellowship-committee-announce-2022-recipient-as-professor-brian-cox |access-date=28 July 2023}}</ref>

Cox has voiced his concerns about [[Brexit]], saying he feels it is a "weakening of our interaction with our neighbouring countries" and that "it cannot be the right trajectory."<ref>{{cite news | title = UK needs a visionary leader, says Professor Brian Cox | url = https://www.irishnews.com/magazine/entertainment/2017/05/04/news/uk-needs-a-visionary-leader-says-professor-brian-cox-1017573/ | work = [[The Irish News]] | date = 4 May 2017 | access-date = 25 June 2018}}</ref> On 23 June 2018, the [[People's Vote]] march was held in London to mark the second anniversary of [[2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum|the referendum to leave the European Union]]. Cox [[tweeted]], "if [a people's vote were] held on known exit terms and leave commanded majority, I'd back it as settled, informed decision. That's my argument for having one."<ref>{{cite news | title = 'At least 100,000' march for vote on final Brexit deal | url = https://news.sky.com/story/live-thousands-marching-for-vote-on-final-brexit-deal-11414177 | work = [[Sky News]] | date = 23 June 2018 | access-date = 25 June 2018}}</ref> Cox has called for the term "the British people" to be banned from political discourse, calling the term's usage by government officials "inflammatory and divisive".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://unherd.com/thepost/silly-season-hits-the-blue-tick-brigade/|title=Silly season comes to the Blue Tick brigade|date=12 August 2020|website=unherd.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://voxpoliticalonline.com/2021/04/16/why-is-brian-cox-getting-flak-for-pointing-out-that-our-fascist-government-uses-fascist-language/|title=Why is Brian Cox getting flak for pointing out that our fascist government uses fascist language?|date=|website=voxpoliticalonline.com}}</ref>

[[Category:English pop musicianskeyboardists]]