Practically Attend a Q&A Session With the Co-Writer of the 1980s TV Series Cosmos
Are you a fan of science series and documentaries? Although they have been present in some versions since 1903 , one 13-part series on PBS that aired in 1980 really caught the attention of the country. It was called Space: A Personal Journey and was created and written by Carl Sagan, Anne Druyan, and Stephen Soter, with Sagan serving as the show’s host (acting as a “scientific communicator” before most people used the word).
When it first aired, it was like a TV reception – one of those moments when your whole family gathers around the TV – when you miss it, you feel left out. In fact, for 10 years it was the most watched series on public television in America, and in a 2011 New York Times article, Dave Itzkoff called the series “a watershed for science programming.” In any case, if you haven’t seen it, now you have a chance, and today you can even attend a virtual Q&A session with Druyan . Here’s how to watch.
How to watch Cosmos and attend live Q&A
National Geographic has partnered with American Cinematheque to make one of the original episodes of the 1980 series, One Voice in the Cosmic Fugue, available from the screening link as soon as you respond to Zoom’s live Q&A session with Druyan at this link on Eventbrite . Talk Nerdy host Kara Santa Maria will moderate the event, which starts at 21:00. EST / 17:00. Sunday, June 28, Pacific Standard Time. The screening episode will be sent to viewers before the live broadcast.
Not sure what you are getting yourself into? Yes, as the name suggests, it does have something to do with space, but it goes beyond that, covering topics like the origins of life, genetics, natural selection, animals, and nuclear war. But instead of just spewing facts into the audience, Sagan explained everything in terms of how humans fit into the universe.
Plus, Druyan has amazing experiences, including being the creative director of NASA’s Voyager Interstellar Communications project – you know, also, with the gold discs attached to the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft. (She was also married to Sagan from 1981 until his death in 1996.) In other words, these questions and answers are your opportunity to interact with the legend of science.