Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
Travel To The Moon With David Bowie (360° Video)
NPR's YouTube channel, Skunk Bear, answers your science questions. This week, we picked one in honor of David Bowie.
Bowie was born on Jan. 8 and would have turned 70 on Sunday. Tuesday, Jan. 10, marks the first anniversary of his death. Bowie filled his songs with references to space, and his first big hit, "Space Oddity," was released just days before humans first walked on the moon.
So today we're tackling a very space-y question from an anonymous Tumblr user:
Support for LAist comes from
"Can you tell me how long it would take to walk to the moon? Could I make it there in my lifetime?"
Ridiculous, of course. What would you walk on? How would you breathe? Where would you put all the trail mix?
But we decided to take the question seriously. If a human set out walking at a reasonable pace today, stopping to eat and sleep and take a day off once in a while — how long would it take to travel the distance that separates Earth and the moon?
We attempt the trip — virtually — in a 360 degree environment. As you watch our video, you'll be able to rotate your view by clicking and dragging (or by moving your mobile device*) to see the things a moon-bound hiker would see. What does Earth look like from the height of the Hubble telescope or from the height of a weather satellite?
To help pass the time, we brought along some of Bowie's music. It's only right that his major hits serve as milestones on our way to the moon.
You can submit your science questions to Skunk Bear here. (Maybe we'll tackle, "Is there life on Mars?" next.) Subscribe to our YouTube channel to follow the answers.
*Unfortunately Safari doesn't support 360 - you'll have to use the Chrome browser or the youtube app on an iPhone.
Support for LAist comes from
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDA1OTI3MjQ5MDEyODUwMTE2MzM1YzNmZA004))
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Administrators say the bargaining units should be dismissed, or that they have no standing. One campus is going after the federal agency in charge of union activity. -
The landslide is not connected to the greater Portuguese Bend landslide, city officials said. -
Nom. Nom. Nom. The event destroyed the internet when it was first announced — and sold out in minutes. -
The critical findings are part of long-awaited after-action report was released Thursday. It contains recommendations for increasing emergency staffing and updating old systems. -
Diving has changed, mountain biking has been added. Here's where to watch the Olympics in person in 2028. -
'A Great Day in the Stoke' is a free, daylong event in Orange County billed as 'the largest gathering of Black surfers in history.' The fourth annual festival is set for Saturday in Huntington Beach.
Best of LAist