(Source: quantumlotus)

Latest: Bill Nye on Tornadoes/Climate Change

(via carl-sagan)

Bill Nye: Why We Explore | bigthink

“You’re always going to find something…..”

“…….especially in SPACE.”

Just a quick reminder that Bill Nye is awesome. 

“Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don’t.” 

“Humor is everywhere, in that there’s irony in just about anything a human does.”

“If you look back on all the teachers that you liked, I am sure you will find they were very entertaining.” 

“Science is the key to our future, and if you don’t believe in science, then you’re holding everybody back.”

via quantumaniac

Stay Curious! Bill Nye discusses Asteroids and Us

Planetary Resources: The Asteroid Mining Company

Bill Nye and Star Trek’s ‘Data’ helping asteroid miners with ‘unprecedented’ new project

ARKYD: A Space Telescope For Everyone

8 Awesome Things We Learned About Bill Nye From His Reddit AMA

Amid chants of “Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill!, the Science Guy himself logged on to Reddit yesterday afternoon to answer questions about science, his childhood, his favorite experiments, and a human mission to Mars. Despite a weird Gillette plug in his opening post, Bill Nye’s latest AMA turned out to be just as fun as the one he hosted last year.

Here are our eight favorite questions and answers:

1. Bill Nye’s life was changed by bees.

User MuddIsland asks, “Mr. Nye is there any interesting event from your childhood, teens, or even adult life that you would be willing to share? If so what is it and how did it affect your life?”

Nye responds:

I watched bumble bees (Hymentoptera bombidae) for hours. How could such a relatively big animal fly with such relatively small wings? The answer was discovered in my lifetime. Their abdomens are springs, and their halteres provide vortices with allow the wings to swing up with hardly any aerodynamic drag. If I may, how cool is that?

2. Bill Nye sometimes gets science facts wrong.

After Nye’s poetic description of bumble bee anatomy, user jhartsho very hesitantly offers a correction:

I can’t believe I’m about to do this….but hymenopterans don’t have halteres. Those are specialized balancing structures limited to Diptera (flies). Hence di (two) ptera (wing). Hymenoptera still have all four wings, no balancing structures. Their muscles vibrate instead of contract to allow for extremely fast wing movement. They also use these vibrations in cold weather to heat their bodies. Sorry, Mr. Nye. As an entomologist I just had to. I’m gonna go punch myself in the face now.

3. Bill Nye has a favorite science experiment.

User crow6671 asks, “Thank you for doing this iAmA. You rock!! Here’s my question, what is one of your favorite experiments to do?”

Nye’s got it covered:

I really do love to see a water balloon get pushed into a glass bottle by atmospheric pressure (as though by a giant’s thumb). Check out Sophia.org

4. Bill Nye can’t pick a favorite scientific theorem.

User TheSillyLion asks, “What is your favorite scientific theorem or equation? (Example: theory of relativity, Hubble parameter, E=mc2)”

Nye puts it in perspective:

Can’t say I have a favorite. They are all so important to our understanding of nature and our place in space. With that said, Michael Faraday changed the world. We have electricity and these fancy computer machines as a result. BTW, Darwin discovered so much about how we came to be, and he didn’t even know about DNA. Astonishing. It’s the process of science that has changed the world. Science rules!

5. Bill Nye won’t discount the idea of life on Mars.

User Jamiefox92 asks, “Do you think that we could have a manned mission to Mars in our lifetime with all the factors such as time from Earth to Mars and with the amount of solar radiation that the men would face during the trip?”

Nye dreams of Martians:

Were we to discover evidence of something alive on Mars, either fossil or even living now (!!?!!!), it would change this world forever. And… we’d mount a human mission to Mars. Check out #exploreplanets. Visit planetary.org to see how you can help make this discovery much more likely, to wit, by influencing space policy at NASA, the world’s largest space agency.

6. Bill Nye can explain dark matter in one sentence.

User DrXaverius asks, “Can you explain dark matter in layman’s terms?”

Yes, Nye can:

It’s apparently the source of gravity that is at once holding galaxies together and pulling them apart at an accelerating rate. Hmm…

7. Bill Nye never gets bored.

User cloudclad asks, “What field of science bores you the most?”

Nye is polite but firm:

Strongly encourage you never to use the word “bore” or “boring.” It says a lot about a person. It’s hard for me to imagine being “bored,” ever. The world is so exciting and fascinating, yes?

8. Bill Nye isn’t in it for the money.

User MuscleMansMom asks, “Hi Mr. Nye! What made you chose doing stuff like kid shows as opposed to working solely in a lab?”

Nye believes in the scientist in everyone:

I worked at an engineering firm (which has since been absorbed) for people obsessed with making a profit every quarter (every 3 months). You cannot advance much with that outlook. So, I decided to affect the future as much as could; I shifted my focus to elementary science education. The objective 20 years ago, and the objective now, is to, dare I say it, change the world. The outcome is still to come I believe as people like you become engineers and captains of industry. I’m hoping you all will make the world great.

via thescienceofreality

We The Geeks Google+ Hangout | Topic: Asteroids

Participants:

Bill Nye, Planetary Society CEO

Peter Diamandis, Chairman and CEO, X-Prize Foundation, Co Founder, Chairman, Planetary Resources

Lori Garver, Deputy Administrator, NASA

Ed Lou, Former NASA Astronaut, CEO B612 Foundation

Jose Luiz Calatcha, Minor Planets Centre, Smithsonian Observatory

+Hangout Coordinator/Moderator: Cristin Dorgelo, Assistant Director for Grand Challenges with the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the President

Planetary Resources | Kickstarter | ARKYD

ARKYD: A Space Telescope for Everyone | Kickstarter

Since the formation of Planetary Resources, our primary goal has been to build technology enabling us to prospect and mine asteroids. We’ve spent the last year making great leaps in the development of these technologies. These advancements have presented us with the opportunity to engage in another passion of our team: to make space exploration accessible to everyone.

At Planetary Resources, our primary focus is mining asteroids, and we’re pushing the boundaries of what is possible by vertically integrating and applying innovations from consumer-based industries. It’s our goal to reduce the cost of space observatories many times over, allowing anyone to access them for their own use. We want to empower the crowd to solve the big problems of our time — and this is the first step to making that a reality.

Space has always been something that most people only dream about. Very few ever get the chance to experience space — to feel that overwhelming sense of awe described by astronauts. Our challenge and vision is this: how can we make that a reality?

Introducing: The ARKYD — [ahrk-kid]

The ARKYD is a technologically advanced, orbiting space telescope that will be controlled by YOU, the crowd, through your pledges and community involvement! You can even direct your telescope time to non-profit science centers and universities for use in your communities!

Just think about the true impact of this endeavor for a moment. Together we can provide access to technology that costs tens of millions of dollars into the hands of students, scientists and a new generation of explorers, who will use it in ways we can’t even fathom yet!

Watch: Peter Diamandis & Bill Nye Talk “ARKYD”

Our primary mission is to develop low-cost robotic spacecraft to explore and mine resource-rich asteroids within our reach. The first step to making this possible is the launching a fleet of ARKYD spacecraft to identify asteroids that are ripe for further exploration. This same capability has numerous other potential applications in education and research. The goals that we want to achieve with this Kickstarter mission are four-fold:

To support important research and discovery: There are thousands of institutions and researchers in need for greater access to in-orbit space observatories. The ARKYD will provide a new, low-cost resource to help observe distant galaxies, search for alien planets, and monitor the skies for potentially dangerous asteroids. Researchers at MIT, the University of Washington, and across the globe have shown interest in using the ARKYD to further their important research.

To build excitement about space and all of its potential: The ARKYD is designed to be a fun and interactive experience that is accessible to anyone. This kind of direct access to a satellite is unprecedented. Our backers will be the first people in history to control a public space telescope!

To give YOU a say: What makes this mission unique is that we’re putting control of the telescope in YOUR hands. You’ll get the opportunity to help decide which science centers and museums are the beneficiaries of ARKYD telescope time, what photos to take, and more. We’re putting YOU in control! By pledging toward this mission, you’ll receive access to our website and mobile apps allowing you to follow along with the progress of the satellite, sneak peaks at photos and videos, and get voting access to make your voice heard in the future direction of the satellite!

The engineering and development of the telescope itself is being covered by Planetary Resources, and we’re investing millions of dollars in research and development to develop the ARKYD with advanced capabilities like photographing deep space and searching for asteroids. However, a publicly accessible satellite is very different from those that we intend to launch for the purposes of locating asteroids. The engineering and technological needs for doing each of those jobs are quite different.

Here’s where we need YOUR help: The proceeds from this campaign will go to several different areas: 1) To actually launch the satellite into space. 2) To support the spacecraft over its lifetime — including manpower to facilitate the photos, “selfies”, monitoring the spacecraft and training the staff at the chosen science center that will take over control. 3) To create an easy-to-use Control Interface that will allow ANYONE to access and control the satellite. 4) To fund the creation of an incredible, interactive educational experience that can be used by schools anywhere, to enable students to experience space in a way that’s never been possible.

1) Take a Photo of Yourself in Space!

At its core, the ARKYD is a space telescope. The large, main optic is designed to take high-resolution photos of objects in space. What truly sets it apart is that we’ve engineered the spacecraft with an external screen and a camera arm, allowing us to take pictures of the ARKYD as it orbits Earth.

Your photo (or graphic!) will be displayed on the satellite’s external screen overlooking Earth. We will then take a picture from our camera arm and send the image back to you. This is what we are calling a “Space Selfie”. Be the first of your friends to claim bragging rights on Facebook. Send a picture of your family to use on your next holiday card and be as creative as you want! All of the Space Selfies can be displayed on our community page online (if you want).

Seeing a picture of yourself or your loved ones above our planet can change our awareness of this fragile shell nourishing all life on Earth. There are no borders visible from space, and the “Space Selfie” can provide a small taste of the “Overview Effect” (The psychological phenomenon experienced by astronauts who spend time above the Earth and feel the imperative to protect our planet).

2) Use the telescope’s main optic to take beautiful photos of space

Search for potentially dangerous asteroids or study distant galaxies like never before. Some photographic examples of the ARKYD’s capabilities include: objects in our solar system, such as Jupiter and its moons, and distant phenomena, such as the Crab Nebula. The ARKYD will also be able to perform photometric applications, like determining the spin rate of an asteroid. Don’t know what object in space you’d want to take a picture of? Check out Google Sky to view some of the images of space we, as a species, already have. Here are some other examples of observations that will be possible with the ARKYD’s main optic:

For us, an important part of this mission is educating the next generation. You can use your telescope time to allow students to learn about the cosmos, or help researchers conduct important scientific inquiry. We’ll also be working with a science center or museum to create a special educational curriculum AND an interactive, ARKYD-themed exhibit is also currently underway. We’ve long wanted to create an exciting, immersive educational experience that will help schools around the world take advantage of this new technology. Imagine being able to walk into an exhibit and actually control a space telescope as it travels above us at five miles per second!

(Above): Students at The Museum of Flight’s Challenger Learning Center

Space Sciences and Engineering are two of the most challenging subjects to teach in primary education. Students rarely get to work on any real science, and are instead stuck with theory that is difficult for many to grasp. The ARKYD brings these subjects directly into the classroom, giving students hands-on experience with a space telescope. They will learn how it is launched and how it works. Even more, they will get to use it to make their own space observations.

The details of the Curriculum and the Exhibit are being created as we speak. Below you’ll find a list of educational elements that we hope to make a reality for schools around the world:

An immersive supplement to curriculum in physics, radio science and communications

Space Selfies and Space Observations from the main optic, controlled by educators

Access to an educational video series taught by engineers at Planetary Resources

Mission badges

A detailed poster of the ARKYD and 3D model of the spacecraft as a teaching aid

and more…

Advances in technology have allowed us to make the spacecraft smaller, more efficient and cheaper than ever before. These advancements also allow us to pack more computing and optical power into a smaller package.

Arkyd Space Telescope Specs

Primary Optic: 200 mm aperture, f/4 primary optic

Resolving capability: ~ 1 arcsecond

Detection capability: to visual magnitude 19

5 MP+ image sensor

Wavelength range: 200 nm to 1100 nm

Available filters: UV bandpass (

Active image stabilization

Planetary Resources’ mission is clear: we want to mine asteroids by developing low-cost robotic spacecraft to explore the thousands of resource-rich asteroids within our reach. We will learn everything we can about them, then develop the most efficient capabilities to deliver these resources. Asteroid mining may sound like fiction, but it’s just science.

We couldn’t accomplish these goals without a world-class team. Members of our engineering team have helped build every recent US lander sent to Mars including Spirit, Opportunity and Curiosity. To learn more about our team, please watch this video.

We are thankful to have many supporters from the educational, academic, and space advocacy communities. Supporters include The Museum of Flight, The Planetary Society, and Virgin Galactic in this ambitious venture to help boost space education and interest. The support and guidance that we’ve received for this mission is nothing short of incredible! We’re extremely grateful to all of our supporters who are helping to make this dream a reality!

The Museum of Flight: The goal of The Museum of Flight is to be the foremost educational air and space museum in the world. They exist to acquire, preserve, and exhibit historically significant air and space artifacts, which provide a foundation for scholarly research, and lifelong learning programs that inspire an interest in and understanding of science, technology, and the humanities. We currently evaluating The Museum of Flight as a potential location to build portions of the ARKYD itself allowing the public the chance to watch as the telescope is transformed into a real, functioning satellite, ready to launch into space. The Museum of Flight and other world-class science centers will have the opportunity to be a beneficiary of time on the ARKYD, to be controlled by visitors like you!

The Planetary Society: The largest non-governmental space advocacy group - dedicated to inspiring YOU to get excited about space and all of its potential. A vital advocate for our future in space, they sponsor projects designed to seed innovative space technologies and nurture creative young minds. We’re extremely happy to have their support.

Virgin Galactic: Virgin Galactic is developing the LauncherOne to deliver small satellites to low-earth orbit in a reliable fashion, with the capability to fly dozens of times per year. LauncherOne leverages their work in the area of commercial human spaceflight, and will provide reliable, regular launch opportunities for Planetary Resources.

Our Thanks — $10

This level gets you our eternal gratitude! Get community access to photos, videos and updates as our satellite is built and launched. You will also have a say on how the telescope gets used.

(Digital) Space Selfie — $25

Take a selfie in space. You upload your creative self expression (any picture) and we’ll capture that image on the satellite, with the Earth as the background. We will take the photos in the order pledged, so get yours first! You can track the countdown to your #spaceselfie on our app. Your photo will be sent to you, and (if you want) shared out on our membership site! NOTE: T-Shirt add-ons are also available!

The selfie will be an ideal size for social media sharing or for printing photos up to 4” by 6”. Funds above the goal will go to more ground stations so we can provide everyone with higher definition selfies. Note: Photos must be appropriate to be shared on our membership site!

We will also provide you with a pledge certificate shortly after the end of the campaign, acknowledging that your space selfie is in queue. Makes a great gift for the space advocate among your friends and family!

(Printed) Space Selfie — $39

This includes the Digital Space Selfie level. We will mail your two 4” by 6” prints, along with a certificate of authenticity.

(Digital) HD Space Selfie — $65

(Digital) HD SPACE SELFIE — This gives you a 300% increase in resolution! This is our favorite level, because Earth is worthy of a few more pixels. This selfie makes for an ideal 11” x 17” poster or high resolution desktop background. NOTE: Printed HD Selfies are also available as an add-on!

Help Find Killer Asteroids & Alien Galaxies! — $99

Help protect our planet from hazardous asteroids and better understand the evolution of our solar system. On your behalf, we’ll give students and scientists five minutes of observation time on the ARKYD’s main optic! Virtually join a research team as a citizen scientist contributor and receive regular updates on their research and findings! You will also receive a (Digital) HD SPACE SELFIE before all lower pledge levels.

As extra appreciation, all pledgers this level and higher will get an annual membership to The Planetary Society, the world’s largest space advocacy non-profit organization! Planetary Society membership (up to a $57 value) includes the stunning quarterly magazine The Planetary Report and special invitations to participate in community activities and citizen science projects.

Private Astronomer — $200

Pledge here and YOU are in control. Point the telescope at any celestial object (other than the Sun) and we’ll take an image for you – sent digitally to your desktop! Each observation represents up to 30 minutes of exposure time on the space telescope’s main optic.

+ (Digital) Space Selfie

+ 1-Year Membership to Planetary Society

Space Photographer — $450

Take 3 of your own observations with the ARKYD! Each observation represents up to 30 minutes of exposure time on the space telescope’s main optic.

+ (Digital) Space Selfie

+ 1-Year Membership to Planetary Society

(Printed) Space Photographer — $650

Take 3 observations with the ARKYD and have your favorite shot turned into a large poster, with the reverse side signed by the engineering team and mailed to you.

+ (Printed) Space Selfie — Add $8 for international shipping. Poster will be approximately 11” by 17” on thick photo paper.

+ 1-Year Membership to Planetary Society

Planetary Advocate — $1000

Two tickets for a special event exclusively for Planetary Advocates that includes a tour of Planetary facilities where you get to meet the people behind the ARKYD, sign a roster that will go up on launch day, and leave the event with a 3D model of the ARKYD. You will also get group-exclusive quarterly briefings from the Co-Founders.

+ Special Limited Edition Mission Poster Signed by the engineering team

+ (Printed) HD Space Selfie (Prioritized to be one of the first we take!)

+ 1-Year Membership to Planetary Society

Education Supporter — $1,750

One K-12 school, university or museum (of your choice, if desired) will get the essentials to make Science & Technology come alive with the Arkyd:

+ 10 Main Optic Observations to be directed by the teacher and students

+ 10 (Digital) Space Selfies for the students to take

+ Educational Poster describing the technology that makes the ARKYD work.

+ Special Limited Edition Mission Poster Signed by the engineering team

+ Access to a curriculum and tutorial developed by the team at Planetary Resources, in collaboration with educators

+ 1-Year Membership to Planetary Society

Your Video In Space — $2,500

Upload a short 6 second video OR 144 frame flipbook-style scene to be displayed in orbit! The video will be recorded in time lapse (if desired), so you will see the Earth rotate beneath your video. We will send you the video file, with the option of featuring it on our site.

+ Special Limited Edition Mission Poster Signed by the engineering team

+ (Printed) HD Space Selfie (Prioritized to be one of the first we take!)

+ 1-Year Membership to Planetary Society

Education Ambassador — $5,000

One K-12 school, university or museum (of your choice, if desired) will get the educational experience of a lifetime. Access to the Arkyd, plus teaching tools to make Science & Technology come alive:

+ 25 Main Optic Observations to be directed by the teacher and students

+ 30 (Digital) Space Selfies and 30 Mission Patches to provide to students

+ Educational Poster describing the technology that makes the ARKYD work.

+ Access to a curriculum and tutorial developed by the team at Planetary Resources, in collaboration with educators

+ A full size desktop model of the ARKYD as a teaching tool with the pledger name (if desired) etched into it.

+ 1-Year Membership to Planetary Society

Benefactor — $5,000

You are a distinguished visionary helping to invent the future.

+ One ticket to join Planetary Resource Founders & Investors at two major events: The Finished Spacecraft unveiling and the Rocket Launch Event.

+ Your name will be etched on the Spacecraft

+ You get a full size desktop model of the ARKYD for your desk signed by the engineering team (unique to this level).

+ (Printed) HD Space Selfie (Prioritized to be one of the first we take!)

+ 1-Year Membership to Planetary Society

GRAND BENEFACTOR AND EDUCATION AMBASSADOR — $10,000

This is our Highest Level and we want to make sure you are part of History! In addition to sponsoring the K-12 school, university or museum of your choice (Education Ambassador), you will receive:

+ (Printed) HD Space Selfie (Prioritized to be one of the first we take!)

+ Two tickets (You and a friend) to join Planetary Resource Founders & Investors at two major events – The Finished Spacecraft unveiling and the Rocket Launch Event.

+ Invitation to sign the spacecraft before it launches. Your name or message will also be etched on the Spacecraft – Visible to the world in every Selfie produced

+ We’ll name an asteroid the telescope discovers after you (first come, first served!). We’ll use the name internally, but will also propose it as the official asteroid name to be recorded in the history books!

+ 1-Year Membership to Planetary Society

Description of the Spacecraft Unveiling: Reserved for a very limited number of guests, this event will be the last time the spacecraft is viewable publicly before it’s in orbit! Select guests will have the opportunity to suit up and enter our portable clean-room to sign the spacecraft and send it on its way.

Description of the Launch Event: Join us on launch day at control central and be part of the energy as the spacecraft launches and we, along with you, send the first commands to the spacecraft! Festivities will follow with Planetary Resource Founders, Investors, and you.

You can add additional items to your pledge level by simply choosing the item(s) you would like and then following the instructions below to add to your pledge! All add-ons require base pledge to be at the $25 tier and above. Instructions for adding add-ons can be found below:

Here are the current add-ons you can choose from:

T-Shirt: Limited Edition Kickstarter Exclusive — $30

Ethically sourced. Add $10 for international shipping. Delivery: September, 2013

Printed HD Space Selfie — $34

(Requires the HD space selfie level) - We will print and mail your photo in poster format to you, along with a certificate of authenticity. This selfie makes for an ideal 11” x 17” poster or high resolution desktop background. Add $8 for international shipping. Delivery: August, 2015

Holiday Greeting Card Add-on — $45

We will turn your Selfie image into a pack of 10 (TEN) holiday greeting cards (Note: Selfie not included, you must purchase one of the selfie levels above.) We’re still developing more designs to choose from. Add $5 for international shipping. Delivery August, 2015

—————————————————————-

Stay Curious!

Kickstarting a Space Telescope!? | SciShow

ARKYD: A Guided Tour

We The Geeks Google+ Hangout | Topic: Asteroids

Participants:

Bill Nye, Planetary Society CEO

Peter Diamandis, Chairman and CEO, X-Prize Foundation, Co Founder, Chairman, Planetary Resources

Lori Garver, Deputy Administrator, NASA

Ed Lou, Former NASA Astronaut, CEO B612 Foundation

Jose Luiz Calatcha, Minor Planets Centre, Smithsonian Observatory

+Hangout Coordinator/Moderator: Cristin Dorgelo, Assistant Director for Grand Challenges with the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the President

Science rules.

(via luutopia)

8 Awesome Things We Learned About Bill Nye From His Reddit AMA

“Amid chants of “Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill!, the Science Guy himself logged on to Reddit yesterday afternoon to answer questions about science, his childhood, his favorite experiments, and a human mission to Mars. Despite a weird Gillette plug in his opening post, Bill Nye’s latest AMA turned out to be just as fun as the one he hosted last year.”

via kqedscience

-Season 1

1. Flight
2. The Earth’s Crust
3. Dinosaurs
4. Skin
5. Buoyancy
6. Gravity
7. Digestion
8. Phases of Matter
9. Biodiversity
10. Simple Machines
11. The Moon
12. Sound
13. Garbage
14. Structures
15. Earth’s Seasons
16. Light and Colour
17. Cells
18. Electricity
19. Outer Space
20. Eyeballs

-Season 2

1. Magnetism
2. Wind
3. Blood and Circulation
4. Chemical Reactions
5. Static Electricity
6. Food Web
7. Light Optics
8. Bones and Muscles
9. Ocean Currents
10. Heat
11. Insects
12. Balance
13. The Sun
14. The Brain
15. Forests
16. Communication
17. Momentum
18. Reptiles
19. Atmosphere
20. Respiration

-Season 3

1. Planets and Moon
2. Pressure
3. Plants
4. Rocks and Soil
5. Energy
6. Evolution
7. Water Cycle
8. Friction
9. Germs
10. Climates
11. Waves
12. Ocean Life
13. Mammals
14. Spinning Things
15. Fish
16. Human Transportation
17. Wetlands
18. Birds
19. Populations
20. Animal Locomotion

-Season 4

1. Rivers and Streams
2. Nutrition
3. Marine Mammals
4. Earthquakes
5. NTV Top 11 Video Countdown
6. Spiders
7. Pollution Solutions
8. Probability
9. Pseudoscience
10. Flowers
11. Archaeology
12. Deserts
13. Amphibians
14. Volcanoes
15. Invertebrates
16. Heart
17. Inventions
18. Computers
19. Fossils
20. Time

-Season 5

1. Forensics
2. Space Exploration
3. Genes
4. Architecture
5. Farming
6. Life Cycles
7. Do-It-Yourself Science
8. Atoms and Molecules
9. Ocean Exploration
10. Lakes and Ponds
11. Smell
12. Caves
13. Fluids
14. Erosion
15. Comets and Meteors
16. Storms
17. Measurement
18. Patterns
19. Science of Music
20. Motion

(Source: bvix, via wespeakfortheearth)

Bill Nye The Planetary Guy

via electricspacekoolaid

(via astronomerinprogress)

Cosmos Will Get a Sequel Hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson

More than three decades after it aired, Carl Sagan’s groundbreaking, brilliant 13-part TV series Cosmos:A Personal Voyage will finally get a sequel.

Cosmos, which originally ran in 1980 and was rerun many times over the following decade, is widely regarded as one of the first, and best, TV shows to make science accessible to everyone. You can watch the show now on Hulu, but despite its brilliance it is still a show from more than 30 years ago, and you can tell — the special effects are primitive by today’s standards, but more importantly some of the content has been superseded by discoveries in the intervening years.

So, it’s high time someone made a sequel to it, and now someone is! In partnership with Sagan’s colleagues Ann Druyan (who is also his widow) and Steven Soter, Seth MacFarlane — yes, that Seth MacFarlane — is going to produce a new 13-part series to serve as a sequel and modern update to Sagan’s masterpiece.

Taking over the hosting duties will be none other than well-known astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, who has served as host of NOVA ScienceNOW on PBS for the past five years, so he has plenty of experience making science accessible to the general public. It would be difficult to think of anyone who would be better able to succeed the late, great Carl Sagan.

The folks working on it will take their time and do it right — it’s not scheduled to air until sometime in 2013.

The producers of the show say the new series will tell “the story of how human beings began to comprehend the laws of nature and find our place in space and time.” They go on to boast: “It will take viewers to other worlds and travel across the universe for a vision of the cosmos on the grandest scale. The most profound scientific concepts will be presented with stunning clarity, uniting skepticism and wonder, and weaving rigorous science with the emotional and spiritual into a transcendent experience.”

That’s the good news. The bad — or at least, potentially bad — news is that, because of MacFarlane’s involvement, the series will air in prime time, and on Fox.

Now, in one way I’m all for showing it in prime time on a major network, because it’ll be that much more likely that people who routinely ignore the Discovery Channel, the Science Channel and, yes, PBS will actually see it.

I’m less thrilled, though, that it will have to compete with other, more mainstream prime-time shows — and it’ll be on Fox, which doesn’t have the greatest track record for giving shows a chance to pull their ratings up once they go down.

Now, maybe the fact that MacFarlane is involved — and Joss Whedon isn’t — will help. I certainly hope so.

You can find out more about the plans for the series.

(Source: spaceplasma, via carl-sagan)

(Source: spaceplasma)

PBS: The Movie

Ever wonder what would happen if Bill Nye, Bob Ross, Mister Rogers and Carl Sagan joined forces to tackle bad TV?

via GrittyReboots: Why Did We Make This?

(Source: kqedscience)

to finish his quote, he continues, “But don’t make your kids do it. We need them.”

Continue reading (and please let me know if any of you would like me to have this published without being linked to a private post, or the private post incorporated into this and published altogether)