A New Frontier: 4. With the Gods
Matthew Syed explores whether taking a perspective from space could make us better custodians of Earth or justify poor decisions because we have an escape route to another planet.
When astronauts journeyed to the moon in the early 1970s, few were paying attention to the psychological impact of the experience. Yet many among those who have left the Earth鈥檚 boundary say it is extraordinary and life-changing. They experience a cognitive shift known as the "overview effect".
Matthew ponders the potential of staring down at Earth for our collective good and charts how, decades on, the overview effect has found its place at the heart of space tourism. He also delves into the unlikely religious roots and moral complexity behind the billionaires striving to make it possible for humans to live in space one day.
With former NASA astronaut Nicole Stott, new astronaut Ed Dwight, Space Philosopher and author Frank White, Anthropologist of Space and Religion, Deana Weibel, Professor of Religion at Knox College Robert Geraci and former ISRO scientist, Jijith Nadumari Ravi.
Presenter: Matthew Syed
Producer: Vishva Samani
Editor: Katherine Godfrey
Sound Design and Mix: Rob Speight
Theme music by: Ioana Selaru
A Novel production for 麻豆社 Radio 4.
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- Wed 31 Jul 2024 09:00麻豆社 Radio 4
- Fri 2 Aug 2024 16:30麻豆社 Radio 4
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Sideways
Matthew Syed explores the ideas that shape our lives, making us see the world differently.
