With all the chatter here about Stephen’s appearances at the Olympics and on Faces of America, it’s easy to overlook the approaching air date of The Pluto Files, where our favorite fundit defends that poor, downgraded celestial body. Happily for us, the good people at NOVA continue to release teaser vids:
NOVA | The Pluto Files with Neil deGrasse Tyson: What does Pluto’s demotion mean to Americans?
NOVA | The Pluto Files with Neil deGrasse Tyson: If Pluto is Not a Planet
This is going to be great! I read The Pluto Files on my commute last year, and it was interesting and very funny — just like Stephen and others involved in this production. (I mean, c’mon, a book that includes hate mail from elementary school children AND quotes Jonathan Coulton’s “I’m Your Moon” has to be awesome, right?) I fully expect the TV show to be every bit as brilliant.
I love how PBS is beginning to move in the right direction. They are using social media much more smartly nowadays for free publicity and they do have some very great shows. They also signed up with Nielson for rating measurements. I’m glad they are moving in the right direction and shows like Nova Science Now are wonderful, and they should do more shows like that. Its relevant and entertaining. I am glad to give my local PBS 100 dollars yearly, but sorry PBS–NPR gets 100 bucks twice a year—NPR has more relevant current day stuff thats informative and entertaining.
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
That’s awesome that you donate to PBS and NPR :).
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
Oh—I have to give to them. NPR and sports talk radio are the only stations programmed on my radio. I absolutely love NPR.
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
Haha, “I find that offensive.” “That’s an offensive term.” So touchy! And Diane Sawyer with the planet definition made me laugh too :). So much PBS/Stephen goodness these days!
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
I love in the first video – “Why do Americans care so much? Cause Americans named it.” “No they didn’t.” “YES they did.” ahahaha! This is going to be great!
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
This is going to be so much fun! I loved Diane Sawyer’s big, long definition of a planet. Teehee!
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
I’m really looking forward to this – so much fun!
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
I love how smirky he gets when ever he says something is offensive!
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
It’s not just Americans who reject the controversial IAU demotion of Pluto. As someone who has run a blog advocating Pluto’s planetary reinstatement for three-and-a-half years, I have received communication from people all over the world in support of Pluto’s planet status. It is important to note that Tyson has distanced himself from the controversial 2006 IAU decision, which he himself admits is flawed. At this point, he even admits that the debate is not over, that it might be too early in the study of planetary scientists for anyone to be defining what a planet is in the first place. This was pretty much his message at the Isaac Asimov Memorial Debate, which he moderated at the American Museum of Natural History on March 10, 2009.
Significantly, only four percent of the IAU voted on Pluto’s demotion, and most are not planetary scientists. Their decision was immediately rejected by hundreds of professional astronomers led by Dr. Alan Stern, Principal Investigator of NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto.
This debate is far from over. For another perspective, anyone interested in this topic should read “Is Pluto A Planet” by Dr. David Weintraub and “The Case for Pluto” by Alan Boyle.
Shout Out (Hey!):
0