James Clerk Maxwell was one of the most important and innovative scientists ever to live, right up there with Newton and Einstein. Maxwell fundamentally transformed our understanding of the physical world. Michael Faraday had recently used a magnet to generate electricity
I’m 53, and… yikes! Jackie Robinson, Babe Ruth, George Michael, John Denver, Jim Henson, Vivian Leigh. I need to get more exercise and be careful crossing the street.
Amazing list. I think I would pick George Michael (for similar reasons to Whitney Houston - that guy was absolutely inescapable from like 1984 through 1990!), Jackie Robinson (barrier breaker), and probably Vivien Leigh from that list to write about.
Had forgotten Chapman was so young when he passed away. Life of Brian will always be his best work for me. So many great lines and scenes that I’m smiling just thinking about them 🙂
WOW I didn't realize Hendrix died at 27! It's unreal to look back at people who has such a major impact on culture and realize how young they were. Imagine what so many on this list could have done with more years.
The 27 club took away too many greats.
It's actually quite sad, in Mac Miller's track Brand Name, he has a bar that says something along the lines of hoping not to join the 27 club…. I guess he didn't....
Oh man if you were to only listen to one track by Mac to encapsulate his style and talent, it probably would have to be Self Care or Ladders
More upbeat:
- 100 Grandkids
- Weekend
- Rush Hour
More chill and relaxed:
- Come back to earth
- What's the Use
If you have the time, listen to his album Swimming all the way through.
We’re the same age, but man, there’s a long list of people that died at 48! Interesting that so many of them seemed so old when we were growing up, but today we see “48” and lament at how they died so young.
Speaking of Monty Python, today I learned Python programming language is also named after Monty Python rather than the snake. Of course this doesn't stop associating snakes with Python from being convenient.
I just learned Turing died at 41. I don’t know much about Maxwell but Turing was stupid prolific in his 41yrs so this made me feel slightly guilty as I’ve lived a few years longer and hope to live a few more and will never come close to his accomplishments but also have no desire, so. Hydrating right now for the morning dog walk.
Turing and Maxwell were once-a-century titans. I think Claude Shannon belongs in the same conversation with Turing (for what it's worth), although he lived a very long life.
I think Maxwell belongs alongside Newton, Einstein, Galileo, and Archimedes. His contributions are stupefyingly important, and his insights were every bit as profound as Einstein's. What a mind!
Oh man. You are only one year away from THE death year for rock stars! Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Jim Morrison... you name it!
Yeah, we usually have a discussion in class about which human accomplishments will be noted in, say, 5,000 years. Even world wars fade by this reckoning, but truly great leaps forward like fire and agriculture (and setting foot on the Moon) live on. I think Maxwell's unification is on this tier -- being able to generate and harness electricity basically sparked our entire modern civilization.
Tad, I blew my thoughtful response on your Note (thank you for sharing this!), but I love this observation.
I also *hope* they will still be watching Monty Python in 5000 years, but I recognize that this may be wishful thinking, and perhaps "Holy Grail" is slightly less impactful on humanity than the understanding of light and electromagnetism.
His importance is evident in that he played the lead roles in the movies- King Arthur in "Holy Grail" and Brian in "Life Of Brian". And all the military and police officers he played on "Flying Circus".
Yeah, he was like the quintessential "straight man" (super duper ironic!). I didn't understand this necessary role, nor did I appreciate how amazing Chapman was at this role, until at least my 20s, and maybe even my 30s. I have been very slow to learn some of life's lessons.
I didn't appreciate how he sort of tied the whole group together when I was a kid. I was drawn to Eric Idle, Michael Palin, and John Cleese much more so. It wasn't until many years later that I really started to see how important he was.
ChatGPT says "unfortunately I can't find any relevant computer scientists who died at the age of 34" and I'm thinking "well, that's fortunate, I guess".
Ooh, that's a good catch - I must have transposed Maxwell's fate onto Chapman! Updated: tonsil cancer. RIP </3
And yeah, that running scene is an all time classic! I think I've watched this entire movie at least 30 times all the way through. Nothing else even comes close.
I’m 53, and… yikes! Jackie Robinson, Babe Ruth, George Michael, John Denver, Jim Henson, Vivian Leigh. I need to get more exercise and be careful crossing the street.
Amazing list. I think I would pick George Michael (for similar reasons to Whitney Houston - that guy was absolutely inescapable from like 1984 through 1990!), Jackie Robinson (barrier breaker), and probably Vivien Leigh from that list to write about.
Had forgotten Chapman was so young when he passed away. Life of Brian will always be his best work for me. So many great lines and scenes that I’m smiling just thinking about them 🙂
It shocked me to look that up a few weeks back, even though I knew he died young.
WOW I didn't realize Hendrix died at 27! It's unreal to look back at people who has such a major impact on culture and realize how young they were. Imagine what so many on this list could have done with more years.
The 27 club took away too many greats.
It's actually quite sad, in Mac Miller's track Brand Name, he has a bar that says something along the lines of hoping not to join the 27 club…. I guess he didn't....
Oh man if you were to only listen to one track by Mac to encapsulate his style and talent, it probably would have to be Self Care or Ladders
More upbeat:
- 100 Grandkids
- Weekend
- Rush Hour
More chill and relaxed:
- Come back to earth
- What's the Use
If you have the time, listen to his album Swimming all the way through.
Thanks! checking out his stuff a bit today.
“We are the knights who say ‘ni.’”
I was the only kid who could remember "Ekke Ekke Ekke Ekke Ptang Zoo Boing, Zowie!"
🤣
We’re the same age, but man, there’s a long list of people that died at 48! Interesting that so many of them seemed so old when we were growing up, but today we see “48” and lament at how they died so young.
Also: Favorite Whitney Houston song is probably “Step By Step.”
Listening now.
Marilyn Monroe and Princess Diana. Oh dear.
I think my favorite is the Airline Pilots sketch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfLdFZ4my9g
That was great! If I've seen it (pretty likely), it has been decades.
You’ll remember we’re the same age! I don’t think we compared days though. I’m April 29.
I rarely think about people the same age as me dying, but I notice 58, because that’s the age I lost my dad.
Oh man. It's gonna get personal for me pretty soon too. I had a pretty close friend die (of a stroke, no less) at 51. Fifty one!
https://www.beyondbelief.blog/p/everything-is-becoming-one
Speaking of Monty Python, today I learned Python programming language is also named after Monty Python rather than the snake. Of course this doesn't stop associating snakes with Python from being convenient.
I want to say I knew that like 20 years ago and forgot it somehow! How is that even possible?!?
Such a cool little fact.
I’m 20, yikes! Happy birthday in arrears bro!
Oh, sorry - I didn't mean to give the impression that I had just had a birthday! Just making a few observations.
I just learned Turing died at 41. I don’t know much about Maxwell but Turing was stupid prolific in his 41yrs so this made me feel slightly guilty as I’ve lived a few years longer and hope to live a few more and will never come close to his accomplishments but also have no desire, so. Hydrating right now for the morning dog walk.
Turing and Maxwell were once-a-century titans. I think Claude Shannon belongs in the same conversation with Turing (for what it's worth), although he lived a very long life.
I think Maxwell belongs alongside Newton, Einstein, Galileo, and Archimedes. His contributions are stupefyingly important, and his insights were every bit as profound as Einstein's. What a mind!
That makes me feel better; who's Shannon😊 missed that movie
A movie about Shannon would be rad!
26 here, Mac Miller was a really sad death. He was only 26 and his music was so impactful and impossible to replace
Oh man. You are only one year away from THE death year for rock stars! Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Jim Morrison... you name it!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/27_Club
What's a good Mac Miller record to listen to?
Yeah, we usually have a discussion in class about which human accomplishments will be noted in, say, 5,000 years. Even world wars fade by this reckoning, but truly great leaps forward like fire and agriculture (and setting foot on the Moon) live on. I think Maxwell's unification is on this tier -- being able to generate and harness electricity basically sparked our entire modern civilization.
Tad, I blew my thoughtful response on your Note (thank you for sharing this!), but I love this observation.
I also *hope* they will still be watching Monty Python in 5000 years, but I recognize that this may be wishful thinking, and perhaps "Holy Grail" is slightly less impactful on humanity than the understanding of light and electromagnetism.
Tier 1A and 1B, I think.
His importance is evident in that he played the lead roles in the movies- King Arthur in "Holy Grail" and Brian in "Life Of Brian". And all the military and police officers he played on "Flying Circus".
Yeah, he was like the quintessential "straight man" (super duper ironic!). I didn't understand this necessary role, nor did I appreciate how amazing Chapman was at this role, until at least my 20s, and maybe even my 30s. I have been very slow to learn some of life's lessons.
Monty Python has been a big influence on my fiction. And Chapman was definitely a lynchpin- his versatility as an actor was one of their strengths.
I didn't appreciate how he sort of tied the whole group together when I was a kid. I was drawn to Eric Idle, Michael Palin, and John Cleese much more so. It wasn't until many years later that I really started to see how important he was.
ChatGPT says "unfortunately I can't find any relevant computer scientists who died at the age of 34" and I'm thinking "well, that's fortunate, I guess".
Looks like you dodged a bullet!
Ada Lovelace died at 36, though. Go ahead and have an extra glass of water today to be on the safe side.
Man, I was about to say that my main takeaway is that stomach cancer loves to murder 48-year-olds, but it looks like Chapman died of throat cancer?
This "Running endlessly then suddenly teleporting" moment from The Holy Grail made me crack up so much when I first saw it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHdDxKy2QW0
Ooh, that's a good catch - I must have transposed Maxwell's fate onto Chapman! Updated: tonsil cancer. RIP </3
And yeah, that running scene is an all time classic! I think I've watched this entire movie at least 30 times all the way through. Nothing else even comes close.