This Week in YouTube: NASA, Yo-Yos, and the Final Frontier

Since August 6th last week, after NASA’s Curiosity rover landed on the martian surface, the interwebs has been abuzz about just how badass the universe is. It’s safe to say that space is, like, sooo hot right now (don’t believe me? check out our interview with the creators of “We’re NASA and We Know It“). So come with me on an intergalactic voyage and explore the outer reaches of space through your computer screens via YouTube videos. Blast off! To infinity and beyond! May the force be with you! Live long and prosper! Other quotes from space-themed movies followed by exclamation points!

Also, the one of the first ever animated cartoons debuted 104 years ago today, so watch it and then think about how sad the ending to “Toy Story 3” was.

Science off the Sphere: Yo-Yos in Space

 

Everyone knows astronauts don’t spend thousands of hours in space training so they can go into orbit to conduct scientific research to better humanity. They go up there to do really cool stuff in zero gravity like make water balls float and play with yo-yos. NASA Astronaut Don Pettit uses his off-duty time in space to conduct “science experiments” with Legos and then uploading them to YouTube for our enjoyment. Hell to the yeah.

The Hubble Ultra Deep Field (IN 3D!)

If there’s one thing astronomy is good for here on earth, it’s putting things in perspective. It can be daunting trying to really grasp just how expansive our universe really is. After watching this video, it’s hard not to look around you and realize just how miniscule and insignificant we all are on our little floating rock hurtling through space around a giant exploding ball. Gee, thanks, science!

Carl Sagan – ‘A Glorious Dawn’ ft Stephen Hawking

Carl Sagan is like the Michael Jordan (or like Kobe or whoever else is super good at basketball these days) of the astronomy world. He took us all on adventures through space and bridged the gap between our life here on earth and the grand scheme of things on a universal scale with his show “Cosmos: A Personal Voyage.” Carl Sagan had the innate ability explain complex theories and scientific jargon in ways that anyone could understand and made astronomy and science accessible to everyone. He’s also responsible for one of the most badass science quotes of all time: “If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.” Because, like, without the universe, you wouldn’t be able to make pies ‘cuz there wouldn’t be any apples or trees or anything. Get it? Carl Sagan, you so smart.

 Cats in Space

When space isn’t pushing scientific boundaries and helping advance technology and the human race, it’s busy inspiring creative types to make super sweet stuff on the Internet. Cats + Space + Science Fiction = internet gold. Meow.

 Iron Maiden The Final Frontier

Heavy metal music has rocked its way to all corners of the Earth (spheres have corners?), and now its taking its guitar solos and long hair to the outer reaches of space. To be honest, I hate Iron Maiden, but they recently played at the Verizon Amphitheater, and my Instagram was filled to the brim with pictures of screaming skeleton faces and dudes with sleeveless shirts, so I figured I would make you all suffer with me.

And as promised:

Emile Cohl – Fantasmagorie 1908

Fantasmagorie, one of the earliest examples of animated cartoons, created by Émile Cohl, is shown in Paris, France in 1908.