A Thing of Beauty – The Milky Way

09/06/16 • 31 min

A professed historian of the Milky Way, astronomer Catherine Pilachowski exalts the beauty of the ancient spiral galaxy that we call – at least in a galactic sense – home. She describes the glorious physical beauty of the Milky Way, and the beauty inherent in the work of science that leads to new knowledge of its history and future.

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A Thing of Beauty – House of the Singing Winds

As a self-described "undisciplined" academic and believer in beauty, Eric Sandweiss thinks broadly about the role of beauty in the world. A scholar and teacher of history, Sandweiss explores architecture, historic preservation, urban planning, and the ordinary people and experiences that shape our lives. His chosen object of beauty is Indiana artist T.C. Steele's home, The House of the Singing Winds.

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A Thing of Beauty – Spider Web

Biologist and photographer Roger Hangarter and artist and curator Betsy Stirratt are long-time collaborators who share an idea of beauty as an experience found in nature. Together they discuss a photograph of a spider web taken by Hangarter during an ordinary walk in the woods. They examine beauty as a phenomenon that inspires both scientists and artists, and find common ground in the pursuit of mystery and light.