Cosmos is a series that really gets me. From the pure scientific wonder to the top-shelf special effects, it’s one of the things I look most forward to watching every week. I especially enjoy the focus on historical astronomers, and have been eagerly anticipating the inclusion of women in science. This Sunday, my wait is over. The series’ eighth episode, “Sisters of the Sun,” will bring us not one, but two brilliant women who changed the way we understand our universe. Judging by a preview clip (which we’ve got below), the episode will also touch on the obstacles faced by female scientists, particularly those working in the early 20th century.
The astronomers featured in “Sisters of the Sun” are Cecilia Payne, who discovered the chemical composition of stars (no big deal), and the excellently named Annie Jump Cannon, whose system of stellar classification is (with a few small changes) still used today. Both of these women made huge contributions to their field, and blazed a trail for future female astronomers. Their work is and has been an inspiration to many, and I think it’s fantastic that we’ll be learning about them this Sunday.
As in previous episodes, Payne and Cannon’s stories will be animated, with celebrity guest stars Kirsten Dunst and Marlee Matlin providing voice acting. You can catch the episode on Fox at 9 PM ET/PT.
(via Space.com)
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- Seth MacFarlane Donates Carl Sagan’s Personal Papers To Library of Congress
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