Neil deGrasse Tyson is an astrophysicist with the American Museum of Natural History, director of the world-famous Hayden Planetarium, a monthly columnist for Natural History, and an award-winning author. Tyson is also the host of NOVA ScienceNOW and a frequent guest on The Daily Show and Jon Stewart, The Colbert Report, and television documentaries on the universe. His latest book is The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America’s Favorite Planet.
In this conversation with D.J. Grothe, Neil deGrasse Tyson recounts recent discoveries in astronomy, including methane on Mars and its possible implications, and questions regarding dark matter and dark energy. He explains how ignorance is seductive for the scientist. He details his involvement in the controversy regarding the status of Pluto, and the role of the Hayden Planetarium in the international debate over solar system nomenclature. He describes wether teaching the controversy over Pluto’s status is helpful in teaching astronomy, and how this compares to the “teaching the controversy” argument regarding evolution versus intelligent design creationism. And he shares his views about the best ways to teach the solar system to students, by comparing and contrasting objects in the solar system and how they relate to each other.
He was a hoot at the Secret Science Club (http://secretscienceclub.blogspot.com ) bar lecture here in NYC a couple of months ago, where there were several HUNDRED people happy to hear him. I’m sure there were other NYC freethinkers there too, but my friend and I, who go to several groups’ events, didn’t see anyone we knew. A wasted recruitment/promotion opportunity. I think it was even bigger than NYC Skeptics’ James Randi audience this past summer.
He was a hoot at the Secret Science Club (http://secretscienceclub.blogspot.com ) bar lecture here in NYC a couple of months ago, where there were several HUNDRED people happy to hear him.
I’m a NDT fangirl. Dang. How did I miss that? (Oh, “secret science”.)
Yes, he is and I enjoyed listening to the podcast. That “pizza” thing for the planets, I never heard of it before. Either I missed something or was never taught to remember the planets that way.
Yes, he is and I enjoyed listening to the podcast. That “pizza” thing for the planets, I never heard of it before. Either I missed something or was never taught to remember the planets that way.
Yes, I never learned any mnemonic to remember the order of the planets, and back in my youth when dinosaurs roamed the earth….oh wait…that’s the ‘discovery’ museum!!! Anyway, when I was in elementary and HS, planets had fewer moons too!
My son and brother and I went to see Tyson at the Commomwealth Club in SF, Brennan joined us and Occam attempted to make it but it didn’t work out…However, we did all have a great dinner together! ....and Tyson was GREAT!!! He would make a great comedian if he were to quit his day job!
I took my son to Hayden Planetarium a few weeks ago and he loved it. Even in his video intro clips, Tyson explains the universe so clearly and so easily, and in such a fun manner. He keeps both children and adults smiling and helps them to truly absorb what he is teaching. He has such a darned likable personality!
Stripping Scientist! Whooo Hooo! Now that has to be an interesting book. Can I borrow your copy when you are done reading it, asanta? :D Hopefully there’s pictures.
Stripping Scientist! Whooo Hooo! Now that has to be an interesting book. Can I borrow your copy when you are done reading it, asanta? :D Hopefully there’s pictures.
That’s what I’m hoping for!!! (of course I’ll be reading it strictly for the bio info!!)
Stripping Scientist! Whooo Hooo! Now that has to be an interesting book. Can I borrow your copy when you are done reading it, asanta? :D Hopefully there’s pictures.
That’s what I’m hoping for!!! (of course I’ll be reading it strictly for the bio info!!)
Science makes guys hot. Astrophysics makes guys SMOKIN’ hot. Ok, biology, too.
I get science “crushes.” My husband finds them highly entertaining and laughs at me. He jokes. “You’ll run off with someone who can glaze your eyes over with a lecture on evolution or black holes!”
I have to admit, when I was a kid, I had a little girl “crush” on Carl Sagan after watching Cosmos on PBS. I wanted to sit under the tree with him, and spend hours and hours talking about the universe. He hypnotized me! The series gave me a strange lifelong love of science, the universe, and men in jackets with big lapels.
I’ve always said smart men are sexy!! One of my sons has a shirt that says ‘I love smart girls’, he couldn’t find one that said ‘smart women’. My other son likes brainy women too!
Dang. How did I miss that? (Oh, “secret science”.)
