Via Cosmos and StarTalk, renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson is able to wonderfully articulate the wildly compelling complexities of the universe. This month, YouTube channel MinutePhysics got Dr. Tyson to narrate in his trancing voice “A Brief History of Everything,” an 8-minute condensed tale of the universe from conception to modern day. The clip, embedded above for your viewing pleasure, is nothing short of fascinating. NDT’s words and descriptions for the layman are entirely digestible, Henry Reich’s stop-motion illustrations are perfect aids, and Igor Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite” orchestration provides a deserving epic backdrop. Now, mash play and satiate your curiosity. And don’t forget to keep looking up.
Tag Archives: space
Astronaut captures beautiful images of Earth, folds them into stunning time-lapse video
Fascinated by the vastness and wonderment of space that was presented in Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey? Then you have to check out this six-minute time-lapse video. Our beautiful planet Earth stars in the clip that’s actually made up of 12, 500 photographs taken by European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst during his six-month stint in space aboard the International Space Station. While carrying out scientific experiences way up in the sky, Alexander smartly set cameras to automatically snap pictures at regular intervals. The result is what you see here: a spectacularly seamless and breathtaking look at our pale blue dot*.
*Blue Dot was the name of Alexander’s mission to space. And of course the ESA is borrowing that name from the late, great astronomer Carl Sagan; he was the creator and host of the original Cosmos series and he famously described Earth as “a pale blue dot.”
Mysterious sci-fi pic ‘Ambition’ requires your attention [Update: ‘Ambition’ revealed, short film inside]
Coming completely out of left field is this extremely promising science fiction film Ambition. I happened to have stumbled upon it at Sploid and ever since I’ve been fascinated by its lofty design and minimal exposure. Here’s what we know: Ambition hails from Polish director Tomek Bagiński who is best known for his short films Bieg, The Kinematograph, Fallen Art, and Oscar-nominated The Cathedral. It stars Aidan Gillen (most famous for his role as Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish in HBO’s Game of Thrones) and Aisling Franciosi (Netflix’s The Fall). And here’s what we have in terms of plot:
Bagiński’s latest project – tells of a young apprentice (Franciosi) struggling to master nanotechnology on an alien world and prove herself to her enigmatic master (Gillen). Will her herculean goals remain tantalizingly out of reach, or will she fulfill them and in the process, change life as we know it?
The film was shot on location in Iceland, and as you can see in the trailer embedded above, the director took full advantage of the stellar landscape. What else does the trailer disclose? In the future, humans have the ability to build and control worlds. Oh, and Gillen poses the lovely existential question that so many movies before have attempted to tackle: “What is the key to life on Earth?” It certainly seems like Ambition will be, erm, ambitious in figuring out the meaning of life and how to truly sustain it.
“This is a project, ultimately, about great ambition: the power of the human spirit and our collective will to exceed all perceived boundaries,” said Bagiński of his shiny new film. “As our heroes seek out and close in on the very key to life, it goes beyond mere cinematic tropes to deal with the bolder universal themes of facing the future, battling uncertainty and showing the determination that makes us great. But it’s not all that it seems!”
Up to this point, this is all the information we have regarding the mysterious Ambition. Of course, there’s the movie’s official website which offers posters, production pictures, and behind-the-scenes stills. YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram accounts also follow the journey of its release. And yet Ambition is riding under the radar. Perhaps the tide will change when it premieres in front of an international audience tomorrow, Oct. 24 in London at the British Film Institute’s celebration of sci-fi film and television. A major announcement regarding the project (it better be a stateside release!) is expected.
Jump after the break and let Bagiński’s vision wash over you with its utterly beautiful landscapes, computer-generated visuals, and epic score. Check back here in the coming days to discover more about Ambition.
Update (10/24): What if I said Ambition is available for you to watch right now, in the comfort of your own home? Well, it is! Click after the break to view the short film and learn more about its origins and purpose.
Comic Con: Neil deGrasse Tyson hosts ‘Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey’ (teaser inside)
FOX is rebooting Carl Sagan’s Cosmos: A Personal Voyage (a 13-part TV series that aired in 1980 on PBS) with Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey hosted by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.
Sagan’s original creative collaborators, namely writer/executive producer Ann Druyan and astronomer Steven Soter, along with executive producer Seth MacFarline (yes, of Family Guy fame) have teamed together to continue where Sagan left off.
The series will explore how we discovered the laws of nature and found our coordinates in space and time. It will bring to life never-before-told stories of the heroic quest for knowledge and transport viewers to new worlds and across the universe for a vision of the cosmos on the grandest scale. Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey will invent new modes of scientific storytelling to reveal the grandeur of the universe and re-invent celebrated elements of the legendary original series, including the Cosmic Calendar and the Ship of the Imagination. 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.
When asked why do a reboot, Sagan’s wife Ann Druyan explained, “Well, it’s a very big universe, and in the first series we covered a lot of territory. But there’s so much left. We have new stories that have yet to be told.” She promises it “is as accessible as the first one and contains information that’s at times arcane, that at other times is as less complicated. But it’s for everyone.”
Interested in exploring the mysteries of space? Then the 13-part docu-series Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey–premiering in 2014 on FOX–is a can’t miss TV event. See how cool science can be in the teaser trailer posted after the break. Continue reading Comic Con: Neil deGrasse Tyson hosts ‘Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey’ (teaser inside)
Mars500 crew returns home from simulated mission to space
Well here’s a story worth following up on. Last summer a six man crew embarked on a simulated journey to Mars, in Moscow, Russia. On Friday November 4, the Mars500 experiment concluded and all six crew members returned “home” healthy, safe and sound. For 520 days the team essentially pretended to fly to the distant Red Planet, explore its features, and return to Earth. Their objective was to simulate the psychological and physiological stresses of a real space mission to Mars, and according to the latest reports the data collected from this experiment will indeed be useful for further space exploration. When he stepped out of hatch of the Mars500 spacecraft, European Space Agency participant Diego Urbina said this: “On the Mars500 mission, we have achieved on Earth the longest space voyage ever so that humankind can one day greet a new dawn on the surface of a distant, but reachable, planet.” And for that we are all thankful and truly impressed, might I add. Though weightlessness was not experienced for obvious reasons, the team was forced to wear space suits and endure many other symptoms of a space mission including communication delays. Even though they were stationed on Earth, messages sent to and from the Mars500 simulator could sometimes take up to 25 minutes to reach its destination. During their trip, stress and hormone levels, sleep patterns and moods were monitered closely and dietary supplements were tested. For science! And the future of real space exploration! Watch the crew return to Earth in a video embedded after the break.
[Via BBC News; Engadget] Continue reading Mars500 crew returns home from simulated mission to space
R2 is ready for liftoff
Come tomorrow, Robonaut 2 will become the first humanoid robot to enter space. R2 will initially operate inside a space laboratory for operational testing, but eventually its territory and its applications could expand, says NASA. The long-term goal for R2 is for it to assist astronauts during space walks and to work alongside engineers in the space station. Once it leaves Earth tomorrow on the STS-133, NASA does not plan on bringing him back to our blue speck. Go boldly where no humanoid robot has ever gone before, little buddy. Bon voyage! (Cue the overly dramatic liftoff trailer embedded above.)
[Via Engadget]
Standard time-lapse video with Hans Zimmer’s ‘Inception’ track produces heavenly result
We’ve all seen beautiful time-lapse videos before. But photographer Mike Flores went the extra mile by editing his spacey time-lapse to match up with Hans Zimmer’s epic “Dream is Collapsing” track from Inception. Crank up the volume, sit back and enjoy the show.
[Via Gizmodo]
NASA reports the LA fires from space
Colbert gets his liftoff
After receiving the most votes at NASA’s website, actor Stephen Colbert won the contest to put his last name on the next ISS module to launch into space. After deeming the situation inappropriate, NASA decided to name the module “Tranquility” and gave Colbert a consolation prize. After all, he did give the International Space Station a boost in popularity on his show “The Colbert Report.” His prize? NASA came up with this acronym: C.O.L.B.E.R.T. is the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill. Better than nothing, I guess. Check out his response video above.
[Via Gizmodo]
The Big Bang, the ten dimensions explained
!INTERESTING ALERT! WATCH THESE VIDEOS AND YOUR BRAIN WILL GROW AND EXPAND EXPONENTIALLY.
Well, maybe it won’t, but still. These two videos are highly interesting and worth watching. The first one features astrophysicist Janne Levin explaining her model of the Big Bang theory and the potential ways it may have occured. The second video discusses the ten dimensions in great detail, integrating the notions of space and time. Although it is explained in layman’s terms with situational examples, the concepts can be difficult to entirely grasp. I’m telling you, though, it is worth the 11 minute trip. Sit back, relax, and get learn’d.
[Via Gizmodo]
“The Hubble Ultra Deep Field in 3D”
User tdarnell: I’ve recently discovered an animation that was rendered using the measured redshift of all 10,000 galaxies in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field image.
A very interesting watch. Enjoy.
Happy 40th Anniversary of Moon Landing
On June 20th, 1969, forty years ago today, the Apollo 11 mision resulted in the first successful manned mission to land on the moon. Mission commander Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins, and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr. comprised the spacecraft that landed on the moon. Armstrong and Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the moon (Collins orbited above). Check out the all-new Google Moon site to see “a mosaic of landing site images and a tour of the Apollo landings.” Check out AOL’s We Choose the Moon interactive deployment of Apollo 11 from Earth to the moon (make sure you have Flash enabled, and give it a minute to load). Also, take a look at this YouTube video, “First Moon Landing 1969.” Celebrate by watching these videos, viewing the images, and remembering the famous sentence spoken by Neil Armstrong when he stepped off the spacecraft: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
[Via Wiki]