Martin Rees is very inventive: he postulates limits to scientific understanding and immediately demonstrates them, using himself as the exemplar.
Rees states, "Big things need not be complicated either. Despite its vastness, a star is fairly simple—its core is so hot that complex molecules get torn apart and no chemicals can exist, so what’s left is basically an amorphous gas of atomic nuclei and electrons."
OK, Martin, in that case I expect your prediction for the exact number and distribution of sunspots on Sol for every day of 2018 on my desk in the morning. A star is fairly simple, no? So what's the holdup?
Rees states, "Big things need not be complicated either. Despite its vastness, a star is fairly simple—its core is so hot that complex molecules get torn apart and no chemicals can exist, so what’s left is basically an amorphous gas of atomic nuclei and electrons."
OK, Martin, in that case I expect your prediction for the exact number and distribution of sunspots on Sol for every day of 2018 on my desk in the morning. A star is fairly simple, no? So what's the holdup?
Stars are complex; Martin Rees is simple.