"An epic adventure in time, space and life."
Cosmos - Episode Highlights
Episode Highlights
Standing Up in the Milky Way
This premiere episode sets the stage for the entire series. It introduces Neil deGrasse Tyson as the new host, the sleekly redesigned Ship of the Imagination, and core concepts like the 'Cosmic Address' and the 'Cosmic Calendar.' It also features a powerful animated segment on the Renaissance philosopher Giordano Bruno, whose story is used to champion free thought against dogma.
It masterfully establishes the show's tone, visual style, and core themes, paying homage to Carl Sagan's original while carving its own identity. It successfully re-introduces Cosmos to a new generation, defining its mission to explore our place in space and time.
Hiding in the Light
This episode is a celebration of light itself. It explores how we discovered the nature of light, from the early experiments of Ibn al-Haytham, who established the scientific method, to Newton's work with prisms and William Herschel's discovery of infrared radiation. It reveals how analyzing the light from distant stars allows us to understand their composition, age, and motion.
It brilliantly demonstrates how a single scientific topic—light—can unlock vast amounts of information about the universe. The focus on Ibn al-Haytham also serves the series' goal of highlighting lesser-known but crucial figures in the history of science from various cultures.
Sisters of the Sun
This episode focuses on the lives and deaths of stars. It also tells the inspiring story of the 'Harvard Computers,' a group of women, including Annie Jump Cannon and Cecilia Payne, who made foundational discoveries about the classification and composition of stars despite facing immense gender bias in the early 20th century.
The episode is a powerful blend of astrophysics and social history. By telling the story of Cecilia Payne, it not only explains key stellar science but also delivers a compelling narrative about perseverance and the struggle for recognition in science, highlighting the contributions of women who were long overlooked.
The World Set Free
The series directly confronts the issue of climate change. Tyson explains the greenhouse effect, the science behind global warming, and the potential catastrophic consequences of inaction. The episode contrasts the dangerous climate of Venus with Earth's delicate balance and highlights the promise of sustainable energy sources.
This was one of the series' most discussed and politically relevant episodes. It fulfilled the tradition of the original Cosmos, where Sagan addressed the threat of nuclear war, by using its platform to issue a clear, science-based warning about the most pressing existential threat of our time.
The Man of a Trillion Worlds
This episode of Possible Worlds is a heartfelt tribute to the visionary who started it all: Carl Sagan. It chronicles his early life, his formative relationships with mentors Gerard Kuiper and Harold Urey, and his groundbreaking work in planetary science that paved the way for missions like Voyager.
It connects the new series directly to its roots, honoring Sagan not just as a science communicator but as a brilliant and influential scientist. The episode serves as a powerful origin story for the entire Cosmos project and its enduring philosophy.