Stephen Colbert Interviews Neil deGrasse Tyson at Montclair Kimberly Academy
Stephen Colbert Interviews Neil deGrasse Tyson at Montclair Kimberly Academy - 2010-Jan-29
Neil deGrasse Tyson: "If you think education is expensive, try the cost of ignorance.
Trust me on this one. I guarantee that stimulating curiosity is the best thing you can do for someone.
...And what I want is a level of science and cultural literacy... that will allow the public to be able to think beyond the election cycle. To think for themselves and say... 'this is a good investment.' How many times have you heard people say, 'if you're spending money up there, why do we have the problems down here? And asked, 'how much money are we spending up there?' Ask that question. And guess what [I'm going to say]? Six-tenth of your penny is spent on your tax dollar. Six-tenth pays for it all! If you need that money to solve these problems, you've got some other problems going on, OKAY? That's a whole 'nother problem with society. [audience applause] Sorry about that... I'm spitting up in here... [simmering down] Okay. So the greatest need.. the greatest need.. is to be able to have the foresight necessary to make investments on the frontier.. even if at the time that you make those investments you can not figure out how that might make you rich tomorrow.
Michael Faraday in 1840s... was the first one to pass a wire through a magnetic field. And it made a little meter move (that he hooked up to it). He did this, and this happened. That's kind of cool.. if you're nerdy. And so if you're a nerd, that's a cool thing. It induced a current through the wire. He showed his colleagues It looked just like curiosity, a toy. Showed it to authority [higher power]. 'So this is what we're funding? This toy?'
In response to this inquiry, he said, because they asked, 'of what value is this to the British empire? And to the King?' He said,
'I don't know what value it is today, but I know one day, you're going to tax it.'
And in fact, it is the foundation of how all electricity is made today. And it would take another 60 years before another concept would come into focus... though no one knew it at the time.
Stephen Colbert finished off the interview with an intriguing question:
Colbert: "Why is there something instead of nothing? [laughter] Ten words or less."
Tyson: "Just because...
Colbert: "Make it a haiku."
Tyson: "Words that make questions
May not be questions... At all."
Colbert: "I am well rebuked! Neil De Grasse Tyson, I am honored to have you here and it is an honor always to talk to you. Come on, ladies and gentlemen, get up for him - that's Tyson....... Thank you." *shakes hand & screen pans away behind the dark audience*
Watch the whole 1:24:42 long interview here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXh9RQCvxmg&feature=watch-vrec
I just picked out juiciest part of the video for you.
YOU'RE WELCOME!
Neil deGrasse Tyson: "If you think education is expensive, try the cost of ignorance.
Trust me on this one. I guarantee that stimulating curiosity is the best thing you can do for someone.
...And what I want is a level of science and cultural literacy... that will allow the public to be able to think beyond the election cycle. To think for themselves and say... 'this is a good investment.' How many times have you heard people say, 'if you're spending money up there, why do we have the problems down here? And asked, 'how much money are we spending up there?' Ask that question. And guess what [I'm going to say]? Six-tenth of your penny is spent on your tax dollar. Six-tenth pays for it all! If you need that money to solve these problems, you've got some other problems going on, OKAY? That's a whole 'nother problem with society. [audience applause] Sorry about that... I'm spitting up in here... [simmering down] Okay. So the greatest need.. the greatest need.. is to be able to have the foresight necessary to make investments on the frontier.. even if at the time that you make those investments you can not figure out how that might make you rich tomorrow.
Michael Faraday in 1840s... was the first one to pass a wire through a magnetic field. And it made a little meter move (that he hooked up to it). He did this, and this happened. That's kind of cool.. if you're nerdy. And so if you're a nerd, that's a cool thing. It induced a current through the wire. He showed his colleagues It looked just like curiosity, a toy. Showed it to authority [higher power]. 'So this is what we're funding? This toy?'
In response to this inquiry, he said, because they asked, 'of what value is this to the British empire? And to the King?' He said,
'I don't know what value it is today, but I know one day, you're going to tax it.'
And in fact, it is the foundation of how all electricity is made today. And it would take another 60 years before another concept would come into focus... though no one knew it at the time.
Stephen Colbert finished off the interview with an intriguing question:
Colbert: "Why is there something instead of nothing? [laughter] Ten words or less."
Tyson: "Just because...
Colbert: "Make it a haiku."
Tyson: "Words that make questions
May not be questions... At all."
Colbert: "I am well rebuked! Neil De Grasse Tyson, I am honored to have you here and it is an honor always to talk to you. Come on, ladies and gentlemen, get up for him - that's Tyson....... Thank you." *shakes hand & screen pans away behind the dark audience*
Watch the whole 1:24:42 long interview here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXh9RQCvxmg&feature=watch-vrec
I just picked out juiciest part of the video for you.
YOU'RE WELCOME!
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