A New Frontier: 4. With the Gods
Matthew Syed explores whether taking a perspective from space could make us better custodians of Earth or justify poor decisions because we have an escape route to another planet.
When astronauts journeyed to the moon in the early 1970s, few were paying attention to the psychological impact of the experience. Yet many among those who have left the Earth鈥檚 boundary say it is extraordinary and life-changing. They experience a cognitive shift known as the "overview effect".
Matthew ponders the potential of staring down at Earth for our collective good and charts how, decades on, the overview effect has found its place at the heart of space tourism. He also delves into the unlikely religious roots and moral complexity behind the billionaires striving to make it possible for humans to live in space one day.
With former NASA astronaut Nicole Stott, new astronaut Ed Dwight, Space Philosopher and author Frank White, Anthropologist of Space and Religion, Deana Weibel, Professor of Religion at Knox College Robert Geraci and former ISRO scientist, Jijith Nadumari Ravi.
Presenter: Matthew Syed
Producer: Vishva Samani
Editor: Katherine Godfrey
Sound Design and Mix: Rob Speight
Theme music by: Ioana Selaru
A Novel production for 大象传媒 Radio 4.
Last on
More episodes
Next
Coming soon
Broadcasts
- Wed 31 Jul 2024 09:00大象传媒 Radio 4
- Fri 2 Aug 2024 16:30大象传媒 Radio 4
Sideways - Articles
Features on some of the fascinating topics from Sideways with Matthew Syed.
Sideways - Articles
Features on some of the fascinating topics from Sideways with Matthew Syed.
My last 5p: How one homeless man鈥檚 generosity led to him marrying the love of his life
How one act of generosity can have profound consequences.
Why we all need an alter ego
Matthew Syed looks at how adopting an alter ego can help us all to access confidence.
What's the secret of making a smash hit pop song?
Exploring the success of Max Martin, the behind-the-scenes genius behind 22 No.1 hits.
Podcast
-
![]()
Sideways
Matthew Syed explores the ideas that shape our lives, making us see the world differently.
