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From a very early age he had an interest in science, he puts it down to when as a baby he watched the Apollo missions on TV sat on his father knee, though he can't remember it it must have sown the seeds. He admired the astronauts, they were the ultimate heroes exploring the unknown.

Professor Brian Cox gaming

He openly admits that when he was at school he was a geek, he just loved the experiments in physics. He believes that every youngster is fascinated with stars, how the world started and an interested in things scientific and that in many cases they are 'put off' the subject by the way it has been taught, though he is quick to say that there are many fine science teachers do great work in schools up and down the country.

His passion is in particle physics and believes that the work at CERN in Geneva is and will be a great inspiration to those possibly thinking about science as a subject to study, a bit like the NASA space programme was in the 50' and 60's.

In the first of his reports for North West Tonight he looked at the work being carried out at CERN and the experiment  to find out what happened immediately after the 'big bang'.

Professor Brian Cox at CERN

In his second report he looked at the north west's importance in building the first computer and the subsequent developments including some of the smallest computers being built into Christmas tree lights.

The north west has always been at the centre of scientific advancement and continues to be with perhaps three of the worlds leading research universities in Manchester, Liverpool and Lancaster. It is at Manchester that they are developing ways in which to help the body repair itself with studies in bio mechanics and creating new ligaments and muscle tissue.

In his final report he investigates the importance of maths and how by using it, predictions can be made as to how fires for example will react in certain situations which can help firefighters tackle them. Also in Manchester they can create lightning which is being used to help Boeing design and build their new aircraft by testing how it will react to lightning strikes.