LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY FIRST GUEST IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE
HAYDEN PLANETARIUM AT THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL
HISTORY, THE HOST OF "COSMOS," AND HE'S MY FAVORITE
ASTROPHYSICIST.
PLEASE WELCOME NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON!
s ♪ ♪ ♪
( APPLAUSE ) ( APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
>> THANK YOU.
BUT FIRST -- >> Stephen: NICE TO HAVE YOU
BACK.
>> FESS UP-- HOW MANY ASTROPHYSICISTS DO YOU KNOW IF
I'M YOUR FAVORITE?
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?
>> Stephen: I DON'T WANT TO KNOW ANY OTHERS, NEAL.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND.
I DON'T REMEMBER MY OLD GIRLFRIENDS.
I DON'T REMEMBER THE ASTROPHYSICISTS BEFORE I MET
YOU.
NEAL-- SPOILER ALERT-- YOU'RE A SCIENTIST.
>> INDEED.
>> Stephen: AND LEGALLY I AM REQUIRED TO ASK YOU YOUR
THOUGHTS ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS.
>> OH.
>> Stephen: AND I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE NOT A VIROLOGIST, YOU'RE
NOT AN IMMUNOLOGIST, YOU'RE NOT AN EPIDEMIOLOGIST, BUT I
SUSPECT-- >> I'M AN ASTROPHYSICIST, JIM.
>> Stephen: BUT I SUSPECT YOU HAVE AN OPINION?
>> A POINT OF VIEW, I WOULD SAY.
I'M BROADLY SCIENTIFICALLY LITERATE, BUT WHAT I WAS SAYING
OF THIS VIRUS, I THINK WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A MASSIVE
EXPERIMENT WORLDWIDE.
AND THAT IS -- >> Stephen: WE'RE THE GUINEA
PIGS?
>> MAYBE.
THE EXPERIMENT IS WILL PEOPLE LISTEN TO SCIENTISTS?
( LAUGHTER ) ( APPLAUSE )
IN THIS CASE, REFERRING TO MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS--
>> Stephen: SAY ANTHONY FAUCI.
>> FOR EXAMPLE.
ARE YOU WASHING YOUR HANDS?
AND ARE YOU TAKING THESE PRECAUTIONS?
THESE ARE WARNINGS OFFERED BY SCIENTIST S.
>> Stephen: FOR OUR OWN GOD.
>> FOR OUR OWN GOOD.
IT SEEMS TO ME IF WE ALL LISTENED AND ALL PAID
ATTENTION-- DON'T FREAK OUT.
DON'T LIVE-- A LIFE LIVED IN FEAR IS A LIFE HALF LIVED.
SO YOU DON'T WANT TO--
I'M JUST-- SO IT WOULD BE INTERESTING IF WE ALL PAID
ATTENTION TO WHAT SCIENTISTS SAY.
MAYBE THE CORONAVIRUS WILL JUST BLOW ON BY, WITH A MINIMUM OF
CASES.
AND THEN WE KICKED ITS ASS FOR OBEYING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF
STOIFTZ HOW TO MINIMIZE YOUR CHANCES OF GETTING IT.
THAT WOULD BE-- IT'S AN INTERESTING EXPERIMENT WE'RE IN
THE MIDDLE OF.
>> Stephen: I HOPE WE WIN?
( LAUGHTER )
I HOPE ACKNOWLEDGE KNOWLEDGE COMES OUT ON TOP.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: LAST WEEK IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT SCIENTISTS HAVE
JUST DISCOVERED, OBSERVED, THE LARGEST EXPLOSION SINCE THE BIG
BANG.
WHAT WAS IT?
WHERE WAS IT?
AND WHY WAS IT?
>> SO WE DIDN'T SEE THE EXPLOSION.
WE SAW THE HOLE-- THE GAPING HOLE LEFT OVER BY IT.
>> Stephen: SO THERE'S-- THERE'S A VOID, OR SOMETHING.
>> 14 MILLION LIGHT-YEARS AWAY IS A CLUSTER OF GALAXIES, AND
THE MEDIUM IN WHICH THESE GALAXIES MOVE, THERE'S A VERY
HOT GAS.
MOST CLUSTERS HAVE THIS HOT GAS.
YOU CAN DETECT IT ON XRAYS.
IT'S GLOWING SO HOT, YOU SEE IT ON EXPRAIZ.
THEY OBSERVE THIS GAS IN A GALAXY CLUSTER AND IT WAS A
GAPING HOLE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE MONSTER GALAXY IN THE
CENTER.
AND NO ONE UNDERSTOOD IT AT FIRST.
AND WE REALIZED SOME TIME IN THE PAST THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION FROM
THE BLACK HOLE IN THE CENTER OF THAT GALAXY AND BLEW OUT A HOLE
THROUGH THIS CLUSTER.
>> Stephen: HOW BIG ARE WE TALKING?
( LAUGHTER )
I UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ON SUPER-GALACTIC
SCALES, THE NUMBERS DON'T MEAN ANYTHING.
IT'S LIKE, "HOW MUCH MONEY DID MIKE BLOOMBERG WASTE?"
IT'S TOO BIG A NUMBER FOR US TO UNDERSTAND.
HOE BIG ARE WE TALKING HERE?
>> MANY, MANY DIAMETERS OF OUR ENTIRE GALAXY ACROSS THE HOLE
THAT CAME OUT OF THIS GALAXY CLUSTER.
BUT HERE'S A FUN POINT HERE.
YOU CAN ASK HOW BIG WAS THAT EXPLOSION?
AND IF NOTHING ELSE WAS EVER THAT BIG, THEN YOUR ADJECTIVES
ARE CHALLENGED BY THIS.
>> Stephen: WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
>> OKAY, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD HORSES, RIGHT?
>> Stephen: RIGHT, YEAH, YEAH.
>> HORSE AND BUGGY GLI UNDERSTAND WHAT A HORSE IS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO ACT IT OUT.
THE BIG THING WITH THE HOOVES.
>> SO THEN WE INVENTED CARS AND WE SAY, "HOW DO WE KNOW HOW
POWERFUL THE CAR ENGINE IS?" WE MEASURE IT IN HORSES, HORSE
POWER.
TO THIS DAY, NASA WILL STILL REPORT THE POWER OF ROCKETS IN
HORSE POWER.
WHICH IS COMPLETELY ABSURD.
BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW MANY HORSES YOU STRING TOGETHER, THEY
WILL NOT ELEVATE INTO SPACE, OKAY.
( LAUGHTER )
SENSE.
IT'S JUST-- THEY'RE NOT HORSES LINED UP INSIDE OF HERE.
THAT'S NOT HOW THAT -- >> Stephen: I GOT IT.
SO OTHER NEWS CLOSER TO HOME-- HOW FAR AWAY WAS THIS ONE, BY
THE WAY?
>> ABOUT 400 MILLION LIGHT-YEARS.
>> Stephen: SO A GOOD DISANCE.
>> SAFE AWAY.
>> Stephen: ALSO NEWS FROM OUR SOLAR SYSTEM-- WHICH I'M RATHER
EXCITED ABOUT-- THERE'S A MINI-MOON OUT THERE.
THE SECOND EVER DISORDER.
YOU DON'T LIKE THIS QUESTION.
WHY DON'T YOU LIKE THIS QUESTION?
>> IT'S A ROCK.
>> Stephen: IT'S A MINI-MOON.
>> THEY COULD HAVE CALLED IT A MINIROCK.
WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE ACCURATE.
>> Stephen: IT'S ORBITING US, RIGHT?
>> SO IS SPACE JUNK.
PLUS WE HAVE A WHOLE REAL MOON STILL VYING FOR OUR ATTENTION
AND WE PAY ATTENTION TO A ROCK THAT JUST HAPPENED TO WANDER BY.
>> Stephen: COME ON!
EVERYBODY'S LOOKING FOR A NEW MOON.
( APPLAUSE )
THE ORBITAL PATHWAYS IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM ARE SUCH THAT
OCCASIONALLY WE CAN CAPTURE A WAYWARD ROCK.
>> Stephen: THIS WAS DRIFTING BY AND GOT WHIPPED IN.
>> IN A TRAJECTORY THAT ENABLED IT-- MOST THAT GO BY GO BY
UNSCATHED BUT THIS ONE WE HAPPENED TO CAIRPT OF.
>> Stephen: WILL IT DEGRADE AND COME IN?
>> I'M NOT SURE.
I HAVEN'T STUDIED THE MECHANICS OF IT.
IT'S POSSIBLE, BUT I THINK UNLIKELY.
OF ALL THE THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT IN THE WORLD TODAY, DON'T WORRY
ABOUT THAT.
>> Stephen: I'M NOT WORRIED.
THERE'S ALSO SUPPOSE TO BE SOMETHING ABOUT THE SIZE OF
MOUNT EVEREST WHIPPING BY IN APRIL.
>> THAT WOULD BE BALD.
>> LIKE TWO AND A HALF MILES WIDE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
>> FIVE OR SIX MILES ACROSS.
THE DINOSAUR-- THE ASTEROID THAT TOOK OUT THE DINOSAURS WAS THE
SIZE OF MOUNT EVEREST, SO YOU DON'T WANT ONE OF THOSE COMING
DOWN.
>> Stephen: SO SHOULD I BE MAKE MIGHT GO PEACE WITH A GOD
WHO MAY OR MAY NOT BE THERE?
>> NO, THIS IS NOT GOING TO HIT US.
>> Stephen: HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS?
>> BECAUSE WE HAVE PHYSICS.
I'M NOT MAKING THIS UP.
>> Stephen: WHY DID I LEARN ABOUT THIS ROCK IF IT'S NOT
GOING TO HINT US.
>> IT'S CALLED A MASS.
>> Stephen: OKAY.
BUT THEY'RE TELLING ME THIS IS GOING TO COME--
>> IT'S CALLED "CLICK BAIT."
>> Stephen: THAT I UNDERSTAND.
THAT I UNDERSTAND.
( APPLAUSE )
THIS THING IS GOING TO COME BY-- IF IT WAS GOG HIT US ON APRIL
22, I'M LIKE WHY AM I PURELLING MY HANDS?
IT DOESN'T MATTER.
>> APRIL 22, EARTH DAY.
YOU WOULD HOPE IT WOULDN'T HIT ON-- TO ME THAT WOULD BE
EMBARRASSING.
HERE WE ARE TRYING TO PROTECT EARTH AND NATURE KILLS EARTH.
>> Stephen: THIS IS THE 50th, RIGHT?
>> A NICE ROUND YEAR FOR EARTH DAY.
>> Stephen: THIS 50th-- SEEING HOW WE'RE TREATING THE
EARTH, SHOULD WE CELEBRATE EARTH DAY OR JUST APOLOGIZE TO THE
EARTH THIS TIME AROUND?
>> WE SHOULD DO BOTH.
FIRST APOLOGIZE AND THEN TELL EARTH HOW YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE
THINGS BETTER.
THE FIRST EARTH DAY WAS IN 1970.
YOU KNOW WHY IT WAS 1970?
WHY WASN'T IT IN 1960 OR 1965 OR 1980?
>> Stephen: I HAVE A FEEL YO'RE ABOUT TO TELL ME.
>> WE'RE ACTIVELY GOING TO BE WALKING ON THE MOON BY 1970,
WITH THIS SPACECRAFT, THE SATURN 5.
ALL OF US DIDN'T MAKE IT TO THE MOON.
JUST A LITTLE UPPER PART WHERE THE ASTRONAUTS ARE.
YOU NEED THAT MUCH FUEL TO PULL THAT OFF.
SO THEN WE GO TO THE NOON EXPLORE THE MOON, AND WE TURN
AROUND AND DISCOVER EARTH FOR THE FIRST TIME.
>> Stephen: NONETHELESS ENTIRETY.
>> EARTH, EARTH.
( APPLAUSE )
TO BRING VISUAL AIDS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> I'M JUST SAYING, EARTH.
AND THERE IT WAS ALONE IN THE VACUUM DARK OF SPACE.
AND YOU SEE IT NOT AS THE SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSROOM GLOBE SHOWED
YOU.
THERE WERE NO COLOR-CODED COUNTRIES ON IT.
ALL YOU SAW WAS BLUE OCEANS AND DRY LAND AND CLOUDS.
AND AT THAT MOMENT, EVERYONE CHANGED.
EVERYBODY SAID, "OH, MY GOSH.
POLLUTION IS NOT JUST THIS RIVER BEHIND MY HOUSE OR THIS LAKE.
IT IS GLOBAL.
WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT EARTH AS A PLANET."
AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENED IN 1970?
EARTH DAY WAS FOUNDED.
THE-- THE-- THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY WAS VOTED
INTO-- INTO EXISTENCE.
BY THE WAY, BY A REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT.
AND WHAT ELSE HAPPENED?
OVER THOSE YEARS THAT WE WERE WALKING ON THE MOON, THROUGH
1973, LEADED GAS WAS BANNED.
WHAT ELSE HAPPENED?
THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION WAS
FOUNDED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE CLIMATE ON EARTH.
NO ONE BEFORE HAD THOUGHT OF CONNECTING THE OCEANS AND THE
CLOUDS BEFORE.
AND THEY'RE BOTH IN THE SAME TITLE OF THAT AGENCY.
A COMPREHENSIVE CLEAN AIR ACT, CLEAN WATER ACT-- ALL THAT
HAPPENED WHILE WE WERE GOING TO THE MOON.
AND PEOPLE ASK--
AND PEOPLE ASK, "WHY ARE WE GOING TO SPACE?"
YOU KNOW WHY YOU GO TO SPACE?
A COSMIC PERSPECTIVE CAN DESCEND UPON YOU IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU
ARE REALIGNED WITH YOUR OWN SURVIVAL AND THE SURVIVAL OF
OTHERS IN SUCH A WAY THAT MAYBE YOU'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING
ABOUT IT.
AND ON THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THAT, AND WE NEED TO KEEP
DOING IT.
( APPLAUSE )
CAN YOU-- NEIL... CAN YOU RUN FOR PRESIDENT?
WE HAVE TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK.
PLEASE STICK AROUND.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE MR. NEIL deGRASSE TYSON.
I'M SORRY, DOCTOR.