Omnibus The Earth from Space (Entry 391.GN0115)
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Feb 29, 2024 From childhood doodles to views of Earth from space, this podcast explores historical misconceptions, the impact of social media, and reflections on wealth in the 1970s. Delve into the legacy of figures like Genghis Khan, the imagination in science, and the transformative experience of astronauts observing Earth from afar.
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Why The Night Sky Is Dark
- Olbers' paradox questions why the night sky is dark if the universe were infinite and eternal.
- The resolution lies in the universe having a finite age, expanding, and light's finite speed preventing infinite brightness.
Medievals Knew Earth Was Round
- Medieval scholars largely understood the Earth was spherical and depicted it that way in manuscripts.
- The flat-Earth myth is a later invention used to promote narratives about 'dark ages' ignorance.
Early Earth-From-Space Illustration
- Henry Thomas de la Beche, a 19th-century geologist-illustrator, engraved 'The Earth Supposed To Be Seen From Space' in 1834.
- His imagined globe included clouds and an oblate shape, sparking later visual interest in Earth-from-space views.