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The Forum

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Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

The programme that explains the present by exploring the past

The programme that explains the present by exploring the past.

The Forum; 29/03/2009

The Forum: 29/03/2009

Discussion & Talk

29/03/2009

BBC World Service - The Forum, 29/03/2009

Carl Djerassi, Mary Beard and Harold Varmus challenge each other on their ideas.

CARL DJERASSI
Carl Djerassi on the divorce of sex and reproduction. 

MARY BEARD 
Mary Beard on what made the Romans laugh.

HAROLD VARMUS
Harold Varmus on the democratisation of science.

CARL DJERASSI
Austrian-born Emeritus Professor of Chemistry at Stanford University in the US, Carl Djerassi, was partly responsible for one of the biggest cultural shifts of the 20 century: the idea that sex didn't have to result in pregnancy, with the introduction of the contraceptive Pill in the 1960s. His work was instrumental in bringing about a sexual revolution, but now he’s convinced more sophisticated in vitro fertilization procedures will bring about a new revolution in which the ties between sex and reproduction will be all but broken.

MARY BEARD
One of Britain’s best known classicists Mary Beard has written extensively on ancient Greece and Rome and is currently examining what laughter meant in ancient times. She tells some ancient Roman jokes as she explores how laughter travels across time and culture, revealing the secret ingredients that had the Romans rolling in the aisles, and how far people nowadays share their sense of humour.

HAROLD VARMUS
Harold Varmus, a Nobel prize winning scientist and one of the advisors to President Obama, is leading a revolution to democratise science and change the way in which ideas are shared. He wants to free the flow of scientific discoveries to make the latest findings accessible to everyone via the internet, bypassing academic journals, so that scientists and non scientists the world over can access the information regardless of their ability to pay.  

60 SECOND IDEA TO CHANGE THE WORLD 
Each week one guest presents an idea to enhance the world. This week classicist Mary Beard believes that we should let all non-violent criminals out of jail. It currently costs the taxpayer more than the rate of a 5-star hotel to pay for one inmate per night in prison. Mary asks why our only response to crime is to impose longer and longer sentences and suggests errant bankers, fraudsters or shoplifters are better employed working their socks off to pay back what they robbed us of.

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29/03/2009

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