>> ON THIS EDITION OF "SCITECH
NOW," REDESIGNING ONE OF THE
MOST FAMOUS SPORTS STADIUMS IN
THE COUNTRY SO IT LOOKS MORE
LIKE A TREE.
SEE HOW ARCHITECTURE CAN HELP
FEED THE HUNGRY.
LEARN HOW FISH TOOK THE
EVOLUTIONARY LEAP FROM WATER TO
LAND, AND SEE WHAT ROLES STARS
PLAYED IN EARLY SPACE
EXPLORATION ALL COMING UP NEXT
ON "SCITECH NOW."
♪7
>> SIMON: HELLO.
I'M SIMON PEREZ.
WELCOME TO "SCITECH NOW," OUR
WEEKLY PROGRAM BRINGING YOU THE
LATEST BREAKTHROUGHS IN SCIENCE,
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION HERE
IN CENTRAL NEW YORK AND ACROSS
THE COUNTRY.
BEFORE THE CARRIER DOME THERE
WAS THE HOUSTON ASTRODOME ONE OF
THE MOST FAMOUS STADIUMS IN
AMERICA BUT HAS GONE UNUSED FOR
THE PAST DECADE.
A LOCAL ARCHITECT WANTS TO HELP
THE BUILDING TURN OVER A NEW
LEAF.
TREES HAVE INSPIRED HIM.
>> THE NEW $31 MILLION HOME OF
THE HOUSTON ASTROS.
>> BEEN AROUND SINCE 1965.
>> A DOME STADIUM THAT HOLDS
NEARLY 50,000 FOR A BASEBALL
GAME.
>> PEOPLE GREW UP GOING TO BALL
GAMES THERE.
ALL KINDS OF EVENTS HAPPENED
THERE.
>> PLASTIC CEILING MAKES IT AN
ALL WEATHER STADIUM.
>> WHEN IT WAS BUILT, THERE WAS
NOTHING LIKE IT.
THERE WAS NOTHING EVEN CLOSE TO
THE 643-FOOT, IT WAS NEVER DONE
BEFORE.
>> WHAT I THINK IS REALLY
IMPORTANT ABOUT THE DOME IS THAT
IT HAS INDIVIDUAL MEANINGS FOR
DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
IT HAS TO DO WITH WHAT WENT ON
INSIDE, WHAT EVENT YOU SAW, WHO
YOU WERE WITH?
>> AS THE ASTRODOME GETS READY
TO SHUT ITS DOORS AFTER 35 YEARS
OF HOSTING MAJOR LEAGUE
BASEBALL...
>> THIS BUILDING IS VERY
IMPORTANT TO HOUSTON.
I STARTED THINKING ABOUT IT AS
AN ARCHITECT.
THE MORE I LOOKED AT IT, THE
BIGGEST INNOVATION IN THE DOME
IS THE ENGINEERING.
LET'S REMOVE THE EXTERIOR
ENVELOPE AND CELEBRATE THE
STRUCTURE.
YOU HAVE THE PROBLEM, WHAT DO
YOU DO WITH THAT?
I WORKED FOR A LOT OF ARCHITECTS
ALL OVER THE WORLD AND THE ONES
I ENJOYED WORKING FOR ARE THE
ONES THAT LOOK AT EVERY PROBLEM
DIFFERENTLY AND COME UP WITH
DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE AN UNEXPOSED
STRUCTURE AND THEN ON TOP OF
THAT IT HAS THE INFRASTRUCTURE
THAT LIVES ON IT WHICH IS
INCREDIBLE.
FERNS AND BIRDS AND SQUIRT
NESTS.
AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE TO WALK
UNDER THE TREES ACTS AS AN
EXPERIENCE THE SHADE.
IT IS NOT ENCLOSED AND NOT QUITE
UNCLOSED.
THAT'S WHAT THE DOME WOULD
BECOME JUST AN ENORMOUS SCALE.
>> I HAVE A PARTNER IN THIS.
ARCHITECTS WANT TO MAKE THE
WORLD A BETTER PLACE.
THIS IS THE CONCEPT.
I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS WHAT IS
MOVING FORWARD.
THE DOME IS CURRENTLY SURROUNDED
BY PARKING.
THERE ARE 26,000 PARKING SPACES.
WHAT HAPPENS IS THE SUNSHINES ON
THE BLACK ASPHALT AND THE HEAT
RADIATES OFF THE ASPHALT,
ATTEMPTS TO RISE.
A TERM FOR IT CALLED HEAT
ISLAND.
SO WE SURROUND THE DOME WITH A
PARK, ALMOST 40 ACRES SO THAT
PARK SPACE WOULD BE SHADED,
COOLED SPACE WITH WATER
ABSORBING GRASS SURFACE AROUND
IT.
ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHT FEATURES OF
IT WOULD BE A RAMP THAT GOES ALL
THE WAY TO THE TOP OF THE DOME
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE RUNNING UP
THERE IN THE MORNING, IT WOULD
BE ALMOST A TWO-MILE RUN TO THE
TOP OF THE DOME.
YOU CAN IMAGINE WALKING OR
RUNNING UP THERE AND SEEING THE
SUN RISE OVER THE GULF.
AND THEN THE CENTER OF THE DOME
WE CALL THIS OTHER PIECE OF
INFRASTRUCTURE THE GREAT FLOOR.
AND THE GREAT FLOOR WOULD BE A
PLACE WHERE ANY KIND OF EVENT
CAN HAPPEN.
ROCK CONCERT, RODEO, ANYTHING
YOU COULD IMAGINE.
TO HAVE THE DOME UNENCLOSED AND
TO HAVE THIS INFRASTRUCTURE IF
IT WOULD BE REALLY AN INCREDIBLY
UNIQUE FEATURE FOR THE CITY.
IT WOULD BE LIKE THE EIFFEL
TOWER OF MUSIC.
WE HAVE HAD A TREMENDOUS
RESPONSE TO THIS PROJECT.
PEOPLE HAVE SAID IT WOULD BE AN
ATTRACTIVE THING TO DO WITH THE
ASTRODOME.
IT'S NOT A BASEBALL STADIUM ANY
OR MORE FOOTBALL STADIUM.
SO WHAT IS IT?
THAT'S THE QUESTION, RIGHT?
♪7
♪7
>> THE ASTRO ASTRODOME SHELTERED
THOUSANDS OF HURRICANE HARVEY
VICTIMS IN AUGUST.
ARCHITECTURE CAN MAKE US FEEL
MANY THINGS.
SCARED, ALONE, COMFORTABLE,
HAPPY.
THE COOPER HOMELAND SECURITY
NATIONAL DESIGN MUSEUM HAS A NEW
EXHIBIT ON HOW DESIGN CAN
ADDRESS HUNGER AND HOMELESSNESS.
"SCITECH NOW" CONTRIBUTOR HARI
SREENIVASAN SPOKE WITH THE
CURATOR OF THE EXHIBIT.
>> WHAT MAKES GOOD DESIGN?
>> I THINK SIGHTS A COMBINATION
OF INNOVATION ADDRESSING,
ESPECIALLY IN THESE PARTICULAR
DESIGNS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN
THE EXHIBITION, ADDRESS REAL
WORLD PROBLEMS, SOLVE ISSUES AND
REALLY ADDRESS COMPLEX AND
SYSTEMIC ISSUES THAT ARE
CONFRONTING THE UNITED STATES
TODAY.
>> IT SEEMS LESS ABOUT THE
DESIGNER AND MORE ABOUT THE
POPULATION OR COMMUNITY THAT IS
GOING TO INTERACT WITH IT OR BE
SERVED WITH IT, TOO.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
MOST OF THE DESIGNS IN THE
EXHIBITION WERE CREATED IN
COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITIES.
YOU END UP WITH MUCH MORE
RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABLE AND
SOMETHING THAT REALLY REFLECTS
THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY
DIRECTLY.
>> WHAT IS INTERESTING ABOUT THE
EXHIBIT, THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT
ARCHITECTURE.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE SPACES
CREATED BUT IT'S REALLY, I MEAN,
YOU HAVE ONE THAT'S, THE MOBILE
MARKET ON WHEELS IN CHICAGO AND
THEN DIFFERENT TYPE OF WHEELS
ALMOST LOOKS LIKE AN ERECTOR SET
BUT A PEDAL POWER CULTIVATOR.
WHAT WAS THE THINKING BEHIND THE
DIFFERENT OBJECTS AND WHAT DO
THEY HAVE IN COMMON?
>> I THINK ACROSS THE BOARD THE
DESIGNERS ARE THINKING OF WAYS
TO SHARE RESOURCES MORE BROADLY,
TO CREATE MORE JUST AND
EQUITABLE COMMUNITIES.
>> SO HOW DOES THIS ADDRESS THAT
QUESTION THAT YOU HAVE IS HOW
CAN DESIGN ADDRESS THE WORLD'S
MOST CRITICAL ISSUES WITH
FUNCTIONABLE AFFORDABLE
SOLUTIONS?
>> IT TAKES A RANGE OF
APPROACHES AND STRATEGIES.
YOU HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THE FARM
HACK CYCLE WHERE A GROUP OF
YOUNG FARMERS DECIDED THAT THEY
WANTED TO IMPROVE AGRICULTURE IN
THE UNITED STATES.
AGRICULTURE WITH CLIMATE CHANGE,
EXTENDED GROWING SEASONS, LARGE
INDUSTRIAL FARMS, AND SO THEY
CAME TOGETHER AND SAID WE COULD
SHARE KNOWLEDGE FURTHER SO THEY
CREATED AN ONLINE DATABASE WHERE
THEY HAVE COLLECTED AND
DISSEMINATE OVER 150 MACHINE
TOOLS.
THE ONE THAT WE HAVE DISPLAY IN
THE EXHIBITION IS THE CULTIVATOR
WHICH ACTUALLY THEY CALL IT THE
CULTICYCLE.
IT IS A TRACTOR THAT CAN BE
ADAPTED VERY EASILY.
OFF LINE THEY COME TOGETHER IN
THESE FARM HACK EVENTS WHERE
YOUNG FARMERS, HACKERS, MAKERS,
ENGINEERS, DESIGNERS GET
TOGETHER AND BUILD THEM AND ADD
HIGH TECHNOLOGY TO THIS VERY LOW
TECH MACHINE SO IT'S PEDAL
POWERED.
ANYBODY CAN USE IT.
THEY ADD A TABLET TO IT, A
DIGITAL TABLET WHERE THEY CAN
MAP THE TERRAIN, TEST THE SOIL
AND SO IT'S COMBINING BOTH HIGH
TECH AND LOW TECH TECHNOLOGY
WITH SCIENCE TO TRANSFORM
AGRICULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES
SO IT'S MORE RESILIENT AND
ADAPTIVE.
>> IN A WAY IT'S KIND OF THE
FUNDAMENTALS OF WHAT THE COUNTRY
WAS BUILT ON, REALLY WHAT ANY
SOCIETY IS BUILT ON.
THEY HAVE A PROBLEM.
THEY FIGURE OUT HOW TO SOLVE IT.
THEY COME TOGETHER AND THEY
SHARE THE WEALTH AND THE RESULT.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK YOU POINTED OUT ANOTHER
ONE, THE ONE IN CHICAGO, THIS
WAS A GROUP OF YOUNG ARCHITECTS
THAT PARTNERED WITH A COMMUNITY
ADVOCATES TO TAKE OLD CITY BUSES
AND TRANSFORM THEM INTO ONE
AISLE PRODUCE MARKETS THAT THEY
TOOK INTO FOOD DESERTS.
FOOD DESERTS FOR PEOPLE WHO
DON'T KNOW, ARE PLACES WHERE
BRICK AND MORTAR STORES DON'T
EXIST SO PEOPLE HAVE TO BUY AT A
LOCAL MARKET.
AND SO THEY WENT IN AND BROUGHT
THESE OLD CITY BUSES OUTFITTED
WITH FRESH PRODUCE, BRINGING
HEALTH MESSAGES.
THE MAYOR, THE CURRENT MAYOR
RIGHT NOW IS HOPING TO ERADICATE
THE FOOD DESERTS THROUGHOUT
CHICAGO.
>> FULL TIME STORES WOULD BE
GREAT BUT THIS IS A GREAT STOP
GAP IN BETWEEN AND THE IDEA CAN
SCALE.
A LOT OF THESE IDEAS ARE NOT
LIMITED TO THE SPACES THAT YOU
FOUND THEM IN.
>> TRUE.
WITH THE MOBILE MARKETS, THE
PRODUCE MARKETS, THEY FOUND THAT
THERE WAS DEMAND THERE SO BRICK
AND MORTAR STORES ACTUALLY BEGAN
TO MOVE IN SO THERE WAS REAL
IMPACT USING THIS INNOVATIVE
DESIGN.
I WOULD SAY ALSO ONE OF THE
OTHER DESIGNS INCLUDED IN THE
EXHIBITION IS TEXT FOR BABY
WHICH HAS BECOME VERY POPULAR.
AND IT WENT... IT SCALED UP
VERY, VERY QUICKLY.
>> FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW
WHAT IT IS.
THIS IS FOR EXPECTING MOTHERS TO
GET INFORMATION IN JUST THE
RIGHT AMOUNT OF TIME AS THEY'RE
PROGRESSING IN THE PREGNANCY.
>> TIMED TO WHATEVER MONTH THEY
ARE.
>> MAKE SURE YOU ARE CHECKING IN
WITH THIS DOCTOR OR HAVING THESE
VITAMINS, RIGHT?
>> ONE OF THE THINGS I THOUGHT
IT WAS INTERESTING AND INCLUDED
IT IN THE EXHIBITION IS THE IDEA
CAME OUT OF AFRICAN SOUTH
AMERICA THAT THE DESIGNER WAS
WORKING IN THESE PLACES AND
DELIVERING HEALTH MESSAGES.
IT WASN'T HAPPENING HERE IN THE
U.S. SO HE BROUGHT THIS IDEA
BACK TO THE U.S., PARTNERED WITH
THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL
SO WE HAVE SCIENTIFIC MESSAGES.
THE WIRELESS FOUNDATION AND
MOBILE CARRIERS SO THEY'RE
DELIVERED FREE.
THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY SO THEY
CAME UP WITH A BROAD STRATEGY,
AND OVER A MILLION MOTHERS ARE
RECEIVING THEM NOW AND THEY'RE
VERY EFFECTIVE.
THEY... A RECENT STUDY FOUND
THAT MOTHERS WHO WERE SCHEDULED
TO HAVE VACCINATIONS, THEY
RECEIVED THE MESSAGE THEY WERE
TWO TIMES MORE LIKELY TO HAVE
THE VACCINATION.
SO IT'S EFFECTIVE.
>> AND GREAT DESIGN.
CYNTHIA SMITH FROM THE COOPER
HEWITT THANK YOU.
>> THE DEVELOPMENT OF LIMBS
ALLOWED WATER DWELLING CREATURES
TO MOVE ON TO LAND.
THERE IS A NEW THEORY.
WHAT IF IT WAS THE DEVELOPMENT
OF EYES.
>> ALMOST 400 MILLION YEARS AGO
SOME ADVENTURE ADVENTUROUS FISH
MADE A HUGE LEAP THAT EVENTUALLY
MADE TO THE EVOLUTION OF HUMAN
KIND.
THEY DECIDED TO COME UP ON LAND.
WE HUMANS PROBABLY WOULD NEVER
HAVE EVOLVED THE INTELLIGENCE WE
HAVE TODAY IF NOT FOR THAT MOVE
ON TO LAND.
WHY?
BECAUSE IT VASTLY IMPROVED OUR
EYE SIGHT.
ACCORDING TO NEUROSCIENTIST
MALCOLM MacIVER, THE WAY WE
THINK ABOUT THE WORLD IS CLOSELY
TIED TO WHAT WE CAN SEE AND FISH
CAN'T SEE A WHOLE HECK OF A LOT.
MAINLY BECAUSE LIGHT DOESN'T
TRAVEL VERY FAR IN WATER.
OUR ANCIENT FISH ANCESTORS LIVED
THEIR LIVES IN A CONSTANT FOG SO
THEIR BRAINS EVOLVED TO REACT
QUICKLY TO WHATEVER APPEARED ON
THE HORIZON.
MacIVER HAD THE THEORY THAT
THE MOVE TO LAND EXPANDED OUR
AQUATIC VISION AND IN TURN OUR
BRAINS.
TO TEST HIS THEORY.
THEY SPENT A YEAR RUNNING
SIMULATIONS WITH FOSSIL DATA.
THEIR RESEARCH REVEALED NEW
CLUES ABOUT WHY FISH CAME ON TO
LAND IN THE FIRST PLACE.
IT ALL SEEMS TO HAVE STARTED
WHEN THE FIRST FISH PEEKED ABOVE
THE WATER SURFACE.
SUDDENLY IT WAS ABLE TO SEE 70
TIMES FURTHER AND BEHOLD A
SMORGASBORD OF TASTY LAND
DWELLERS.
TO CAPITALIZE ON THIS, THE FISH
WOULD HAVE TO EVOLVE.
ITS EYES SOON MOVED TO THE TOP
OF ITS HEAD AND TRIPLED IN SIZE
AND THE FINS BEGAN EVOLVING INTO
LIMBS SO IT COULD STALK ITS PREY
LIKE A CROCODILE.
HUNTING ON LAND WAS AN EARLY
GAME CHANGER.
THEIR SENSORY VOLUME INCREASED A
MILLION FOLD GIVING THEM A MUCH
BIGGER WINDOW INTO THE FUTURE.
THE FIRST ANIMAL THAT FIGURED
OUT HOW TO PLAN ACCORDINGLY
INSTEAD OF JUST REACTING WOULD
HAVE HAD A HUGE EVOLUTIONARY
ADVANTAGE.
IT IS THAT KIND OF NATURAL
SELECTION A MILLION TIMES AND
EVENTUALLY WE HAVE SOMETHING
CALLED PERSPECTIVE COGNITION.
THAT'S OUR ABILITY TO WEIGH
DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR THE FUTURE
AND CHOOSE STRATEGICALLY.
TO THIS DAY, FISH HAVE NOT
EVOLVED THOSE KINDS OF COMPLEX
PLANNING SKILLS BUT MANY LAND
ANIMALS HAVE.
UNDERSTANDING THE EVOLUTIONARY
ROOTS OF INTELLIGENCE HELPS
EXPLAIN HOW HUMANS GOT SO SMART
BUT ALSO WHY WE ARE SO DUMB.
WE HAVE EVOLVED TO DEAL WITH THE
THINGS WE CAN SEE IN THE HERE
AND NOW.
WE STILL DON'T PLAN WELL FOR
THINGS THAT ARE TOO FAR AWAY IN
TIME OR SPACE.
WE'LL... WILL THAT VISION EVER
EVOLVE SO WE CAN SEE THE
CONSEQUENCES OF OUR ACTIONS MORE
CLEARLY?
EVOLUTION WON'T MAKE THAT HAPPEN
ANY TIME SOON.
BUT UNDERSTANDING THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VISION AND
PLANNING MAY HELP US ENGINEER
SOLUTIONS BY USING TECHNOLOGY TO
BRING FAR AWAY THINGS CLOSER.
THAT JUST MIGHT GIVE US THE
EVOLUTIONARY ADVANTAGE WE NEED
TO SURVIVE THE NEXT 400 MILLION
YEARS.
>> HERE WITH US TO DISCUSS HIS
RESEARCH IS MALCOLM MacIVER
PROFESSOR OF BIOENGINEERING AND.
AT NORTH WESTERN UNIVERSITY.
WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THE FOSSIL
DATA, THIS IS SOMETHING WE
THOUGHT ABOUT FOREVER AND EVER
THAT FISH GREW LIMBS.
WHAT IS THE VISION CONNECTION?
>> THE VISION CONNECTION IS
THAT, WELL, 10 YEARS AGO I
PREDICTED THAT AN ANIMALS COMING
UP ON AIR GIVEN AT AIR IS MUCH
MORE TRANSPARENT THAT WOULD
FAVOR BIGGER EYES BECAUSE AIR
ALLOWS VISION TO WORK MUCH
BETTER.
SO MYSELF AND LASER SCHMIDT AND
SOME COLLABORATORS CHECKED THE
FOSSIL RECORD AND WHAT WE FOUND
WAS ACTUALLY MUCH MORE
INTERESTING WHICH IS THAT THERE
WAS A TRIPLING OF THE SOCKETS
THAT HOLD EYES JUST BEFORE WE
CAME UP ON THE LAND.
>> SO THE IDEA IS THAT THIS
MIGHT HAVE ACTUALLY HAD
SOMETHING TO DO WITH COMING UP
ON TO LAND.
>> HOW DO I KNOW WHICH CAME
FIRST?
THE EYE SOCKETS OR THE LENS?
>> ONE THING IS THAT IT IS CLEAR
IS THAT THIS TRIPLING OCCURRED
BEFORE LIMBS BECAME DIGITTED.
BEFORE FINGERS AND TOES EMERGED.
UP ON THAT TIME YOU CAN IMAGINE
A PECTORAL FIN OF A FISH KIND OF
STUBBY LIMB-LIKE THING AND THEY
PRESUMABLY PADDLED UP ON TO LAND
TO GET WHAT THEY WERE INTERESTED
IN THERE USING THOSE LIMBS.
SO THERE IS A TRANSITIONAL
PERIOD WHERE YOU GO FROM A THIN
LIKE THING TO A LIMB LIKE THING.
THE EYES TRIPLE IN SIZE AND THEN
WE SEE COMPLETE LIMBS IN THE
RECORD.
>> AND THERE IS ALSO A
CORRELATION BETWEEN OUR ABILITY
TO SEE AND HOW OUR BRAINS
DEVELOP.
>> YEAH WELL SO THIS IS SORT OF
THE ORIGIN OF THE IDEA WAS THIS
IDEA THAT ANIMALS IN WATER,
BECAUSE THEY CAN ONLY SEE ABOUT
A BODY LENGTH IN FRONT OF THEM,
HAVE TO REACT TO SENSORY INPUT
REFLEXIVELY LIKE WHEN SOMEBODY
TAPS YOUR KNEE.
THEY HAVE TO INPUT THE SENSORY
DATA AND IMMEDIATELY REACT.
THERE IS NO ADVANTAGE TO
STRATEGIC THINKING IN THAT KIND
OF VICE MAYOR.
ONCE YOU ARE ON LAND YOU CAN SEE
100 TIMES FURTHER OUT SO NOW YOU
COULD STILL REACT REFLEXIVELY TO
WHAT YOU SEE BUT THE FIRST
ANIMAL THAT CAN ACQUIRE THE SET
OF MUTATIONS THAT LETS YOU
DISCONNECT AND THINK OF POSSIBLE
FUTURES AND THEN PICK THE BEST
ONE, THAT ANIMAL WILL HAVE A
MASSIVE EVOLUTIONARY ADVANTAGE.
>> WHAT IS THIS IDEA OF THIS
CONNECTION BETWEEN HOW WE THINK
OUR VICE MAYOR... WHAT DOES THAT
MEAN FOR HUMANS GOING FORWARD?
>> SO THIS IS A REALLY GOOD
QUESTION AND WHAT WE THINK
STUDYING THIS PROCESS OR
STUDYING THIS POSSIBLE
EVOLUTIONARY TRAJECTORY WHEREBY
WE BECAME ANALYZERS OF STRATEGIC
FUTURES MAY HELP US SEE WHY WE
HAVE CERTAIN HOLES IN OUR
ABILITY TO THINK STRATEGICALLY.
IN PARTICULAR A LOT OF PEOPLE
HAVE NOTED THAT WE HAVE A VERY
HARD TIME THINKING ON GEOLOGICAL
TIME SCALES EVEN THREE OR FOUR
GENERATIONS FORWARD IS VERY
TOUGH FOR PEOPLE AND ONE OF THE
IDEAS WE SUGGESTED IN OUR WORK
IS THAT THIS MIGHT TRACE BACK TO
WHY IT IS WE BECAME COGNIZANT OF
MULTIPLE THINGS IN THE FIRST
PLACE WAS TO ACT STRATEGICALLY.
WE CAN BOOTSTRAP THAT WITH
LANGUAGE AND PLANS OVER FIVE TO
10 YEARS BUT ULTIMATELY WHAT WE
ARE POINTING TO IS IT MIGHT BE A
DIFFICULT FIT AND WE MIGHT NEED
TO THINK VERY CAREFUL CAREFULLY
ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT AUGMENT OUR
ABILITY TO THINK STRATEGICALLY
TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS LIKE
CLIMATE CHANGE AND OTHER THINGS
THAT HAPPEN OVER VAST TIME
SCALES.
>> HOW WOULD WE AUGMENT THAT?
>> WELL ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
IS... ONE OF THE THINGS WE CAN
DO IS TO THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE
MAKE THE DISTANT CONSEQUENCES OF
OUR ACTIONS, OR TEMPORALLY, FAR
AWAY INTO THE FUTURE.
HOW DO WE PUT THOSE INTO OUR
SENSORY BUBBLE.
YOU THINK OF SOMETHING LIKE A
NEST OR THE INDICATORS SHOWING
WHAT YOU ARE DOING, WHAT ARE THE
ENVIRONMENTAL OR ENERGETIC
CONSEQUENCES OF WHAT YOU ARE
DOING RIGHT NOW?
IF WE CAN TAKE LONG RANGE
CONSEQUENCES OF OUR BEHAVIORS
OUR POLICIES AND PUT THOSE IN
AND SORT OF DRAW BACK THE
CONCLUSIONS OF THAT INTO OUR
CURRENT SPACE, THAT MAY HELP US
THINK MORE STRATEGICALLY AT THE
CURRENT TIME.
>> MALCOLM MacIVER OF
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
>> IN THE EARLY DAYS OF SPACE
EXPLORATION, MANY OF AMERICA'S
ASTRONAUTS STUDIED AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
CHAPEL HILL.
THEIR FOCUS?
HOW TO USE STARS TO FIGURE OUT
WHERE TO GO?
THIS STORY FOLLOWS ASTRONAUT
JIM LOVELL TO NORTH CAROLINA
50 YEARS AFTER LIFTOFF.
>> NASA SENT OWL OF ITS
ASTRONAUTS TO MOREHEAD
PLANETARIUM IN THE EARLY DAYS OF
THE SPACE PROGRAM.
AGENCY SPACE PIONEERS MAY HAVE
BEEN FLYING TO THE HEAVENS BUT
THEY NEEDED TO KNOW HOW TO
MANUALLY NAVIGATE USING THE
STARS IN THE EVENT OF MECHANICAL
FAILURE.
>> YOU HAVE TO HOLD IT, IF YOU
WASN'T TO SEE PART OF THE SKY
YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE STARS TO
FIGURE OUT IF YOU HAVE A STAR
NOT IN YOUR VIEW, YOU HAVE TO
KNOW WHICH WAY TO GO LOOKING AT
THE SKY YOU CAN SEE.
>> JIM LOVELL MADE EIGHT TRIPS
TO CHAPEL HILL TO LEARN STAR
NAVIGATION, PROVIDING AN
ASTRONAUT WITH AN UNCOMPLICATED
WAY TO SEE HIS LOCATION IN THE
SKY AND IN RELATION TO EARTH
WITHOUT INSTRUMENTS.
>> WE LEARNED ABOUT THE STARS
THEMSELVES.
I MEAN LOOKING AT THE DOME, AND
THEN LOOKING AT THE
CONSTELLATIONS FIRST OF ALL WE
LOOK TO THE CONSTELLATION
BECAUSE THEY WERE THE GUIDE FOR
US TO LOOK AT THE STARS.
>> THE PLANETARIUM'S 13-FOOT
PROJECTOR DISPLAYED THE STARS IN
THE BUILDING'S DOME ABOVE THEM.
THEY WOULD SIT IN A USEABLE
CHAIR MODELED AFTER THE SPACE
CRAFT.
>> ONE OF THE WINDOWS LOOKING
OUT YOU SAW A TRIANGULAR SHAPE
OF THE SKY AND SO THE STARS THAT
YOU WANTED TO NAVIGATE PERHAPS
WERE NOT THERE.
WE ONLY HAD 37 STARS IN OUR
COMPUTER OF WHICH TO USE.
>> JIM LOVELL IS THE ONLY NASA
ASTRONAUTS TO MAKE TWO TRIPS TO
THE MOON BUT NEVER LAND THERE.
HE USED THOSE NAVIGATION SKILLS
LEARNED AT MOREHEAD ON HIS
SECOND TRIP TO THE MOON ON
APOLLO 13 WHEN AN OXYGEN TANK
EXPLOSION TURNED A LUNAR MISSION
INTO A GET BACK TO EARTH SAFELY
MISSION.
>> I SAW THE QUANTITY GAUGES ON
OUR OXYGEN TANKS WITH ONE OF
THEM ZERO AND I COULD SEE THE
NEEDLE GO DOWN ON THE OTHER ONE
AND CONSEQUENTLY I KNEW WE WERE
IN DEEP TROUBLE.
I LOOKED OUT THE SIDE WINDOW AND
I COULD SEE THE GAS ESCAPING AT
VERY HIGH RATE OF SPEED, WHICH
TOLD ME THAT SHORTLY WE WOULD BE
OUT OF OXYGEN BECAUSE WE USED
OXYGEN TO USE THE ELECTRICITY.
WE WOULD BE OUT OF ELECTRICITY
AND BECAUSE WE USE ELECTRICITY
TO CONTROL OUR VEHICLE, WE WOULD
LOSE OUR PROPULSION SYSTEM.
SO IT WAS THE LOW POINT PROBABLY
OF THE FLIGHT BECAUSE WE KNEW WE
WERE IN DEEP TROUBLE, BUT WE HAD
NO WAY AT THAT TIME TO THINK
ABOUT HOW TO GET OUT OF IT.
>> JIM LOVELL'S GREATEST MEMORY
CAME ON HIS FIRST TRIP TO THE
MOON IN 1968 WHEN APOLLO 8
BECAME THE FIRST SPACE CRAFT TO
ORBIT EARTH'S NEIGHBOR AND
WITNESS THE FIRST EARTH RISE.
>> BEHIND MY THUMB WAS THE EARTH
AND I KNEW THAT 240,000 MILES
AWAY THERE WAS A BODY THAT HAD
APPROXIMATELY FIVE OR 6 BILLION
PEOPLE ON IT ALL STRIVING FOR
THE SAME THINGS IN LIFE.
AND I REALLY THOUGHT THAT FOR A
WHILE.
HERE IS THIS BODY AND ALL AROUND
IS SPACE.
I COULD SEE THE MOON RIGHT THERE
AND THE SUN WAS BEHIND IT.
EVERYTHING THAT I HAD EVER KNOWN
WAS BACK THERE AND I THOUGHT TO
MYSELF IN REALITY, AND OF COURSE
REINFORCES ITSELF OVER THE YEARS
THAT REALLY THAT GOD HAS GIVEN
US A STAGE.
GOD HAS GIVEN US A STAGE IN
WHICH TO PERFORM.
AND HOW THAT PLAY TURNS OUT IS
REALLY UP TO US.
>> JIM LOVELL IS 89 YEARS OLD
MORE THAN 50 YEARS REMOVED FROM
SPACE FLIGHT BUT HE IS
OPTIMISTIC ABOUT SPACE
EXPLORATION.
HOWEVER HE ADD ADMITS HE IS NOT
SURE WHETHER IT WILL BE DONE BY
THE GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE
ENTERPRISE OR BOTH.
>> I HOPE THAT WE FIRST STARTED
GOING TO THE MOON BECAUSE WE
HAVE BARELY EXAMINED THE MOON
AND THEN USE THAT ARCHITECTURE,
THE INFRASTRUCTURE ON MAKING
MOON FLIGHTS RATHER COMMON, SEE
THAT WE CAN EXPAND THAT INTO
EVENTUALLY TO A MISSION ON MARS.
>> THAT'S IT FOR THIS EDITION OF
"SCITECH NOW."
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAM,
JOIN THE CONVERSATION WITH YOUR
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS AND THOUGHTS
ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.
I'M SIMON PEREZ.
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK ON
"SCITECH NOW."
ON THE NEXT "SCITECH NOW," SEE
HOW THE STATE OF OREGON IS
TRYING TO KEEP TRACK OF WHAT YOU
MIGHT CALL NON-SEXY WILDLIFE.
THE ANIMALS THAT DON'T ATTRACT
HUNTERS.
THE BACK PACK SOLUTION FOR
PEOPLE WHOSE LUNGS DON'T WORK.
DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE
AN ASTRONAUT AND SCIENTISTS
STUDY THE SULTRY SOUND OF
SIBERIAN SINGERS ON THE NEXT
"SCITECH NOW."