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Neil deGrasse Tyson

Neil deGrasse Tyson Quotes

Astrophysicist

Neil deGrasse Tyson is an American astrophysicist, science communicator, and television personality. Born on October 5, 1958, he is renowned for his deep understanding of the cosmos and his ability to popularize scientific knowledge. Tyson grew up in New York City and earned a Ph.D. in astronomy from Columbia University. He served as the director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History and has been a member of various scientific committees.

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Famous Neil deGrasse Tyson Quotes

“There's a saying in the scientific community, that every great truth goes through three phases. First, people deny it. Second, they say that it conflicts with the Bible. Third, they say that they've known it all along.”

People Firsts Three Community Known Conflict Thirds Deny Phases

Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson

“Before we start talking about genetic differences, you gotta come up with a system where there's equal opportunity.”

Opportunity Differences Talking Equal Come Up Equal Opportunity

Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson

“On this day long ago, a child was born who, by age 30, would transform the world. Happy Birthday Isaac Newton b. Dec 25, 1642”

World Children Long Age Born This Day Long Ago Newton Isaac Age 30

Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson

“Today, scientists sound the alarm on other environmental dangers. Vested interests still hire their own scientists to confuse the issue. But in the end, nature, will not be fooled.”

Stills Ends Today Sound Interest Issues Danger Scientist Environmental Alarms Fooled Vested Interests

Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson

“If you want to assert a truth, first make sure it's not just an opinion that you desperately want to be true.”

Ifs Want Firsts Opinion Being True Relatable

Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson

“Not enough of our society is trained how to understand and interpret quantitative information. This activity is a centerpiece of science literacy to which we should all strive-the future health, wealth, and security of our democracy depend on it. Until that is achieved, we are at risk of making under-informed decisions that affect ourselves, our communities, our country, and even the world.”

“The universe is hilarious! Like, Venus is 900 degrees. I could tell you it melts lead. But that's not as fun as saying, 'You can cook a pizza on the windowsill in nine seconds.' And next time my fans eat pizza, they're thinking of Venus!”

Thinking Universe Next Fun Fans Degrees Nine Cooks Seconds Next Time Pizza Venus

Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson

“In life and in the universe it's always best to keep looking up.”

Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson

“You don't want to raise a kid in a culture where the kid who asks the most questions is annoying. You want a culture where the kid who asks the most questions gets awards and gets another piece of cake.”

Want Kids Culture Asks Pieces Raises Awards Cake Annoying

Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson

“The more of us that feel the universe, the better off we will be in this world.”

World Feels Universe This World Better Off

Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson

“Merry Christmas to all. A Pagan holiday (BC) becomes a Religious holiday (AD). Which then becomes a Shopping holiday (USA).”

Religious Usa Holiday Shopping Ads Merry Pagan Merry Christmas Religious Holiday

Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson

“Santa knows Physics: Of all colors, Red Light penetrates fog best. That's why Benny the Blue-nosed reindeer never got the gig.”

Knows Light Color Red Blue Physics Christmas Fog Santa Penetrate Gigs Red Lights Reindeer Color Red

Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson

“On some issues, I'm a staunch Conservative — like curtailing greenhouse gas emissions so that we can Conserve the environment.”

Issues Environment Conservative Gas Emissions Greenhouses Greenhouse Gases

Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson

“WhenIWasYourAge: People were never "living with their disease." We cured them. Or they died from it.”

People Disease Died Medical

Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson

“WhenIWasYourAge: It took a week to learn whether your photos came out okay.”

Week Photography Okay

Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson

“WhenIWasYourAge: We had to open all doors by ourselves. None of them knew we were coming.”

Technology Doors

Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson

“I don't want people to say, 'Something is true because Tyson says it is true.' That's not critical thinking.”

People Thinking Want Critical Critical Thinking Tyson

Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson

“All of the full moons for the entire year are special in that they have particular names.”

Years Names Special Particular Moon Full Moon

Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson

“In any city with lots of skyscrapers, lots of skyline, the moon seems bigger than it is. It's called the moon illusion.”

Seems Cities Moon Illusion Bigger Skyscraper Skylines

Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson

“For centuries, magicians have intuitively taken advantage of the inner workings of our brains.”

Brain Taken Century Advantage Magician Taken Advantage

Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson

“The history of exploration across nations and across time is not one where nations said, 'Let's explore because it's fun.' It was, 'Let's explore so that we can claim lands for our country, so that we can open up new trade routes; let's explore so we can become more powerful.'”

Said Country Fun Nations Powerful Land Claims Trade Our Country Exploration Routes

Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson

“If humans one day become extinct from a catastrophic collision, there would be no greater tragedy in the history of life in the universe. Not because we lacked the brain power to protect ourselves but because we lacked the foresight. The dominant species that replaces us in post-apocalyptic Earth just might wonder, as they gaze upon our mounted skeletons in their natural history museums, why large headed Homo sapiens fared no better than the proverbially peabrained dinosaurs.”

About the Author

Born: October 5, 1958
Known for: Astrophysicist
Quotes: 822

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Popular Topics

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Books & Sources

Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic QuandariesRelated source material

Astrophysics for People in a HurryRelated source material

The Sky is Not the Limit: Adventures of an Urban AstrophysicistRelated source material

Space Chronicles: Facing the Ultimate FrontierRelated source material

Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on CivilizationRelated source material

CosmosRelated source material

Letters from an AstrophysicistRelated source material

Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic EvolutionRelated source material

Astrophysics for Young People in a HurryRelated source material

Cosmic Queries: StarTalk's Guide to Who We Are, How We Got Here, and Where We're GoingRelated source material

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