Neil deGrasse Tyson is an American astrophysicist, cosmologist, author, and science communicator. Born on October 5, 1958, in New York City, Tyson has become one of the most well-known figures in popularizing science and making complex astrophysical concepts accessible to the general public.
He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics from Harvard University and his Doctor of Philosophy in Astrophysics from Columbia University. Tyson has held several positions in academia and research, including serving as the Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
Here are some notable quotes attributed to him:
- “The good thing about science is that it’s true whether or not you believe in it.”
- “The universe is under no obligation to make sense to you.”
- “In five billion years, the expansion of the universe will have progressed to the point where all other galaxies will have receded beyond detection. Indeed, they will be receding faster than the speed of light, so detection will be impossible. Future civilizations will discover science and all its laws, and never know about other galaxies or the cosmic background radiation. They will inevitably come to the wrong conclusion about the universe……We live in a special time, the only time, where we can observationally verify that we live in a special time.”
- “I am driven by two main philosophies: know more today about the world than I knew yesterday and lessen the suffering of others. You’d be surprised how far that gets you.”
- “The most astonishing thing about the universe is that we can comprehend it.”
- “The good thing about being a scientist or an astrophysicist is that when people ask you about the meaning of life, you don’t have to say 42.”
- “The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition.”