Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Neil deGrasse Tyson..."NOVA scienceNow"--2nd season

Neil deGrasse Tyson
[cool jacket]


Since the death of Carl Sagan, a vacuum was left when it came to popularizing science, but there are new individuals on the horizon. There is Brian Greene and now Neil deGrasse Tyson [Astrophysicist and Director of the Hayden Planetarium, New York City] who hosted NOVA's four part "Origins". Like Greene, Tyson is quite qualified academically and has a fine smooth persona of presentation. His on camera presentations are flawless and professional and avoid the pedantic. The "voice overs" are clear and carry the pipes of a professional radio personality/announcer. Neither Greene nor Tyson, as of yet, has achieved the status of "charm" that Sagan had, but they nevertheless do a fine job in popularizing science. Tyson's recent venture has been PBS's "NOVA scienceNow" beginning it's second season this evening on most PBS stations. Take a look.


"NOVA scienceNow"


Neil deGrasse Tyson's home page with biography and selected papers

Two "Cybercity" audio interviews with Jack Landman


As Neil Tyson said about "Origins":

"Origins" "Is the attempt to bring to the public, really for the very first time, a synthesis of all the branches of science that have relevance to answering the question, 'What is the origin of our place in the cosmos?'"

NOVA's "Origins":

Episode One: "Earth is Born"
Episode Two: "How Life Began"
Episode Three: "Where Are the Aliens?"
Episode Four: "Back to the Beginning"

Transcripts

NOVA's "Origins" home page is full of cool things to do and read:

"Origins"

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