The American Museum of Natural History has a stunning short film about the size and scale of the known universe: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=be4_1326835129
Its breathtaking 'Infinite zoom' format owes a tip of the hat to Charles and Ray Eames and their 40-year-old pioneering film project 'The Powers of 10:' http://powersof10.com/
Eames shot 'Powers of 10' on celluloid one frame at a time by filming hand-rendered paintings and photos. Its 'Infinite zoom' format has been copied and re-copied so many times that we're used to it now, and its handmade visuals appear primitive next to today's digital renderings, but when Eames' concept first appeared on screen it was revolutionary. That we are still seeing Infinite Zoom used regularly in films and videos is a testament to its brilliance.
I first saw 'Powers of 10' in the Smithsonian Museum's Air and Space Museum when I was a boy, and I spent most of that day in that small room watching that film. Its simple dual-clock graphics introduced viewers to the idea of relativity and the dynamics of light-speed travel. It changed the way I saw math, science, and astronomy.
It opened a new window onto Life, the Universe, and Everything.
Here's the original version I saw in black and white. It's worth a look.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yIxh-Z7lbk&feature=related
Here's the color re-make from 1977.
http://www.allthingsscience.com/video/42/Powers-of-Ten
