[J93Wagner]

Neil deGrasse Tyson did an AMA (ask me anything) on Reddit recently. There was quite a bit of gold in there.

Q: "What is your favorite short science fact you like to tell people to really make them think?"

A: "That our bodies atoms are traceable to supernova stars that scattered their chemical enrichment across the cosmos, spawning the birth of star systems that contain planets, at least one of them containing life."

Q: "What never fails to blow your mind in physics?"

A: "1) The fact that an electron has no known size -- it's smaller than the smallest measurement we have ever made of anything.

2) That Quarks come only in pairs: If you try to separate two of them, the energy you sink into the system to accomplish this feat is exactly the energy to spontaneously create two more quarks - one to partner with each of those you pulled apart.

3) That the space-time structure inside a rotating black hole does not preclude the existence of an entire other universe.

MindBlown x 3"

Q: "If you could add one course to a student's curriculum, what would it be?"

A: "Course title every university should offer: "How to tell when someone else is full of !@#$.""

Q: "Can we inspire more kids to pursue space-related science and research? If so, how?"

A: "Kids are never the problem. They are born scientists. The problem is always the adults. The beat the curiosity out of the kids. They out-number kids. They vote. They wield resources. That's why my public focus is primarily adults."

Q: "What do you think it will take for the US to seriously reinvest in the space program?"

A: "A foreign threat. That seems to be the only thing around that motivates bickering political parties to act in harmony."

The original post on Reddit (I highly suggest you take a look): http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comment...sse_tyson_ama/

EDIT: It looks like this thread isn't so dead anymore!