Professor Brian Cox hopes a new Classic FM show will encourage listeners to look at the “existential terror of the universe”. The English physicist, 56, who was a keyboard player for bands Dare and D:Ream, is known for presenting BBC science programmes Wonders Of The Solar System, Forces Of Nature and Stargazing Live. He will join Global’s Classic FM station to host his first Saturday show from 9pm to 10pm for six weeks.
The programme called Symphony Of Science With Brian Cox is themed around composers and the cosmos, and will not draw on the Manchester University professor of particle physics’ rock music beginnings. Asked if he hopes people can stargaze listening to the classical music, Cox told the PA news agency: “There’s no substitute for going out and experiencing the existential terror of the universe by looking at it. “I hope they’re (listeners) out there maybe listening to some of these great pieces of music and then look at the stars and get even more terrified.
.. it will scare the audience into running back inside and putting the music on.
“And finding even less comfort then, because then you listen to (Richard) Wagner or (Richard) Strauss or something, whose inspired by (existentialist writer Friedrich) Nietzsche and (it’s) even more terrifying.” When asked if he was hoping to terrify people, Cox said it is the “appropriate response to our position within nature”, before saying that he wants to “encourage people not to hide but to face t.
