The Beauty of Cosmos

Recently I've been watching Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, a documentary series about the universe. If you like Wonders of the Solar System, or just documentaries in general, you need to watch this. Although the show was first broadcast in 1980 it still holds up today as a very informative and interesting series.

An amazing programme, Cosmos is both absorbing and educational, like the best documentaries. I've always been interested in space and the mysteries of the universe, and this show is an excellent way to learn about them.

As well as the interesting content, the best part of the programme for me is the host, the late Carl Sagan; who I like to imagine was creating this series while Brian Cox was somewhere learning keyboard scales. A man whose enthusiasm is obvious in every word he says to the viewer, Sagan is highly intelligent, and with a background as a hugely respected scientist, he is completely knowledgeable about the subjects he talks about. His passion for everything from the largest, farthest away galaxies, to the tiniest, most basic form of life is infectious, as he pulls the viewer along on what is truly a personal voyage.

I admit to having a little man crush on Carl Sagan, because of his intelligence, his love of his subject, his ability to take complex theories and make them interesting and easy to understand, and because he was simply a person who was passionate about the world and its people. He was a protestor against the Vietnam War and against nuclear weapons, and the thirteenth episode of Cosmos, called 'Who Speaks for Earth' explores where humanity may be heading in the future, and features a plea from him for people to make changes to enable peace; a message that is still relevant today.

Unfortunately Carl Sagan died in 1996, before I was even aware of his work. However, his ideas and message live on. His Wikipedia page makes for interesting reading as a record of his impressive achievements and fascinating life, and Cosmos: A Personal Voyage has been viewed by over 500 million people around the world and remains one of the best documentaries ever produced.