Hubert Reeves is an astrophysicist whose honours from the scientific community include the Albert Einstein award. But Reeves is known to the public as a wonderful popularizer of scientific ideas, possessed of an exceptional talent at combining science and humanism.

As a child growing up near Lac St-Louis in Quebec, Reeves was fascinated by nature and its relationship to the rest of the universe. This fascination led him to Cornell University, where he studied with some of the great scientific minds of the 20th century. A raconteur, Reeves tells stories about his remarkable professors, men like Hans Bethe, Philip Morrrison and Bob Wilson, whose research led to the atom bomb. Reeves also offers revealing anecdotes about Einstein, Niels Bohr, Oppenheimer and Teller.

With his usual enthusiasm, Reeves highlights milestones in astrophysics, showing us a view of the moon as seen by Galileo in 1609, and remarkable photos of galaxies colliding billions of light-years away. Along with stunning visuals, we listen as Reeves explains history and theory in a highly accessible way.

A committed ecologist, Reeves warns about the deterioration of our planet. In the face of explosive economic globalization, Reeves believes that the globalization of ecological movements offers hope.

Film animation and a knowledge of outer space bring to the screen this spectacular, awe-inspiring view of our solar system. Staggering distances are eliminated through the art of film: before our eyes is displayed the wonder of the universe. Moon, Mercury, Mars, Saturn, Venus, Earth and all the other satellites and lesser matter in space are seen in amazing detail and perspective in their eternal orbits around the sun.

For more background info on this film, visit the NFB.ca blog.

A clip in the Science Please! collection, The Moon Changes uses archival footage, animated illustrations and amusing narration to explain what causes the different phases of the moon.

Laurie returns to the Ashuapmushuan Wildlife Reserve to meet with her father. Here, as a child, she honed her sense of observation, which today serves her well in her astronomy career.

Laurie is a resident astronomer at the prestigious Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope. On the summit of Mauna Kea, this Quebec scientist is helping unravel the mysteries of star formation.

Laurie and her intern Justine Giroux take a dive into Hawaiian culture and tour the impressive CFHT observatory, more than 4,200 metres above sea level.

Laurie and her intern Justine talk about the role women play in the field of astrophysics, and the creation of SIGNALS, the massive project headed by Laurie.

Laurie’s worldview is unique, drawing from elements of both Innu culture and her scientific knowledge. Her insight makes her an inspiring guest speaker for four high-school girls.