The Hunt for Planet B is an evocative documentary about something everyone has pondered at one time or another: is there another evolved planet beyond our galaxy? The James Webb Space Telescope may provide that answer when it finally launches after several delays. Down here on Earth 1, director Nathaniel Kahn’s documentary chronicles the work of a thousand scientists, explorers, and engineers working on the most complex telescope in NASA’s history at the Goddard Space Flight Center.
The analogy often given regarding the sensitivity and specificity of the telescope is that it is able to detect a child’s night light from millions of miles away or the movement of a window blind in an illuminated sky scraper to the millimeter. Kahn’s broad mosaic begins with the defense of science as one of the film’s subjects, Sara Seager, explains to a Congressional committee why it is...
The analogy often given regarding the sensitivity and specificity of the telescope is that it is able to detect a child’s night light from millions of miles away or the movement of a window blind in an illuminated sky scraper to the millimeter. Kahn’s broad mosaic begins with the defense of science as one of the film’s subjects, Sara Seager, explains to a Congressional committee why it is...
- 3/27/2021
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
The James Webb Space Telescope hasn’t generated as many headlines as climate change activism or another relief bill, but its planned launch in October 2021 could yield even greater long-term impact. After nearly 15 years of turnaround, the promising Hubble replacement will peer out at ancient galaxies and stars, possibly uncovering distant planets hospitable to life in process. Director Nathaniel Kahn’s “The Hunt for Planet B” puts that perspective in a much broader context than the bureaucracy responsible for grounding the Webb telescope all these years, showing how its success could galvanize a community of passionate stargazers and eventually change our relationship to the universe itself.
Kahn, who previously directed the 2016 short “Into the Unknown” about the team behind the telescope, has expanded that project into . Kahn’s earnest overview is not always the sum of its parts: It lacks the awe-inspiring production values that make “Cosmos” so fun and...
Kahn, who previously directed the 2016 short “Into the Unknown” about the team behind the telescope, has expanded that project into . Kahn’s earnest overview is not always the sum of its parts: It lacks the awe-inspiring production values that make “Cosmos” so fun and...
- 3/19/2021
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
For those of you X-Files fans who are still hoping to find answers to the truth, there's a team of people working for the government who have been on the job! According to The New York Times, in the $600 billion annual Defense Department budgets, there was $22 million spent on an Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, which includes researching unidentified flying objects.
This funded research took place from 2008 to 2012 thanks to former Senator Harry Reid. The Defense Department has never acknowledged the existence of this program which investigates reports of UFOs, but it was run by a military intelligence official named Luis Elizondo... the real-life Agent Mulder.
Even though funding for the program stopped in 2012, the program is still running. The report says that "for the past five years, they say, officials with the program have continued to investigate episodes brought to them by service members, while also carrying out their other Defense Department duties.
This funded research took place from 2008 to 2012 thanks to former Senator Harry Reid. The Defense Department has never acknowledged the existence of this program which investigates reports of UFOs, but it was run by a military intelligence official named Luis Elizondo... the real-life Agent Mulder.
Even though funding for the program stopped in 2012, the program is still running. The report says that "for the past five years, they say, officials with the program have continued to investigate episodes brought to them by service members, while also carrying out their other Defense Department duties.
- 12/18/2017
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Washington, D.C. — Fanboy favorites from Star Trek star William Shatner and The X-Files creator Chris Carter to Syfy’s hit series 12 Monkeys and Deadpool director Tim Miller are squarely in the spotlight for Smithsonian magazine’s fourth annual The Future Is Here Festival™, a three-day event highlighting the most advanced thinking in science, technology, space, art and engineering from a dazzling array of experts, visionaries and noted science-lovers.
The Festival kicks off on Friday, April 22nd at the Shakespeare Theatre’s Sidney Harman Hall with an exclusive ticketed evening event featuring Shatner, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Star Trek; a conversation with Carter, fresh off the triumphant return of The X-Files to television; and an exclusive glimpse into the thrilling second season of Syfy’s hit series 12 Monkeys (premieres April 18) with special advance footage presented by stars Aaron Stanford and Amanda Schull and executive producer Terry Matalas.
The Festival kicks off on Friday, April 22nd at the Shakespeare Theatre’s Sidney Harman Hall with an exclusive ticketed evening event featuring Shatner, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Star Trek; a conversation with Carter, fresh off the triumphant return of The X-Files to television; and an exclusive glimpse into the thrilling second season of Syfy’s hit series 12 Monkeys (premieres April 18) with special advance footage presented by stars Aaron Stanford and Amanda Schull and executive producer Terry Matalas.
- 4/14/2016
- by ComicMix Staff
- Comicmix.com
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.