Everyone who knows me understands my affinity for TV, one show to particular has really caught my attention lately though—Cosmos: A Space-Time Odyssey.
Neil DeGrasse Tyson, one the most interesting and engaging voices of the scientific community, hosts the enlightening documentary series that explores the universe and the forces of nature which make it work. I strongly recommend checking it out Sunday nights on FOX at 9:00 PM or Mondays on The National Geographic Channel also at 9:00 PM, regardless of whether or not you're a science enthusiast. Science, has always been a personal interest of mine; growing up I watched shows like Bill Nye The Science Guy and Magic School Bus. Each new fact I gained about the human body, the vastness of space, the nature of gravity, molecular structures, and so forth, opened my eyes just a little more. Learning about things like the properties of light, matter and energy broadened my view of this world and the amazing universe it inhabits. The show, Cosmos continues to week after week, fulfill and grow this scientific curiosity of mine. I was very excited when I first learned that they were going to be expanding upon Carl Sagan's groundbreaking miniseries from the 1980s, Cosmos: A Personal Voyage. I had watched a few episodes of the original Cosmos and was already a fan of Neil DeGrasse Tyson, so the show was a must watch for me.
The first episode reintroduced the concept of the cosmic calendar, in which the entire 13.8 billion year history of the universe is compressed into one calendar year. This clever visualization shows that if the Big Bang took place at midnight on January 1 the entire human existence would only occur in the last few seconds on December 31.Other episodes have highlighted fascinating topics such as evolution, light, molecules, atoms and the nature of life. Cosmos also focuses on the brilliant minds that set the foundations of modern science; from ancient Greek and Chinese philosophers to Muslim scholars, 18th-century European mathematicians and outside-the-box Renaissance thinkers. One of the most troubling themes that recurs on the series however is that so many of the most historic discoveries and theories were rejected and feared
at first. So many voices were silenced by positions of power like the suffocating rule of the Catholic Church or the first Emperor of China. Selfish, ignorant fear has blocked the flow of new ideas since the dawn of human civilization. By far one of the greatest achievements of humanity is the scientific method, without it the modern advancements of today would not be possible. In one episode, Tyson remarks:
“This adventure is made possible by generations of searchers strictly adherent to a simple set of rules. Test ideas by experiments and observations. Build on those ideas that pass the test. Reject the ones that fail. Follow the evidence wherever it leads, and question everything. Accept these terms, and the cosmos is yours.”
More than three decades ago Carl Sagan set out to educate and inspire audiences with the wonder and beauty of science, today his vision and legacy continues. Neil Degrasse Tyson, a student of Sagan himself was inspired to live out his dream of becoming astrophysicist against all odds. I believe, now is such an important time for a show like this to be on; even though we have come so far the past 30 years so much ignorance still exists in this world. There are those who still seek to perpetuate ideas that are are simply not true. Indoctrinating children into believing notions such as evolution being a myth and the earth only existing 6,000 years, in turn limits future generations. To me personally, knowledge and science gives me the most hope for a better future. The staggering scale of our cosmos makes some feel small, insignificant but it's wondrous connectedness makes me feel like part of something much bigger than myself. My faith is being at one with the universe.
“The cosmos is also within us. We’re made of star stuff. We are a way for the cosmos to know itself.”
Adrianne Palicki
Song of The Week:
West Coast by Lana Del Rey
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