The Cosmos Possible Worlds Episode 7, titled "The Electric Boy," diverges from the typical cosmic scale of the series to focus on the life of Michael Faraday, a man born into poverty who discovered the secrets of electricity and magnetism through pure experimentation and imagination. This installment proves that the greatest leaps in science often come not from the wealthy and academic, but from sheer curiosity and the courage to ask "what if?"
The Story of Michael Faraday: A Bookbinder's Apprentice
Neil deGrasse Tyson opens the episode by acknowledging his own monumental disadvantage: being born black in America. However, he quickly pivots to highlight Faraday's lack of formal education, stating that despite his humble beginnings, Faraday's mind was the finest instrument of all. The episode illustrates that a person’s background is not their destiny. "The Electric Boy" uses Faraday's life to demonstrate that genius is found in the tenacity to learn and the audacity to question the status quo.
Path to the Royal Institution
Faraday's systematic approach to self-education is a masterclass in determination. While working as a bookbinder's apprentice, he didn't just bind the books; he read them, absorbing every piece of scientific literature that passed through his hands. He attended lectures by Humphry Davy, his intellectual hero, not just as a listener, but as a meticulous note-taker. These notes eventually became his ticket to a job at the Royal Institution, proving that comprehensive note-taking and observation are skills as crucial as any high-tech equipment.
Visualizing the Unseen
"The Electric Boy" excels at visualizing the invisible. Faraday—and the episode—struggled to explain magnetic fields. Tyson demonstrates that the discovery of electromagnetism wasn't just about the discovery; it was about the creation of a new language to describe it. The show makes the invisible tangible through its animation sequences, Tyson's narration, and a narrative structure that places viewers inside Faraday’s thought process.
Persistent Creation Beyond Failure
The episode covers years of Faraday's experiments. Tyson walks us through failure after failure. Initial attempts to create motion from electricity resulted in public humiliation and professional ruin from Davy, who grew jealous of his own protégé. Despite this professional bullying and the mental toll of the Victorian era's classism, Faraday’s drive to understand electricity and magnetism never faltered. He began to see lines of magnetic force where others saw nothing but empty space.
Faraday's Law and Its Significance
Faraday’s most enduring legacy is Faraday’s Law of Induction. Tyson elegantly deduces how the movement of a magnet through a coil of wire creates an electric current. This foundational principle is the basis for modern technology, from the electric generators that power our cities to the hydroelectric dams that harness the power of falling water. Without Faraday’s persistence, our understanding of electromagnetism would remain static, tethered to the electro-chemical battery and static charge.
The Ultimate Sacrifice for Science
Faraday’s mind was the finest instrument of all, but the toll was significant. The episode doesn't shy away from the physical and mental exhaustion Faraday suffered. His health deteriorated under the weight of decades of grueling experimentation. By the end, Faraday was losing his memory, a tragic irony for a man whose mind unlocked the secrets of the universe.
Could we be living in a technologically advanced alien civilization?
The episode concludes by taking a significant speculative turn. Tyson takes the concept of technological advancement and applies it to hypothetical alien civilizations. He asks: Could we be living in a technologically advanced alien civilization and not even realize it? Using the Ship of Theseus thought experiment, Tyson suggests that if every cell in our body is replaced over a lifetime, are we still the same person? This connects Faraday’s invisible fields to the "fields" of data and technology that define modern existence.
The Cosmos and Technology
Tyson notes that our technological components are just as invisible as the magnetic fields Faraday discovered. We interact with induction every day—wireless charging, credit cards, and the internet—yet give no more thought to the underlying principles than Faraday’s contemporaries gave to magnetism. Today, our "field" of technology is just as tangible or intangible as the lines of force Faraday drew in his notebooks. The episode ties Faraday’s 19th-century breakthroughs to 21st-century technology, emphasizing the interconnectedness of scientific discovery.
A Legacy Beyond Earth
"The Electric Boy" leaves the audience with a profound sense of gratitude. The episode is a tribute to Faraday, far exceeding his impact on science. His work paved the way for future scientific titans. Maxwell translated Faraday’s physical “picture” language into mathematical formulas. Einstein kept a picture of Faraday on his wall alongside Maxwell and Newton. Einstein’s work on the photoelectric effect and relativity were built on the shoulders of the “electric boy” from the slums of London.
Final Thoughts on Evolution of Science
The episode drives the point that science is an evolution. It is a relay race where one generation passes the baton to the next. Faraday passed it to Maxwell, who passed it to Einstein. The episode is a beautiful and educational narrative, combining biography, history, and cosmic evolution. It serves as a powerful reminder that morality and curiosity are the true engines of progress.
The Cosmos Possible Worlds Episode 7 is a standout entry in the franchise, proving that the most profound discoveries come from those who dare to see the invisible. It challenges viewers to look beyond their circumstances and find the universe's secrets hidden in the pages of a book or the lines of force surrounding a magnet.
