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Professor Brian Cox and the Queen's Swan Marker

Professor Brian Cox tells Chris about his new 麻豆社 One show Forces of Nature, and Chris is joined by the Queen's swan marker to talk about the 'swanderful' tradition of swan upping.

Chris is joined by Professor Brian Cox who tells us about the origins of life, dam-conquering goats and human towers in his amazing new 麻豆社 One show Forces of Nature. Plus the Queen's swan marker David Barber enlightens us about the 'swanderful' 800-year-old tradition of swan upping and Vassos speaks to golfing legend Gary Player to reflect on The Open. Our first Pause for Thought of the week comes from journalist and editor Remona Aly.

2 hours, 59 minutes

Last on

Mon 18 Jul 2016 06:30
麻豆社 Radio 2

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Clips

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Music Played

  • INXS

    New Sensation

    • INXS - Kick.
    • Mercury.

  • Jodie Abacus

    She's In Love With The Weekend

    • (CD Single).
    • Household.
    • 001.

  • Earth, Wind & Fire

    September

    • Greatest Hits Of 1978 (Various Artis.
    • Premier.
    • 3.

  • Smash Mouth

    Walkin' On The Sun

    • The Best Bands ...Ever! (Various).
    • Virgin.

  • OneRepublic

    Wherever I Go

    • (CD Single).
    • Interscope.

  • OMC

    How Bizarre

    • Now 34 (Various Artists).
    • Now.

  • Bryan Adams

    Don't Even Try

    • (CD Single).
    • Polydor.
    • 001.

  • Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band

    Born To Run

    • Born To Run.
    • CBS.

  • Meghan Trainor

    Lips Are Movin

    • (CD Single).
    • Epic.
    • 001.

  • The Move

    Flowers In The Rain

  • ABC

    The Flames Of Desire

    • (CD Single).
    • EMI.
    • 001.

  • Glenn Frey

    The Heat Is On

    • Above The Clouds: The Very Best Of.
    • Universal.

  • Jess Glynne

    Don't Be So Hard On Yourself

    • (CD Single).
    • Atlantic.
    • 001.

  • Lloyd Cole and the Commotions & Lloyd Cole

    Perfect Skin

    • Lloyd Cole - The Collection.
    • Polygram Tv.

  • Harry Belafonte

    Jump In The Line

    • The Best Of.
    • Camden.
    • 16.

  • Electric Light Orchestra

    When The Night Comes

    • Alone In The Universe.
    • Columbia.

  • The Real Thing

    Can You Feel The Force?

    • The Seventies Album (Various Artists).
    • Sanctuary.
    • 16.

  • The Monkees

    A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You

    • The Definitive Monkees.
    • Warner Strategic Market.
    • 15.

  • The Monkees

    Last Train To Clarksville

    • Delilah - Jukebox 60's Hits.
    • Old Gold.
    • 2.

  • T. Rex

    Ride a White Swan

    • Million Sellers Vol.18 - The Seventie.
    • Disky.

  • LeAnn Rimes

    The Story

    • (CD Single).
    • Sony Music.
    • 1.

  • R.E.M.

    Shiny Happy People

    • The Greatest Hits Of 1991 (Various).
    • Telstar.

  • Arrested Development

    Mr Wendal

    • Arrested Development - Greatest Hits.
    • Emi Gold.

  • The Stone Roses

    She Bangs The Drums

    • The Very Best Of The Stone Roses.
    • Silvertone.

  • Aztec Camera

    Somewhere in My Heart

    • Fantastic 80's - 3 (Various Artists).
    • Sony Tv/Columbia.

  • Elton John

    A Good Heart

    • (CD Single).
    • Mercury.
    • 006.

  • Dave Edmunds

    Queen Of Hearts

    • The Best Of Dave Edmunds.
    • Swansong.

  • Texas

    Inner Smile

    • (CD Single).
    • Mercury.

Pause for Thought

Pause for Thought
From Remona Aly, freelance journalist and editor:

听

There was a time many years ago when I felt anxious, lost and uncertain. Even smiling was a challenge because I felt I had nothing to smile about. One day, I made my way to the mosque for Friday prayers. I stepped inside, removed my shoes, and looked for a place to sit quietly on the patterned carpet. It was a full house, but I managed to squeeze in next to a woman who was murmuring sacred invocations.


As I waited for the call to prayer to sound off, I felt the warmth of her body heat reach me, as if it were gentle embrace. I felt calm, reassured, safe. It dawned on me that if i could feel that much peace in the warmth of one stranger, how much solace I could find in the warmth of the One who created us both. I felt in that moment I had the strength to carry on, even though life never stops hurling its challenges at me and beyond.


I see so much uncertainty, so much pain in the world around me, that sometimes I begin to doubt humanity itself. But that is exactly the point where hope ends and despair begins.听 I can鈥檛 let that happen. The words of the American Muslim author, Yasmin Mogahed, tell me I can鈥檛 let that happen.


She says, 鈥淚 tell you to keep going, not because it's easy. Not because it doesn't hurt. I tell you to keep going because there is no other way. To stop is to die. Life is in motion. In growth. In change. Life is in seeking and in finding. Life is in redemption. Each moment is a new birth. A new chance to come back, to get it right. A new chance to make it better.鈥� Yasmin is right of course.

I鈥檓 not a machine that can take endless news, hammering me into the ground like a rusty old nail. I鈥檓 a soul that refuses to have its wings clipped. For me, hope is survival, hope is struggle. Hope is humanity. The warmth I felt in that moment when I most needed it reminds me that come what may, there will always be Hope.

Broadcast

  • Mon 18 Jul 2016 06:30
    麻豆社 Radio 2

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After eight years of hosting the Breakfast Show, Chris Evans leaves Radio 2.

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麻豆社 Radio 2's story-writing competition for kids.