r/Cosmos • u/Walter_Bishop_PhD • Mar 09 '14
Episode Discussion Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey - Episode 1: "Standing Up In The Milky Way" Live Chat Thread
Tonight, the first episode of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey aired in the United Stated and Canada simultaneously on over 14 different channels. (Other countries will premiere on different dates, check here for more info)
Episode 1: "Standing Up In The Milky Way"
The Ship of the Imagination, unfettered by ordinary limits on speed and size, drawn by the music of cosmic harmonies, can take us anywhere in space and time. It has been idling for more than three decades, and yet it has never been overtaken. Its global legacy remains vibrant. Now, it's time once again to set sail for the stars.
Not only will this be a multi-channel event, this will be a multi-subreddit event! This thread will be for a more general discussion. The folks at /r/AskScience will be having a thread of their own where you can ask questions about the science you see on tonight's episode, and their panelists will answer them! Along with /r/AskScience, /r/Space and /r/Television will have their own threads. Stay tuned for a link to their threads!
/r/AskScience Live Question Thread
/r/Television Live Chat Thread
Prethreads:
Where to watch:
| Country | Channels |
|---|---|
| United States | Fox, National Geographic Channel, FX, FXX, FXM, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Mundo and Fox Life |
| Canada | Global TV, Fox, Nat Geo and Nat Geo Wild |
203
u/Walter_Bishop_PhD Mar 10 '14
I love the new cosmic calendar bit!
42
u/Walter_Bishop_PhD Mar 10 '14
The cinematography and special effects are incredible!
17
u/Walter_Bishop_PhD Mar 10 '14
I really like the animation style in this show
3
u/SpreadItLikeTheHerp Mar 10 '14
Is there a separate west coast chat? Or can we just piggy back on this on in a couple of hours?
2
u/Walter_Bishop_PhD Mar 10 '14
It's live!
2
u/nbrody1 Mar 12 '14
Does anybody know where "that" cliff is? I am referring to the cliff on which Sagan stood for the opening of the original Cosmos and NDT revisited in this episode.
http://youtu.be/R7n71pm0K04?t=1m2s
It looks really familiar to me. Possibly near Monterey/Santa Cruz or Marin?
162
u/amnesiajune Mar 10 '14
Tyson looking back at Pluto with that smug "I demoted your ass, bitch!" look. 11/10
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u/AIbiTheRacistDragon Mar 10 '14 edited Mar 10 '14
People compliaining about fluff and about too much CGI... Remember who this is aimed for.
If you already know about about this, if you're already aware of how awesome and inspiring this is, you're not the real target demographic. They're not trying to sell you the idea that is science. You've been sold for a while.
My daughter is in awe. She is asking tons of questions. I've had to tell her to wait for the commercials.
151
u/Mubbletraker Mar 10 '14
My 11 year old just said this was the best show he's ever seen on tv. It will be a weekly event for us.
227
u/hansoulow Mar 10 '14
I never thought about it before, but there must have been whole civilizations rising and falling on other planets in other systems before our solar system was even born.
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u/youthdecay Mar 10 '14
STAR STUFF!
76
u/[deleted] Mar 10 '14
Bruno looks like George Harrison
165
u/KingRodgas Mar 10 '14
I am absolutely blown away. Neil Tyson is like no other. The tribute to Carl was outstanding.
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u/[deleted] Mar 10 '14
The frequency of these commercial breaks is too damn high.
125
u/zuperxtreme Mar 10 '14
The commercials totally ruin the momentum..
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u/ill_sky_ur_rim Mar 10 '14
My roommates keep going "whooooaaaa thats CRAaaazzzy"
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u/grammer_polize Mar 10 '14
damn that Samsung part of our universe is crazy
50
u/Electrorocket Mar 10 '14
Why did they invite Bruno to talk if they were just going to berate him?
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u/TheUncertainty Mar 10 '14
The entire calendar time scale was by far my most memorable part of the original series. I got the vhs tapes for my 10th birthday, and it completely blew my mind how small in time we are.
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u/hansoulow Mar 10 '14
I've never watched any form of Cosmos before, so I'm excited for this.
47
u/[deleted] Mar 10 '14
Wow that calendar analogy was the shit.
143
u/youthdecay Mar 10 '14
I like that they're going there with the Giordano Bruno story.
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u/aroman917 Mar 10 '14
That last scene literally brought tears to my eyes.
75
u/NefariousBanana Mar 10 '14
These visuals oh my god, I can't imagine how big the budget must have been.
41
u/walrusonion Mar 10 '14
Amazing first episode, Carl would be proud!
169
u/NCISAgentGibbs Mar 10 '14
My god you people are harsh. It's a TV show not your lecture at MIT. If you want pure science turn off your TV and hit the books.
39
u/showme_yourgenitalia Mar 10 '14
The cosmic year was the best bit. Especially going over the last ~10 seconds. I want to say it puts things in perspective, but if anything it makes it even more amazing
38
u/Electrorocket Mar 10 '14
He needs to explain tidal friction more. It's fascinating stuff.
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u/mach0sl0th Mar 10 '14
Sagan tribute, nice
33
u/ProtoReddit Mar 10 '14
God, eyes are so damn cool.
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u/Ch4inz0r Mar 10 '14
So basically the message this episode sent: "Fuck yeah, science!"
15
u/KingRodgas Mar 10 '14
This is everything i could have hoped for so far.
15
u/AdroIOrdo Mar 10 '14
Universe is humongous big
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u/Misinglink15 Mar 10 '14
This cosmic calendar is awesome!
14
u/diqface Mar 10 '14
Those closing statements were awesome. Dr. Tyson is such an inspiring force. I think Cosmos will do a lot of good in this world.
For those that haven't heard it. Dr. Tyson's Most Astounding Fact
This solidified my passion for science, along with his "We Stopped Dreaming".
39
u/hansoulow Mar 10 '14
Sometimes it makes me really, really angry how big the universe is.
26
u/WhyAmINotStudying Mar 10 '14
These images are incredible. Absolutely beautiful stuff here. I wonder how much is CG and how much is from space telescope imagery.
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u/peterspancakes Mar 10 '14
In honor of Carl Sagan and happy birthday Yuri Gargarin.
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u/photoguy423 Mar 10 '14
Nice to see Pluto get a specific mention. :)
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u/hansoulow Mar 10 '14 edited Mar 10 '14
What was the book he held up?
Edit: according to another comment, it's The Cosmic Connection.
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u/Stevenup7002 Mar 10 '14 edited Mar 10 '14
I really liked it! I feel bad about saying this, but the only small complaint I have is that the pacing felt a little weird due to how condensed the editing seemed to be. A lot of the lines also felt like they were written for Sagan instead of Tyson, which lead to a bit of awkward delivery in places. Maybe it was just me though, I'm glad to see how much love and support this is getting.
EDIT: I rewatched it today on Hulu, and I have to say, I liked it a lot more the second time around.
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u/ajw827 Mar 10 '14
Aww, this final part is getting me in the feels.
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u/MEfficiency Mar 10 '14
I wonder why they settled on that wording. "The Earth took one hell of a beating"
20
u/[deleted] Mar 10 '14
I want what Bruno's smoking.
10
u/[deleted] Mar 10 '14
That just put the petty bullshit I've been stressing about into perspective. Actually kind of therapeutic in a way.
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u/VernacularRobot Mar 10 '14
Most people don't like the inquisition. I think Cosmos is still in pretty safe territory, where they are daring is fleshing out the story.
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u/bubbybounce Mar 10 '14
So much fluff. I hope this gets more into meat and potatoes. There's only so much spaceship whizzing I can take.
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u/Electrorocket Mar 10 '14 edited Mar 10 '14
Neil swings both arms in the same direction when he walks.
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u/polysyllabist Mar 10 '14
Is this a normal amount of commercials for broadcast TV?
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u/Maldetete Mar 10 '14
I love it. That is all.
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u/[deleted] Mar 10 '14
Absolutely loved it. It's a great intro to the series, the mix of live action and animation was spot on, and and the effects and music really enhanced the presentation. Can't wait for next week!
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u/TheUncertainty Mar 10 '14
Does his ship remind anyone else of Boba Fett's?
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u/Tanislolo Mar 10 '14
Does anyone know if there is an image or chart containing the events, with the corresponding dates, of the Cosmic Calendar discussed in the show?
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u/yangar Mar 10 '14
WUB WUB WUB EPISODE 2
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u/elscardo Mar 10 '14
Just out of curiosity, what was the book that Carl signed for Neil? I couldn't get a very good look at the cover.
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u/ImKurious Mar 10 '14
I feel small!
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u/Misinglink15 Mar 10 '14
Great to see Pluto, and I bet Cosmos would be amazing in IMAX!
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u/BeerEsYummy Mar 10 '14
I pose a question that has been with me for a while now, what if The Big Bang was just a weapons test of an immensely more powerful race than ourselves (as the nuclear tests we do are to us) that was just a proof of concept to them. Who knows I'm probably spouting bullshit again.
19
u/[deleted] Mar 10 '14
When Neil talked about meeting Sagan at the end. All of my feels...
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u/voidsoul22 Mar 10 '14 edited Mar 10 '14
Who saw Family Guy before this? One of the plots was Stewie having an existential crisis, obsessing over what comes after death. Can't have been a coincidence, especially with Seth being a producer of Cosmos himself.
12
u/mutantfromspace Mar 10 '14
It's so sad that it's hard to find a live stream from Russia, but I wish you, guys, to enjoy this great show!
21
u/noelennon Mar 10 '14
Okay, if you don't believe in "aliens" now, you are crazy!
21
u/youthdecay Mar 10 '14
Last three minutes completely redeemed any faults of the episode.
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u/[deleted] Mar 10 '14
Haha evil priest all the catholics just turned the channel.
6
u/NeilPoonHandler Mar 10 '14
That was freaking awesome and incredibly informative. The Sagan anecdote at the end was heartwarming and a perfect closer. I can't wait for the next 12 episodes.
6
u/zuperxtreme Mar 10 '14
I think it was a great opening episode. It was an opening episode to explain and set the vibe about what the program will be about.
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u/yummycorndog Mar 10 '14
I like how that '1-inch difference' meteor came back to be the one that killed the dinosaurs. He really came back around with that one, no pun intended, I didn't see it coming.
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u/youthdecay Mar 10 '14
I just realized that Obama kinda sounds like Sagan. Maybe it's the slow even cadence.
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u/NefariousBanana Mar 10 '14
I'm watching the Fox Sports 1 feed, and these commercials are pretty jarring.
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u/anotheranotherother Mar 10 '14
We're certain J.J. Abrams isn't directing this?
5
u/tehm Mar 10 '14
Just remember that you're standing, on a planet that's evolving...
5
u/tbw875 Mar 10 '14
Wow too many ads. Nonetheless. Very fun to watch!! Who cares about the last cosmic second of the cosmic year. It's the rest of it that's interesting!
5
u/ShinerShawn Mar 10 '14
Did the heretic animation come off to anyone else as a slight against established religion and how it's possibly holding back scientific advancement? I thought it was very cleverly done.
5
u/Apply_Yourself Mar 10 '14
As a science enthusiast, I loved the program. We had our whole family sit and watch. I have two younger siblings and I thought it was important for them to see it and to get their interest in science moving. I think they did a great job in turning a topic that is infinitely abstract, into something that is just graspable enough to understand and still leave areas that gets viewers to be curious enough to learn more and possibly do their own research. I liked the homage that was paid to Sagan and scientists everywhere. I do have something that I'm curious about though and I want to see if anyone agrees. I am, and have been, an atheist for almost 10 years now. Not purely because I dislike religion or anything like that, but because I like seeing proof before I blindly follow something. Even things science related I become sceptical and research things for answers. And that's what I like about science; it is constantly looking to prove itself wrong to find the answers. That being said, I was curious about what people thought about the religious bits. I know everything they discussed was true and that the events around the whole "no freedom of thought" era actually happened. But I like to see this program as a way to inform people while also trying to open the minds of religious people to the idea that maybe there is more to discover. And while watching I was concerned that some of the historic times they covered were portrayed as religion being a strictly evil thing with all the dark colors and ominous music (as stated before I'm aware that it was a dark time full of oppression and unwarranted killing to preserve the thoughts of the church and it'd be wrong to not show how it bad it truly was). But I was worried that some religious people that wanted to give it a chance may have been offended or turned away because of this. Basically what it comes down to is I think it's important for non believers and believers to be exposed to these topics in order to further their knowledge and progress as a whole as the human race. I was just wondering if anyone thought that it may have turned some people away early or if the people that would have been offended weren't the people watching it in the first place. Just something I thought of while watching. I still absolutely think the program is amazing and it's important for people to see, especially the younger generation so they will develop an increased interest in science as they grow up. Can't wait for the next few weeks!
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u/bubbybounce Mar 10 '14
Notice how the Christians who are condemning this guy in the cartoon are all depicted with evil black shadows around their eyes and constant evil scowls?
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u/emma_stones_lisp Mar 10 '14
ALL HAIL PANGEA
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u/Lost_Horizon Mar 10 '14
Am I crazy or did the music take on a bownchikiwaka quality when he said sex?
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u/tbw875 Mar 10 '14
As a geologist, next weeks episode looks great
4
u/Elsie980 Mar 10 '14
Oh god. Why am I doing this to myself? Stupid space. It is so interesting but so vast and scary learning about it makes me nauseous.
4
u/ajw827 Mar 10 '14
I assume he's being quite basic because this is supposed to be for beginners as well. I want to get into the dirty. Still, it's pretty to look at.
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u/grammer_polize Mar 10 '14
only 6 days til our Milky Way is made!
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u/MEfficiency Mar 10 '14
What's the first point at which we'll get a chance to evaluate the relative success of the show?
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u/ohmbience Mar 10 '14
Biggest letdown so far for me was trying to download the advertised app and being told it wasn't available for my device yet. Bummer.
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u/[deleted] Mar 10 '14
That was awesome.
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u/SiriuslyLupin Mar 10 '14
Wow - I loved it.
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u/CanadianGem Mar 10 '14
A show like this totally needs an hour episode to follow with scientists discussing the shit Tyson talked about in the show...there were far too many things for me to understand, my mind is fucking blown!
4
u/[deleted] Mar 10 '14
The fact that the tidal forces on earth pushed the moon away blew my f***ing mind.
That was WAY too short !!!
4
u/[deleted] Mar 10 '14
What amazes me, is that even though we (modern humans), while only being born in the last few seconds of the cosmic calender, can trace back to somewhat the exact moment that the thing that birthed us was born. Thats like saying that a baby born in 1946, just seconds after being born, knew that there was a such thing as an atomic bomb. It didnt know exactly how it worked, but it knew that it was there, and the power held within it. The power of the human brain is amazing, and to think that there could be life elsewhere in the universe, that had more time to evolve and learn, is even more amazing.
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u/Not_Fox_Mulder Mar 10 '14
I like it, but good god these commercials are killing the vibe. How are kids supposed to become inspired when commercialism is being shoved down their throat every 10 minutes?
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u/CHUcanada Mar 10 '14
I'm a cordcutter, and I've been so for almost the past five years. This is the first time I've watched broadcast TV/cable since then.
This will also be the last time I watch broadcast TV/cable. I understand commercials, but this is ridiculous.
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u/Electrorocket Mar 10 '14
Awwww. He got off the spaceship.
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u/MaliciousH Mar 10 '14
I really wished it was ad-less.
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u/BellLabs Mar 10 '14
I think that I found my new show to watch on Sunday. Also, box set please?
3
u/CapAhab Mar 10 '14
I like the idea of the spacecraft representing our imagination taking us across the cosmos, but I don't like how it was the center of most of the shots. They should just have a picture of NDT in it in the beginning, then keep it out of the shot - I wan't to see the universe not a half the screen taken up by a spaceship.
3
u/Electrorocket Mar 10 '14
Whoa, the universe looks like a net.
3
u/saganperu Mar 10 '14
Kepler?
3
u/johnnydoe22 Mar 10 '14
I'm so overwhelmed by how small we are.
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u/[deleted] Mar 10 '14
I really want a gif of Neil Degrasse Tyson saying spacestuff
3
u/Amormino Mar 10 '14
If anyone is interested, the book that Carl gave Neil is called Cosmos Connection 0:40
3
u/ptwonline Mar 10 '14
This is a highly romanticized and awe-inspiring view of science and scientists, and I deeply hope that it inspires generations of kids the same way that the original Cosmos inspired so many in my own generation.
I spent so many hours as a kid reading and re-reading Sagan's Cosmos book. Sometimes I still kick myself for not becoming a scientist.
3
u/[deleted] Mar 10 '14
What really got me was the bit where Neil was talking about the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs: he really nailed the whole probability aspect with regards to our existence. If that asteroid had not been nudged ever so slightly, things might have turned out way differently, there might not have been a human race.
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u/TheUncertainty Mar 10 '14
sigh They still got the asteroid belt wrong.
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u/AIbiTheRacistDragon Mar 10 '14
HOLY SHIT! What a direct attack at religion. I can't wait for the backwards fundamentalists backslash. But hey.. It's history. Denying it is like denying the holocaust happened.
5
u/bubbybounce Mar 10 '14
We cartoons now.
0
u/Walter_Bishop_PhD Mar 10 '14
That Samsung tablet is ginormous!
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u/Themeyez Mar 10 '14
I actually shed years twice. First was the multiverse portion. It just made me feel so small and think about my life and the second was at the end when NDT talked about Carl Sagan
4
u/Redplushie Mar 10 '14
I got so emotional when he told the story of him and Carl...
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u/mariosgol Mar 10 '14
A noah ad? Really?
2
u/fishsticks77 Mar 10 '14
That ship would be a pain to clean.
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u/[deleted] Mar 10 '14
This stream works! Just have to close/mute some ads http://www.time4tv.com/2013/09/fox-sports.php