Neil DeGrasse Tyson turned 60 today. The date is serious, but not for this eternally smiling black astrophysicist who, with his charisma, instilled love for science in many people around the world. Tyson, whose speeches are more like scientific stand-ups, speaks about space, extraterrestrial civilizations, the Earth - intelligibly, understandably, ironically and at the same time philosophically. In honor of the anniversary, we present to you a selection of his best performances, after which you will no longer be able to look at the world as before.
1. Joe Rogan's podcast
This is the first of a 4-part Tyson podcast from John Rogan. In them, the scientist chatters with the presenter about all sorts of different things: talks about inter-space wars, discusses whether the microwave oven is harmful and why the discovery of America, and not porn, became the most significant event in the history of all mankind. You can find the rest of the parts in the recommendations.
2. Conversation of Neil Tyson and Richard Dawkins "Poetry of Science"
This conversation is more than a dialogue between two scientists. Not only is each of them unique in itself, and their views of the world at one time became something new and incredible for people, Dawkins and Tyson are talking about science not as a dry, clear and limited activity, but try to consider it in terms of aesthetics. Also, these people will tell why science is the only existing reality, and not one of several.
Promotional video:
3. Lecture "Life, Universe and 42"
In an hour and a half talk, Neil Tyson talks to SciCafe visitors at the American Museum of Natural History, which hosts the Isaac Asimov Scientific Debate every year. After hearing in the large hall, spectators can relax in a small restaurant, which is always packed. After all, there lectures continue. In this monologue, Tyson will talk about the Universe and antimatter, why the oil leak is dangerous, how religion affects progress, about interplanetary travel, ending all with a philosophical speech about the arrogance and limitations of people, because of which we are no more interesting to alien beings than to each of us - tapeworms.
4. Conversation with Larry King "Is our world real?"
In a conversation with a famous TV presenter, Tyson discusses the reality of our existence, whether people need to be afraid of artificial intelligence and what to do if this world is just a software simulation.
5. Interview on PBS
In this interview, Tyson answered viewers' questions about why Pluto is no longer a planet, spoke in detail about black holes, string theory, his relationship to Arthur Clarke and the world of science fiction. Neil DeGrasse explains all these seemingly complex things using simple examples from life, which makes science understandable to everyone who is interested in it.
6. Lecture "On the importance of fundamental science"
Here Tyson looks at science from a practical point of view, focusing on the issues of its financing. He talks about why it is important to invest in science, why the opinion of the common people that “all scientists are loafers, and money can be spent better” is erroneous, and how the predecessors of modern researchers achieved monetary investments in their activities.
7. Speech "We stopped dreaming"
A short motivational video not only for those who are engaged in science, but for everyone. Neil DeGrasse Tyson will talk about why the dream is the basis of any activity, how it pushed scientists in the last century, why they depend on a person's dream and what happened to it in our time.
Konstantin Zhidov