The delightful British maestro of science TV

Messy, brash and thoroughly unsuited for the reflective sophistication of mystical philosophy, popular culture nonetheless keeps the spiritual world alive. Historically, magic and divination were the link between the sage and the serf, and the arcane hierarchies of daemons rode the back of everyday desires for good crops, cures, and the lass down the lane. These days, fragments of esoteric lore are scattered throughout popular culture: angels grace Time magazine, ravers celebrate Neopagan holidays with goofy hats and electronic beats,...