If you follow me on Twitter you will know that I have a real interest in science, specifically Earth, Space and Genetics based sciences. I love the world around us and how life exists. It fascinates me. Before I started writing Shallow Waters I was studying Geosciences with the Open University but decided to take a year out to see if I could write the novel I always wanted to write. Writing took my life over, but I hope to go back to finish that degree one day. Should I ever manage to make writing my full time career, I will definitely pick it back up.
Anyway, on Twitter I follow a list of NASA’s titled Astronauts in Space. There I foundย Commander Chris Hadfield, who has been commanding a three man team on the International Space Station since December last year. He has been live tweeting photographs during his time up there and those images have been retweeted many, many times over. I have done several. They are stunning.
Yesterday Commander Hadfield returned to Earth, but not before making massive leaps in various arena’s and not just scientific, but how we communicate, interact and use social media. Watch this YouTube video clip which he uploaded on 29th January. He was being interviewed for a Canadian television channel and it’s mentioned that he has 160,000 Twitter followers, I’ve just checked and he now has over 900,000. He talks about how the world is viewed and in contrast with world conflict. It’s great stuff.
For an active social network user, I loved that interview.
But then there’s this! Before returning to Earth, Commander Hadfield recorded, David Bowie’s, Space Oddity – From Space! It’s brilliant. It’s amazing! It’s wonderful. Stunning. And it’s so uplifting. I will watch this time and again. And I can’t get the song out of my head!
One of my hero’s of this century. I leave you with the last tweet and image he made before leaving space for Earth;
Spaceflight finale: To some this may look like a sunset. But it’s a new dawn
Linda K says
It’s incredible what technology can do – and we take more and more for granted. I saw the video of the song on the news – I bet Bowie never really expected it to be sung and recorded in Space one day!
Rebecca Bradley says
I bet he didn’t! A very apt song though ๐
Annalisa Crawford says
I started following him when he was mentioned in the newspapers a couple of weeks ago – he’d taken a photo of my area. But I’ve never actually seen one of his tweets – I really should utilise lists etc, but I don’t. How many kids will revert to wanting to be an astronaut after this??
Rebecca Bradley says
I hope he has encourage lots of kids to reach for their dreams. He has done an awful lot in this area. As well as these two youtbue clips I added, there was one where he had a chat with a bunch of school children!
D.A.Cairns says
He’s no David Bowie but that is a pretty cool version of Space Oddity
Rebecca Bradley says
It’s fantastic and very apt!
jadereyner says
Brilliant! I found myself wondering how on earth he had uploaded a video to YouTube from space – I can’t even do that from the ground! Lol. ๐
Rebecca Bradley says
Ha! Me, I wouldn’t dare put myself on YouTube! He is rather brilliant though.
Margot Kinberg says
Rebecca – I really liked his tweets too – very much. And his rendition of Space Oddity really was fantastic. Thanks for reminding me of it. Science stuff can really be fascinating…
Rebecca Bradley says
I shall miss him being in space, but it’s nice to see he’s still tweeting about his experience as he acclimatises back to Earth.
Alex J. Cavanaugh says
Recording Space Oddity in space – now that is just cool.
If he ever writes a book, he’s set.
Rebecca Bradley says
Isn’t he just! But yes, amazingly cool!
diannegray says
What an amazing man with an amazing life! I love this ๐
Rebecca Bradley says
The stuff he’s seen and knows! Just wow.
yasminselena says
That’s such a sweet version of the Bowie song, I’d do karaoke with him : )
Rebecca Bradley says
I’m not sure about doing karaoke with him, but I wouldn’t mind sitting down and having a cup of tea with him ๐
yasminselena says
That’s okay, you can have a cup of tea and watch me and Commander Chris Hadfield up there making a tit of ourselves! ๐
Elle Turner says
Love this post, Rebecca. What an amazing man and so wonderful to be able to see such beautiful pictures. I’m a bit awestruck. ๐ xx
Rebecca Bradley says
He really is an amazing man isn’t it? I’ve been so giddy following him. The stuff he’s seen, just wow!
Denise Reashore says
Our school participated with him during Music Monday while watching a live feed of Chris singing his song from space. All of our students sang along and we documented it with pictures. A historical moment?!?
Rebecca Bradley says
I think you can definitely class that as an historical moment! How cool. I imagine the kids were thrilled with that.
Mama J says
My husband has been showing our 4 year old (and 10 year old but she wasn’t as interested) the clips he made in space, including Space Oddesey and it’s sparked a real interest in science for her.
Rebecca Bradley says
It’s great what he has done for interest in science. My teenager wasn’t that interested but little man was!