MY FIRST
GUEST TONIGHT IS THE BELOVE THE
ASTROPHYSICIST, AUTHOR, AND
DIRECTOR OF THE HAYDEN
PLANETARIUM AT THE MUSEUM OF
NATURAL HISTORY.
PLEASE WELCOME MY FRIEND, NEIL
DEGRASSE TYSON!
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
♪ ♪ ♪
GOOD TO SEE YOU.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: NEIL.
>> BEAUTIFUL-- I LOVE THE STARS.
>> Stephen: JUST FOR YOU, MY
FRIEND, JUST FOR YOU.
>> LOVE WHAT YOU'VE DONE WITH
THE PLACE.
>> Stephen: THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: NOW, ON THE OLD
GIG OVER ON THE OTHER NETWORK,
UPPER THE GUEST I HAD MORE THAN
ANY OTHER GUEST.
>> REALLY?
>> Stephen: YEAH-- YOU KNOW,
YOU KNOW THAT --
>> COULD IT BE THAT I LIVE
NEARBY, SO I WAS A CHEAP DATE?
>> Stephen: COULD IT BE WE
MOVED THE STUDIO SOME PLACE
CLOSE TO YOU SO WE COULD BE NEAR
YOU, NEIL.
I JUST FOUND OUT YOU'RE ALSO--
YOU'RE HOLDING A VAST LEAD ON
ANYBODY ELSE ON THIS SHOW.
YOU'VE BEEN ON NINE TIMES.
NINE TIMES!
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
NUMBER TWO.
DO YOU KNOW WHO NUMBER TWO IS.
>> NO.
>> Stephen: JOHN OLIVER.
>> IS THAT RIGHT?
>> Stephen: SIX.
>> OKAY, OKAY.
>> Stephen: BUT THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
>> BUT THE UNIVERSE IS VASTER
THAN ANYTHING ELSE IN THE
UNIVERSE.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: WHAT?
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
DON'T PRE-BLOW MY MIND.
DON'T PRE-BLOW MY MIND BEFORE
I'M READY FOR IT.
WE HAVE TO LOT TO DO HERE.
>> THERE'S A LOT IN THE UNIVERSE
TO TALK ABOUT, RELATIVE TO
ANYTHING ELSE IN THE UNIVERSE.
>> Stephen: FIRST OF ALL,
HAPPY NEW YEAR.
>> THANK YOU, HAPPY NEW YEAR TO
YOU.
>> Stephen: NOW, DOES THE NEW
YEAR HAVE ANY PARTICULAR
ASTRONOMICAL SIGNIFICANCE?
>> NO.
>> Stephen: WHY NOT?
>> NOT, NOT --
>> Stephen: WE'VE GONE AROUND
THE SUN ONCE.
>> THE PLACE WHERE WE RETURN TO,
THERE'S NOTHING SPECIAL OR
INTERESTING ABOUT IT.
IT'S A COMPLETELY ARBITRARY SPOT
ON THE CALENDAR THAT WE HAVE
CHOSEN TO CELEBRATE THE NEW
YEAR.
PLUS IT'S-- I THINK IT'S A
LITTLE WEIRD THAT WE ALL
CELEBRATE THAT INSTANT THAT THE
BALL DROPS, AND THEN ONE HOUR
LATER, THEY CELEBRATE EXACTLY
THE SAME THING, AND THEN AN HOUR
LATER, AN HOUR LATER-- THEY DO
THAT 24 TIMES AROUND THE WORLD.
>> Stephen: I KNOW HOW CLOCKS
WORK, NEIL.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> THE WORLD IS NOT CELEBRATING
THE SAME MOMENT.
IT'S KIND OF-- IT'S ODD TO ME AS
AN ASTROPHYSICIST.
BUT THAT'S FINE.
IT'S CULTURE.
THAT'S HOW WE DO IT.
>> Stephen: COULD YOU BE MORE
NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON RIGHT NOW?
YOU LIVE-- YOU LIVE TO SUCK THE
JOY OUT OF OTHER PEOPLE'S
TRADITIONS.
>> NO, NO.
>> Stephen: WHAT DO YOU LOVE?
WHAT IS WORTH CELEBRATING?
IF IT'S NOT NEW YEAR'S--
>> ALMOST EVERY OTHER HOLIDAY IN
THE YEAR HAS SOME ASTRONOMICAL
BASIS.
THE CHINESE NEW YEAR, THE JEWISH
NEW YEAR, RAMADAN, EASTER, LENT
--
>> Stephen: TOYOTATHON.
ALL OF IT!
>> ALL OF IT.
SATURNALIA.
CHRISTMAS --
>> Stephen: WHAT DOES
SATURNALIA HAVE?
>> SATURNALIA, IT'S BACK IN THE
WINTER IT'S SUN IS GETTING LOWER
AND LOWER IN THE SKY EACH DAY
AND WORRY THAT MAYBE IT WILL
NEVER COME BACK.
>> Stephen: IS SATURN GETTING
HIGHER IN THE SKY?
>> NO BUT SATURN IS THE GOD YOU
PLAY TO AND CELEBRATE.
SO SATURNALIA EVERYTHING SLIPS,
THE MIDDLE EASTER SERVES THE
SLAVES, THE SLAVES GIVE
COMMANDS.
IT'S AN INTERESTING ROMAN
TRADITION THAT IS LONG GONE.
>> Stephen: ALL RIGHT.
>> BUT I'M SAYING IT'S IN THAT
TIME OF THE YEAR WHERE THE SUN
IS BASICALLY REBORN, SO IT'S
SOLSTICE CELEBRATIONS.
AND CHRISTMAS WAS PUT THERE TO
BE A GOOD PLACE TO SORT OF BRING
IN ALL THE PAYING AN WORSHIPERS,
WHO WERE ALREADY CELEBRATING
THAT TIME OF YEAR.
>> Stephen: AND IT WORKED.
>> IT WORK, OH, YEAH.
>> Stephen: WE WON.
SO 2018, WHAT'S GOT YOU EXCITED
FOR 2018.
( LAUGHTER )
WE WON.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
WE WON.
WHAT'S GOT YOU EXCITED--
>> WAIT, JUST TO BE CLEAR.
>> Stephen: OKAY.
>> YOU NOT ONLY WON THERE.
YOU WON THE CALENDAR RACE, TOO.
>> Stephen: HUH?
>> THE WORLD'S CALENDAR IS THE
GREGORIAN CALENDAR AFTER POPE
GREGORY PUT IN PLACE IN 1582.
THE PREVIOUS JULIAN CALENDAR WAS
MESSING UP IN THE YEAR.
>> Stephen: IT WAS OFF--
>> BY 10 DAYS!
AND THE POPE SAID, "WE'VE GOT TO
FIX THIS."
>> Stephen: THE POPE FIXED IT?
>> WELL, POPE, JESUIT
SCIENTISTS, JESUIT PRIESTS WERE
THE ACADEMIC ORDER OF THE
CATHOLIC-- YOU'RE CATHOLIC.
YOU SHOULD BE TEACHING THIS,
OKAY?
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: I'M AWARE OF MY
RELIGION.
>> OKAY!
SO THERE'S A VATICAN OBSERVATORY
TO THIS DAY THAT THAT AT THE
TIME, BEFORE TELESCOPES WERE
INVENTED, THESE JESUIT PRIESTS
WERE PUT INTO THE SERVICE OF
FIGURING OUT WHY THE CALENDAR
WAS SHIFTING IN THE YEAR.
>> Stephen: AM I CORRECT IN
SAYING THAT IT WAS A CATHOLIC
PRIEST WHO FIRST PROPOSED THE
IDEA OF THE BIG BANG?
>> YES, GEORGE LEMATRE, THE BIG
BANG ITSELF, USING EINSTEIN'S
EQUATIONS.
EINSTEIN COULD HAVE DONE IT, BUT
HE DID ENOUGH.
>> Stephen: HE WAS BUSY.
>> LAID DOWN THE EQUATIONS.
OTHER PEOPLE CALCULATED WITH HIS
EQUATIONS AND HE DEDUCED THE
HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE MUST
HAVE START WADE BANG.
>> Stephen: OKAY.
GOING TO 2018--
>> SO CATHOLICS HAVE BEEN IN
THERE IN MULTIPLE --
>> Stephen: YOU DON'T HAVE TO
TELL ME.
>> OKAY.
>> Stephen: I'M TEAM R.C.
NOW--
>> TEAM ROMAN CATHOLIC.
>> Stephen: YES, OKAY.
( APPLAUSE )
NOW-- YOU'RE-- YOU'RE WALKING
FOOTNOTE, NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON.
>> I DIDN'T THINK YOU BROUGHT
PEOPLE WITH YOU ON THAT COMMENT.
SO I WAS JUST HELPING IT OUT.
>> Stephen: YOU WERE WITH ME.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
OKAY.
>> NO, NO, THAT'S NOT HOW YOU
ASK IT.
WHO WAS NOT WITH HIM?
( APPLAUSE )
SEE?
THERE YOU GO.
>> Stephen: I FEEL BETRAYED.
( LAUGHTER )
SO 2018, LET ME GET TO THE
SECOND QUESTION OF THE
INTERVIEW.
IN 2018, WHAT MYSTERY ARE YOU
MOST INTERESTED IN SCIENCE
CRACKING?
OR WHAT DO YOU THINK WE ARE
LIKELY TO LEARN THIS YEAR THAT
WE'RE CLOSE TO FIGURING OUT?
>> IN MY FIELD, THE GOOD THING
ABOUT IT IS, GENERALLY WE MAKE
DISCOVERIES WHEN A MISSION IS
LAUNCHED.
SO WE-- SO WE KNOW WHEN TO BEGIN
TO EXPECT DISCOVERIES.
>> Stephen: WHAT'S THE BIG
MISSION REACHING ITS FRUITION.
>> THE MISSION NOW IS TO TRY TO
UNDERSTAND DARK MATTER AND DARK
ENERGY MORE THAN WE CURRENTLY
DO.
>> Stephen: OKAY.
>> WE KNOW IT'S THERE, BUT IT'S
A COMPLETE MYSTERY.
WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE ORIGIN
OF 85% OF ALL THE GRAVITY OF THE
UNIVERSE.
IT'S NOT BLACK HOLES, COMETS,
STARS, PLANETS-- IT'S NONE OF
THE ABOVE.
>> Stephen: SO THE MATH SAYS
THERE SHOULD BE MORE THERE BUT
WE CAN'T SEE IT?
>> RIGHT, IT'S MISSING GRAVITY
RATHER THAN MISSING MASS-- I'M
SORRY, IT'S GRAVITY WITH NO
KNOWN SOURCE.
>> Stephen: WHICH IS WHAT I
SAID.
WHEN IS WHAT I SAID A MOMENT
AGO.
>> IT'S DARK GRAVITY.
>> Stephen: WOW.
>> IS REALLY WHAT IT IS.
THEN-- THEN THERE'S SOME
MYSTERIOUS PRESSURE IN THE
VACUUM OF SPACE.
>> Stephen: WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
>> WHICH WE CALL DARK ENERGY.
BEAUT BUTT WE SHOULD JUST CALL
IT FRED AND WILMA-- I JOKE ABOUT
THIS.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE.
DON'T GIVE IT A NAME THAT MAKES
PEOPLE THINK WE KNOW WHAT IT IS
BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT
IS.
IT'S A PRESSURE IN THE VACUUM OF
SPACE FORCING THE UNIVERSE TO
ACCELERATE NONETHELESS
EXPANSION.
AND I'VE WRITTEN ABOUT THIS
BECAUSE I LOSE SLEEP OVER THIS
FACT--
( LAUGHTER )
CAN I SHARE THIS?
I DON'T WANT TO BE BLAMED --
>> Stephen: I DON'T KNOW THAT
I COULD STOP YOU.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> I DON'T WANT TO BE BLAMED IF
YOU CANNOT GET TO SLEEP TONIGHT.
>> Stephen: DO IT.
I'LL BE OKAY.
>> SO THIS DARK ENERGY IN THE
FUTURE WILL RENDER THE UNIVERSE
SO LARGE, HAVING ACCELERATED SO
SIGNIFICANTLY, THAT ALL THE
GALAXIES OF THE NIGHT SKY WILL
HAVE ACCELERATED BEYOND OUR
HORIZON.
>> Stephen: WHAT?
>> ALL THE GALAXIES ARE THE
SOURCE OF OUR KNOWLEDGE OF
COSMOLOGY, OF THE BIG BANG,
EVERYTHING WE KNOW ABOUT THE
HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE COMES TO
US FROM THESE GALAXIES.
IF THEY ACCELERATE BEYOND OUR
HORIZON, THE NEXT GENERATION OF
COSMIC EXPLORERS WILL ONLY HAVE
THE STARS OF THE MILKY WAY TO
THINK ABOUT.
AND I-- SO, THERE'S AN-- THERE
WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ENTIRE
CHAPTER OF THE UNIVERSE RIPPED
FROM THEIR VIEW.
AND THEY WILL BE TRYING TO
CONTEMPLATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF
THE UNIVERSE WITHOUT A
SIGNIFICANT PART OF WHAT ITS
PAST WAS.
AND SO I LOSE SLEEP WONDERING,
TODAY, WAS THERE SOME PREVIOUS
CHAPTER RIPPED FROM THE UNIVERSE
ITSELF?
AND HERE WE ARE--
( LAUGHTER )
AND HERE WE ARE, YOU KNOW,
TOUCHING THE ELEPHANT, NOT
KNOWING THAT IN FACT THERE'S AN
ELEPHANT STANDING THERE.
OR MAYBE THERE'S THE SHADOW OF
THE ELEPHANT, AND THE ELEPHANT
HAS BEEN MOVED.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T
KNOW.
AND THIS LEAVES ME WEAK AT
NIGHT.
I SLIEWZ SLEEP OVER THAT.
>> Stephen: I AM NOT GOING TO
GET A WINK.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
THAT'S CRAZY.
HOLD ON.
WE'VE GOT TO TAKE A BREAK.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE
NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON, EVERYBODY.
