By SAM WOLLASTON - GUARDIAN.CO.UK & BBC VIDEO
Added: Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:00:00 UTC

Thanks to Jeremy for the link.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2010/jan/15/secret-life-of-chaos


Two programmes, one ­heavyweight, one froth, both nicely done. In The Secret Life of Chaos (BBC4), Professor Jim Al-Khalili asks: how did we get here? How do atoms set about organising themselves into human beings? Well, it's not that hard really, once you get a grip of self-organisation and the strange relationship that exists ­between order and chaos; and once you get over Newton and his rules.

The natural world may be deeply unpredictable, but the things that make it unpredictable also allow it to create patterns and structure: order and chaos. They may be opposites, but they're more profoundly linked than you probably thought. Got it? And from that (nature's ability to turn ­simplicity into complexity in an ­unpredictable way), it's just a small step to understanding how humans emerged from dust – and the existence of life itself. Thanks, Prof Jim. Like I didn't know all that already. Duh!

Right, that's the froth dealt with. Now to the espresso underneath. With a glass of Veuve Clicquot and a line of coke on the side. Because Material Girl (BBC1), an important new drama set in the world of fashion, takes on the ­altogether more profound question: what to wear? OK, it's silly and deeply shallow. It's also gorgeous, fizzy, bitchy, self-indulgent, obviously bad for you but dangerously addictive. Careful, Material Girl could become a habit.
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Continue reading
http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2010/jan/15/secret-life-of-chaos
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If you are inside of the UK you can watch the streaming video here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00pv1c3/The_Secret_Life_of_Chaos/
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[UPDATE 17-Jan] You Tube link
The Secret Life of Chaos Part 1/6

TAGGED: MATH, TV