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Brian Cox | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Cox in 2016 | |
| Born | (1968-03-03)3 March 1968 (age 57) Oldham, England |
| Education | University of Manchester (BSc,PhD) |
| Known for | |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards |
|
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Particle physics |
| Institutions | |
| Thesis | Double diffraction dissociation at large momentum transfer (1998) |
| Doctoral advisor | Robin Marshall |
| Doctoral students | Tamsin Edwards[1] |
| Musical career | |
| Instrument | Keyboard |
| Formerly of | Dare,D Ream |
Musical artist | |
| Website | apolloschildren |
Brian Edward Cox (born 3 March 1968) is an English physicist and musician. He is aprofessor ofparticle physics in theSchool of Physics and Astronomy at theUniversity of Manchester[2][3] and the Royal Society Professor for Public Engagement in Science.[4] He is best known to the public as the presenter of science programmes, especiallyBBC Radio 4'sThe Infinite Monkey Cage and theWonders of... series[5][6] and forpopular science books, includingWhy Does E=mc2? (2009) andThe Quantum Universe (2011).
David Attenborough described Cox as the natural successor for theBBC's scientific programming.[7] Before his academic career, he was a keyboard player for the bandsDare andD:Ream.
Cox was born on 3 March 1968 in theRoyal Oldham Hospital, later living in nearbyChadderton from 1971.[8][9][10] He has a younger sister. His parents worked forYorkshire Bank, his mother as a cashier and his father as a middle-manager in the same branch.[11] He recalls a happy childhood inOldham that included pursuits such asdance,gymnastics, andplane andbus spotting. He attended the privateHulme Grammar School[8][12] in Oldham from 1979 to 1986.[13][14][15]
Cox has stated in many interviews and in an episode ofWonders of the Universe[16] that when he was 12, the bookCosmos byCarl Sagan was a key factor in inspiring him to become a physicist.[9] He said onThe Jonathan Ross Show that he performed poorly on his mathsA-level exam: "I got a D ... I was really not very good ... I found out you need to practise."[17]
In the 1980s and early 1990s, Cox was akeyboard player with the rock bandDare.[18] Dare released two studio albums with Cox –Out of the Silence in 1988 andBlood from Stone in 1991. He subsequently joined dance actD:Ream,[19] a group that had several hits in theUK charts.[20] Cox wrote the foreword of the officialOrchestral 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."[21]
Cox continues to perform sporadically. In 2015, he appeared as a guest keyboardist during a performance of the song "Your Silent Face" byNew Order.[22] He played a live rendition of OMD's "Enola Gay", alongside frontmanAndy McCluskey, in 2022.[23] On 29 June 2024, Cox appeared at theGlastonbury Festival with D:Ream to perform "Things Can Only Get Better".[24]
Cox studied physics at theUniversity of Manchester during his music career. In 1991, he earned aBachelor of Science degree withfirst-class honours in physics. After D:Ream disbanded in 1997, he completed hisDoctor of Philosophy degree in high-energy particle physics at theUniversity of Manchester in 1998.[25] His thesis,Double Diffraction Dissociation at Large Momentum Transfer,[25] was supervised byRobin Marshall[25][26] and based on research he did on theH1 experiment at theHadron Elektron Ring Anlage (HERA)[25][27] particle accelerator at theDESY laboratory inHamburg,Germany.[28]
Cox is aparticle physicist at theUniversity of Manchester.[29] He worked on theATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)[30][31] atCERN,[32][33][34][35] near Geneva, Switzerland.[36][37][38][39][40] He previously held aRoyal Society University Research Fellowship and aParticle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) advancedresearch fellowship.
Cox has co-written several books on physics includingWhy does E=mc2?[41] andThe Quantum Universe, both withJeff Forshaw.[42] He has supervised or co-supervised several PhD students to completion includingTamsin Edwards.[1][43][44][45][46][47]
Cox has appeared in many science programmes forBBC radio and television,[5][48] includingIn Einstein's Shadow,[49] the BBCHorizon series,[50] ("The Six Billion Dollar Experiment", "What on Earth is Wrong with Gravity?", "Do You Know What Time It Is?", and "Can we Make a Star on Earth?") and as a voice-over for the BBC'sBitesize revision programmes. He presented the five-partBBC Two television seriesWonders of the Solar System in early 2010 and a follow-up four-part series,Wonders of the Universe, which began on 6 March 2011.[51]Wonders of Life, which he describes as "a physicist's take on life/natural history", was broadcast in 2013.[52] He co-presentsSpace Hoppers and has also featured inDani's House on CBBC.[53]
Cox also presented a three-part BBC series calledScience Britannica which sees him explore the contribution of British scientists over the last 350 years, as well as the relationship between British science and the public perception thereof.[54]
BBC Two commissioned Cox to copresentStargazing Live, a three-day live astronomy series in January 2011 – co-presented with comedianDara Ó Briain and featuring chat show hostJonathan Ross[55] – linked to events across theUnited Kingdom. A second and a third series featuring a variety of guests ran in January 2012 and January 2013.[56]
Since November 2009, Cox has co-presented aBBC Radio 4 "comedy science magazine programme",The Infinite Monkey Cage, with comedianRobin Ince.[57] Guests have included comediansTim Minchin,Alexei Sayle,Dara Ó Briain, and scientists includingAlice Roberts of the BBC showThe Incredible Human Journey,Callum Roberts,[58] a chief scientific advisor forBlue Planet II,[59] and astrophysicistNeil deGrasse Tyson.[60] Cox also appeared in Ince'sNine Lessons and Carols for Godless People. He was a regular contributor to theBBC 6 MusicBreakfast Show (and theAfternoon Show since 2019) withShaun Keaveny, with a weekly feature, and an annual Christmas special[61] with Keaveny andBrian Eno. He appeared on 24 July 2009 episode ofRobert Llewellyn'sCarPool podcast series.[62]
Cox has also appeared numerous times atTED, giving talks on the LHC and particle physics.[63][64] In 2009 he appeared inPeople magazine's Sexiest Men Alive.[65] In 2010, he was featured inThe Case for Mars bySymphony of Science. In November 2010 he made a promotional appearance in theCovent GardenApple Store, talking about his newe-book set to accompany his new television series as well as answering audience questions.[66]
Cox gave theRoyal Television Society's 2010Huw Wheldon Memorial Lecture on "Science, a Challenge to TV Orthodoxy", in which he examined problems in media coverage of science and news about science. It was subsequently broadcast on BBC Two. On 4 March, a talk entitled "Frankenstein's Science" at the National Theatre featured Cox in discussion with biographerRichard Holmes onMary Shelley's exploration of humanity's desire to bring life to an inanimate object and whether the notion is possible, in both the 19th century and today.[67]
On 6 March 2011, Cox appeared as a guest atPatrick Moore's 700th episode anniversary ofThe Sky at Night. He has said that he is a lifelong fan of the programme, and that it helped inspire him to become a physicist. On 10 March 2011, he gave the NinthDouglas Adams Memorial Lecture.
Cox was the scienceadvisor for the science fiction filmSunshine. On the DVD release, he provides anaudio commentary where he discusses scientific accuracies (and inaccuracies) depicted in the film. He also was featured on theDiscovery Channel specialMegaworld: Switzerland. In 2013, he presented another series ofWonders of Life.
On 14 November 2013, BBC Two broadcastThe Science of Doctor Who in celebration ofDoctor Who's 50th anniversary, in which Cox tackles the mysteries of time travel. The lecture was recorded at theRoyal InstitutionFaraday Lecture Theatre. The BBC subsequently broadcastHuman Universe andForces of Nature also presented by Cox.
A longtime fan of theMonty Python comedy troupe, in July 2014 Cox appeared on stage on the final night of their 10-date live show,Monty Python Live (Mostly). He also appears on the documentary telefilmMonty Python: The Meaning of Live.[68]
In 2017, Cox appeared in the children's television programmePostman Pat, voicing space expert Professor Ryan Farrow.[69]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005–2009 | Horizon | Himself/presenter | Episodes:
|
| 2008 | The Big Bang Machine | Presenter | |
| 2010 | Wonders of the Solar System | ||
| Dani's House | Himself | ||
| Would I Lie to You? | Panellist | ||
| 2011 | Wonders of the Universe | Presenter | |
| A Night with the Stars | |||
| The One Show | Guest | ||
| The Sky at Night | 700th episode | ||
| The Graham Norton Show | Series 8, Episode 16 | ||
| The Horizon Guide: Moon | Presenter | ||
| 2011–2012 | QI | Panellist | Episodes:
|
| 2011–2017, 2019 | Stargazing Live | Co-presenter | All 6 episodes |
| 2012 | The Jonathan Ross Show | Guest | |
| Doctor Who | Himself (cameo) | "The Power of Three" | |
| 2013 | Wonders of Life | Presenter | |
| Science Britannica | September 2013,BBC Two | ||
| Conan | Guest | Episode 437 | |
| The Science of Doctor Who | Presenter | BBC Two | |
| In Search of Science | Episodes:
| ||
| 2014 | CBeebies Bedtime Stories | Himself | Episode: "The Way Back Home" |
| Monty Python Live | |||
| Human Universe | Presenter | BBC Two | |
| Space, Time & Videotape[70] | BBC Four | ||
| 2015 | Absolutely Anything | Himself (cameo) | |
| 2016 | Forces of Nature | Presenter | BBC One |
| The Entire Universe | BBC Two | ||
| Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe | Himself | 2016 Wipe (BBC Two) | |
| 2017 | Life of a Universe[71] | Presenter | ABC |
| John Bishop: In Conversation With... | Himself (Series 3 Episode 10) | W | |
| Postman Pat | Professor Ryan Farrow (voice) | Episode: "Postman Pat and the Space Suit" (CBeebies) | |
| The 21st Century Race for Space | Presenter | BBC Two | |
| 2019 | The Planets | ||
| 2021 | Brian Cox's Adventures in Space and Time | ||
| Universe | |||
| 2022 | Mandy | Himself | Series 2, Episode 6 "The Curse of Mandy Carter" (BBC Two) |
| Brian Cox: Seven Days on Mars[72] | Presenter | BBC Two | |
| 2023 | A Symphonic Odyssey with Professor Brian Cox[73] | Released by theAustralian Broadcasting Corporation on 2 January 2024. | |
| 2024 | Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway | Himself | Series 20 Episode 7 |
| Solar System | Presenter | BBC Two series[74] | |
| Cunk on Life | Himself | BBC andNetflix production[75] |
Cox has received many awards for his efforts to popularize science. In 2002 he was elected an International Fellow ofThe Explorers Club and in 2006 he received theBritish Association'sLord Kelvin Award for this work. He held a prestigiousRoyal Society University Research Fellowship (an early-careerResearch Fellowship scheme) from 2006 to 2013.[77] A frequent lecturer, he waskeynote speaker at the AustralianScience Festival in 2006, and in 2010 won theInstitute of PhysicsKelvin Medal and Prize for his work in communicating the appeal and excitement of physics to the general public.[78]
He was appointedOfficer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the2010 Birthday Honours for services to science[79] and promoted toCommander of the same Order (CBE) in the2020 Birthday Honours for services to the promotion of science.[80]
On 15 March 2011, he won Best Presenter and Best Science/Natural History programme by the Royal Television Society forWonders of the Universe. On 25 March 2011, he won twice at the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards for 'Best Performer' in a non-acting role, whileWonders of the Solar System was named best documentary series of 2010.[81][82]
In July 2012, Cox was conferred the honorary award ofDoctor of the University (Hon DUniv) from theUniversity of Huddersfield, presented byPatrick Stewart.[83][84] Later that year, he was awarded the Institute of PhysicsPresident's medal byPeter 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.[85] On 5 October 2012, Cox was awarded the honorary degree ofDoctor of the University (DUniv) by theOpen University for his "Exceptional contribution to Education and Culture".[86] In 2012 he also was awarded theMichael Faraday Prize of theRoyal Society "for his excellent work in science communication."[87] He was elected aFellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 2016.[77] In 2022, he was awarded theHawking Fellowship by theCambridge Union in theUniversity of Cambridge.[88]
In 2025, theUnited Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) named Cox its Champion for Space.[89]
Cox has voiced his concerns aboutBrexit, saying he feels it is a "weakening of our interaction with our neighbouring countries" and that "it cannot be the right trajectory".[90] On 23 June 2018, thePeople's Vote march was held in London to mark the second anniversary ofthe referendum to leave the European Union. Coxtweeted, "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".[91]
In 2003, Cox married American television presenter and writerGia Milinovich inDuluth,Minnesota.[92] They have a son, born in 2009, and Milinovich has a son from a previous relationship. As of 2012, they live inBattersea, London.[93]
Despite lacking a belief in deities, Cox has rejected the label "atheist" and has instead preferred to describe himself as having "no personal faith".[94] In 2009, he contributed to the charity bookThe Atheist's Guide to Christmas.[95] He is ahumanist, and is a Distinguished Supporter ofHumanists UK.[96] In June 2019, Cox explained that he cannot be sure there is noGod and that science cannot answer every question.[97]
Cox is a supporter of thefootball clubOldham Athletic and has held a season ticket at the club.[9]
She carries herself with the serious-minded demeanour of a Richard Attenborough or a Brian Cox (one of her interview subjects here), but is utterly devoid of knowledge, insight or even basic interest.
"All text published under the heading 'Biography' on Fellow profile pages is available underCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License." --"Royal Society Terms, conditions and policies".Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved29 April 2016.
