Neil deGrasse Tyson is an American astrophysicist who hosted 'NOVA ScienceNow' and makes media appearances to encourage science and space exploration.

Who Is Neil degrasse Tyson?

One of America's best-known scientists, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has spent much of his career sharing his knowledge with others. He features a great talent for presenting complex concepts in a very clear and accessible manner.

After studying at Harvard University, he earned his doctorate from Columbia University in 1991. Tyson visited work for the Hayden Planetarium in 1996 before becoming its director. Additionally, he has served as host of NOVA ScienceNow and also the StarTalk Radio podcast. Tyson remains a preferred TV science expert today.

Early Life and Education

Born in big apple City on October 5, 1958, Tyson discovered his love for the celebrities at an early age. When he was nine, he took a visit to the Hayden Planetarium at the Museum of explanation where he got his first taste of star-gazing. Tyson later took classes at the Planetarium and got his own telescope. As an adolescent, he would watch the skies from the roof of his dwelling.

An excellent student, Tyson graduated from borough highschool of Science in 1976. He then earned a baccalaureate in Physics from Harvard and a doctorate in astrophysics from Columbia in 1991. After spending some years doing post-doctorate work on Princeton, Tyson landed employment at the Hayden Planetarium.

Director of the Hayden Planetarium

Tyson eventually became the director of the Hayden Planetarium and worked on an intensive renovation of the power, assisting with its design and helping raise the mandatory funds. The $210 million project was completed in 2000, and therefore the revamped site offered visitors a cutting-edge have a look at astronomy. one among Tyson's most controversial decisions at the time was the removal of Pluto from the display of planets. He classified Pluto as a dwarf planet, which invoked a powerful response from some visitors. While some asked for the world Pluto back, the International Astronomical Union followed Tyson's lead in 2006. The organization officially labeled Pluto as a dwarf planet.

Host of 'NOVA ScienceNow'

In addition to his work on the planetarium, Tyson has found other ways of improving the nation's scientific literacy. "One of my goals is to bring the universe all the way down to Earth in a very way that further excites the audience to need more," he once said. Tyson has taken his message to the airwaves, serving because the host of NOVA ScienceNow documentary series from 2006 to 2011. additionally to breaking down barriers between scientists and therefore the general public, Tyson has brought diversity to astrophysics. he's one in every of the few African Americans in his field.

Presidential Advisor to George Bush

Tyson has also served as a presidential advisor. In 2001, President George W. Bush appointed the astrophysicist to a commission on the long run of the aerospace industry. Tyson also served another commission three years later to look at U.S. policy on space exploration.

Celebrity Scientist & TV Appearances

These days, Tyson is one among the foremost in-demand science experts. He gives talks across the country and could be a media favorite whenever there's a very important science issue within the news. Tyson is thought for his ability to form difficult concepts accessible to each audience, his oratory skills and his sense of humor, which has led to appearances on such shows as Real Time with Bill Maher, The Colbert Report and also the Daily Show.

'StarTalk' Podcasts & TV

In 2009, Tyson began hosting the podcast StarTalk Radio, a science-based broadcast that features comedic co-hosts. Its success fueled the launch of a StarTalk program in 2015, further because the spinoff podcasts StarTalk All-Stars and StarTalk wiggling with Science.

'Cosmos'

In 2014, Tyson hosted and served because the executive editor of a 13-episode television series entitled Cosmos: A Space-Time Odyssey. The series rebooted the classic science documentary, Cosmos. the initial version featured Carl Sagan as host and provided a general audience with a greater understanding of the origin of life and our universe.

Books

Tyson has written several books for the final public, including Death by region and Other Cosmic Quandaries (2006) and therefore the Pluto Files: the increase and Fall of America's Favorite Planet (2009). After breaking down complex scientific concepts in Astrophysics for People during a Hurry (2017), he followed with a set of his responses to fans and critics in Letters from an Astrophysicist (2019).

Sexual Misconduct Allegations

In late 2018, the faith and spirituality website Patheos reported that three women had accused the favored astrophysicist of sexual misconduct, with one claiming she had been drugged and raped by Tyson back in 1984. Tyson responded with a lengthy Facebook post during which he disputed each woman's account of events and said he welcomed further investigations. In August 2019, the Fox and National Geographic networks, which air Cosmos and StarTalk, released a joint statement that said they'd concluded investigations and would still feature Tyson's programs.

Wife and youngsters

Tyson lives in the big apple City together with his wife, Alice Young, who holds a Ph.D. in mathematical physics. The couple has two kids, Miranda and Travis.