Some of the most iconic images we have of the universe closely resemble 19th-century landscape paintings of the American West. A big part of the reason has to do with how scientists interpreted visual data from telescopes like Hubble.
"Aliens" is the third of four episodes airing this week from "Cosmic Visions," produced by the Bay Area's World According to Sound. "Cosmic Visions" is a twelve-part podcast series that explores the spirit of inquiry cultivated by civilizations around the globe over thousands of year. It has been shaped by ways of thinking that may seem at first “unscientific,” but which have led to great leaps in our understanding of the cosmos.
You can listen to all of the Cosmic Visions episodes here or wherever you get your podcasts.