![]() Many great men have contributed wonderful things to science. While this episode pays attention to Democritus and atomism, it spares viewers the rest of the history, relying on the most modern model (avoiding confusion with older ones). Many lessons on atomic structure are framed as a history of atomic theory, running through Dalton and Thompson and Bohr. The excellent animations are especially helpful, showing clearly what scientists currently understand about atomic structure. He also takes the viewer briefly through the states of matter, with a well animated vision of water at the molecular level. Tyson explains why carbon, and its flexible bonding abilities, is so essential to life on Earth. This episode explores atomic structure, which was referred to but not explained in episode five. Many explanations of evolution get bogged down in the details, but this one flows easily while remaining understandable. It emphasizes how DNA mutations at an individual level can scale up, resulting in changes to a whole population of organisms. The episode offers a simple, but fascinating view of evolution. He then applies the concept to natural selection using the example of the polar bear. Tyson explains how humans artificially selected wolves for key social traits over many years, eventually turning them into dogs. He begins with artificial selection, much as Darwin did in his book On the Origin of Species. In episode two, Tyson tackles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection. ![]() Episode 2: Some of the things that molecules do He credits the astronomer and renowned science communicator with inspiring Tyson to become the scientist he is today. The episode concludes on an inspirational note, with Tyson telling the story of his first encounter with Sagan. But it remains effective for first-time viewers. It is a tried and true method that dates back to an essay by Kees Boeke in 1957. Tyson employs the “Powers of Ten” technique to help viewers understand the size of the universe. The opening episode continues with an introduction to the solar system and to what we know, or think we know, about the universe. And question everything.” This, in fact, sets the tone for the series. “Build on those ideas that pass the test. “Test ideas with experiment and observation,” he says. Tyson launches the series with a short, beautiful explanation of science. If you don’t have time to invest in the whole series (at least not yet), you might want to sample these first. Although I’d argue that every episode is worth watching, a few segments really stood out. Others have excellent explanations, but don’t make a compelling story. Those with the strongest narratives aren’t necessarily the most successful at explaining science concepts. Only a few episodes had a truly coherent narrative, dwelling on a single scientist or finding. Viewers looking for a single story of the universe will be disappointed. The episodes tend to jump from topic to topic. The origin of the universe, natural selection, black holes and photosynthesis are just a few of the topics this astrophysicist touches on in the shows, which premiered on Fox and National Geographic channels last month. With all of space and time to explain, host Neil deGrasse Tyson has a difficult job shoehorning it comfortably into the 13-hour series. Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey is the sweeping documentary television sequel to Carl Sagan’s iconic 1980 series.
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