A new Cosmos

Here’s something to look forward to. Next year a new version of the classic series Cosmos will be available. The trailer below gives and idea of its likely quality – watch it full screen. the quality is great.

Official Trailer from Comic-Con | COSMOS|

Phil Plait, writing on the Bad Astronomy blog, gives his view on what the series may be like (see Cosmos: A Space-Time Odyssey: Carl Sagan’s show updated with Neil Tyson).

It will be called Cosmos: A Space-Time Odyssey. Hosted by renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and writers Ann Druyan (Carl Sagan’s widow) and  Steven Soter. The executive producers are Seth MacFarlane and Ann Druyan.

Phil Plait warns agains prejudging a show a show only on the evidence of the trailer but feels it will be successful. And needed. Sagan’s original series, while still very effective, need updating to use new media and knowledge. Also, there is need for more pro-science public media which can help counter current anti-science and pseudoscience attitudes. As Plait says:

“We live in a time when the denial of reality is as prevalent (or more) than the acceptance of it. Much of that denial comes from a provincial view of the Universe, a narrowly constrained frame of mind that not just disallows but actively discourages doubt, questions, exploration, and freedom of discovery. The original Cosmos was all about those things, and not in a dry, documentary style, but from a very human viewpoint. This is why Cosmos endures, and why it needs to continue for a new generation.”

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Do whatever it takes…

It’s easy to present a very stilted, formulaic, outline of the scientific method. And both supporters and opponents of science do this.

However, in reality things are usually a lot more complicated and confused. Science is done by real, imperfect, people in a real, imperfect, world.

So, I really like this description of the scientific process given by Neil deGrasse Tyson during a recent panel discussion at the Origins Symposium held by the Arizona State University. (see Science and Society Panel Discussion with Hugh Downs, Claudia Dreifus, Ann Druyan, Lucy Hawking and Neil deGrasse Tyson in conversation with Roger Bingham).

Here is what Tyson said about the scientific approach:

“Do whatever it takes to not fool yourself when trying to understand the world around you.”

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