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4. Maxwell in Space

Will Self visits Jodrell Bank Observatory in a bid to understand the application of James Clerk Maxwell's work. From 2015.

Will Self continues his road trip from Edinburgh to Cambridge on the trail of a Scottish physicist.

In 1865 James Clerk Maxwell pioneered the theory of electromagnetic waves which made mobile phones, radio, radar and GPS all possible.

In a bid to understand Maxwell and his achievements, Will is driving 600 miles in an electric car.

He's accompanied by Akram Khan, Professor of Particle Physics at Brunel University.

Will and Akram clash views over the value of scientific progress

So they drive to Jodrell Bank Observatory in a bid to understand more about the application of Maxwell's equations.

Producer: Laurence Grissell

First broadcast on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio 4 in November 2015.

Available now

15 minutes

Last on

Thu 11 Sep 2025 09:30

Broadcasts

  • Thu 26 Nov 2015 12:04
  • Thu 11 Sep 2025 09:30