Panda's Thumb has a post with links to YouTube videos of a lecture given by Neil deGrasse Tyson (an astrophysicist of some reknown).  It's worth watching.

It was interesting to see and hear Mr. Tyson speak with passion about discovery and the "spiritual" feeling that comes from looking out into the universe and coming to the realization how we are all connected to it and part of it.  Given how every atom in our bodies which is heavier that hydrogen was forged in the cores of stars, he notes "We're not just in the universe, the universe is in us."

Perhaps most wonderful to me, was to hear confirmation of my crackpot ideas about what "spiritual feelings" are and why atheists can have them coming from Mr. Tyson.

The speech is about 16 or so minutes long, but it is worth seeing.  I found Mr. Tyson's conviction and depth of feeling about our connection to the cosmos touching.  I think in some small way I know how he feels.  When I finally get home in the evening from work I can't resist looking up at the stars for at least a moment or two before I walk into the house.  And whenever I do I feel a kinship to those distant stars.

It's nice to know someone else does too...

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Here's a few science-related news stories that have caught my eye in recent days...   more »