Sagan's COSMOS Updated by Neil deGrasse Tyson at 9 PM tonight

[libby]

COSMOS: A SPACETIME ODYSSEY, an update of Carl Sagan's PBS series, first aired in the fall of 1980, premieres tonight at 9 PM on Fox Network, and repeats Monday on National Geographic Channels.

Here's part of a  long review from today's Washington Post:

Updated 'Cosmos' is a fond return to the vastness of space

By Hank Stuever,
Published: March 7, 2014

When astronomer Carl Sagan's landmark PBS series "Cosmos" first aired in the fall of 1980, the Voyager 1 spacecraft was flying past Saturn and its moons, sending back astonishing images of worlds never seen up close.

Some 33 years later, both Sagan and Voyager 1 (and its mate, Voyager 2) have left the realm of the reachable. He died in 1996, and, sooner rather than later, we'll lose the faint communications from the resilient Voyagers as they travel into interstellar space.

As just about everyone knows, each craft bears a human greatest-hits disc of our languages, music and understanding of numbers, among other assorted audio-visual samples of Earth's inhabitants. The thought of anyone or anything ever finding and playing the disc inspires great wonder; just as much, the thought of our little gizmos floating off forever into eternity brings on a chilling sense of loneliness.

To both soothe and stoke those feelings, "Cosmos"is back Sunday night (airing on Fox and then repeating on Monday nights on the National Geographic Channel). It's a 13-episode remake/update lovingly shepherded by Sagan's widow, Ann Druyan, who worked on the original series, and hosted by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, a worthy heir to Sagan's legacy, even if he doesn't quite possess Sagan's natural ability to captivate viewers.

© The Washington Post Company

[libby]

  
Although I've done a lot of proofreading in my time, I have trouble proofreading my own stuff. But, the minute I go final I see the errors. As in the title of this post: the astrophysicist is Neil deGrasse Tyson, not "deGrasse." 

[Locutus]

Neil deGrasse Tyson is one of my favorite people.  He's a brilliant man.  I've had one of his quotes as my tagline around here for awhile now. 

[Bo D]

I watched the show last night and, although they went over material I have seen dozens of times, I loved the show. That stuff never gets old with me.

[Henry Hawk]

Neil deGrasse Tyson is one of my favorite people.  He's a brilliant man.  I've had one of his quotes as my tagline around here for awhile now. 

I like to listen to him...I find him refreshing and honest. He is not in your face with his opinions, but just lays them out there.........very well spoken.

[Locutus]

Creationists are up in arms about Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson's science documentary television series, because they say the show does not present their beliefs alongside evolutionary theories.

Danny Faulkner, an astronomer who works with Answers in Genesis, a Christian ministry and its Kentucky-based Creation Museum, spoke out against the program Thursday on The Janet Mefferd Show. He took issue with many aspects of Cosmos' first two episodes, including its positive stance on biogenesis and its assertion that the universe is billions of years old.

"Creationists aren't even on the radar screen for them," Faulker said on the faith-based talk show. "They wouldn't even consider us plausible at all."

Cosmos has already been under fire from creationists for its stance on evolution, climate change and the Big Bang theory, but Tyson told CNN earlier this month that he believes the media should no longer give equal airtime to those who deny climate change and evolution in an effort to balance coverage.

Faulkner claimed the 13-episode series has a distinct "evolutionary bias," and agreed with Mefferd's concern that Cosmos doesn't even present creationism as an alternative theory.

"That was struck in the first episode where [Tyson] talked about science — how everything's up for discussion, it's all on the table — and I thought to myself, 'No, consideration of special creation is definitely not open for discussion'," he said.

A television station in Oklahoma was criticized for cutting to a news promo while Tyson spoke about evolution in Cosmos' premiere episode, but the later claimed in a tweet that this was a mistake.

Neither Fox nor National Geographic, which broadcast the show, immediately responded to a request for comment.

This isn't the first time creationists have bumped heads with the scientific community. TV personality Bill Nye debated Ken Ham, founder of the Creation Museum, on evolution last month.



http://mashable.com/2014/03/24/creationists-cosmos/

[Locutus]

^^  Of course the idiots at the Creation Museum are whining about it.   

[Palehorse]

^^  Of course the idiots at the Creation Museum are whining about it.   

Friggin' morons! 

[Sandy Eggo]

^^  Of course the idiots at the Creation Museum are whining about it.   

Off topic: Did you see the debate between Bill Nye and and Ken Ham re: creationism? Awesome! If not, it should be on YouTube and it's worth a watch.

[Locutus]

Off topic: Did you see the debate between Bill Nye and and Ken Ham re: creationism? Awesome! If not, it should be on YouTube and it's worth a watch.

Yes, I watched the debate on YouTube.  I forgot that it was on the night it was originally broadcast.  I think Bo D and I discussed that somewhere around here. 

[Locutus]

In case anyone missed any of the episodes, they're available in their entirety at this website:

http://www.cosmosontv.com

Look under the "Full Episodes" link.  I think they're online for 40 days after the original episode date. 

[Locutus]

The 4th episode is now available at the above URL for streaming.

[libby]

The 4th episode is now available at the above URL for streaming.

Thanks. I've been watching it on Fox and National Geographic, but resent the commercials.

[Locutus]

Unfortunately, the commercials are in the stream too. 

[libby]

Creationists are up in arms about Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson's science documentary television series, because they say the show does not present their beliefs alongside evolutionary theories.

Danny Faulkner, an astronomer who works with Answers in Genesis, a Christian ministry and its Kentucky-based Creation Museum, spoke out against the program Thursday on The Janet Mefferd Show. He took issue with many aspects of Cosmos' first two episodes, including its positive stance on biogenesis and its assertion that the universe is billions of years old.

"Creationists aren't even on the radar screen for them," Faulker said on the faith-based talk show. "They wouldn't even consider us plausible at all."

Cosmos has already been under fire from creationists for its stance on evolution, climate change and the Big Bang theory, but Tyson told CNN earlier this month that he believes the media should no longer give equal airtime to those who deny climate change and evolution in an effort to balance coverage.

Faulkner claimed the 13-episode series has a distinct "evolutionary bias," and agreed with Mefferd's concern that Cosmos doesn't even present creationism as an alternative theory.

"That was struck in the first episode where [Tyson] talked about science — how everything's up for discussion, it's all on the table — and I thought to myself, 'No, consideration of special creation is definitely not open for discussion'," he said.

A television station in Oklahoma was criticized for cutting to a news promo while Tyson spoke about evolution in Cosmos' premiere episode, but the later claimed in a tweet that this was a mistake.

Neither Fox nor National Geographic, which broadcast the show, immediately responded to a request for comment.

This isn't the first time creationists have bumped heads with the scientific community. TV personality Bill Nye debated Ken Ham, founder of the Creation Museum, on evolution last month.



http://mashable.com/2014/03/24/creationists-cosmos/

If you didn't see tonight's COSMOS, you missed a stunner.    I plan to watch it again on Monday night on the National Geographic Channel. It was all the more  because of Neil deGrasse Tyson's matter-of-fact presentation.