Robert Zimmerman is a science journalist and historian who has written four books and numerous articles on science, engineering, and space. In the first half, he discussed the history of space exploration, and shared updates on SpaceX, and how the global race to space is shaping up. He characterized the International Space Station (ISS) as a disappointment in that it hasn't been used to help develop an interplanetary spaceship, though he believes NASA is on the right track moving towards private companies developing space technology and rockets. "Right now, in the US alone, there are four commercial space stations being built privately," and this will create multiple options, not just to NASA or the US, but to many private companies who want to do research in space," he enthused.
Zimmerman highlighted SpaceX's achievements in developing the reusable rocket called Starship. It's the biggest rocket ever built and possibly more powerful than the Saturn V, and so far, most of its test flights have been very successful. But China, right now, has the best space program, he opined. They are conducting engineering research to build a ship that can take their astronauts to other worlds, and on top of that, they have done sample return missions to the Moon and have an orbiter around Mars. He also touched on the recent death of Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders, who flew on the first manned space mission to orbit the Moon. He died in a plane crash at age 90 while competing in antique plane racing. On the subject of Mars, Zimmerman commented that the Red Planet is not a desert world, and it won't be difficult for future colonists to find water there.
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Jacob Cooper is a clinical social worker, Reiki master, and certified hypnotherapist who specializes in past life regression therapy. In the latter half, he spoke about his near-death experience (NDE), grief, tools for spiritual well-being, and the synergy of mental health and spirituality. His NDE occurred when he was a young child, but it had a profound effect on him, and during the experience, he encountered a number of angels and spirit guides and realized he was a soul living in a child's body. The spirit guides, he explained, are with us before we get here and during every part of our lifetime-- "they are just the innermost part of ourselves," and know everything about us at our deepest core.
Cooper described God as an inner connection within oneself and all of life, rooted in an eternal creative force of love. There is a you that is beyond your body, thoughts, and emotions, but it is often hard for people to get beyond that barrier, he indicated. He advised practicing gratitude and seeing the beauty in everyday life. This "god lens," or living each moment as a prayer, can increase your spiritual awareness and connection to the divine, he suggested. On the subject of grief, he noted that it's important to realize that our departed loved ones are not lost and still exist in another realm. "When there's great love, we feel great loss, but eventually, when you're able to...allow yourself to feel what you feel, you can heal," he pointed out. And this can transform tragedy into meaning, "and when you find meaning, you change from a victim of circumstances to a victor of your circumstances."
News segment guests: Lauren Weinstein, Steve Kates