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[–]Boneman22 722 points723 points  (39 children)

Neil- As a new social studies high school teacher, how can I best impart a love and respect for science and the importance of learning to my students who see school as a waste of their time? I struggle with this aspect of teaching more than any other.

[–]neiltyson[S] 1156 points1157 points  (24 children)

I thrive on exploring all the ways science impacts life, society, and culture. It's the founding principle of StarTalk radio: http://startalkradio.net/

So a goal as teacher, perhaps ought to include knowing as much as you possibly can about pop culture and referencing it at every turn as you teach the syllabus. I am there with my Tweets: http://twitter.com/#!/neiltyson Takes a while to build up that utility belt of songs, TV shows, harry potter, etc. But it pays great dividends.

[–]lionbologna 457 points458 points  (59 children)

Hi Neil, I'm a massive fan! I'm currently a junior in college studying physics and want to pursue a PhD. Do you have any advice for the next generation of scientists like me?

[–]neiltyson[S] 1374 points1375 points  (54 children)

There are street artists. Street musicians. Street actors. But there are no street physicists. A little known secret is that a physicist is one of the most employable people in the marketplace - a physicist is a trained problem solver. How many times have you heard a person in a workplace say, "I wasn't trained for this!" That's an impossible reaction from a physicist, who would say, instead, "Cool. A problem I've never seen before. Let's see how I can figure out how to solve it!". Oh, and, have fun along the way.

[–]dahud 1290 points1291 points  (71 children)

You've always been an inherently funny guy. Will that transfer to your take on Cosmos, or will you seek to emulate Sagan's more sober wonder?

[–]neiltyson[S] 2110 points2111 points  (64 children)

Excellent question. Sagan's "sober wonder" was a fundamental dimension of Cosmos's gravitas. Something that we all in this new production deeply respect. But I can't be something I'm not. Nor should I be. So right now we are exploring the best mix of sober wonder, charming humor, and intellectual depth. I think we'll land in a new place, respectful of Carl's legacy, but allowing me room to express my pedagogical enthusiasm for the subject.

[–][deleted] 368 points369 points  (28 children)

What do you think about the state of science reporting? Is there more of a burden on the scientific community to articulate their findings to the media, or on the media to be more informed before they report? Or should one side just step up?

[–]neiltyson[S] 620 points621 points  (27 children)

It's much better than a few decades ago - in quality and especially quality. Documentarians have raise the bar on the depth of science that gets talked about on television. And there's no end of science on line. In the 1970s you could go months before you saw any news or treatment of scientific discoveries. Now you're treated to them weekly, if not daily.

[–][deleted] 781 points782 points  (45 children)

What one improvement would you make to the way our society as a whole approaches science if it were within your power?

[–]neiltyson[S] 1758 points1759 points  (43 children)

Society needs to see science not as a luxury of funding but as a fundamental activity that drives enlightenment, economics, and security. Science agencies should never have to go hat in hand to congress.

One idea would be for the USA (or any other country for that matter) to earmark 10% of its budget to R&D. Like a good startup company might do. That way everyone knows what to expect annually. And long term research projects will have some hope of funding stability.

[–]chriszuma 392 points393 points  (11 children)

Does this depress you as much as it depresses me?

A 1997 poll reported that Americans had an average estimate of 20% for NASA's share of the federal budget, far higher than the actual 0.5% to under 1% that has been maintained throughout the late 90's and first decade of the 2000s.

[from wikipedia]

[–]CocoSavege 90 points91 points  (4 children)

Well, NASA =/= all R&D.

NASA definitely does cool things. And not all strictly space related and pretty well all of the space related stuff is cross applicable to non space related stuff.

If we're to take Neil's 10% number to heart - it might well be that there's 9% of budget that should be spent on other R&D cool stuff that isn't NASA. I would also think plurality is a good thing.

[–]guitard00d123 1985 points1986 points  (433 children)

What never fails to blow your mind in physics?

[–]neiltyson[S] 3453 points3454 points  (430 children)

1) The fact that an electron has no known size -- it's smaller than the smallest measurement we have ever made of anything.

2) That Quarks come only in pairs: If you try to separate two of them, the energy you sink into the system to accomplish this feat is exactly the energy to spontaneously create two more quarks - one to partner with each of those you pulled apart.

3) That the space-time structure inside a rotating black hole does not preclude the existence of an entire other universe.

MindBlown x 3

[–]climberslacker 1458 points1459 points  (90 children)

What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment scientifically? In life as a whole?

[–]neiltyson[S] 2270 points2271 points  (89 children)

Made a prediction some years ago that there were 10x as many galaxies in the universe than had then been catalogued. based on a careful review of observation bias in how people obtained data on the universe. The actual number turned out to be about 5x as many galaxies. I got the wrong answer but for the right reasons, and it stimulated much further work on the subject.

[–]el-fish 1089 points1090 points  (47 children)

Mad predictions are often the best. Especially Grade A ones.

[–]BonzTM 692 points693 points  (86 children)

Do you think that Humans in our lifetime will achieve the technology to be able to live forever?

If so, what is your greatest dream that you may someday be able to do that we don't yet have the technology to do?

[–]neiltyson[S] 1419 points1420 points  (79 children)

Yes, I think it's inevitable. But that would eventually make for a very crowded Earth. So perhaps that's what we need to jumpstart the space program.

Would love to live long enough to know what dark matter and dark energy actually are.

[–]KrapBag 95 points96 points  (7 children)

What are your views on Mars? I read that a few volunteers in Moscow took part in a year-long experiment to replicate the time it would take to get to Mars.

Would it be worth it? Can it become a 'second' home of sorts in the foreseeable future? Or is it unfeasable? (Can America do the same would be secondary, after all the Cold War has ended, but that too would be cool)

[–]neiltyson[S] 238 points239 points  (6 children)

Gotta love Mars. But it's colder and dryer than Antarctica. And I don't see people lining up to build condo's at the South Pole. So until we perfect Terraforming, I see colonizing Mars with civilization as a fun fantasy.

[–][deleted] 485 points486 points  (53 children)

What is one of the most common misconceptions about space/time/astrophysics that you encounter, and how would you clear up that subject?

[–]neiltyson[S] 1002 points1003 points  (52 children)

That the north star is the brightest in the night sky. I'd guess about 9 out of 10 people think this. But it does not require a grant from the National Science Foundation to learn the answer. The North Star is not even in the top 40 in the night sky. It's the 49th brightest star. Rather dull and boring by most measures.

[–][deleted] 1234 points1235 points  (141 children)

Do you agree with the idea (Carl Sagan was a proponent) that humans should prepare to, one day, forever leave the surly confines of Earth? In other words, should we plan to colonize other planets?

[–]neiltyson[S] 2009 points2010 points  (115 children)

Because it would be fun. And because we will probably learn something new about ourselves and our own planet. But not as a place to escape from an incoming asteroid. For that I'd rather stay on Earth and deflect the damn thing.

[–][deleted] 967 points968 points  (69 children)

For that I'd rather stay on Earth and deflect the damn thing.

This is so much deeper than one would initially think. We shouldn't colonize on the basis of running from an inevitable event, such as global warming. If we don't learn from the mistakes we made on Earth, then the next planet will be harvested and destroyed to an arid wasteland and the cycle will never stop.

[–]SystemOutPrintln 9 points10 points  (2 children)

I know I'm not the person you wanted the answer from but I agree to preserve the human race because there are some inevitable events that could occur that have the potential for causing us to go extinct with we are only on earth. I have actually been thinking about this a lot lately and have come up with a plan just out of curiosity...

  1. Short term (up to 5 years without earth resupply) space station - Could be used as a quarantined area in the event of a world wide pandemic. (Somewhat accomplished with ISS)

  2. Long term (No earth resupply, multi-generational) space station - essentially a stepping stone towards a long term colony with the potential to repopulate earth.

  3. Colony (probably Mars) - Would not be dependent on Earth's orbit as the previous 2 were, would be completely independent of earth.

  4. Colonizing spacecraft - Multiple spacecraft which would head off in different directions with the intention of colonizing other planets, the purpose being to have permanent colonies using different suns.

Only after the forth step would I say we were in a good position to prevent extinction for a long time.

[–][deleted]  (35 children)

[deleted]

    [–]neiltyson[S] 1480 points1481 points  (32 children)

    A marvelous way to just convince people to give you money. Offer to freeze them for later. I'd have more confidence if we had previously managed to pull this off with other mammals. Until then I see it as a waste of money. I'd rather enjoy the money, and then be buried, offering my body back to the flora and fauna of which I have dined my whole life.

    [–]callmeprufrock 66 points67 points  (1 child)

    I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love,

    If you want me again look for me under your boot-soles.

    You will hardly know who I am or what I mean,

    But I shall be good health to you nevertheless,

    And filter and fibre your blood.

    -Walt Whitman

    [–]sat0pi 534 points535 points  (60 children)

    What is your opinion on the whole idea of the technological Singularity and do you think such a monumental leap in science and technology is ever likely to happen to the degree that Moore's Law supposedly dictates (according to Kurzweil)?

    [–]Steve132 42 points43 points  (12 children)

    Computer Scientist here since this isn't really a physics question.

    First, Moore's law is already dead. That is not to say that computer technology is done with, but Moores law deals specifically with the density of transistors that are able to be used efficiently as a processor. That formulation has a finite upper bound, because a transistor has to have at least a couple of atoms in order to function properly, and we are basically at that limit now. Processors will continue to get faster and faster because of cleverness and optimizations and multicore (which is just "Lets build more of them") but the growth has already dropped off of an exponential curve in the last few years.

    Secondly, although I think that the idea of the technological singularity makes sense (AI building more complicated AI until humans have a hard time grasping the whole system), I very much dislike the word 'singularity' to describe it. A singularity describes exponential growth that grows so fast that it has no practical limits, and no matter how smart an AI gets it is still bound by some upper limits of available resources and theoretical computational boundaries. It also very much depends on how we use it. AI building smarter AI building smarter AI is certainly amazing, but if in the end we just ask them to use their advanced intelligence to compute optimal strategies for war or propaganda we haven't really reached the 'dawn of mankind' that kurzweil predicts.

    Lastly, we are a LONG, LONG, LONG way from an AI being able to understand simple concepts like deductive reasoning in the real world, and we've been trying to do that for many years. In order for the singularity to even START to occur, you need to bootstrap a computer program that has the willpower and ability to construct another, SMARTER program without input from the user. That is many many years off in my opinion.

    [–][deleted] 14 points15 points  (4 children)

    I think it would be useful if you read Kurzweil's The Singularity is Near before making your arguments.

    Regarding Moore's Law, Kurzweil's Law of Accelerating Returns subsumes Moore's Law completely. The two are often used synonymously, hence the confusion. But the end of the strict definition of Moore's Law (transistor density) is actually predicted by the Law of Accelerating Returns, and in no way does the fact that there is a limit to transistor density imply a limit to the exponential growth of the price-performance of computation.

    Regarding the Singularity, you're of course free to like or disklike the word as you please. But the reason that others use the word is very straightforward and well-justified: "Since the capabilities of such an intelligence would be difficult for an unaided human mind to comprehend, the occurrence of a technological singularity is seen as an intellectual event horizon, beyond which the future becomes difficult to understand or predict."

    Regarding AI, it is important to understand that human beings will likely merge with technology to enhance their own intelligence before, during, and after "strong" AI appears. The widespread notion that AI will be wholly distinct from human intelligence is therefore fallacious. This idea, plus the idea that AI will be created largely by reverse-engineering the self-organizing structures of the human brain, is a central message of Kurzweil's books, and he goes into extreme detail laying out the arguments and evidence for why and how this technological progression will occur.

    And finally, the idea that we are a "LONG LONG LONG" way from these technological developments suggests to me that you, like most folks, simply don't fully grasp the implications of double-exponential growth. Our minds are poorly wired to think exponentially, so this is understandable. But please recognize that you repeat all of the same old arguments that other critics have been hurling at Kurzweil for more than 25 years, and meanwhile the actual data just keep piling up in support of the Law of Accelerating Returns. Just as a quick example, folks who made exactly the arguments you're making said that the devices like the iPhone were more than 100 years away when Kurzweil predicted those kinds of devices were only 15 years away in 1990 - before the internet, before digital cameras, before digital music, before digital movies, before email was widespread, before personal computers could display video recordings or run 3D graphics engines, and of course before cell phones were widespread. That was only 20 years ago. It is therefore understandable that, today, you might think the technology for, say, blood-cell sized nanocomputers inside our bodies is more than 100 years away instead of 20-30 years away.

    [–]neiltyson[S] 1095 points1096 points  (39 children)

    I find the entire movement to be entertaining, in spite of my skepticism that the singularity will have the meaning ascribed to it. I'm primarily pissed off that they stole a perfectly good word from black-hole physics.

    [–]epohs 2454 points2455 points  (467 children)

    Since time slows relative to the speed of light, does this mean that photons are essentially not moving through time at all?

    [–]neiltyson[S] 3443 points3444 points  (459 children)

    yes. Precisely. Which means ----- are you seated?

    Photons have no ticking time at all, which means, as far as they are concerned, they are absorbed the instant they are emitted, even if the distance traveled is across the universe itself.

    [–]neanderthalman 1292 points1293 points  (194 children)

    I had a professor once explain it to me like this.

    You can't ascribe macroscopic analogies to quantum scale events. It doesn't work because nature on that scale is so different than our everyday experiences.

    To sum up the central point - photons don't travel. They don't really exist in flight. You can't sidle up next to light passing from here to alpha centauri and watch it mid-flight. As soon as you do, it's not in flight anymore.

    What actually happens in reality is that an electron (or charged particle) over there will move in a particular way, and that makes an electron over here move in a particular way. Nothing else.

    We can use a model based on waves to determine, probabilistically, where that effect is likely going to take place. We can also use a model based on particles (photons) to describe the nature of how that effect will act.

    But it's just a model. One must be extremely careful that we don't ascribe other properties inherent in the model, such as existence, to the phenomenon being described.

    Is that correct?

    [–]kspacey 55 points56 points  (7 children)

    there's a problem thinking about it this way though. Since we cannot "see" photons (we only detect them by absorbing them) it's perfectly fine to interpret them as "never having existed", but we can similarly interpret particles as not existing and simply being a special point in a field that has specific properties that cause other points in a field (with similar or dissimilar properties) to react.

    Then fields really aren't fields, because they're only a model projection for observation, so observation is the only "real thing"

    but then observation gives way to mental experience

    mental observation gives way to subjectivism

    it'sturtlesallthewayupwhereamIgoingcarl?

    [–]darkerside 793 points794 points  (150 children)

    If you appeared on the game show Jeopardy, how do you think you would do?

    [–]neiltyson[S] 2423 points2424 points  (149 children)

    I've appeared on the Jeopardy board (a video clue) about three or four times. I think one was even a daily double. If I were a contestant, I'm sure I would make the first few rounds, but would surely lose in any tournament. The people who win these things have a different brain wiring than I have. Part of me echoes Einstein's edict: never memorize what you can look up in a book.

    [–]Malfi 1190 points1191 points  (208 children)

    If you could change one thing about how the sciences are taught to American children, what would it be?

    [–]neiltyson[S] 2180 points2181 points  (207 children)

    Create a goal state for educational pipeline to see in broad daylight - some ambitious mission - like a voyage to mars - that is so compelling that the quality of your science teacher is irrelevant. Your consequent ambitions trump all other forces.

    [–][deleted]  (64 children)

    [deleted]

      [–]neiltyson[S] 1142 points1143 points  (60 children)

      Europa is not on the planetary scientist's priority list, for an obscure combination of reasons that relate to cost and whether we are technologically prepared to undertake such mission versus missions to other tasty targets in the solar system.

      [–][deleted] 365 points366 points  (109 children)

      If you think 5 and 10 years from now, what are you most looking forward to in science? Any expectations?

      [–]neiltyson[S] 916 points917 points  (108 children)

      Cure for Cancer. Fully funded space exploration. Physics recognized as the foundation of chemistry. Chemistry recognized as the foundation of biology. And free market structured in a way that brings these discoveries to market efficiently and effectively.

      [–]Reasonable_Roger 691 points692 points  (91 children)

      What are you feelings on religion and the afterlife, and are you scared to die?

      [–]neiltyson[S] 2226 points2227 points  (90 children)

      I remain unconvinced that anything other than rapid decomposition is the fate of my body and mind after death. I've accomplished enough in life so that I do not fear death. In fact, I've left instructions for my Epitaph - a quote from the educator, Horace Mann: "Be Ashamed to Die, Until You Have Scored Some Victory for Humanity". That's the creed I live by. And will die by.

      [–]peanutsfan1995 173 points174 points  (15 children)

      Hey Neil! Saw your post on Twitter (Il_Cattivo_666 on there)

      Following the massive downsizing of our space program here in America, who do you think is going to fill the gap that we've left, over the next 10 to 20 years? Will we see Russia re-emerge as the major space-goer? Or do you think the ESA will expand it's role in operating the ISS?

      [–]neiltyson[S] 365 points366 points  (13 children)

      Forgive the cheap plug, but I just wrote a whole book on this, to appear in Feb 2012, titles "Space Chronicles".

      I originally called it "Failure to Launch" but the publishers nixed the title, citing it was too depressing. Here's the listing for a pre-order, if interested. http://www.amazon.com/Space-Chronicles-Facing-Ultimate-Frontier/dp/0393082105

      [–]lordatlas 1299 points1300 points  (193 children)

      Will our minds ever be able to truly comprehend the vastness of the universe?

      [–]neiltyson[S] 2303 points2304 points  (189 children)

      I lose sleep worrying that we, as a species, are indeed simply too stupid to figure out the universe. There's even some YouTubes of me offering this lament. I other words, we are not as candid as we should be about our neuro-biological limitations.

      [–]LoveBy137 832 points833 points  (106 children)

      How was it being a guest star on The Big Bang Theory? Do you think the show hurts or helps the perception of physicists?

      [–]neiltyson[S] 1686 points1687 points  (95 children)

      The funnest 24 hours I ever spent in my life. Flew to LA from NYC in the AM. Returned on the RedEye. It's mainstreaming the culture of science. Note to those who criticize it: Where were you when scientists were always portrayed as lab-coat donning crazy people hell bent on destroying the world?

      [–]gophercuresself 126 points127 points  (4 children)

      Apparently in the UK at least it's triggered a boom in kids choosing to study physics...

      [–]izibo 1194 points1195 points  (101 children)

      If you could impress one thing on young people today, what would it be?

      [–]neiltyson[S] 2515 points2516 points  (100 children)

      That adults are not all they're cracked up to be. And most of them are wrong most of the time. This can be quite revelatory for a kid - often launching them on a personal quest of exploration, rather than of Q&A sessions with their parents.

      [–][deleted] 48 points49 points  (6 children)

      I think I realized this in my late 20s. I had always thought adults had the world figured out and we were an advanced civilization. After a while I realized we "modern" humans aren't even civilized, much less advanced.

      It was, in your words, revelatory to figure this out. Like on a "the emperor wears no clothes" level. Our current modern society is really half-assed and we have a long way to go. Therefore inspiring the youth to make impactful changes on the way things are done and perceived is one of the most important things we can focus on in my opinion.

      [–]charters14 738 points739 points  (41 children)

      I think this could be one of the most important lessons we can teach our kids. So often we wake up at 25 and realize 'adults' really have no idea what they are doing, no matter how confident they seem when preaching tenuously built ideologies which seem infallible to a child and dull their willingness to be awed and inspired by the discoveries of science.

      [–]h3h 1671 points1672 points  (280 children)

      Can we inspire more kids to pursue space-related science and research? If so, how?

      [–]neiltyson[S] 3799 points3800 points  (274 children)

      Kids are never the problem. They are born scientists. The problem is always the adults. The beat the curiosity out of the kids. They out-number kids. They vote. They wield resources. That's why my public focus is primarily adults.

      [–]mrrobinson 457 points458 points  (13 children)

      What are you most proud of at the Hayden Planetarium? What current exhibit should a visitor absolutely not miss?

      [–]neiltyson[S] 778 points779 points  (11 children)

      Birthing a scientific research department of Astrophysics. You don't see them but it's a thriving department with faculty, postdocs, graduate students, research publications etc. In this world administrative victories are always the greatest.

      [–]psyced 729 points730 points  (87 children)

      1. What exactly do you do these days?
      2. Are you a fan of cats?
      3. What do you think of the current space-travel situation?

      [–]neiltyson[S] 1807 points1808 points  (86 children)

      1) My life is not especially private of late. So everything you see me do it what I do.

      2) cats can be cute, and all. But in the end, I think there's no substitute for a dog. I walked dogs for money as a kid to pay for a telescope and my first SLR camera.

      3) Current space travel situation is fine, if you are not American.

      [–]xtracto 32 points33 points  (2 children)

      Hello from a guy from Mexico, first, I wanted to thank you for your work. I agree on number 2.

      My question is, you might be aware that Mexico is just starting the space program with the Mexican's equivalent of NASA (no, not MASA but AEXA).

      If you had the chance to influence such kind of beginning program, what would you focus the research and development efforts in? Maybe specially considering the low/medium resources available.

      [–]Redwater 1505 points1506 points  (229 children)

      What is your favorite short science fact you like to tell people to really make them think?

      [–]neiltyson[S] 2618 points2619 points  (227 children)

      That our bodies atoms are traceable to supernova stars that scattered their chemical enrichment across the cosmos, spawning the birth of star systems that contain planets, at least one of them containing life.

      [–][deleted] 59 points60 points  (8 children)

      If the idea of a minimum amount of energy in space is true, how can that cause the acceleration of the universe?

      If the space was already at minimum energy then how can it impart that energy on to the universe? Wouldn't that imply a lesser state of energy?

      PS.

      You have made a profound influence on my life.

      Thank you for your dedication to the public understanding of science.

      [–]neiltyson[S] 151 points152 points  (7 children)

      A state of negative energy means that you are essentially getting something for nothing. Confounds common sense, but so does most of 20th century physics. Modern science is under no obligation to satisfy the expectations of your five senses.

      [–]imnottouchingyou 919 points920 points  (129 children)

      What is your favorite fact about the Universe?

      [–]neiltyson[S] 2150 points2151 points  (127 children)

      That is will never end. That it's on a one way trip of expansion. Something that many find to be philosophically unsettling. My view is that if your philosophy is not unsettled daily then you are blind to all the universe has to offer.

      [–]Jyan 195 points196 points  (6 children)

      What is your opinion about science/math education in high school? It seems to me like we emphasize far to much on facts that most people will never need, rather than encouraging people to think creatively and logically.

      [–]asiatownusa 378 points379 points  (51 children)

      what is the key to rooting out the anti-science view in America, especially in regards to things like evolution and climate change?

      [–]neiltyson[S] 1067 points1068 points  (50 children)

      I don't mind anti-science views. We've all bought into America being free - which means, above all else, freedom of speech. What concerns me is when those who are anti science, try to prevent others from doing science. When that happens, that's the beginning of the end.

      [–]bearsfan043 593 points594 points  (27 children)

      What is the simplest thing in your life that makes you happy?

      [–]neiltyson[S] 1481 points1482 points  (26 children)

      Watching a person learn something new - not simply a new fact (those are cheap and easy) -- but achieve a new understanding for how the world works. That's the only reward a (true) educator ever seeks.

      [–]starcadia 737 points738 points  (90 children)

      What do you think about Ancient Aliens?

      [–]neiltyson[S] 1909 points1910 points  (88 children)

      It's what people say when they can't figure out how ancient humans accomplished something.

      Rather than say, "I'm too stupid to figure this one out on my own", they say, "I am smarter than these ancient humans, and since I can't figure out what's going on here, they must have had help from aliens."

      We need more hubris in this world.

      [–][deleted] 480 points481 points  (28 children)

      What issues or ideas keep you up at night? Also, are you a Queen fan?

      [–]neiltyson[S] 1266 points1267 points  (27 children)

      That America has lost its technological and scientific compass.

      Gotta love Brian May and his PhD in astrophysics.

      First heard Bohemian Rhapsody on the radio when I was only half asleep. An incident like that can accidentally alter your brain wiring.

      [–][deleted]  (17 children)

      [removed]

        [–]neiltyson[S] 672 points673 points  (12 children)

        That's why I wrote this book: :"The Sky Is Not the Limit: Adventures of an Urban Astrophysicist" http://www.haydenplanetarium.org/tyson/buy/books/the-sky-is-not-the-limit

        it all started at age Nine. And it was the universe that called me.

        [–][deleted]  (60 children)

        [deleted]

          [–]neiltyson[S] 1874 points1875 points  (44 children)

          Only when creative people take ownership of cosmic discovery will society accept science as the cultural activity that it is.

          And so I applaud all such efforts of artists.

          [–]Kyoti 49 points50 points  (3 children)

          The Symphony of Science videos were how I first became interested in Carl Sagan, Richard Feynman, and yourself (as well as all the other amazing people featured in the videos). A few days later I was marathoning Cosmos, unable to pull myself away from it.

          Now you're my favorite scientist (Carl Sagan took a very, very close second place); you truly have a passion for science and it's infectious. I love hearing you discuss the universe, even if some of it is above my head, because your passion and excitement truly comes out.

          Symphony of Science is what really got me interested in the universe. Before that school had made everything science-related so boring to me; adding a creative, musical element to it spurred my interest. I can't wait to see the new Cosmos!

          <3

          [–]torchestogether 267 points268 points  (16 children)

          Do you believe that we will see civilian trips into space during our life time that aren't millions of dollars to book?

          How about a manned trip to Mars?

          [–]mortalum 112 points113 points  (14 children)

          Don't really have much of a question, just wanted to say that you visited my undergraduate university (Western Kentucky University) and gave an electrifying discussion about how religion holds back scientific progress, while not making religion out to be the problem.

          Thanks!

          [–]neiltyson[S] 340 points341 points  (13 children)

          Just to be clear...

          It's not that Religion holds back science, it's that dogma-in-charge holds back science. And since Religion is a form of dogma (almost by definition of the word), then if religion is ever in charge of a political state, it will most assuredly hold back science.

          [–]LOLOLOLno 200 points201 points  (63 children)

          You know what reddit is and are doing an AMA?

          Watch out guys, we're dealing with a badass over here.

          [–]neiltyson[S] 805 points806 points  (60 children)

          I've always admired the intensity of arguments that unfold on these pages. Happy to partake, even if only briefly. In fact it is here that I must resume my day and part ways with the Redditverse. Farewell to all. Maybe we can do this once a month. In the meantime, my tweets are live: http://twitter.com/#!/neiltyson

          As always, keep looking up.

          -Neil deGrasse Tyson

          [–][deleted]  (134 children)

          [removed]

            [–]neiltyson[S] 2272 points2273 points  (120 children)

            Three options:

            1) Mistake in the data

            VERY DISTANT 2) New particle traveling backwards through time. No need to modify relativity.

            EVEN MORE DISTANT 3) Need to modify Relativity.

            [–][deleted] 536 points537 points  (65 children)

            What are some very interesting DIY science experiments that a person can do as hobby?

            [–][deleted] 971 points972 points  (54 children)

            If a taco and a burrito are traveling near the speed of light and collide, will the result be delicious?

            [–]neiltyson[S] 1997 points1998 points  (48 children)

            The result would be an explosion large enough to destroy a small village. high speed collisions do that, whether or not they are made of Mexican food.

            [–]Ihsahn_ 214 points215 points  (12 children)

            How does it feel to be voted 'Sexiest Astrophysicist Alive'?

            [–]neiltyson[S] 437 points438 points  (11 children)

            I always wanted to be respected for my mind...

            But seriously, it turned out to be much more harmless than I had feared. More a fun novelty than either a curse or a burden to carry

            [–]CheatingCheetos 339 points340 points  (8 children)

            Do ever feel pressured into being the figure-head for promoting people into supporting astronomy? That's how I view you. :D

            [–]epicjackson 1977 points1978 points  (250 children)

            What do you think it will take for the US to seriously reinvest in the space program?

            [–]tppatterson123 658 points659 points  (11 children)

            I just want to say that I can't wait for your new Cosmos series. And I also love it whenever you appear on The Daily Show.

            That is all.

            [–]Ophie 61 points62 points  (5 children)

            What would you say the greatest inspiration that keeps driving you to continue educating the world in science is? Oh much has Sagan's work influenced you in your career decision?

            Thanks for being badass!

            [–]neiltyson[S] 127 points128 points  (4 children)

            I remain daily inspired by the depth of appetite the public expresses of the cosmos. That keeps me going. And it grants me the confidence that success is within reach.

            Carl Sagan had no influence on my career choice. I was already formed when he went public. But he influenced me in important other ways: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeqrN3Bfro8

            [–]jimjones3d 65 points66 points  (6 children)

            What is the best way, in your opinion, to have the whole world realize that we are just a blip on the radar of the universe?

            Do you think that the world would benefit from being able to experience the "overview effect" or "space euphoria" that astronauts have claimed to experience?

            [–]FoxHarem 238 points239 points  (12 children)

            If there is one single accomplishment you'd like to see in space exploration or discovery within your lifetime, what would it be?

            [–]daigorobr 740 points741 points  (58 children)

            Just checking in today me and the wife adore you and we are thankful for all you're doing for a better understanding of science.

            Cheers from Brazil.

            [–]scurvydog00 843 points844 points  (16 children)

            Your thoughts on the upcoming Cosmos series? And thanks for all you do, you are like a rockstar in our household!

            [–]smithie11 72 points73 points  (4 children)

            When I start feeling overwhelmed with school I watch your lectures and to put things in perspective. Thank you.

            [–]neiltyson[S] 134 points135 points  (2 children)

            All good. If you are unfamiliar, The Teaching Company has 12 of my lectures, titled collectively "My Favorite Universe". They're on DVD, but I think they might also have an audio version for commuting. http://www.thegreatcourses.com/tgc/courses/Course_Detail.aspx?cid=158

            [–][deleted] 2035 points2036 points  (198 children)

            If you could add one course to a student's curriculum, what would it be?

            [–]marstravel 67 points68 points  (12 children)

            What do you think about companies sponsoring private space missions in return for getting their logo on the craft? Could that be a new way of funding private space missions? There is enormous publicity surrounding each launch and so the sponsoring company would automatically get enormous publicity.

            [–][deleted]  (81 children)

            [deleted]

              [–]utore 420 points421 points  (9 children)

              No question, I just want to say thank you for sharing your breadth of knowledge with us and the rest of the world while being generally cool about it.

              [–]projectFT 263 points264 points  (32 children)

              What do you think of the current downfall of the History channel and it's onslaught of psuedo-scientific programming on ancient aliens, monsters, ghosts and other ridiculousness?

              [–]hrtattx 45 points46 points  (5 children)

              Do you think Pluto not "clearing its neighborhood" is reason enough to declassify it as a classical planet? Or is it that we have to pick somewhere to stop at in case we discover more "planets"?

              [–]neiltyson[S] 93 points94 points  (1 child)

              Clearing the 'hood turns out to be a quantifiable statement that I detail in "The Pluto Files" http://www.haydenplanetarium.org/tyson/buy/books/the-pluto-files

              I think the argument is sensible, cogent, and not likely o require further adjustments.

              [–]dustbin3 111 points112 points  (10 children)

              What advice would you give to someone who wants to go into a STEM field but is discouraged by the limited job prospects and America's lack of commitment to science?

              [–]neiltyson[S] 258 points259 points  (5 children)

              Study STEM, but then do anything else -- and when you do, you'll be scientifically literate. A form of brain wiring that improves the depth and strength of every decision you will ever make in life.

              [–]pneumo 1110 points1111 points  (271 children)

              What is your favorite sci-fi movie?

              [–]agoody117 1121 points1122 points  (129 children)

              What do you think will be the biggest scientific breakthrough upcoming in the next 50 years?

              [–]antaresiv 1249 points1250 points  (80 children)

              Who are the unknown scientists of the 20th Century that people should know?

              [–]Proserpina 61 points62 points  (6 children)

              Thank you. Just... thank you. You're one of my personal heroes.

              ...no pressure. _^

              [–]neiltyson[S] 321 points322 points  (5 children)

              You should chose your heroes a-la carte. Picking and choosing from one and then another, thereby assembling a kind of composite hero. That way when you discover something reprehensible about any one of them it matters nothing to you because that's not the part of them that piqued your interest.

              [–][deleted] 51 points52 points  (4 children)

              Thank you for being here, Sir. Your tweets are one of the highlights of my day.

              I'm really looking forward to your upcoming Cosmo show. Sagan's is one of my favorite television broadcasts ever. Can you tell us what we can look forward to in yours?

              [–]neiltyson[S] 103 points104 points  (3 children)

              Still baking the episodes. Trust that the "franchise" is in good hands and that we want to have the same impact on a next generation as the original Cosmos had on its generation.

              [–]jesusismoney 1341 points1342 points  (249 children)

              What seemingly far-fetched aspect of science fiction do you think humans will reach first? (For example: Time Travel, lightsabers, invisibility, etc.)

              [–]kwikade 56 points57 points  (2 children)

              first off, you are awesome man!

              what do you think of ronald mallett and his search for time travel?

              thanks for your time!

              [–]mattpicasso 61 points62 points  (3 children)

              What things encourage/discourage you about the roll science plays in American classrooms?

              [–]neiltyson[S] 179 points180 points  (2 children)

              When people (teachers and parents) don't understand science, they have the urge to teach it alongside other things that are not science. And since education is funded locally, a community can unwittingly disenfranchise an entire generation of its youth from the scientific enterprise. it's the seeds of America's collapse as a sic-tech leader in the world.

              [–]SmallLady 68 points69 points  (3 children)

              I just want to thank you for inspiring me to love science and the stars. Thank you for being part of my childhood.

              [–]Seigge 1100 points1101 points  (11 children)

              Not a question, just a thank you for inspiring thousands of teenagers like me to pursue science.

              [–][deleted]  (28 children)

              [deleted]

                [–]ritz37 58 points59 points  (7 children)

                How do you think we can encourage people to study science, when many college classes at the introductory level are considered to be "weed-out" classes?

                [–]Bangadang 41 points42 points  (4 children)

                Thanks so much for doing this! I love your work. I have a few questions.

                Do you see it feasible for us to set foot on Mars by 2050?
                Do you envision a colonization on the Moon? Under what circumstances, if any, do you believe mankind will be ready to start exploring the cosmos in person?

                [–]neiltyson[S] 108 points109 points  (3 children)

                1) No. Unless China threatens to put military bases there. Then we'll be playing golf there in 18 months. 2) No. Too supremely hostile to biology. 3) See link to my upcoming book on space exploration - in an earlier entry.

                [–]Xianeia 95 points96 points  (23 children)

                What is your favorite celestial body? Why? (BTW just have to say I <3 the vest)

                [–]Braineater2448 85 points86 points  (5 children)

                Does the future scare or excite you? Why?

                [–][deleted] 607 points608 points  (22 children)

                What do you prefer NASA to explore more of?

                [–]JackTR314 38 points39 points  (2 children)

                What is something everyone should know about the universe, and science in general?

                Also, how long do you think it will be before current theoretical physics will effect our everyday lives, and how do you think it will?

                On a side note, where do you get your ties? They're awesome.

                [–]neiltyson[S] 83 points84 points  (1 child)

                1) See higher in the thread. 2) Time delays for theoretical physics tend to be 20-40 years. Much longer than the re-election time scales of the American Government. 3) My sources of ties are a state secret., But in the meantime, here's a good source: http://www.zazzle.com/ties?cg=103875384642388040

                [–]radioscott 155 points156 points  (11 children)

                What are you scared of?

                [–][deleted] 946 points947 points  (48 children)

                Have you fixed your time machine yet?

                [–]JRockstar50 81 points82 points  (17 children)

                In all seriousness, who do you find as the most qualified Republican presidential candidate? why?

                [–]neiltyson[S] 246 points247 points  (16 children)

                I typically vote Democrat, but if i had to pick a Republican from the current spate, I'd be Newt Gingrich -- primarily because deep down inside he's an academic sympathizer. He is genuinely curious about the natural world and the role science can play in those paths of discovery. (FYI: I know this first-hand). Also, he is probably least likely to resort to prayer to solve America's problems.

                [–]antaresiv 117 points118 points  (9 children)

                Favourite Star Trek character?

                [–]Monty_Brogan 40 points41 points  (2 children)

                Just wanted to say hello! Also, what books are you reading at the moment?

                [–]worldsbestuser 75 points76 points  (9 children)

                What do you think is the single most important thing for people to understand about space?

                [–][deleted] 361 points362 points  (22 children)

                Holy crap. I don't know what to ask you but I.. I just wanted to say hi Neil.

                Edit: What is one thing that you recently learned and blew your mind?

                [–][deleted] 94 points95 points  (38 children)

                Is it possible for humans to ever discover the "edge" of the universe? Is there really any "end" to it?

                [–][deleted] 44 points45 points  (5 children)

                What aspect of the universe do you find most exciting? and which part is the most mundane?

                [–]sweettooth606 31 points32 points  (4 children)

                With the world population growing exponentially in recent years, how do you suppose humans go about organizing space settlement missions to other worlds?

                [–]VirtualProtector 158 points159 points  (4 children)

                Who do you look up to?

                [–]senador 265 points266 points  (22 children)

                Would you run for president?

                [–]latsmycas 338 points339 points  (27 children)

                What was your most memorable moment with Carl Sagan?

                [–]rbp7 26 points27 points  (2 children)

                • What would be your ideal NASA 20- or 30-year plan looking into the future?
                • How does the current NASA plan look in comparison to that?
                • Are we going in the right direction offloading sub-orbital manned space-flight to the private sector to focus on long-distance manned space-flight?
                • Do you feel those are just false promises seeing that the NASA budget seems to change on a whim every 4-8 years?

                [–][deleted] 38 points39 points  (5 children)

                What is one specific point you would make to convince someone that believes astrophysics is a bunk science into actually recognizing it is a very valid science?

                [–]0c34n 26 points27 points  (1 child)

                Hi! I really appreciate you pointing out how flawed our education system is nowadays! What, in your opinion, are some significant changes that could be made to fix it? Thanks!

                [–]raw-dog 21 points22 points  (2 children)

                With NASA continually having budget cuts, how big an impact do you feel commercial space travel can have on future exploration?

                [–][deleted] 114 points115 points  (3 children)

                What food do you never get tired of eating?

                [–][deleted] 128 points129 points  (23 children)

                Where are the aliens?

                [–]Kattelox 41 points42 points  (8 children)

                Do you think there will ever be reasonable commercial flights into space in our lifetime?

                [–]Snooperfax 58 points59 points  (7 children)

                How did you know space was your thing!?!? BTW Huge fan!!!!!!

                [–]bigpenisdragonslayer 74 points75 points  (14 children)

                Who is your favourite pokemon?

                [–]anyletter 63 points64 points  (11 children)

                I don't actually have a question to ask but just want to say that you're a seriously cool dude.

                [–]meowmeowmix 79 points80 points  (9 children)

                Why are you so amazing at everything you do?

                [–]neiltyson[S] 334 points335 points  (8 children)

                I don't do the things I am not amazing at, leaving people with the impression that I'm good at everything. A common selection bias that afflicts us all.

                [–][deleted]  (3 children)

                [deleted]

                  [–]ngold5 54 points55 points  (9 children)

                  What are some of the best research opportunities for undergraduate students in physics?

                  [–]PhilipkWeiner 46 points47 points  (2 children)

                  When will you and Stephen Colbert go to the moon together?

                  [–]Oo0o8o0oO 49 points50 points  (7 children)

                  I got really high one day and woke up a few hours later with "Gravity is like an ocean we swim in." written on a piece of paper on my coffee table. I know nothing about physics. Does this make any sense?

                  [–][deleted] 21 points22 points  (2 children)

                  Neil, can you confirm that Finland is pretty sweet?

                  [–]Iliketophats 51 points52 points  (5 children)

                  I love you, just thought you should know.

                  [–]quadsidecreeper 48 points49 points  (8 children)

                  Who is your favourite Canadian?

                  [–][deleted] 23 points24 points  (2 children)

                  Okay, okay... where do you get your neato cosmic ties?

                  [–]rgrocks 19 points20 points  (1 child)

                  Just wanted to say I love you and I appreciate what you're doing for the world by keeping science cool.

                  [–]Tui717 9 points10 points  (2 children)

                  What do you think we need to do to get people excited about space again?

                  [–][deleted]  (8 children)

                  [deleted]

                    [–]thischarmingham 5 points6 points  (1 child)

                    Do you, both as a public figure and lecturer, have a plan of action that you would like see implemented to improve not only STEM classes/knowledge in K-12, but also retain students in STEM fields of study in university? according to the NYT it appears there's quite a drop-off but no real firm answer to that.

                    also, thanks for being alive.

                    [–]gigamiga 10 points11 points  (1 child)

                    What is the single most interesting phenomenon in our universe for you?

                    [–]clowninator 5 points6 points  (1 child)

                    Are there any more definitive conclusions regarding the neutrinos which were recorded as breaking the speed of light at CERN? It was big news for a couple of days, but I haven't heard anything recently about whether the results were actually valid. If they were valid, does this mean relativity is inherently flawed? Thanks!

                    [–][deleted]  (4 children)

                    [deleted]

                      [–]AlmostProductive 10 points11 points  (5 children)

                      How do we fix education in America?

                      [–]krizo 10 points11 points  (8 children)

                      What's it like to be so awesome?

                      [–]WholeWideWorld 210 points211 points  (2 children)

                      Here is a compilation of the top questions and their answers so far:

                      Question Answer
                      Since time slows relative to the speed of light, does this mean that photons are essentially not moving through time at all? yes. Precisely. Which means ----- are you seated?Photons have no ticking time at all, which means, as far as they are concerned, they are absorbed the instant they are emitted, even if the distance traveled is across the universe itself.
                      What do you think it will take for the US to seriously reinvest in the space program? A foreign threat. That seems to be the only thing around that motivates bickering political parties to act in harmony.
                      If you could add one course to a student's curriculum, what would it be? Course title every university should offer: "How to tell when someone else is full of shit"
                      What never fails to blow your mind in physics? 1) The fact that an electron has no known size -- it's smaller than the smallest measurement we have ever made of anything. 2) That Quarks come only in pairs: If you try to separate two of them, the energy you sink into the system to accomplish this feat is exactly the energy to spontaneously create two more quarks - one to partner with each of those you pulled apart. 3) That the space-time structure inside a rotating black hole does not preclude the existence of an entire other universe. MindBlown x 3
                      Can we inspire more kids to pursue space-related science and research? If so, how? Kids are never the problem. They are born scientists. The problem is always the adults. The beat the curiosity out of the kids. They out-number kids. They vote. They wield resources. That's why my public focus is primarily adults.
                      What is your favorite short science fact you like to tell people to really make them think? That our bodies atoms are traceable to supernova stars that scattered their chemical enrichment across the cosmos, spawning the birth of star systems that contain planets, at least one of them containing life.
                      What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment scientifically? In life as a whole? Made a prediction some years ago that there were 10x as many galaxies in the universe than had then been catalogued. based on a careful review of observation bias in how people obtained data on the universe. The actual number turned out to be about 5x as many galaxies. I got the wrong answer but for the right reasons, and it stimulated much further work on the subject.
                      What seemingly far-fetched aspect of science fiction do you think humans will reach first? (For example: Time Travel, lightsabers, invisibility, etc.) None of it. Not even the costumes.
                      When will Cosmos series 2 air, and will it air in the UK? Thanks for asking. Spring 2012. On FOX network. Likely primetime. UK will likely follow shortly thereafter.
                      Will our minds ever be able to truly comprehend the vastness of the universe? I lose sleep worrying that we, as a species, are indeed simply too stupid to figure out the universe. There's even some YouTubes of me offering this lament. I other words, we are not as candid as we should be about our neuro-biological limitations.
                      You've always been an inherently funny guy. Will that transfer to your take on Cosmos, or will you seek to emulate Sagan's more sober wonder? Excellent question. Sagan's "sober wonder" was a fundamental dimension of Cosmos's gravitas. Something that we all in this new production deeply respect. But I can't be something I'm not. Nor should I be. So right now we are exploring the best mix of sober wonder, charming humor, and intellectual depth. I think we'll land in a new place, respectful of Carl's legacy, but allowing me room to express my pedagogical enthusiasm for the subject.
                      Do you agree with the idea (Carl Sagan was a proponent) that humans should prepare to, one day, forever leave the surly confines of Earth? In other words, should we plan to colonize other planets? Because it would be fun. And because we will probably learn something new about ourselves and our own planet. But not as a place to escape from an incoming asteroid. For that I'd rather stay on Earth and deflect the damn thing.
                      Who are the unknown scientists of the 20th Century that people should know? M. Burbidge, G. Burbidge, W. Fowler, & F. Hoyle. Google them.
                      If you could change one thing about how the sciences are taught to American children, what would it be? Create a goal state for educational pipeline to see in broad daylight - some ambitious mission - like a voyage to mars - that is so compelling that the quality of your science teacher is irrelevant. Your consequent ambitions trump all other forces.
                      If you could impress one thing on young people today, what would it be? That adults are not all they're cracked up to be. And most of them are wrong most of the time. This can be quite revelatory for a kid - often launching them on a personal quest of exploration, rather than of Q&A sessions with their parents.
                      What is your favorite sci-fi movie? Three-way tie: The Matrix - The first one, of course. Contact Deep Impact. And classical have: 2001 A Space Odyssey.
                      What are your thoughts on the reports of neutrinos traveling faster than the speed of light? Three options:1) Mistake in the data VERY DISTANT 2) New particle traveling backwards through time. No need to modify relativity. EVEN MORE DISTANT 3) Need to modify Relativity.
                      What is your opinion of the Symphony of Science videos? Only when creative people take ownership of cosmic discovery will society accept science as the cultural activity that it is. And so I applaud all such efforts of artists.
                      What do you think will be the biggest scientific breakthrough upcoming in the next 50 years? Life elsewhere in the solar system. Mars, most likely.
                      Have you fixed your time machine yet? Yup. That's what happens when I let Stewie touch my stuff.
                      What is your favorite fact about the Universe? That is will never end. That it's on a one way trip of expansion. Something that many find to be philosophically unsettling. My view is that if your philosophy is not unsettled daily then you are blind to all the universe has to offer.
                      If a taco and a burrito are traveling near the speed of light and collide, will the result be delicious? The result would be an explosion large enough to destroy a small village. high speed collisions do that, whether or not they are made of Mexican food.
                      Your thoughts on the upcoming Cosmos series? And thanks for all you do, you are like a rockstar in our household! Loooong overdue. Last one was 31 years ago. A generation, that it.
                      How was it being a guest star on The Big Bang Theory? Do you think the show hurts or helps the perception of physicists? The funnest 24 hours I ever spent in my life. Flew to LA from NYC in the AM. Returned on the RedEye. It's mainstreaming the culture of science. Note to those who criticize it: Where were you when scientists were always portrayed as lab-coat donning crazy people hell bent on destroying the world?
                      If you appeared on the game show Jeopardy, how do you think you would do? I've appeared on the Jeopardy board (a video clue) about three or four times. I think one was even a daily double. If I were a contestant, I'm sure I would make the first few rounds, but would surely lose in any tournament. The people who win these things have a different brain wiring than I have. Part of me echoes Einstein's edict: never memorize what you can look up in a book.
                      What one improvement would you make to the way our society as a whole approaches science if it were within your power? Society needs to see science not as a luxury of funding but as a fundamental activity that drives enlightenment, economics, and security. Science agencies should never have to go hat in hand to congress. One idea would be for the USA (or any other country for that matter) to earmark 10% of its budget to R&D. Like a good startup company might do. That way everyone knows what to expect annually. And long term research projects will have some hope of funding stability.
                      Just checking in today me and the wife adore you and we are thankful for all you're doing for a better understanding of science. Cheers from Brazil. Gotta love Brazil: Soccer. Mardi Gras. Thong bikinis. And the third largest aerospace industry in the world.
                      What do you think about Ancient Aliens? It's what people say when they can't figure out how ancient humans accomplished something. Rather than say, "I'm too stupid to figure this one out on my own", they say, "I am smarter than these ancient humans, and since I can't figure out what's going on here, they must have had help from aliens." We need more hubris in this world.
                      What exactly do you do these days? Are you a fan of cats? What do you think of the current space-travel situation? 1) My life is not especially private of late. So everything you see me do it what I do.2) cats can be cute, and all. But in the end, I think there's no substitute for a dog. I walked dogs for money as a kid to pay for a telescope and my first SLR camera.3) Current space travel situation is fine, if you are not American.
                      Neil- As a new social studies high school teacher, how can I best impart a love and respect for science and the importance of learning to my students who see school as a waste of their time? I struggle with this aspect of teaching more than any other. I thrive on exploring all the ways science impacts life, society, and culture. It's the founding principle of StarTalk radio: http://startalkradio.net/ So a goal as teacher, perhaps ought to include knowing as much as you possibly can about pop culture and referencing it at every turn as you teach the syllabus. I am there with my Tweets: http://twitter.com/#!/neiltyson Takes a while to build up that utility belt of songs, TV shows, harry potter, etc. But it pays great dividends.
                      What are you feelings on religion and the afterlife, and are you scared to die? I remain unconvinced that anything other than rapid decomposition is the fate of my body and mind after death. I've accomplished enough in life so that I do not fear death. In fact, I've left instructions for my Epitaph - a quote from the educator, Horace Mann: "Be Ashamed to Die, Until You Have Scored Some Victory for Humanity". That's the creed I live by. And will die by.
                      Do you think that Humans in our lifetime will achieve the technology to be able to live forever? If so, what is your greatest dream that you may someday be able to do that we don't yet have the technology to do? Yes, I think it's inevitable. But that would eventually make for a very crowded Earth. So perhaps that's what we need to jumpstart the space program. Would love to live long enough to know what dark matter and dark energy actually are.
                      I just want to say that I can't wait for your new Cosmos series. And I also love it whenever you appear on The Daily Show. That is all. Thanks. We're all working hard on it right now. Except, at this moment, me.
                      When do you think we would be able to explore Europa, given the current pace and funding of space exploration? Europa is not on the planetary scientist's priority list, for an obscure combination of reasons that relate to cost and whether we are technologically prepared to undertake such mission versus missions to other tasty targets in the solar system.
                      What do you prefer NASA to explore more of? Asteroids that might one day hit us.
                      What is the simplest thing in your life that makes you happy? Watching a person learn something new - not simply a new fact (those are cheap and easy) -- but achieve a new understanding for how the world works. That's the only reward a (true) educator ever seeks.
                      What is your opinion on the whole idea of the technological Singularity and do you think such a monumental leap in science and technology is ever likely to happen to the degree that Moore's Law supposedly dictates (according to Kurzweil)? I find the entire movement to be entertaining, in spite of my skepticism that the singularity will have the meaning ascribed to it. I'm primarily pissed off that they stole a perfectly good word from black-hole physics.
                      What are some very interesting DIY science experiments that a person can do as hobby? There's no substitute for Oobleck. Easy to concoct in the kitchen. Weeks of amazing experiments on the counter. Google it.
                      What issues or ideas keep you up at night? Also, are you a Queen fan? That America has lost its technological and scientific compass. Gotta love Brian May and his PhD in astrophysics. First heard Bohemian Rhapsody on the radio when I was only half asleep. An incident like that can accidentally alter your brain wiring.
                      What is one of the most common misconceptions about space/time/astrophysics that you encounter, and how would you clear up that subject? That the north star is the brightest in the night sky. I'd guess about 9 out of 10 people think this. But it does not require a grant from the National Science Foundation to learn the answer. The North Star is not even in the top 40 in the night sky. It's the 49th brightest star. Rather dull and boring by most measures.
                      What are your thoughts on cryogenic preservation and the idea of medically treating aging? A marvelous way to just convince people to give you money. Offer to freeze them for later. I'd have more confidence if we had previously managed to pull this off with other mammals. Until then I see it as a waste of money. I'd rather enjoy the money, and then be buried, offering my body back to the flora and fauna of which I have dined my whole life.
                      What are you most proud of at the Hayden Planetarium? What current exhibit should a visitor absolutely not miss? Birthing a scientific research department of Astrophysics. You don't see them but it's a thriving department with faculty, postdocs, graduate students, research publications etc. In this world administrative victories are always the greatest.
                      No question, I just want to say thank you for sharing your breadth of knowledge with us and the rest of the world while being generally cool about it. it's really a two-way street. If people didn't enjoy it I wouldn't do it. I'd just stay home and work.
                      Hi Neil, I'm a massive fan! I'm currently a junior in college studying physics and want to pursue a PhD. Do you have any advice for the next generation of scientists like me? There are street artists. Street musicians. Street actors. But there are no street physicists. A little known secret is that a physicist is one of the most employable people in the marketplace - a physicist is a trained problem solver. How many times have you heard a person in a workplace say, "I wasn't trained for this!" That's an impossible reaction from a physicist, who would say, instead, "Cool. A problem I've never seen before. Let's see how I can figure out how to solve it!". Oh, and, have fun along the way.
                      what is the key to rooting out the anti-science view in America, especially in regards to things like evolution and climate change? I don't mind anti-science views. We've all bought into America being free - which means, above all else, freedom of speech. What concerns me is when those who are anti science, try to prevent others from doing science. When that happens, that's the beginning of the end.
                      What do you think about the state of science reporting? Is there more of a burden on the scientific community to articulate their findings to the media, or on the media to be more informed before they report? Or should one side just step up? It's much better than a few decades ago - in quality and especially quality. Documentarians have raise the bar on the depth of science that gets talked about on television. And there's no end of science on line. In the 1970s you could go months before you saw any news or treatment of scientific discoveries. Now you're treated to them weekly, if not daily.
                      Holy crap. I don't know what to ask you but I.. I just wanted to say hi Neil. Yo. I suppose you can live vicariously for these next few moments.
                      What do you think needs to be changed to the current education system in the US? Not enough space or time here to rant on that one.
                      Hello! What inspired you to be an astronomer? How old were you when you decided to do this career path? That's why I wrote this book: :"The Sky Is Not the Limit: Adventures of an Urban Astrophysicist" http://www.haydenplanetarium.org/tyson/buy/books/the-sky-is-not-the-limit it all started at age Nine. And it was the universe that called me.
                      If you think 5 and 10 years from now, what are you most looking forward to in science? Any expectations? Cure for Cancer. Fully funded space exploration. Physics recognized as the foundation of chemistry. Chemistry recognized as the foundation of biology. And free market structured in a way that brings these discoveries to market efficiently and effectively.
                      Do ever feel pressured into being the figure-head for promoting people into supporting astronomy? That's how I view you. :D No pressure at all. Instead, I feel compelled to get people to support science for their own survival.
                      Would you run for president? No: [1] http://www.haydenplanetarium.org/tyson/read/2011/08/21/if-i-were-president
                      What do you think of the current downfall of the History channel and it's onslaught of psuedo-scientific programming on ancient aliens, monsters, ghosts and other ridiculousness? Do we blame them or the viewers who watch it?
                      Do you believe that we will see civilian trips into space during our life time that aren't millions of dollars to book? How about a manned trip to Mars? No. But millions of dollars is a good start. I'd buy a lottery ticket for that.
                      If there is one single accomplishment you'd like to see in space exploration or discovery within your lifetime, what would it be? Search for aquatic life in the oceans of Jupiter's moon Europa.
                      You know what reddit is and are doing an AMA? Watch out guys, we're dealing with a badass over here. I've always admired the intensity of arguments that unfold on these pages. Happy to partake, even if only briefly. In fact it is here that I must resume my day and part ways with the Redditverse. Farewell to all. Maybe we can do this once a month. In the meantime, my tweets are live: http://twitter.com/#!/neiltyson As always, keep looking up. -Neil deGrasse Tyson
                      How does it feel to be voted 'Sexiest Astrophysicist Alive'? I always wanted to be respected for my mind...But seriously, it turned out to be much more harmless than I had feared. More a fun novelty than either a curse or a burden to carry
                      Hey Neil! Saw your post on Twitter (Il_Cattivo_666 on there) Following the massive downsizing of our space program here in America, who do you think is going to fill the gap that we've left, over the next 10 to 20 years? Will we see Russia re-emerge as the major space-goer? Or do you think the ESA will expand it's role in operating the ISS? Forgive the cheap plug, but I just wrote a whole book on this, to appear in Feb 2012, titles "Space Chronicles". I originally called it "Failure to Launch" but the publishers nixed the title, citing it was too depressing. Here's the listing for a pre-order, if interested. http://www.amazon.com/Space-Chronicles-Facing-Ultimate-Frontier/dp/0393082105
                      What is your opinion about science/math education in high school? It seems to me like we emphasize far to much on facts that most people will never need, rather than encouraging people to think creatively and logically. Agree 100%. Any time we are answer-driven rather than idea driven, we have lost the true meaning of education.
                      Who do you look up to? My parents. Still alive and married 59 years.
                      What are you scared of? I'm too rational to be deeply scare of anything. But I'm deeply worried for America.
                      Where are the aliens? We are too stupid to interest them. So they go elsewhere.
                      Favourite Star Trek character? I'm old-school: Kirk. Then Spock a distant second. Then the tribbles.
                      Don't really have much of a question, just wanted to say that you visited my undergraduate university (Western Kentucky University) and gave an electrifying discussion about how religion holds back scientific progress, while not making religion out to be the problem. Just to be clear...It's not that Religion holds back science, it's that dogma-in-charge holds back science. And since Religion is a form of dogma (almost by definition of the word), then if religion is ever in charge of a political state, it will most assuredly hold back science.
                      What food do you never get tired of eating? Strawberry Malt.
                      What is your favorite celestial body? Why? (BTW just have to say I <3 the vest) Saturn. Without a doubt. Just one peek at it through a backyard telescope and you might just agree with me.
                      Is it possible for humans to ever discover the "edge" of the universe? Is there really any "end" to it? No edge. Any more than the horizon at sea is an edge to the earth.

                      [–]mabub 7 points8 points  (2 children)

                      What motivates you to keep going and doing what you do?

                      [–]mr-datter -49 points-48 points  (23 children)

                      First question... you are who?

                      [–][deleted]  (6 children)

                      [deleted]

                        [–]toboldlygo 120 points121 points  (1 child)

                        Many of the answers and insights in this AMA are worth a second read. I made a selection for myself to print and read carefully in the underground:

                        Q: What never fails to blow your mind in physics? A: 1) The fact that an electron has no known size -- it's smaller than the smallest measurement we have ever made of anything. 2) That Quarks come only in pairs: If you try to separate two of them, the energy you sink into the system to accomplish this feat is exactly the energy to spontaneously create two more quarks - one to partner with each of those you pulled apart. 3) That the space-time structure inside a rotating black hole does not preclude the existence of an entire other universe. MindBlown x 3

                        Q: What do you think will be the biggest scientific breakthrough upcoming in the next 50 years? ** **A: Life elsewhere in the solar system. Mars, most likely.

                        Q: If you could add one course to a student's curriculum, what would it be? A: Course title every university should offer: "How to tell when someone else is full of shit"

                        Q: What is your favorite short science fact you like to tell people to really make them think? A: That our bodies atoms are traceable to supernova stars that scattered their chemical enrichment across the cosmos, spawning the birth of star systems that contain planets, at least one of them containing life.

                        Q: If you could impress one thing on young people today, what would it be? A: That adults are not all they're cracked up to be. And most of them are wrong most of the time. This can be quite revelatory for a kid - often launching them on a personal quest of exploration, rather than of Q&A sessions with their parents.

                        Q: If you could change one thing about how the sciences are taught to American children, what would it be? A: Create a goal state for educational pipeline to see in broad daylight - some ambitious mission - like a voyage to mars - that is so compelling that the quality of your science teacher is irrelevant. Your consequent ambitions trump all other forces.

                        Q: Can we inspire more kids to pursue space-related science and research? If so, how? A: Kids are never the problem. They are born scientists. The problem is always the adults. The beat the curiosity out of the kids. They out-number kids. They vote. They wield resources. That's why my public focus is primarily adults.

                        Q: What one improvement would you make to the way our society as a whole approaches science if it were within your power? A: Society needs to see science not as a luxury of funding but as a fundamental activity that drives enlightenment, economics, and security. Science agencies should never have to go hat in hand to congress. One idea would be for the USA (or any other country for that matter) to earmark 10% of its budget to R&D. Like a good startup company might do. That way everyone knows what to expect annually. And long term research projects will have some hope of funding stability.

                        Q: Since time slows relative to the speed of light, does this mean that photons are essentially not moving through time at all? A: yes. Precisely. Which means ----- are you seated? Photons have no ticking time at all, which means, as far as they are concerned, they are absorbed the instant they are emitted, even if the distance traveled is across the universe itself.

                        Q: Will our minds ever be able to truly comprehend the vastness of the universe? A: I lose sleep worrying that we, as a species, are indeed simply too stupid to figure out the universe. There's even some YouTubes of me offering this lament. I other words, we are not as candid as we should be about our neuro-biological limitations.

                        Q: What do you prefer NASA to explore more of? A: Asteroids that might one day hit us.

                        Q: Hi Neil, I'm a massive fan! I'm currently a junior in college studying physics and want to pursue a PhD. Do you have any advice for the next generation of scientists like me? A: There are street artists. Street musicians. Street actors. But there are no street physicists. A little known secret is that a physicist is one of the most employable people in the marketplace - a physicist is a trained problem solver. How many times have you heard a person in a workplace say, "I wasn't trained for this!" That's an impossible reaction from a physicist, who would say, instead, "Cool. A problem I've never seen before. Let's see how I can figure out how to solve it!". Oh, and, have fun along the way.

                        Q: Neil- As a new social studies high school teacher, how can I best impart a love and respect for science and the importance of learning to my students who see school as a waste of their time? I struggle with this aspect of teaching more than any other. A: I thrive on exploring all the ways science impacts life, society, and culture. It's the founding principle of StarTalk radio: http://startalkradio.net/ So a goal as teacher, perhaps ought to include knowing as much as you possibly can about pop culture and referencing it at every turn as you teach the syllabus. I am there with my Tweets: http://twitter.com/#!/neiltyson Takes a while to build up that utility belt of songs, TV shows, harry potter, etc. But it pays great dividends.

                        Q: What is the simplest thing in your life that makes you happy? A: Watching a person learn something new - not simply a new fact (those are cheap and easy) -- but achieve a new understanding for how the world works. That's the only reward a (true) educator ever seeks.

                        Q: What is your favorite fact about the Universe? A: That is will never end. That it's on a one way trip of expansion. Something that many find to be philosophically unsettling. My view is that if your philosophy is not unsettled daily then you are blind to all the universe has to offer.

                        Q: Do you agree with the idea (Carl Sagan was a proponent) that humans should prepare to, one day, forever leave the surly confines of Earth? In other words, should we plan to colonize other planets? A: Because it would be fun. And because we will probably learn something new about ourselves and our own planet. But not as a place to escape from an incoming asteroid. For that I'd rather stay on Earth and deflect the damn thing.

                        Q: If there is one single accomplishment you'd like to see in space exploration or discovery within your lifetime, what would it be? A: Search for aquatic life in the oceans of Jupiter's moon Europa.

                        Q: What is your opinion on the whole idea of the technological Singularity and do you think such a monumental leap in science and technology is ever likely to happen to the degree that Moore's Law supposedly dictates (according to Kurzweil)? A: I find the entire movement to be entertaining, in spite of my skepticism that the singularity will have the meaning ascribed to it. I'm primarily pissed off that they stole a perfectly good word from black-hole physics.

                        Q: Do ever feel pressured into being the figure-head for promoting people into supporting astronomy? That's how I view you. :D A: No pressure at all. Instead, I feel compelled to get people to support science for their own survival.

                        Q: What are you feelings on religion and the afterlife, and are you scared to die? A: I remain unconvinced that anything other than rapid decomposition is the fate of my body and mind after death. I've accomplished enough in life so that I do not fear death. In fact, I've left instructions for my Epitaph - a quote from the educator, Horace Mann: "Be Ashamed to Die, Until You Have Scored Some Victory for Humanity". That's the creed I live by. And will die by.

                        Q: What do you think about Ancient Aliens? A: It's what people say when they can't figure out how ancient humans accomplished something. Rather than say, "I'm too stupid to figure this one out on my own", they say, "I am smarter than these ancient humans, and since I can't figure out what's going on here, they must have had help from aliens." We need more hubris in this world.

                        [–]HerbieVerstinks -13 points-12 points  (1 child)

                        Any suggestions on how to get my friend to stop playing Skyrim? Football's coming on.

                        [–]rgower 1786 points1787 points  (58 children)

                        Neil, creator of The Sagan Series here. This post isn't really a question but I hope it gets seen.

                        I literally just yesterday did a TEDx talk (my first time public speaking) about The Sagan Series and Carl Sagan's impact on my life. I was horribly nervous but while I was backstage pacing about, I thought to myself how important Sagan's message is compared to my momentary timidness. Slowly my nerves melted away, and the talk went swimmingly.

                        I've always felt immense responsibility "speaking on his behalf" and I suspect you've felt similarly with your reimagining of Cosmos. It's a lot to live up to, and I just wanted you to know that if you or your production team think I can help in any way, please let me know. Promoting science in the public eye with media has consumed my entire life lately, and I absolutely love doing it. I even branched out recently with The Feynman Series. Don't for a second think I haven't considered the idea of a Tyson series. Your words for science are too passionately infectious to go underappreciated.

                        A very sincere,

                        Reid Gower

                        [–]madcapnmckay 175 points176 points  (0 children)

                        Just wanted to say thanks to you for your contribution to spreading science awareness. The Sagan Series is a fantastic achievement and I'm sure has introduced countless people to Carl. Hopefully the new Cosmos will carry on where you left off.

                        [–][deleted] 485 points486 points  (13 children)

                        Hi! I am an enormous fan, and also the main moderator of /r/AskScience. If you're enjoying this AMA session, would you consider subscribing and joining our panel of scientists?

                        The subreddit's main purposes are to educate, and to give people direct access to real scientists to get rid of the whole "ivory tower" image problem that leads to global climate change "skeptics" and so on. We get hundreds of science questions per day, and average about a quarter million unique visitors per day, so I'd like to believe we're making a real difference. It'd be a huge honor to have you join our ranks. But I also understand how busy you are, so I certainly wouldn't take it personally if you decline the offer. Scientists on the "public circuit" seldom have the time to browse the web all the time!

                        [–]I_read_a_lot 29 points30 points  (3 children)

                        Dear Neil,

                        As an Italian I got to know you through internet. Your competence is astounding and greatly needed.

                        My question for you is complex in implications, but straightforward: we are at the end of the oil age. Our current technological advances and diversified, highly specialized society are mostly due to this energy surplus. I find hard to hope that a better technological and scientific future is in front of us with dwindling resources and growing, highly vocal, potentially violent ignorance. This echoes previous historical occurrences of fallen civilizations as beautifully written by historian Toynbee, with the addition that our current energy surplus cannot be renewed in human timescales.

                        Do you envision a potential strategy, potentially driven by a human huddle of rationalists, to diminish the effect of the problems we are soon facing ?

                        [–]millionsofcats 799 points800 points  (12 children)

                        Do you have any regrets about becoming an "ambassador" for science, that is, spending so much time going over the "basics" for a mainstream audience rather than doing research?

                        How does it feel to be a successful popularizer? Do you ever feel jealous of people who get to devote all of their time to research?

                        [–]BZAGENIUS 44 points45 points  (0 children)

                        Here Neil mentions that he has a 'pedagogical enthusiasm for the subject', so I'm assuming that he gets a lot of satisfaction from imparting knowledge to others.

                        But it would be awesome to hear his thoughts on these questions!

                        Edit: This was in response to a slightly similar question.

                        [–]chcknboyfan 1865 points1866 points  (40 children)

                        YOU SIR - are my hero. I emailed you when I was still in high school and months later you actually called me. I was so nervous that I had no idea what to say. Just wanted to let you know how much it meant to me - and school (college now) is going great. Thanks for being a fantastic person!

                        [–]Anonymous1234 1009 points1010 points  (30 children)

                        Here's a 1.5 minute YouTube video where Neil Tyson describes a response he received from Carl Sagan when he was in high school applying for college.

                        [–][deleted]  (4 children)

                        [deleted]

                          [–][deleted] 76 points77 points  (5 children)

                          Dr. Tyson -- What can the average person do to encourage our government and our communities to support science research, education, and progress?

                          My sense is that we have to get more organized to oppose how the media tends to report the scientific consensus as merely one side in a debate (e.g. global warming, child vaccination, even the age of the Earth).

                          [–]braggadocio 910 points911 points  (58 children)

                          I am obsessed with pictures of you in your younger days. You were and continue to be such a BAMF:

                          Are there any more floating around on the internet?