Cosmos Reboot: Running Discussion Thread

Wonder if Marlee Matlin did that episode to apologize for "what the *bleep* do we know?".
That flick was creepier than the Kate Mulgrew geo-centrism movie.

I've always been fascinated with the stories of how the brilliance of scientist explains the world we live in. Isaac Newtown, Albert Einstien and Michael Faraday all revealed things about reality that just isn't apparent to the naked senses. We take these things for granted now, but how did they ever figure this stuff out in the first place?

Last nights Ep on Faraday/Maxwell was fascinating.

I see the Blu-ray is due out on June 10. I can't wait to add this to my collection!

http://videoeta.com/movie/160010/cosmos-a-spacetime-odyssey/

the faraday one was interesting yet much too cartoon-ey. also i'm missing the cutting edge space stuff lately. not ing this for history lessons.

I can't believe they had a Faraday episode, and missed telling the story of how Faraday invented the Faraday cage, and someone asked him what use it was, and he answered "of what use is a newborn babe?".

That's a great line, a great science metaphor, and Neil loves to tell that story on Startalk.

I kept waiting for it to happen in the episode.
Bummer.

Okay - let me preface this with THE WF SEARCH FUNCTION SUCKS!
That said, I think I'm in the right thread, with the most current entry. Anyway, dude! The episode tonight brings up the point of life on Earth getting extinguished, but the impacts that destroyed it getting driven into orbit. These comets carried tiny bits of life that rained back down on Earth to continue the life they left behind. Also that life may very well have traveled from planet to planet. This could explain why some microbes can withstand harsh conditions that normal Earth life cannot withstand. Something to think about!

This episode had too many "if's" "coulds" and "maybes" in my opinion. The speculation on the origin of life was interesting, but if I were playing a drinking game based on speculative terms, I'd be in the ER right now.

Tyson pays a visit to NASA and gets a look at the next big telescope to go to space.

Did everyone enjoy the Global Warming Evangelism Hour?

I did. Evidence keeps piling up, yet deniers keep denying because they're afraid for their jobs...or something.

Yes, I thought he was going to take up a "love offering" at some point.

That was a very convincing argument. If we are dumping that much carbon into the atmosphere over the last 100 years or so, it seems like we would've done much more damage than what we see. What's clear is that the next 100 years can't be like the last.

The problem is even if America (the country actually watching the show) turned Amish and never used energy again, the rest of the world would still be pumping out carbon emissions.
Last time I checked it's all one plant's atmosphere, not individual countries.

Yeah, but it's really NOT a case of "going Amish", so much as finding cleaner alternative sources of energy.

Step 1: Ramp up solar/wind/geothermal/hydroelectric until they're a significant percentage of the total production. Invest heavily in improved tech for all energy production sources. Build more nuclear plants. Improve capacity and efficiency of hybrids and fully-electric cars. Solar shingles. Solar asphalt/roadways.

As the availability and tech for these becomes more commonplace, Step 2: widespread adoption of cleaner energy will occur naturally on a larger basis. The governments of developed nations can help spur that along in developing nations with foreign aid and debt forgiveness tied to clean energy usage, etc....

This is what drives me crazy about the "(whiny pinched nose voice) alternative energy is a pipe dream, myeh, myeh, myehhh!!", people.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONVERT ANYWAY!!!!!!!!
THE OIL ISN'T FOREVER!!!! IT RUNS OUT!!!!!!
IT!!!! RUNS!!!! OOOOUUUTTT!!!!!


If you truly believe in your deepest guts alternatives aren't going to work, then let's pack it in and give up right now, civilization is fucked.
If it is, let's stop pretending.

Don't be a fucking hypocrite, and stuff your guts full of burgers, and run the night light 24/7, and fall asleep in front of the HD, and belch "pipedream", at me, fuckfaces.

This is such an interesting turning around of arguments. Usually, Americans pride themselves of being on top of technological progress. The loudest ones are the same bunch that fight climate science and possible solutions with teeth and claws.

Point is, we as the west won't compete with China and the like on most things. Wages for example. Why not say fuck 'em on this too? And hit them with punitive measures for every piece of plastic crap they want to sell here and that isn't produced to western environmental standards?

'Because the others do it too!' is an 'argument' among five year olds. I can play with matches because little Jimmy does it too!

There is already a good example in place: 25 per cent of Germany's energy needs are produced using renewable energy sources. And since they don't seem to live like Amish, the EU will have 20 per cent by 2020.

Seems like it's working if we just put our minds to it. And guess what? This also creates lots and lots of well paid employment. Hoo-rah.

Goddam, that was beautiful! I teared up a little.

I wish that the Pale Blue Dot segment had been in the first episode, rather than the last.

If you want to hear the Golden Record from Voyager and have five hours to spare, listen to it here.

Best. Fathers Day. EVER!!

A severed hand glued to a Blu Ray case? Beats a tie I suppose!

Wow!! The series was nominated for at least 1 Emmy! Outstanding Documentary or NonFiction.

Wrong.








It got nominated for 12 of them.

The Creative Arts Emmy ceremony was held on Saturday. It looks like Cosmos got four wins out of their twelve nominations.


OUTSTANDING SOUND EDITING FOR NONFICTION PROGRAMMING (SINGLE OR MULTI-CAMERA)
CHRISTOPHER HARVENGT, Supervising Sound Editor
RICHARD S. STEELE, Sound Designer
JEFF CARSON, Music Editor
JASON TREGOE NEWMAN, Music Editor
BOB COSTANZA, Sound Effects Editor
LISA VARETAKIS, Dialogue / ADR Editor
BILL BELL, Foley Supervisor / Sound Editor
TIM CHILTON, Foley Artist
JILL SANDERS, Foley Artist
COSMOS: A SpaceTime Odyssey
Standing Up In The Milky Way

OUTSTANDING MUSIC COMPOSITION FOR A SERIES (ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE)
ALAN SILVESTRI, Music by
COSMOS: A SpaceTime Odyssey
Standing Up In The Milky Way

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL MAIN TITLE THEME MUSIC
ALAN SILVESTRI, Theme by
COSMOS: A SpaceTime Odyssey

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR NONFICTION PROGRAMMING
ANN DRUYAN, WRITTEN BY
STEVEN SOTER, WRITTEN BY
COSMOS: A SpaceTime Odyssey
Standing Up In The Milky Way

Finally caught this on Blu Ray. Haven't finished the series, but I'm loving it. I have only one question:

WTF is this show doing on FOX? I'm assuming it's because of the Seth McFarlane connection? Because the FOX network largely caters to mouth-breathing uninformed bible-thumping assholes.

Everyone else they pitched it to wanted some level of creative interference with it.
Seth cut through the bullshit.

I have newfound respect for Mr. McFarlane.