WELCOME BACK TO "THE LATE SHOW."
I'M NEIL deGRASSE TYSON.
YOUR PERSONAL YOOFLT.
YOU KNOW MY GUEST TONIGHT AS THE
HOST OF SOMETHING CALLED "THE
LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT."
PLEASE WELCOME MY FRIEND,
STEPHEN COLBERT!
♪ ♪ ♪
 ( APPLAUSE )
 ( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> RIGHT THERE.
>> Stephen: OH, MAN.
>> SO HOW DO YOU LIKE BEING FIVE
INCHES LOWER THAN THE HOST'S
CHAIR?
>> Stephen: IT FEELS RIGHT.
IT FEELS RIGHT.
IT'S ABOUT RIGHT.
YOU GOTTA HAVE STATUS OVER
THERE.
>> I'M JUST SAYING.
>> Stephen: YOU HAVE TO HAVE
STATUS.
YOU DESERVE IT.
HOST OF "THE LATE SHOW," YOU GOT
THE STATUS RIGHT THERE.
>> I'M READY FOR THIS.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY
PEOPLE KNOW OR KNOW AS DEEPLY AS
I KNOW HOW GEEKY YOU ACTUALLY
ARE.
WE'VE GEEKED OUT TOGETHER A
COUPLE OF TIMES.
>> Stephen: IT'S MY FAVORITE
THING TO DO WITH YOU.
>> WE HAD A LITTLE GEEK
BROMANCE.
>> Stephen: OPEN A BOTTLE OF
RED WINE AND GET OUR GEEK ON.
>> A FEW YEARS AGO WE ACTUALLY
DID A SHOW IN A SCHOOL THEATER.
WE JUST TALKED FOR AN HOUR AND A
HALF ABOUT LIFE, THE UNIVERSE
AND EVERYTHING.
AND IN THERE, YOU EXPRESSED A
CONCERN ABOUT WANTING TO NOT
KNOW-- OR IS IT BETTER TO KNOW
OR NOT KNOW?
>> Stephen: THAT IS-- THAT IS
THE QUESTION.
THAT IS THE THE FIRST QUESTION.
>> THIS IS WHEN YOU-- THIS IS
WHEN YOU DIP PHILOSOPHICAL.
>> Stephen: SURE, THAT'S THE
FIRST QUESTION.
WHEN I WAS FIRST IN COLLEGE I
WAS A PHILOSOPHY MAJOR--
>> I DIDN'T KNOW, THAT A
PHILOSOPHY MAJOR.
>> Stephen: YEAH.
>> THAT'S GOOD.
>> Stephen: I TOOK A YEARLONG
COURSE WHERE WE READ ESSENTIALLY
THE GREAT BOOKS AND AT THE END
OF IT, THERE WAS ONLY ONE TEST
ALL YEAR LONG, AND THERE WAS
ONLY ONE QUESTION ON THE TEST,
AND WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE
QUESTION WAS BEFORE WE WALKED
INTO THE ROOM.
AND WE WERE TOLD, "YOU HAVE TO
READ ALL THE MATERIAL.
THERE WILL BE ONLY ONE TEST AND
THAT IS THE ENTIRE GRADE FOR THE
YEAR."
AND THE QUESTION WAS, "IS IT
BETTER TON OR NOT TO KNOW?
SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER WITH ONE OF
THE FOS FLEES WE HAVE STUDIED
THIS YEAR."
>> OH!
WHEN WE FIRST BROACHED THAT
SUBJECT, THAT WAS SEVEN YEARS
AGO.
WE ARE IN ANOTHER TIME.
IN POSSIBLY A PARALLEL UNIVERSE.
>> Stephen: I THINK-- I
THINK--
>> WHAT SIDE OF THAT ARE YOU ON
RIGHT NOW, THE KNOWING OR NOT
KNOWING?
>> Stephen: WE'RE DEFINITELY
IN THE BAD TIME LINE RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE IN A BAD TIME LINE IN THE
SCIENCE FICTION STORY RIGHT NOW.
>> THIS IS THE SPLIT UNIVERSE.
>> Stephen: THIS IS THE SPLIT.
OR THE OTHER ONE IS A SPLIT.
WHONS.
>> THERE COULD BE A UNIVERSE
WHERE TRUMP IS PRESIDENT AND YOU
ARE PRAISING HIM.
>> Stephen: THERE IS.
>> IN THE MULTIVERSE THAT IS A
POSSIBLE UNIVERSE.
>> Stephen: THERE IS.
AND THAT ONE I HAVE AN EVEN
WORSE DRINKING PROBLEM THAN I DO
IN THIS ONE.
I'VE TIPPED OVER.
OKAY.
SO WHAT'S THE ANSWER NOW?
IS IT BETTER TO KNOW OR NOT TO
KNOW?
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ME
NEIL deGRASSE TYSON.
>> I HAVE MY ANSWER.
I WANT YOUR ANSWER.
>> Stephen: I'M NOT ASKING
YOU.
I'M THE GUEST ON THE SHOW RIGHT
NOW.
I DON'T EVEN CARE WHAT YOU THINK
ON THIS SHOW.
THIS IS MY SHOW.
I THINK IT'S BETTER TO KNOW.
>> BETTER TON.
I AGREE.
BETTER TO KNOW.
>> Stephen: YOU CAN'T WALK
BLINDLY INTO THE DARK.
BETTER TO LIGHT A CANDLE THAN
CURSE THE DARKNESS.
DO NOT HIDE YOUR LIGHT UNDER A
BUSHEL.
YOU SET IT UP ON A HIGH PLACE
THAT IT MIGHT LIGHT THOSE AROUND
YOU.
>> BE THE SUPERNOVA IN THE
DARKNESS OF THE COSMOS.
>> Stephen: RIGHT.
SUPER NOVEMBER AS-- I DON'T KNOW
IF YOU KNOW THIS, NEIL 
deGRASSE TYSON, SUPER NOVEMBER
AS THAT'S WHERE GOLD COMES FROM.
>> THAT'S ONE OF THE BY-PRODUCTS
OF BLOWING STUFF UP IN THE
UNIVERSE.
>> Stephen: WHY DON'T WE SEE
MORE SUPERNOVEMBER AS IF THERE
ARE SO MANY STARS AND THEY'RE SO
BRIGHT AND POWERFUL, AND
SUPERNOVAS ARE FAIRLY COMMON,
RIGHT?
WHY DON'T WE SEE THEM MORE
OFTEN?
>> YOU SEE THEM EVERY NIGHT WITH
TELESCOPES.
 (  LAUGHTER  ).
>> Stephen: I HAVE NO-- WAIT A
SECOND.
>> NO, NO, NO.
>> Stephen: DON'T YOU DARE--
YOU JUST SAID THAT LIKE YOU
MOVED, LIKE, CHECKMATE.
>> YES!
>> Stephen: WHAT IS THAT?
WHAT DID YOU CHECK MATE?
WHY DON'T YOU INVITE THE REST OF
US.
>> IT GOES LIKE THIS.
SUPERNOVA ARE INDEED RARE, BUT
THERE'S 100 BILLION GALAXIES.
SO IF YOU HAVE A SAMPLE SIZE
LARGE ENOUGH, RARE THINGS BECOME
COMMON.
>> Stephen: WOW... WOW...
 (  LAUGHTER  )
>> WHAT IS THE SINGLE GEEKIEST
THING YOU'VE EVER DONE?
>> Stephen: WHEN I WAS DOWN IN
NEW ZEALAND--
>> I WENT TO-- TO-- TO THE
PLACE.
>> Stephen: WHAT PLACE?
YOU WENT TO HOBBITON.
>> I WENT TO HOBBITON.
>> Stephen: SO BEAUTIFUL.
>> OH, MY GOSH.
I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE I WANTED
TO BE LITTLE TO FIT IN THE
HOUSES SO I NEVER HAD TO LEAVE
YOU.
>> Stephen:  DIDN'T GO INTO
BAG END-- DID YOU GO INTO
BILBOA'S AND FRODO'S HOME.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: I DID, TOO.
>> I HAD TO CRAWL IN THERE.
>> Stephen: I WENT INTO THE
FULL-SIZE ONE, NOUN DOWNIN NEW
ZEALAND ON THE SET OF THE
HOBBIT.
AND I WAS STANDING THERE AT THE
MANTELPIECE WITH THE FIREPLACE,
YOU KNOW, WHERE BILBO AND
GANDOLF HAVE THEIR ARGUMENT
ABOUT WHETHER HE SHOULD LEAVE
THE RING FOR FRODO.
I PUT MY HAND ON THE MANTELPIECE
AND LOOKED DOWN AT THE FIREPLACE
AND MY WIFE SAID-- I MARRIED THE
RIGHT GIRL-- MY WIFE SAID,
"LET'S LEAVE HIM ALONE FOR A
WHILE," TO THE KIDS.
ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
I HAD TO BE ALONE IN THAT ROOM.
 ( LAUGHTER ).
>> YOU GO UP THERE-- IF I
UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, BECAUSE WE
GO BACK, YOU GREW UP IN A
RELIGIOUS HOUSEHOLD AIR,
CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS HOUSEHOLD.
>> Stephen: I AM STILL IN A
RELIGIOUS HOUSEHOLD
>> AND YOUR FATHER WAS A MEDICAL
DOCTOR.
>> MY FATHER WAS AN IMINOLOGIST.
>> IT WAS SORT OF AN
EVIDENCE-BASED LIFE.
>> Stephen: MY FAWFGTHS A REAL
INTELLECTUAL.
HIS IDEA OF FUN WAS TO READ
FRENCH PHILOSOPHY, LIKE FRENCH
HUMANIST CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHY.
>> OF COURSE.
>> Stephen: THE FAMOUS SAYING,
"THE ONLY SADNESS IS NOT TO BE A
SAINT."
>> YEAH, WE DO THAT, RIGHT.
YEAH.
>> Stephen: SO, YEAH, THAT'S
MY DAD.
>> OKAY, SO HOW DID YOU RESOLVE
THE URGES OF A BELIEVER TO
REJECT EVIDENCE IN FAVOR OF
FAITH?
>> Stephen: (BLEEP).
WHAT ARE YOU TALKI TALKING ABOUT
>> Jon: BEEP!
>> Stephen: THE URGES OF A
BELIEVER TO REJECT EVIDENCE.
WHO SAYS-- THAT'S SPOKEN BY
SOMEBODY WHO IS NOT A BELIEVER.
THERE IS NO URGE TO REJECT
EVIDENCE.
I DON'T THINK THAT MY FAITH IS
RELATED TO EVIDENCE.
THEY'RE DIFFERENT THINGS.
MY FAITH APPROACHAISE MYSTERY.
MY FAITH COMES FROM A PLACE OF A
NEED TO BE GRATEFUL.
LIKE, MY FAITH COMES FROM A
PLACE WHERE I AM GRATEFUL FOR
THE WORLD.
AND I CANNOT ANSWER THE
QUESTION, "WHY IS THERE
SOMETHING INSTEAD OF NOTHING?"
AS YOU AND I HAVE DISCUSSED MANY
TIMES.
UNTIL YOU CAN TELL ME WHY THERE
IS SOMETHING INSTEAD OF NOTHING
I SEE A PLACE TO PLACE MY
GRATITUDE FOR MY EXISTENCE, HOW
STRANGE IT IS TO BE ANYTHING AT
ALL.
AND FROM THERE, I CAN
EXTRAPOLATE INTO MY OWN
TRADITION, WHICH IS CHRISTIANITY
AND CATHOLICISM, AND MY
GRATITUDE FOR CHRIST, THROUGH
HIM ALL THINGS WERE MADE.
 ( APPLAUSE )
>> HE REHEARSED THAT, I'M SURE!
>> Stephen: BUT I LIKE
EVIDENCE.
I LIKE EVIDENCE, BECAUSE IT IS
BETTER TO KNOW THAN NOT TO KNOW.
I WAS TAUGHT BY INTELLECTUAL
CATHOLICS WHO BELIEVED YOU COULD
STILL BE A CATHOLIC AND STILL
QUESTION YOUR CHURCH.
 ( APPLAUSE )
YEAH, WHICH SOMEBODY ONCE SAID
TO ME-- SOMEBODY ONCE SAID TO
ME, "OH, SO YOU CAN BELIEVE YOU
CAN BE A CATHOLIC AND DISAGREE
WITH YOUR CHURCH?
THERE'S A WORDINAR.
IT'S A PROTESTANT."
 (  LAUGHTER  ).
>> LAST QUESTION HERE-- WHAT ARE
YOU MOST WORRY ABOUT IN THE NEXT
CENTURY?
A CENTURY AGO PEOPLE WERE
WORRIED ABOUT POPULATION AND...
WHAT'S THE ONE WHERE YOU CAN'T
BREATHE?
>> Stephen: BREATHE.
>> BREATHING.
>> Stephen: TUBERCULOSIS.
T.B.
>> THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT
TUBERCULOSIS, POPULATION
OVERRUN.
TODAY THAT'S NOT WHAT ANYBODY IS
WORRIED ABOUT.
WE HAVE ASTEROIDS, CLIMBED
CHANGE, A.I. TAKING OVER.
A BOX THAT WILL RUN YOUR LIFE.
>> Stephen: I'M AFRAID A.I.
WON'T TAKE OVER.
RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST US RUNNING
THE SHOW, AND I DON'T KNOW IF
YOU'VE SEEN HUMANS' TRACK
RECORD, IT'S NOT THAT GOOD.
>> IT'S NOT THAT GOOD.
THAT'S WHY WE WORRY WHEN THEY DO
TAKE OVER THEY'RE DONE WITH US.
>> Stephen: WHAT UPSET ME THIS
WEEK, THE STORY, SINCE 1970, 60%
OF THE WORLD'S WILDLIFE-- LIKE
VERTEBRATES, EVENTUALLY, HAS
GONE AND I THINK.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
BUT BY OUR HAND.
>> Stephen: THAT'S SAD.
>> WE HAVE ENTERED A NEW ERA
WHERE WE ARE THE PRIMARY DRIVERS
OF THE WORLD'S EXTINCTION, NOT
ASTEROIDS.
IT'S BAD.
BUT WHAT WORRIES ME MORE IS 100
YEARS FROM NOW WHAT, WOULD BE ON
THEIR LIST THAT WE DON'T EVEN
KNOW YET THAT WE SHOULD BE
WORRIED ABOUT?
 (  LAUGHTER  )
>> Stephen: SUPER INTELLIGENT
JELLYFISH.
>> STEPHEN COLBERT, EVERYBODY!
 ( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
