A Cosmos Sequel Hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson!

This is so cool. A sequel to Cosmos is going to be made, and its going to be hosted by the best candidate I can think of, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. If any scientist seems to understand and carry on the legacy of the late, great Carl Sagan, it's Tyson. They both excel at bringing science to the public. People still watch Cosmos, which stands the test of time quite well. But it is a science show, so it will be great to have the latest research (and updated graphics!).

There is one bit of bad news. It's going to be on Fox on prime time. And they are taking their time. It won't be on until 2013.

Ann Druyan (Sagan's widow and Cosmos writer) is going to write and produce it, along with astrophysicist Steven Soter and Seth McFarlane, the creator of The Family Guy. It will be called Cosmos: A Space-Time Odyssey and will be 13 episodes long. The National Geographic channel will co-produce it, so it will air on their station as a same-night encore later in the evening.

McFarland said, "Never more than at this moment in the modern era have we needed a profound reminder of the colossally important and exciting role that science, space exploration and the human quest for knowledge must continue to play in our development as a species. We should be vigorously exploring the solar system by now, and who better to inspire us to get there than Ann Druyan, Steven Soter, Neil deGrasse Tyson and, of course, Carl Sagan."

According to the producers, the new series will tell "the story of how human beings began to comprehend the laws of nature and find our place in space and time. It will take viewers to other worlds and travel across the universe for a vision of the cosmos on the grandest scale. The most profound scientific concepts will be presented with stunning clarity, uniting skepticism and wonder, and weaving rigorous science with the emotional and spiritual into a transcendent experience."

Carl Sagan's Cosmos: A Personal Voyage was first broadcast in 1980 on PBS and was the most widely watched series in the history of American public television for 10 years. As of 2009, it was still the most widely watched PBS series in the world. It won an Emmy and a Peabody Award and has been broadcast in more than 60 countries and seen by over 500 Million people. There is also an accompanying book.

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Resources:

• Wired


• Deadline


• Wikipedia