"A galaxy is composed of gas and dust and stars--billions upon billions of stars."
--Carl Sagan, Cosmos, chapter 1, page 3.
Carl Sagan on the set of Cosmos.
Cosmos: A Personal Voyage is a thirteen-part television series presented by the famous astrophysicist Carl Sagan. It originally aired in the fall of 1980, and covered a wide range of scientific topics including the Big Bang theory and the origin of life on earth, stars formation and star death, and the search for extraterrestrial life. The program was notable for its groundbreaking special effects and fantastic musical score. Cosmos was awarded both a Primetime Emmy and a Peabody award in 1981 (1). It has been broadcast in over 60 countries, translated into numerous languages, and remains one of the most widely watched PBS programs in the world (2).
In August 2011, a remake of the show was announced. Scheduled to appear in the spring of 2014, it will be broadcast on both Fox and National Geographic. The show will be narrated by Neil deGrasse Tyson and Ann Druyan, Carl Sagan's widow, will be one of the executive producers.
Astrophysicist and director of the Hayden Planetarium Neil deGrasse Tyson
Tyson and Druyan's new series will contain new material, as well as updated versions of topics from the original 1980 series. However, their goal is not simply to create a sequel, but rather a program that "issues forth from the times in which we are making it, so that it matters to those who is this emergent 21st century audience" (3).
In an interview with Big Picture Science, Tyson describes his hopes for the new series:
"The task for the next generation of Cosmos is a little bit different because
I don't need to teach you textbook science. There's a lot of textbook science in
the original Cosmos, but that's not what you remember the most. What most
people who remember the original series remember most is the effort to
present science in a way that has meaning to you that can influence your
conduct as a citizen of the nation and of the world--especially of the world" (3).
I'm looking forward to the new series next spring. Not only are networks bringing science to Primetime, but if this show is anything like the original, I hope that it will fill people with wonder and awe as they recognize the tiny corner of the universe we inhabit...and how very much scientists still don't know. And with that, I'll leave you with the trailer (tell me this show will not be amazing!)
References:
1) IMDb "Awards for Cosmos" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081846/awards. Accessed 3 Aug. 2013.
2) Cosmo Learning Astronomy. http://www.cosmolearning.com/documentaries/cosmos/ Accessed 3 Aug. 2013.
3) "Seth's Cabinet of Wonders" Big Picture Science. http://radio.seti.org/blog/2012/03/big-picture-science-seths-cabinet-of-wonders/ Acessed 3 Aug. 2013.
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