Lecture 3: Imagining Other Worlds - Astronomy 141

What this episode covers

What is the cultural history of our imaginings of other worlds and their possible inhabitants? I will draw examples from history, philosophy, literature, cinema, and popular culture. In the end, our imaginings about other worlds inform us more about ourselves, our hopes and our fears, than about extraterrestrial life. The scientific inquiry we are undertaking must therefore approach the problem from a different direction. Recorded live on 2009 Sep 25 in Room 1005 Smith Laboratory on the Columbus campus of The Ohio State University.

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This episode is 40 minutes long.

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This episode was published on September 25, 2009.

What is this episode about?

What is the cultural history of our imaginings of other worlds and their possible inhabitants? I will draw examples from history, philosophy, literature, cinema, and popular culture. In the end, our imaginings about other worlds inform us more...

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