wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

On Demand

Program Schedule

Topics

Radiolab / June 25, 2004

Radiolab

Friday, June 25, 2004
Previous Episode | Next Episode
  • Echo and Narcissus by J.W. Waterhouse

    Space

    Star gazing, it’s hard not to feel small...and lonely Maybe that’s why it’s so irresistible to look out into all that darkness and see our own reflection staring us back, like Narcissus gazing into the pool. On this episode of Radio Lab, we reflect on our romance with, projections upon, and insignificance within space. Robert Krulwich joins Radio Lab host Jad Abumrad for this trip through the inner meanings of outer space.

Looking Up and Reaching Out

Voyager Golden record
Voyager Golden Record
Gazing at the stars is an ancient impulse… making you feel simultaneously like a five year old and a caveman. We begin by joining some sky watchers at Fire Island to see what they see. Then, we take a trip to see Ann Druyan, one of the creators of the 1977 Golden Album included on the Voyager probes. We invited composer Philip Glass to remix this album. And Tim Ferris, author of Coming of Age in the Milky Way , will tell us how unlikely it is that we'll ever encounter life in the universe.

Chef and Restaurateur Alice Waters produced by Jocelyn Gonzales
»Listen
Author and Graphic Artist Neil Gaiman produced by Miyuki Joikiranta
»Listen
Comedian and much more Margaret Cho produced by Trent Wolbe
»Listen

Links:
»Amateur Observers' Society of New York
»Voyager Golden Record
»Hear Philip Glass' Music
»Read Tim Ferris' Books

What’s Out There?

space If we do encounter evidence of other life in space, what will it be? And author Michael Cunningham takes a crack at a remix of the Voyager album. And wait a minute, what is space anyway? We talk to physicist and mathematician Brian Greene , author of The Elegant Universe to try and sort it all out.

Links:
»How Big Is the Universe?
»Read Michael Cunningham's Books
»Read Brian Greene's Books

It’s Not About You

Copernicus When Copernicus shifted the center of all creation from this planet to the sun, he set a chain of events in motion. Neil deGrasse Tyson tells us about the Copernican Principle, which says, if you think it's all about you then you are probably wrong. And we hear about artist Dario Robleto's attempt to finish the lost Space Shuttles' work. We hear a piece from producer Barrett Golding about the last man on the moon.

Links:
»Who was Copernicus?
»Visit the Hayden Planetarium