January 13, 2016 8:28 pm

This Friday, Neil deGrasse Tyson Revisits the ’60s with David Crosby

When you think of David Crosby, what comes to mind?

Woodstock? Kent State? Richard Nixon? The Vietnam War? Free love? Getting high?

As a member of both The Byrds and Crosby, Stills and Nash (and eventually Young), he was an irreplaceable voice on the soundtrack of the Sixties, from Eight Miles High and Ohio and Wooden Ships to Our House and Teach Your Children and Love the One You’re With.

But did you know that Crosby was also a self-proclaimed science geek?

That as an unpopular, chubby teenager he was given a Robert Heinlein book by an attentive librarian and he never looked back?

“It took me by storm, right from the first one. I read everything he’s ever written. That led to Arthur C. Clarke, and Asimov, and the early big guys.”

And so, on this week’s episode of StarTalk, it’s no surprise that David Crosby and Neil deGrasse Tyson spend most of their time geeking out about science fiction, and science.

David vociferously challenges Neil to explain dark matter and dark energy, and in return vociferously expounds on his belief that “They Are Out There!” (Yes, I just used vociferously twice in the same sentence. Listen to the show, then come back here and tell me, am I lying?)

That’s not all there is to the episode, of course.

In studio, Neil reality checks the sixties with help from Dr. Thomas Sugrue, who teaches Social and Cultural Analysis and History at NYU, and co-host Chuck Nice, who just likes talking about sex, drugs and rock and roll. Actually, Bill Nye chimes in on those subjects too, especially the Sexual Revolution and the Pill, from one of the epicenters of the Sixties, Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village.

Join us for a little peace, love and understanding when Neil deGrasse Tyson talks about “Science and Social Justice” with David Crosby this Friday, January 15th at 7pm ET on our website, iTunes Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn and SoundCloud.

That’s it for now. Keep Looking Up!
–Jeffrey Simons