Neil deGrasse Tyson proved he can explain literally everything in a short period of time, and make it understandable to the rest of us. In a stunning video set to the music of Igor Stravinsky, Tyson explains the history of our universe. The eight minute video covers everything from the beginning of the universe itself to the formation of the planets to the science behind black holes. Tyson focuses on the Earth and how unique our ecosystem is, explaining exactly how many aspects of the environment needed to be just right in order to support life.
The video was posted to MinutePhysics and draws material from his book Origins. Tyson narrates the video, which uses animated graphs, figures, and illustrations to break down mathematical formulas and to illustrate complex concepts. It’s no secret that Tyson has a way with words and often those complex ideas are illustrated through metaphor. When discussing the fractured nature of time and space, for example, he says that it “gurgled into a spongy foam-like form” which is certainly as illustrative as any graph I’ve seen.
The video features the dramatic “Firebird” suite by Stravinsky, which is the perfect choice to explain the dramatic history of the universe. Artist Henry Reich provided the eye-catching and educational illustrations which complimented Tyson’s narration perfectly.
The video ends with Tyson telling us,
We are not simply in the universe; we are part of it
While the video doesn’t carry any explicit environmental message, it is hard to watch the video and not be compelled to do something to help preserve our unique home.
Spend eight minutes and get infinitely more intelligent by watching the video below.
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