Neil deGrasse Tyson: Coolest Nerd Ever
Neil deGrasse Tyson, new host of Cosmos, the Fox and National Geographic joint venture showcasing all we know regarding space and science in general, has officially made science cool again. Tyson has managed to create major buzz around the subject that most of us despised in high school. His passion is infectious, his knowledge vast. He embraces social media, is a favorite guest of many late night shows including The Daily Show, Conan and The Colbert Report.
Cosmos is a reprise of the original series by the same name hosted by astrophysicist Carl Sagan which aired on PBS 1980 and remains the most widely watched program on the books for PBS. The 2014 version is being touted as the largest release of any show ever by National Geographic, appearing on 220 channels in 181 countries and in 45 languages. Neil deGrasse Tyson is now, without question, the face of science. Young viewers are eating him up too. Dr. Tyson has over 1.7 million Twitter followers and is very active on Twitter, bringing science to the masses by spoiling major movies such as 2013 Best Picture Academy Award nominee Gravity.
Tyson is a native New Yorker, growing up in the Bronx, attended public school and has held many positions in universities and museums across the U.S. His mother was a gerontologist and father a sociologist. Cosmos is not the first brush Dr. Tyson had with Carl Sagan. When he applied to Cornell, Sagan took special notice of Neil deGrasse Tyson, explaining in an interview, “Interestingly, when I applied to Cornell, my application dripped of my passion for the study and research of the Universe. Somehow the admissions office brought my application to the attention of the late Dr. Sagan, and he actually took the initiative and care to contact me. He was very inspirational and a most powerful influence. Dr. Sagan was as great as the universe, an effective mentor.”
Neil deGrasse Tyson has the population’s attention captured with his boisterous personality, his knowledge and his ability to communicate science in an eloquent and relatable fashion. He is funny, understands how to entertain his audience, and is one of the most important voices in science today. His passion is contagious and people are excited about the once dull subject of science. The entire universe is buzzing thanks to Neil deGrasse Tyson.
