“Stephen Hawking’s Universe” on Discovery

If you liked the “Planet Earth” series, you will probably be interested in the Discovery Channel’s new venture “Stephen Hawking’s Universe.”  They are creating a multimillion-dollar, three-part special based on Hawking’s theories and computer generated graphics to “explore the mysteries of our galaxy and beyond.”

I read a three-page press release about it and I think it could really be amazing.  Discovery president and GM John Ford said: “You got the greatest living mind on the universe, and we’re taking his knowledge and presenting it to people with fabulous computer graphics. We start at beginning of time, then go into whether time travel is possible, whether we are alone and some of the great questions, done with spectacular special effects.”

Discovery Channel has commissioned Darlow Smithson Productions (DSP) to produce the documentary series which is has a projected release date sometime in 2010.  “This ambitious series explores some of the most fascinating aspects of cosmology, and I am pleased to bring these theories to a new audience,” Hawking said. “I’m delighted to be working with Darlow Smithson and Discovery Channel, and I hope these visions of the universe will evoke a sense of wonder for everyone, and maybe inspire a new generation of cosmologists.”

This is probably going to be amazingly brilliant.  I will admit that I have often been interested in Hawking’s theories but I lack some of the imagination and scientific ability to really understand them.  I’m hoping that these computer generated images will help me get a visual grasp on what he believes because I think it could be very interesting.  Will you watch this?

image: Discovery Channel