Radiolab: Space
Horsehead nebula
s5By / flickr
In the 60’s, space exploration was an American obsession. This hour, we chart the path from romance to increasing cynicism.
We begin with Ann Druyan, widow of Carl Sagan, with a story about the Voyager expedition, true love, and a golden record that travels through space. And astrophysicist Neil de Grasse Tyson explains the Coepernican Principle, and just how insignificant we are.
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Space Capsules Margaret Cho, Philip Glass, Alice Waters, Michael Cunningham, and Neil Gaiman on what they'd send into space
GUESTS:
Dr. Peter Diamandis, Ann Druyan, Timothy Ferris, Philip Glass, Brian Greene, Dario Robletoand Neil deGrasse Tyson
Looking Up
Star gazing, it’s hard not to feel small...and lonely. Maybe that’s why it’s so irresistible to look out into all that darkness and see our own reflection staring us back, like Narcissus gazing into the pool.
It's Not About You
And now an uglier, less twinkly side of the little stars. First up, aliens. Despite our endless fascination with them, Tim Ferris, author of Coming of Age in the Milky Way , will tell us how unlikely it is that we'll ever encounter life in the universe.
Holding Moonbeams in Your Hand
How DO you hold a moonbeam in your hand? Finally we take a look at some people who are trying to reconcile the romantic and cynical perceptions of space by taking matters into their own hands.