Neil deGrasse Tyson is the new Carl Sagan, picking up that great man's mantle and continuing the fine work of making complex scientific issues accessible to schmoes like me who would otherwise have no idea what causes the phases of the moon or why Pluto isn't really a planet. (And he's just as hot! Va-va-voom!)
Mr. Tyson has written an article for Parade, Why America Needs to Explore Space -- I urge you to read it. If you don't think the space program is productive, if you think NASA is a big waste of money, or if you just don't have an opinion on the matter either way, please read what Mr. Tyson has to say. He does an excellent job of explaining two things: why NASA's budget is a drop in the bucket when it comes to our national budget, and why space exploration for its own sake is essential to the continued success and prosperity of our nation. And he says it far better than I ever could, so I'll shut up now. Go read the article already.
Found at Bad Astronomy.
8 comments:
I agree with the va-va-voom part, plus he manages to explain things in laymens terms without talking down to people.
I'll check that article out when I get a chance.
Va-va-voom?
I love him! He's such a great guest on the Daily Show/Colbert Report, and he explains astronomy so well that I actually understand it and find it interesting. Now if he could do the same for math....
Sounds interesting. Thanks!
Heather, va-va-voom means we think he's hot.
I know your aunts aren't supposed to notice these things, neither is Kelly's mother, but we're not dead yet.
Anyway, I did see him on the Daily Show the other week. I can see where you thought that he could be the next Carl Sagan. I was just happy that I could follow what he was saying. I love the part where Jon Stewart can't even think of a question to ask because he is having a great time listening to whatever he talks about.
I guess I have never really thought the space program was fruitful either....thanks for the different perspective.
Space exploration is very important many of the things you use today were developed for space before you could buy it in the market. Number one the computers that are small, GPS, and I know of a hundred pieces of equipment used in modern medicine that come directly from the space program. That great leap of knowledge in the fifties was not from space aliens but our attempt to get into space.
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