Quotessence
Home / Authors / Neil deGrasse Tyson
Neil deGrasse Tyson

Neil deGrasse Tyson Quotes

Astrophysicist

Filter quotes by topic

AllIfsPeopleUniverseScienceThinkingEarthKnowsWorldSpaceWant

Famous Neil deGrasse Tyson Quotes

“For all we know, the aliens have already done this and unwittingly concluded that there was no intelligent life on Earth. They would now be looking elsewhere. A more humbling possibility would be if aliens had become aware of the technologically proficient species that now inhabits Earth, yet they had drawn the same conclusion.”

IfsKnowsDoneWould BeEarthPossibilityIntelligentSpeciesConclusionAliensElsewhereHumblingIntelligent Life
Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson
Create image

“FM signals and those of broadcast television...travel out to space at the speed of light. Any eavesdropping alien civilization will know all about our TV programs (probably a bad thing), will hear all our FM music (probably a good thing), and know nothing of the politics of AM talk-show hosts (probably a safe thing).”

KnowsShowsLightSpaceTelevisionTvsCivilizationSafeProgramGood ThingsSpeedAliensBad ThingsHostSignalsTalk ShowsSpeed Of LightEavesdropping
Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson
Create image

“In any case, the leading edge of our "on purpose" radio signals is 30 light-years away and, if intercepted, may mend the aliens' image of us based on the radio bubble of our television shows. But this will happen only if the aliens can somehow determine which type of signal comes closer to the truth of who we are, and what our cosmic identity deserves to be.”

IfsYearsMayShowsLightHappensPurposeCasesIdentityTelevisionTypeDeserveEdgesDetermineRadioAliensWho We AreCosmicBubblesSignalsTelevision ShowsLight Years
Book:Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries
Create image

“In astrophysics, we care about how matter, motion and energy manifest in objects and phenomenon in the universe. Stars are born. They live out their lives. They die. Some of the ones that die explode. Our sun will not be one of those, but it will die. And it'll take Earth with us. So we make sure we have other destinations in mind when that happens. And I've got it on my calendar.”

MindMatterHappensCareEarthDiesUniverseEnergyStarsBornSunObjectsDestinationPhenomenonManifestCalendarsAstrophysics
Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson
Create image

“Anyone who has wrestled knows that it's the hardest thing in the world to do. Anyone who says something else is the hardest thing has never wrestled. That's what I have found. ... You don't wrestle because it's easy, you wrestle because it's hard. I don't do astrophysics because it's easy, I do it because it's hard. And I juxtapose the two in my mind, body, and soul all the time.”

KnowsWorldMindTwoSoulHardBodyFoundEasyHardestHardest ThingMind BodyAstrophysicsFound YouMind Body And Soul
Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson
Create image

“I think science has a better story to tell than anyone else has been able to tell and that's because it's based on the rigorous winnowing that science and scientists are always doing in order to find out what's really happening. I think it's really good to encourage generally our ability to tell stories and that's a great skill that we come by naturally, so I'm excited about that.”

ThinkingHas BeensStoriesAbleOrderAbilitySkillsHappeningsScientistExcited
Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson
Create image

“I'd go back and hang out with Isaac Newton. I'm torn between do I hang out with him or do I bring him into the present to hang out with me. See, that might be terrifying because his head will just explode once he sees everything that was derived from his discoveries, but I'd spend more time with someone who I think is one of the most brilliant minds our species has ever known.”

ThinkingMindMightKnownDiscoverySpeciesBrilliantHanging OutMore TimeTornNewtonIsaacBrilliant Minds
Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson
Create image

“The trend lines in research and innovation look good for places such as India and China and less good for America as we go forward. So even if you're not enchanted by the prospect of cosmic discovery, the prospect of dying poor may be what it takes to understand the role of this adventure in the future of the natural world in which we live.”

IfsWorldLooksMayAmericaNaturalLinesPoorRolesDyingAdventureResearchDiscoveryIndiaInnovationChinaTrendsCosmicNatural WorldEnchantedResearch And Innovation
Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson
Create image