Neil deGrasse Tyson

Tyson says what he values about America's 250 years is not uninterrupted democracy but the absence of a king.

“So I proudly say as an American, 250 years without a king”

This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #683 - Neil deGrasse Tyson (Sep 16, 2026) · Listen from 18:31

Tyson argues that civilizational advances come from people who are not normal.

“every interesting thing that's ever happened in civilization was created or imagined or assembled by people who are not normal”

This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #683 - Neil deGrasse Tyson (Sep 16, 2026) · Listen from 2:09:40

Tyson estimates, based on his colleagues, that one in five or six scientists is on the autism spectrum.

“I would say one in six, one in five is on the spectrum in some way”

This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #683 - Neil deGrasse Tyson (Sep 16, 2026) · Listen from 1:40:59

Tyson argues UFO sighting reports are concentrated in English-speaking countries, making it largely an American phenomenon.

“I'm just saying this UFO thing is such an American phenomenon”

This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #683 - Neil deGrasse Tyson (Sep 16, 2026) · Listen from 1:53:30

Tyson argues the evil alien trope projects humanity's own history of conquest onto aliens.

“I think the evil alien concept is our own fears placed upon them in our storytelling. It's a mirror to how we know we would behave in that situation”

This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #683 - Neil deGrasse Tyson (Sep 16, 2026) · Listen from 22:00

Tyson credits Elon Musk with reducing the cost of access to space, chiefly by reusing rockets.

“What he has done through his efforts is reduce the cost of access to space”

This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #683 - Neil deGrasse Tyson (Sep 16, 2026) · Listen from 1:31:41

Tyson predicts the SpaceX launch site would transform southern Louisiana's economy, as rocketry did for Huntsville.

“So that would completely change the economy of southern Louisiana”

This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #683 - Neil deGrasse Tyson (Sep 16, 2026) · Listen from 31:27

Tyson warns orbital debris will worsen toward the Kessler effect threshold.

“So usually you don't hit any of it, but if this gets worse, which it will, there's something called a Kessler effect”

This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #683 - Neil deGrasse Tyson (Sep 16, 2026) · Listen from 1:18:26

Tyson states that SpaceX has launched about 80 percent of satellites orbiting Earth.

“80% of all satellites orbiting the Earth were launched by SpaceX”

This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #683 - Neil deGrasse Tyson (Sep 16, 2026) · Listen from 1:15:52

Tyson describes social media as an outrage engine that feeds tribal urges.

“And plus social media is an outrage engine. You go anywhere and it's like, hey, what are they doing? I hate that”

This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #683 - Neil deGrasse Tyson (Sep 16, 2026) · Listen from 18:57

Tyson argues that growing weapon power combined with persistent tribal feelings will likely not end well for humanity.

“as our weapons, the power of our weapons grow and we still have tribal feelings, it's gonna, I don't think it'll end well”

This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #683 - Neil deGrasse Tyson (Sep 16, 2026) · Listen from 15:31

Tyson predicts genetic engineering will make human traits customizable, which he hopes does not happen.

“who we are and what we look like might become boutique-y”

This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #683 - Neil deGrasse Tyson (Sep 16, 2026) · Listen from 2:09:08

Tyson notes that Russia, China, North Korea and Venezuela have not signed the Artemis Accords.

“You know who hasn't signed it? Russia, China, North Korea, and Venezuela”

This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #683 - Neil deGrasse Tyson (Sep 16, 2026) · Listen from 1:24:44

Tyson is skeptical that a treaty can produce peace in space when nations fail to achieve it on Earth.

“If you can go into space with all these countries and be peaceful and kind to one another, then go ahead and do that on Earth!”

This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #683 - Neil deGrasse Tyson (Sep 16, 2026) · Listen from 1:22:05

Tyson says he is disappointed NASA has not built rotating stations for artificial gravity.

“So NASA still hasn't gone there, even though all of science fiction has. So I'm very disappointed”

This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #683 - Neil deGrasse Tyson (Sep 16, 2026) · Listen from 1:08:03

Tyson credits vaccines, antibiotics and sanitation with doubling human life expectancy within decades.

“there are three things, vaccines, antibiotics, and sanitation. Those three things doubled our life expectancy within decades”

This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #683 - Neil deGrasse Tyson (Sep 16, 2026) · Listen from 51:58

Tyson defends celebrity spaceflights by comparing them to early aviation, which first carried famous and rich passengers.

“When planes were invented, the first people to go were famous and rich people”

This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #683 - Neil deGrasse Tyson (Sep 16, 2026) · Listen from 35:16

Tyson argues the human brain is more complex than the universe itself.

“the universe inside your head is surely more complex than the universe itself”

This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #683 - Neil deGrasse Tyson (Sep 16, 2026) · Listen from 5:05