Tom and I enjoy watching The Colbert Show, even though it's not a regular event. However, we have happened to catch astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson more than once on the show and always watched with great interest. We recently had the chance to listen to Dr. Tyson on NPR's Science Friday and this afternoon, I purchased his new book, The Pluto Files.Neil deGrasse Tyson is the director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York City and recently demoted Pluto from planethood, much to the outrage of elementary students. His new book has several of those student letters, cartoons and scientific information regarding this decision. He has a wonderful way of explaining astrophysics in an eloquent manner without going over our head and with a great sense of humor to boot.
In my stalker mind, I somehow hope that he will be at the Planetarium during our NYC visit. I would love to stalk...er, meet him and have Ian meet him too. Considering how much Ian loves to discover and figure out things, I am hoping he will hurry and complete his current project which endeavors to help children become more science-literate. As a moderately literate science person, judging from the direction my son is headed, I will need all the science guides I can get.
He mentions in the NPR interview on how to expand on natural curiosity by doing things like giving kids a bunch of magnets and letting them play and discover. He has a ultra-violet light that they experiment with how different objects look under the light. Simple things, but as an adult with a limited science background, those ideas don't pop into my brain.
He also mentions how if adults could better informed about science and even math (here's where I get palpitations) that we would not be in half of the predicaments that we are in right now in the nation and world.
I really hope to have the chance to hear him speak someday.
Plus, I think his memoir title is perfect: The Sky's Not the Limit.
Enjoy listening to him on both Colbert and Daily Show and you can podcast Science Friday's interview on NPR.org. I hope you will enjoy him as much as we do.
Interview with Stephen Colbert
Interview with Jon Stewart
Rubik's Cube
8 comments:
NO!!! don't make me learn- just give me the pictures of those cute kids!!!! he he he Michael and I will never live that moment down!
It was a sad day when pluto got demoted- still makes me upset to think about that!
Interesting correlation (did you catch that math term!) about the knowledge of mathematics to the shape of the correlation- I'll have to ponder that thought some more :)
I would love to go to the Hayden planetarium when you guys are in NY. We went to the AMNH last August but didn't make it into the planetarium. You know, I wasn't surprised when Pluto got demoted. As a kid, I always wondered why it crossed Neptune's orbit.
oops I was too busy impressing myself with my use of big words I used it twice instead of writing a coherent sentence. -second "correlation" should of been "economy"
Magnets!
He is one of my favorite guests on both shows - and it's clear from the interviews that Colbert and Stewart enjoy him as well
He is so down to earth and so interesting, the guy of person who makes you wonder about things - a natural born teacher I think
I'd love to meet him!! The Planetarium and the Natural History Museum are great places to go!
He really is a great guest - entertaining and informative both. I caught his PBS show a couple of times and despite my resistance to learning found myself pulled in. I hope you get to AMNH and get to meet him when you go to NYC. That museum is a kid's (and adult's) paradise. Wish I still knew some people there and had the kind of pull that could get you a tour of the upstairs office areas, but alas I do not.
I hope you do get to meet him.
Ian is a very lucky little boy to have you two for parents.
Ok, you're all making me dizzy! I'm too tired to learn. I have a major headache and I work with Scientists! hehe
I hope he's there when you visit!
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