October 31, 2019 9:00 pm

Friday, Explore the Life of a Science Guy with Neil deGrasse Tyson and Bill Nye

How does one become the “Science Guy”? How did it all begin? And what’s the deal with those bow ties? On this episode of StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson sits down with his good friend and beloved science communicator Bill Nye the Science Guy. In-studio, Neil is joined by comic co-host Chuck Nice and science communicator Emily Calandrelli.

Now, as you might have guessed, Bill wasn’t always the “Science Guy”. You’ll learn about his early education and his background in mechanical engineering. Bill tells us how his father’s love of the night sky influenced his choice to first step into the realm of astronomy. Bill also shares his experiences from his first astronomy class… which was taught by Carl Sagan.

You’ll hear about Bill’s time spent working at Boeing developing aircraft such as the 747 and 737. We explore some of Bill’s patents: a throwing machine, a ballet slipper, and the “hydraulic pressure resonance suppressor” which is still used on 747s today. Discover how Bill’s signature bow tie look came into being. We look at the signature styles of other scientists. You’ll also learn about Ada Lace; a character Emily came up with that helps children become more involved in science.

Chuck explains why the theme song to Bill Nye’s original show might be the reason people remember it so fondly (besides it being a fantastic show). We discuss how to think “scientifically.” And Neil asks, is “Science Guy” a misnomer?

Bill tells us his favorite love story which just so happens to include the making of the atomic bomb. Biological anthropologist Dr. Helen Fisher drops in to help us explore the science of falling in love. We answer fan-submitted Cosmic Queries on love at first sight, the brain chemistry involved with love, and Bill asks his own question about love. Lastly, Bill gets us fired up about science and saving the future of humanity. All that, plus, we cap the night off with a mash-up of our favorite dispatches from Bill’s time on StarTalk TV.

Please join us tomorrow night for The Life of a Science Guy, with Bill Nye at 7pm ET right here on our website, as well as on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, SoundCloud, Spotify, Stitcher, and TuneIn. If you’re a StarTalk+ Patron or an All-Access subscriber, you can listen to this episode ad-free at 7pm, too.

That’s it for now. Keep Looking Up!
-Ian Mullen