Cosmos Episode 1 and 2 Thoughts

The revival of Cosmos is big news for everyone who cares about science.  I loved the old series, but after so many years, it needed updating.  While much of what Carl Sagan said remains as inspiring as it did when he first said them, the fact is science has moved on.  The new graphics certainly help too, showing the universe in its full glory.  So, how has Neil deGrasse Tyson done so far?

The first episode is about our place in the universe.  While I have to say I preferred the old ship of the imagination to the new one, everything else was fantastic.  I wasn't sure at first how I felt about the animation of Bruno's life, but I decided that it works.  You can take more liberty with animation, you can make the world more vibrant, more imaginative.  The story Tyson told at the end about how he met Carl Sagan was remarkable, and it really gave a good grounding to a cosmic adventure that literally went to the edge of the universe.

The second episode was about life, and the incredible journey it has taken to get to where it is today.  There's no denying the fact that evolution is still a hotly contested concept, and the fact that there are still so many people who flat-out deny it was an unavoidable subject.  However, it was kept to a minimum, and it was handled without explicitly insulting those who don't believe in evolution.  Tyson brings up a couple of great points, mentioning that gravity, like evolution, is a theory, but that doesn't stop them from being true.  He also mentions that the great thing about science is that belief doesn't stop it from being the truth.  I also really liked the ending, and the return of the 40 second journey from the first DNA to human life.  That was one of the most potent parts of the original, and since nothing's changed, it made perfect sense to bring it back.  The combination of the elegance of the format along with the complexity of life makes for a potent image.

Things are looking good so far.  I can't wait for the next episode.

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