Cosmically speaking
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson is doing his part to bring science to the airwaves. He’s host of “NOVA scienceNOW,’’ which launches its fourth season tonight at 9 on PBS. And last night, he was scheduled to appear for the sixth time on Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report.’’ We spoke to him about television, science, and scientists on TV. JOANNA WEISS
Q. I suspect you’re one of the few astrophysicists who have gabbed with Jay Leno, Jon Stewart, and Stephen Colbert.
A. Both Stewart and Colbert frequently have scientists in ways that Jay Leno never did. That was not a part of his show, even though it was a part of Johnny Carson’s. That’s where Carl Sagan got most of his public exposure.
Q. I guess Colbert knows his audience will have an interest in science.
A. I’m going to make a stronger statement. I’m going to say that he trusts the intelligence of his audience to know that they would take an interest in science.
Q. Do you do anything different to prepare for the comedy shows?
A. Oh, hell, yes. Colbert’s by far my hardest interview. My second hardest interview is Jon Stewart. Everybody else is a distant third. I’ve got to know what did Paris Hilton do last week? What did the Pope say on Tuesday? Who won “American Idol’’? It’s a pop culture exposure that I need at my fingertips. It’s like a tennis serve: I’ve got to get a racket on it.
Q. How hard a sell was it for you to get involved with “NOVA scienceNOW?’’
A. After their inaugural season, in which I had been interviewed multiple times, they needed a new host. They knew what I looked like, what I smelled like - metaphorically - and so my name sort of rose to the top. They convinced me that having a scientist as host would be worthwhile, on the possibility that the viewer will feel closer to the science.
Q. Is it hard to simplify scientific language for the lay viewer?
A. The most accessible field in science, from the point of view of language, is astrophysics. What do you call spots on the sun? Sunspots. Regions of space you fall into and you don’t come out of? Black holes. Big red stars? Red giants. So I take my fellow scientists to task. He’ll use his word, and if I understand it, I’ll say, “Oh, does that mean da-da-da-de-da?’’
Q. In tonight’s show, you visit a synthetic diamond mine somewhere in Massachusetts - but you were blindfolded to get there. Do you have any idea where it was? How long was the ride?
A. About 15 minutes from the pickup point. However, they drove in circles multiple times to disorient my memory of right and left turns.
Q. If you’ve got the physicist in the car, you’ve got to go the extra mile to throw him off.
A. Yeah. I wanted to use the accelerometer on my iPhone but they wanted me to completely shut down the iPhone. 