Rationally Speaking #5 - Neil deGrasse Tyson and the Need for a Space Program
Rationally Speaking Podcast
New York City Skeptics
4.6 • 787 Ratings
🗓️ 28 March 2010
⏱️ 34 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson joins Massimo and Julia to discuss the need for a space program. Many scientists (and most people in the skeptic community) simply assume that funding outlets like NASA are a good idea. But, can scientists justify the enormous expense involved, not just in terms of their personal curiosity, but as a matter of tangible and intangible benefits to society at large? Should we go back to the Moon and establish a permanent base? Is it worth the expense and likely risk to human life to attempt a mission to Mars? What is a space station for, anyway?
Dr. Tyson is an astrophysicist by training and director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan. He is also the host of PBS's science NOW. His latest book is “The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America's Favorite Planet.”
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Rationally speaking is a presentation of New York City skeptics dedicated to promoting critical thinking, skeptical inquiry, and science education. |
| 0:22.4 | For more information, please visit us at NYCCEPTICS.org. |
| 0:35.3 | Welcome to Rationally Speaking. I am your host, Massimobile Uucci. And with me, as always, is Julia Galev, my co-host. Before we get into today's topic, for which we have a guest, very esteemed guest, I would like to make a special announcement, which is that New City Skeptics is hosting again an annual event called the Northeast Conference on Science and Skepticism. |
| 0:59.9 | The date for it is April 17. Last time, it was an awesome event with an all-day sequence of speakers and panel discussions. |
| 1:07.5 | It was very well attended. There were more than 400 people in New York for that |
| 1:11.5 | event. And if you're interested in participating in signing up for the event, the website is |
| 1:16.5 | N-E-S-S-S-S-C-O-N.org. All right, Julia, we got to this point. What are we talking about today? |
| 1:23.2 | Well, Basimo, we're honored today to have a very special guest in studio with us. |
| 1:29.9 | With us today is Neil deGrasse Tyson. |
| 1:34.1 | He's an astrophysicist and the director of the Hayden Planetarium. |
| 1:39.5 | Neil's joining us to talk about the status of the space program today. |
| 1:41.4 | What are its goals currently? |
| 1:46.5 | And what practical benefits does the space program have for our society? |
| 1:56.6 | And to the extent that it doesn't have practical benefits, what are the justifications for spending taxpayer money on it or on any other science without applied benefits? |
| 1:58.7 | Neil, welcome. |
| 1:59.8 | All right. Thank you. |
| 2:01.2 | So what do you think? Talk about all that. And more, thank you. So what do you think? You're expecting to talk about all that? |
| 2:02.7 | And more, in fact. |
| 2:04.7 | So really, as you know, this has been in the news for some time recently because of budget cuts to NASA and things and that sort. |
| 2:12.1 | So what would be your take? |
| 2:14.4 | If you were to talk to President Obama today and say, you know, you really do need to fund this thing and what will give your best pitch. |
| 2:19.8 | Well, let me remind some listeners or alert them perhaps for the first time what it is we're talking about. |
... |
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