Neil deGrasse Tyson On Human Origins, Space, Aliens, Evolution, Bigfoot & Truth About Moon Landing

Humans origin is in Africa. Africa. There is no dispute about none at all. You know, they'll say, "Well, what what. are you that's a come?" Well, I'm. Italian. Well, where are you born? America. Where are your parents born? Brooklyn. [laughter] Where were their. parents born? Italy. [music] So, I'm. Italian. >> Right. And they stop there. And if you. keep going, we're all African. There is an ancestor. of yours that is African. If you go far. enough back on the [music] tree when you. stopped in Sweden and you stopped in. Italy and you stopped in Poland. Keep.

going back. >> Grinding all my life. Sacrifice hustle. paid the price. [music] Want a slice. Got to roll the dice. That's why all my. life I've been grinding all my life. All. my life [music] been grinding all my. life. Sacrifice. Hustle paid the price. Want a slice. [music] Got to roll a. dice. That's why all my life I' been. grinding all my life. Hello, welcome to another episode of. Club Shay. I am your host Shannon Sharp,

also the Proud of Club Shay. We would. first like to thank Double Barrel and. the Whiskey Shop for having us today's. episode of Club Shay Shay. If you're in. Beverly Hills, come by for a drink in. this elegant lounge. Now, on to today's. episode. Stopping by for conversation. and a drink today, he's the protegge. He's one of the most brilliant and. respected and influential minds of this. generation. He's a renowned science. communicator famous for popularizing. astronomy and astrophysics, bridging the. gap between complex scientific concepts. and the general public. He has a BA in.

physics from Harvard, a PhD in. astrophysics from Colombia, and he also. taught at Princeton, a highly. intelligent educator, an accomplished. director, and an Emmy uh executive. producer, an acclaimed television host, a popular narrator, a sought-after. public speaker, an influential. entertainer, and a prolific writer. His. book just debuted number three on the. New York Times bestselling list. He was. awarded the NASA Distinguished Public. Service Medal, a science icon, Neil. Degrass Tyson. [applause].

>> I got to live all up to all of that. >> You already have. [laughter] I I WOULD. HATE TO COME BACK HERE in five or six. years and have to read this again. [laughter]. >> Just keep going. >> All right. Well, thank you for that very. warm introduction. >> Thank you so much. Yeah. >> And now we just got the news before we. started taping that your new book, Take. Me to Your Leader, just debuted at. number three on the New York Times. bestseller. >> I learned that 5 minutes ago. >> 5 minutes ago. Just. >> we we learned it together. Together.

>> So, you know what? Here you go. >> We're going to toast. This is my KNG. Shave by Laortier. You got it. It's a. VS. >> It's your It's your. >> It's actually my KNC. We're going to. send you We're going to send you away. with something. >> You got Oh, this is that I I could do. that. [laughter]. >> Thank you so much. >> All right. M. >> VSO very special old. >> very special old pale. >> pale Vsop there you go. >> yes it drinks like an exo though thank. you for stopping by. >> all right. >> it is such an honor to have someone as. as brilliant as you are to help us to.

help explain. maybe the unexplainable. >> well yeah I mean if you're a scientist. and you operate on the frontier. >> okay. >> half of what you're looking at doesn't. have an explanation yet that's the whole. If you're the research science. community, they got one foot in what is. known, >> right? >> Ideally, and then one foot in what if. you both feet, you don't want to put. both feet out, right? >> You don't want both feet in the unknown. [laughter]. >> cuz then you just float away. Okay? >> So, one feet in what is known, then. anchors your understanding. Okay? And.

then you you tiptoe out there and see. what's new to be discovered. >> So, when news headlines say, "Oh, scientists have to go back to the. drawing board on this." We're always at. the drawing board. Okay? It's a. misconception that we're sitting with. our legs up a mastery of the universe. No. No. Yeah. So, >> so when someone says. some things are best left unexplained, >> when you hear that, what do you say? >> Said no scientist ever. [laughter]. In fact, if we see something that has no.

explanation, >> right, >> we we're drawn to it, >> right? >> It's it's a magnet. You're trying to. figure out why. >> why that's that is that's so there's a. famous line. Okay. >> The the German poet Rainor Maria Rilkkey. wrote a book called Letters to a Young. Poet. >> Okay. >> And I'm going to mangle it a little bit, but I'll get it mostly right. It says, >> "Be at peace with all that stirs in your. heart. Learn to love the questions. themselves." M.

>> and you can love the questions but that. means. if you're a scientist you want to figure. it out and then another question pops. up. Right. >> Right. So you love the sequence of. questions that are the product of. research that give you a new place to. stand and new vistas. >> Okay. >> To see beyond the the walls that used to. be there. Take me to your leader. Tell us about this book. It is Aliens. And I want to talk to you about that. because for the longest time we have.

this what has been drawn or what has. been presented to us of what an alien is. and what it looks like. And so you're. here to explain offer us a better. explanation of what actually aliens are. if they exist and are we going to meet. them or have we already met them? >> I'm not authorized to comment. [laughter]. No. Um so I tried to stay out of it. Okay. For the longest time just cuz it. was too messy. >> Okay. And what do I mean by the longest. time? Over the decades, you heard these.

reports, flying saucers, abductions. Yes. And it was the farmer in the back. 40 reporting this. It was the revelers. after the bar let out. It was you. There. was plausible deniability, okay, of the. sanity of who was giving the report. Okay. >> Now, UFO enthusiasts were were eager to. gather as much of this information as. they could. And even UFO enthusiasts. recognize that most sightings of UFOs.

have a natural explanation. >> Okay? >> And I'm looking up at the sky all the. time. >> since I was 9 years old. Okay. All. right. So I know about the sun, moon, stars, planets, and I also know about. weather patterns because weather. interferes with my sky. So I'm going to. know what whether weather's coming and. going, what it looks like, what it. smells like, what it feels like. >> And I've never seen anything I couldn't. explain. Even though a few things I could only. explain given the extensive knowledge. that I have, >> right?

>> Which tells me that for most people. without that extensive knowledge that. will get reported to the police. >> Okay. >> Okay. And so. only in the last maybe eight years or. so. >> Let me put the marker where the New York. Times reported on that that fuzzy tic. tac that the naval officer the Navy. pilots found. Right? >> And you hear them comment. Oh my gosh, what is that? It's we're tracking it. Okay. And you feel their their.

excitement, >> right? >> And it's a little bit I don't want to. call it fear, >> but they don't know, right? They're in a. state of unknown. >> So from then onward. more sort of official sounding people. have come forward. Yes. In the last 3. years, we have whistleblowers, insiders, ex-military, ex intelligence agencies, and they're reporting in Congress sworn. testimony. >> Yes. >> That they got crashed alien bodies in.

the back shed. >> Wow. >> That they've got crashed saucer hardware. in the back, right? >> That they've got reverse engineered. science and technology from the alien. They're testifying to this. And so I. said, "All right, it's time for me to. step in.". >> Okay. I I wanted to do a couple of. things. I wanted to celebrate. this fascination we have with aliens, right? In all of our movies.

>> Yes. >> I mean, you know, do you realize that. half of the top 10 grossing movies of. all time involve non-earbased creatures? Like at the top of the list is of course. well ET [laughter] I don't the top 10. but that's another example um Avatar. these are aliens okay. >> and so we we love we we love us some. aliens in this culture so I wanted to. take give a serious analysis of the. powers and the technologies that these.

aliens that of the that have come out of. our imagination. >> Okay. and then ask if actual aliens came. to Earth, could they have these. abilities and these technologies and how. smart would they be? You can give a. serious analysis of that. So now. what do you conclude? Well, we're still. in a situation where you have to ask the. person, do you believe in aliens? >> Mhm. >> Okay. >> Right. >> But let me ask you this.

>> Do you believe in elephants? Your answer would be that's that's not. even the right question. They just. exist. >> Yes. >> Because you've seen them. >> I've seen them. >> in person. >> Correct. >> Okay. Yes. >> Okay. But think of how that would go in. testimony. >> Mhm. >> There's only a couple of dozen people. who ever seen an elephant, >> right? >> And they're You got to believe me. They. got this big rubbery thing that's. flexible. It can pick stuff up. It. smells. It eats. two teeth sticking out that's shiny and.

and it's got sheetsized ears that and. it's got legs the size of tree trunks. and can you draw one and then course the. drawing is always crappy right and you. say what is this thing you got to. believe me. >> right. >> you can make a two-hour documentary of. testimonies about that right. >> if only a few dozen people have done it. or even if 50 people have done it but. the documentary is 10 minutes long. >> right. >> if they Bring out the elephant. >> Correct.

>> Five minutes to bring out the elephant. and five minutes for the rolling. credits. >> And nowhere after that does anyone have. to say you believe in elephants, >> right? >> And the elephant is not the only. creature for which you could have this. crazy conversation. >> You got to believe me. There's this. creature in the sea. >> Mammoth, the sabertooth. >> No, do better than that. Those are just. mammals. Yeah. Okay, let's do better. than that. >> There's this creature in the sea. It has. eight legs and each leg has suction cups. on it and it's squishy and it's really.

smart and it can open jars and it can. open doorork knobs and one variety of. them has a camouflage and they can. disappear into the thing. You got to. believe me. No, I need another witness. And another witness give a slightly. different account. I need you to draw. it. And they draw it and it's this weird. thing. >> and it's an octopus. Right. >> So, in other words, >> bring out the octopus. >> The Loch Ness monster would be. considered an alien because a few people. have seen it. They seem to have.

photographs. It's in this one this one. big pool of. >> fuzzy fuzzy photographs. >> Fuzzy photographs. So, normally if we. really wanted to know that bad, we just. Is there any possible way we could. drain? >> Not to drain it, to drag drag the lake. >> Okay. >> Okay. Loch Ness. >> Yes. >> Because it's Nessie is the name is the. creature. Okay. Uh yeah. Drag you drag. We we drag the lake for bodies. >> Yes. All the time. >> Okay. Okay. Uh if you think people have. been dumping bodies into your river, right? So So you could do this or do it.

with sonar. This kind of thing. Uh that. that's a different field called. cryptozoolology. Okay. These are people. who are not looking for aliens. They're. looking for. >> species of life on Earth that has eluded. the search of biologists. >> So that would so Bigfoot would be one of. them. Okay. And there's a if you type. Bigfoot videos of Bigfoot. Yeah. There's. this one famous video where where this. like ape like creature he like turns and. looks to the side. >> Did I give you a good photo? Did you get. a good [laughter]. >> Yeah. You want you want me to smile?

What did I do? So So um but that that. that film is 60 years old, >> right? >> And I think it was done in the 1960s. >> And it's okay. Um anybody else have it? >> Right. And back then, who had cameras, >> right? >> Journalists and tourists. >> Correct. >> You You don't walk around with a camera. >> No. >> And we're old enough to remember there. was a day you were only photographed. once per year. >> Yes. >> And what was that? >> Very special. Crazy. The school photo.

>> Yeah. School photo. You got your school. photos. >> at and it may be your birthday. Okay. Yes. >> That's it. Everybody's got a camera. today. Yes. So to have less evidence for. Bigfoot when we have more cameras, right, >> that's just a little suspicious. >> Well, maybe they don't like the. paparazzi. >> Okay, so we [laughter] could go down. that road. I would say bring it. Bring. it. [laughter]. Okay, so somewhere I think you'd find. Bigfoot poop.

>> Why wouldn't you? >> Yeah. Okay, now you'd have to say, "Oh, they clean up after the [laughter]. Okay, wait. So, where's Lady Bigfoot? Because it looks awfully mamalian to me. Somebody's having sex somewhere in the. woods. You'd be hearing that. Okay. So, so it's easier to see that a microbe. would go undiscovered or some smaller. creature in some back woods that no one. had been before. And we are discovering. species. >> annually. In fact, one was you you.

kindly mentioned I have an asteroid. named after me. I also have a species of. animal named after me. It's a species of. leaping frog that's found only in India. Only recently like last 15 years was. described right. >> sufficiently enough to declare it a. species. It was the researchers were. very kind and and um respectful of my. education my academic and educational. career. They'd seen Cosmos and they. hosted Cosmos and so. >> anyhow point [clears throat] is um if.

only if people only have have fuzzy. photos. >> right. >> and it's their testimony. >> right. >> you're stuck saying do you believe in it. >> right. >> the NBA finals are here but the action. doesn't stop when the confetti falls in. the NBA crowns the champion because the. star study scorching summer of sports. women's basketball are heating up and. we've got the world's largest soccer. tournament on American soil and the. first ever MMA fight on the White House. lawn. Make your picks for all these. events and more this summer on Prize. Picks, America's number one sports pick.

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That's code Shannon to get $50 in. lineups when you play your first $5. lineup. Prize picks a preferred partner. of the NBA. >> Well, let me ask you this. What if they. called you to the place said, "Neil, >> we want you to see this. >> You got to swear to secrecy. Nobody. knows about this, but these aliens that. we've been telling you about, we have. two bodies, >> okay? And we want you to examine them. and we want you to give us your best. guess, your best your your academia. highly. >> Okay. What is this that we see?

>> Okay. You know what I'd say? I would say. I'd love to see the bodies, but. get a biochemist. >> Okay. I'm an astrophysicist. >> Okay. I I'd be happy to look at their. spacecraft if [laughter] you've got. that. But if there's a flesh, if there's. a if there's an organism, >> THEY UBER DOWN. >> [laughter]. >> UBER FLY SAUCERS. That's a hell of a. business right there. I want early. shares in that one. Um, so, uh, here's.

the thing. How many other people know. this secret? I would ask that question, >> right? >> And give me any number. Okay. And what. people have been claiming it would be a. big government cover up like hundreds if. not thousands. >> Yes. >> You know what Ben Franklin said? What. did he say in his almanac? 1785. I think. three people can keep a secret if two of. them are dead. >> He said that. >> And And [snorts] so he's referring.

implicitly to juicy secrets. >> Yes. >> Like aliens. >> Yes. >> If it's some stupid secret no one cares. about, right? >> Then who cares? But aliens. >> Yeah. in Area 51. I'm thinking if the. janitor. just has to take a picture of the alien. and stream it out. lose his job that morning, that next. day. >> Yes. But it'll be the richest, most. famous janitor there ever was. [laughter]. So, where did these illusions come from?

How did we how did Hollywood come up. with an illusion? Because if you think. about it, they kind of all look the. same. None of them ever have hair. They're all bald. >> WHY ARE THEY BALD? ANSWER ME. YOU. ANSWER. WHY? I WANT ONE COMING OUT JUST. combing his hair or afropic, you know. Give me Give me that old smoke. Give me. Give me some body hair. >> Yes. >> Cuz all mammals have body hair and. they're humanoid, >> right? >> You know, so how so who to the best of. your recollection, who was the first. person to come up with this theory that. >> and and and it's it's it's you know, a.

lot of people and I think I've heard you. say that we're not alone, that there are. others in the universe. In the universe, for sure. No one's denying that. That's. correct. That's. >> But damn. How do we know that? We never. seen them. >> No. So that's true. But uh you've never. really seen air either. >> No. >> But you're breathing it. >> Yes. >> And its existence is not doubted by you. >> Okay. >> Okay. There other things you don't like. uh if there's drugs in a wrap package, you don't smell it, but your dog does. Right. >> So your senses are not the measure of.

reality. >> Oh, okay. >> Okay. Okay. The stuff that exists with. or without. >> So the tree falling in the forest and no. one there is to hear it, we knows it. makes a sound. >> Okay. I first ask, how do you know it. fell? >> Cuz I told you it did. >> No, because you went out there and saw. it. >> Well, I saw it down. >> Okay. Right. Okay. >> Is that Can we deduce that? >> I'm saying it would make a If I had a. chart recorder out there, I don't need. your ears. It would record the sound. Yes.

>> Yes. >> Okay. [laughter]. So, so seeing can be believing, but. seeing can also be deceiving. And that's. why we invented science. The methods and. tools of science have machines that make. measurements. And that's what they do. and why they do it. So that it doesn't. pass through your sensory understanding. of the world. >> Okay. >> Okay. And like I said, before we had. cameras, it all passed through your. senses. >> I was abducted and either they told you. that or it came out under hypnosis. But.

your brain is participating in that. story. We don't want that in science. >> So in other words, under duress and. we've seen we. >> especially under duress because there. are scientists that say that sometimes. under the rest you can see things that. you don't actually see or hear things. you don't actually hear. >> There are visual and acoustic illusions. That's correct. And also depends on your. expectations, what your culture is, what. your all of this factors in. I got one. for you. Um,

Jesus on a tortilla. [laughter] Okay. >> You know who never sees Jesus on a. tortilla are Jewish people. [laughter]. >> Okay. I'm just saying, right? >> Okay. Um, there's cultural expectations. placed on your world, right, >> that can influence your data taking. And. I just want to say that while that can. explain most, >> possibly all, but certainly most of the. sightings Mhm. >> I'm happy to allow that small percent.

that could be actual aliens. >> I'm not going to say no. >> You're not going to totally dismiss it. >> No, but I need better evidence. >> Right. >> And and a a colleague of mine was. tasked, was it by Congress or by NASA, to [snorts] get a a group of people. together to analyze the claims of alien. sightings and they didn't see anything. convincing, but they do want people to. get better data. So, they're going to. create an app where next time you see. something, >> right? >> You put it through the app and the app.

takes the picture with your smartphone. and it records all the meta data. What. is your longitude and latitude on Earth, your elevation, your direction, your. compass pointing, the lighting. conditions and then if other people saw. the same phenomenon, right, it can. collate the data and triangulate on what. the object is, how big it is, where it. was going, where it was coming from. Very hard things to determine in. twilight. for an object that you've never seen. before. So, in other words, you believe. everything can be explained. Anything.

that we see in today in in today's world. can be explained. >> No, I No, I didn't say that. What I'm. going to say is the frontier of science. >> Yes. >> Depends. Expects there always something. that you can't explain. >> Always. >> Really? >> That is what the moving frontier of. science is. >> That is the loving the questions. themselves. >> Okay. I don't know what this is, but. that's a reason to investigate it. further. Here are those few obser. observations. We don't know what it is. Get this app, which I think they're.

still working on if it's not available. already, >> and get your data through this app. >> Okay? >> And then that can be collated with other. people's data to get more information to. figure out what it is. >> Are humans the original alien? It looks like we are of this earth. because we share the same DNA at some. level with all other life on earth. including plants. >> Really? >> Yes. In fact, we. >> a cactus. >> The we and a banana share 20 25%.

identical genes. Humans and bananas. >> What? >> So if a alien comes and it it doesn't. have our DNA or doesn't have DNA at all, >> right? You'd expect it to look at least. as different from humans as humans and. bananas look from each other. Correct. >> You'd expect that from another planet. I. would absolutely. >> on this planet, right? Most stuff does. not look human. Yes. >> On this planet. >> And so, uh, here's here's one for you. You ready? Now, don't freak out. Okay.

>> Are you seated? >> I'm seated. >> The common ancestor. >> This how this is how evolution works. You have common ancestors. Yes. So we. and chimps have a common ancestor that. split. >> later than its common ancestor split. with. >> gorillas. >> which split later than its common. ancestor split with oldw world monkeys. that have tails. Okay. >> Okay. >> It's all primates. >> Yes. >> But there's a branch that went off and. had tails. A branch that does not.

>> Okay. >> We're in the branch that does not have. tails. It's uh apes. It's baboons. Um. chimpanzees. Gorillas. That thing. Okay. Humans. All right, here's my point. For. any two creatures on Earth, you can go. far enough back and find the common. ancestor. Okay. Do you realize the. common ancestor between humans. and mushrooms. split later than its common ancestor. split with green plants,

which means we and mushrooms are more. genetically alike than either we or. mushrooms are to green plants. Damn. You've you've had a you've had a m like. a porttoella mushroom. What? When you. bite into it, what how do people. describe it? >> I I I hate frog houses. I don't I don't. I don't fool with mushrooms. >> You don't you don't mess with mushrooms? Well, if you ask people who have, they'll say it tastes meaty. >> As you bite into it, it has a meaty kind. of taste. >> Said no one ever of kale. >> Okay. >> Yes.

>> Okay. Um mushrooms love us. >> Yes. >> Yeast are are are mushrooms are fungus. Fungus loves us. Your dandruff is. fungus. The yeast infections. Ringorm is. fungus. The people ingest mushrooms and. have conversations with mushrooms. [laughter]. So give me an alien that that looks like. a mushroom. I mean, why do they all got. to look human? So in other words, >> going back millions and millions of. years ago, the common say you have chimpanzees,

monkeys, so forth and so on. >> Yes. >> We split from them. Yes. But we split. from a mushroom. way earlier. >> Earlier or later? >> Oh, much much earlier. >> Okay. >> Much much earlier. Okay. Because there's. a lot that happened in between there. We. have to become fish first. >> Okay. [laughter]. >> We are ver our our vertebrate because we. have a spine. Our vertebrate ancestry. goes through the ocean and to fish. >> So, >> so what what's the biggest cause of.

evolution? Because you say we split from. fish and fish are still able to be in. water. They can breathe the water. so. forth and so on. Now, we had to have the. adaptability to be able to we learn how. to walk upright. We learned how to do. all these other things. So, how how does. evolution take place? How does that. happen? >> That's a great question. A lot of people. don't fully get this. Okay. >> In evolution, no organism adapts to. anything. What happens is there's a uh there's a. generation of them, okay, that have.

slightly different features. See, some a. little longer, some a little shorter, some a little chubbier, some a little. this, some a little that. And then. there's an assault on the environment. Usually everybody dies. >> Yes. The dinosaur. Unless there's a. feature among one in this generation. that can step through that that new. portal. >> Okay. >> So, they step through, everybody else.

dies. They have a property that enables. them to thrive in that environment. So. now they have offspring with that. property. in that new environment. Is that what. happened when because they say some. micro uh uh uh organisms and some. animals can reproduce without having a. male part or. >> Yes. So it's spermatogenesis. Yes. That's an example. I think that's what. you're referring to. Uh there's I think. roaches can do this which helps make.

them so successful. Yes. Right. Uh. there's some animals where if they don't. have a mate. >> they can nonetheless generate the zygote. and then and so I don't understand that. process fully biologically but we know. what happens and it's definitely a. survival yes uh property. Yes. And so. you are more likely to propagate your. >> offspring if you can do that. Yes. >> Cuz someone else got high and dry. couldn't find a mate. Right. And it was. then gone. So when you hear when I cuz I. I've heard this so long so long and I.

don't know if it's true and you got me. questioning myself and whether whoever. said it that the greatest trick to. survival is adaptability. And you says. no one adapts. You just have to. >> the feature is already there. if you have it at all. Otherwise. everybody dies. [gasps]. >> Okay. >> It is a gi evolution is a giant killing. machine. >> Damn. I can't even. >> 99% of all species there ever was. >> Yeah. are now extinct at the hand of. nature. Everyone says, "Oh, Earth is so.

beautiful. It's so green. It's low life. Mother nature be kind to mother na. nature is killing you every chance it. can get." Okay? And [laughter] if it's. not if it's not from some change in the. environment, >> right? >> It's from a tsunami, an earthquake, a. volcano, a a a a pestilence, plague. Yeah. >> Drought. >> Yes. Mother nature don't play. >> to control population. War, plague, famine.

>> Okay. More people. >> Yes. >> On earth. Do you know the greatest monster. responsible for human deaths? >> It's the We're up there. We're up there. cuz we will kill each other. >> Mosquitoes. >> Mosquitoes. >> Mosquitoes. >> Yes. >> Have killed more people than any other. creature on Earth. >> Yes. Malaria. Right. >> Among other you got Zika and now you got. Zika and Denge. Yes. Yes. >> More than anything else on Earth. >> That is our biggest threat. >> Yes. >> Not anymore cuz we we we pretty much.

control that. But in the day, >> in the day. >> So yeah, this we're alive in spite of. nature, not because of her. >> Saying how. >> So So back to the alien point. >> Um the aliens might be intrigued about. evolution on Earth, which is what. responsible for the diversity of life. They might be intrigued by that. Uh I. don't know on their planet how many how. different everybody is. Who knows you. know. >> how were humans created. So how do we so.

you say we we we branched off and say we. had this we we we humans life form as we. know it now branched off from a lot of. different things. >> So so the the best evidence today. suggests. >> that we were happy in the trees like. other primates. >> Yes. >> Then there's climate change. >> Yes. >> And the forest went away. >> Okay. We came down out of the trees. >> Now we're in the grasses. But if you're. dragging your knuckles in the grasses, you can't see a predator, >> right?

>> Like the lion. >> Yes. >> So, you want to be able to look above. what's that creature that was in the. Lion King? That uh the Mircat. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> If you're low to the ground, you don't. see somebody coming around the bend. Correct. Okay. So there was a survival. advantage to walking upright. >> instead of on all fours. Correct. >> If you couldn't walk upright for. whatever cuz your back hurt. >> Yes. >> Then you got eaten. >> Right. >> You removed from the gene pool. >> I walk up and I don't hurt. Okay. I have.

offspring where they can walk upright. and they don't hurt. >> Right. >> Then there was a mutation to our vocal. cords that enabled us to articulate. speech. >> Right. >> Okay. The other apes don't have this. Right? >> It was a mutation that proved to be. helpful. >> So now we can communicate. >> and now we can remember information. >> How do we do that? We learned. information is stored better if it's. rhythmic. in our.

that's an interesting fact. >> Right? >> You remember some words or sentences. better than others because there's some. rhythm to them. >> Correct. >> All right. There's something easier. You. know why do we like music at all? Right. because it it's a way of communicating. in a way that you enjoy. >> that enables us to share survival. knowledge with others. >> You said walking with your knuckles, dragging the ground, you couldn't see. over the horizon, you couldn't see over. the tall grass or you couldn't see over. and then predators, but didn't it give.

you the ability to be able to hear, to. be able to smell? Because some animals. that can't see beyond, they can hear. extremely well. They can have an. incredible sense of smell. >> The smell wasn't in our genes. >> It wasn't. That's if if it was, then. we'd be able to smell the lion, you. know, the way a dog can. Yes. Okay. Dogs. never walked on all fours. >> So, they have a way better capacity to. smell than we do. >> Okay. >> Put them in the grass. They're going to. smell your ass. [laughter] Okay. So, so. um Yeah. So, our Plus, we have.

relatively good vision. >> Yes. >> All right. We have a binocular vision, so depth, >> but not like other animals. We at the. bottom of the totem pole. it like well. well no no bats don't see with their. eyes very well they can echoloccate um. mice have very bad vision. >> uh there plenty of animals have terrible. vision. >> if you have a mouse in the middle of the. floor it's going to run until it. >> hits a wall it's going to run along the. wall feeling the wall wherever it goes. it's going to navigate that way. >> right. >> uh in the open in the open floor the.

mice is pretty helpless. >> yeah so yeah so in the genetic variation. that existed did for our primate. ancestors, the ability to stand upright. proved to be good enough for that to be. important more than if you had some. variation in your capacity to smell. >> So, how long ago did we start to stand. upright? Was it a thousand years ago? Was it 500 years? Way longer than a.

million. >> No, I don't remember. I don't have that. number. It's a known quantity. Okay. >> I think it's in the millions, but it's a. known quantity. Yes. Yes. Um, what is. the latest evolution? So, let's just say millions and millions. ago we evolved and we started. So, has. there been any other evolution that has. happened since then in human? Yeah. So, the way what I I didn't finish the full. evolution statement. So what happens is.

um if some new feature shows up within. you, if it doesn't give you an. advantage, then the feature just. it languishes and it. >> so it's like a new feature in a car. So. if it doesn't give you more comfort, it. doesn't give you greater miles for the. gallon, >> then it just kind of fades away. Okay? >> So then [laughter]. all right. Uh, and. you know, little things. For example, we. have eyebrows. >> Yes. >> What the hell are they for?

>> Yeah. What are they for? >> Okay. >> Sweat. Keep sweat. >> Yeah. >> So, if it's hot and you're running away. from something and you got to check it. out. If sweat just fell into your eyes. and sweat is salty, you're like this. You get eaten. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> You get you're you gone. >> Y'all didn't know I was astro piss. I. [laughter] JUST SAY BETTER STAY. ASTROPHYSICIST. >> OKAY. SO, your eyebrows. So, whatever. caused them initially, they had a. survival advantage. >> Yes.

>> Even if there was just random. >> Yes. >> Okay. The mutations are random. They. don't they don't have purpose in them, >> right? >> And so, so yeah. So, >> so every so every feature that's on the. human body, it actually has a purpose. >> It gave us a survival advantage. That. >> So, what about underarm hair? What? What. survival advantage they gave us? I PROBABLY could run faster if I didn't. have hair up under there. >> Why is the hair under your arm slowing. you down? >> But I'm just saying it's.

I wax. So I'm bam. >> You wax. >> I do. >> You a black man. You can't be all that. hairy. [laughter]. [clears throat]. >> You know I'm right. >> But but women, but I'm saying like. >> you know I'm right. >> when you look at pubic hair. >> Tell me you know I'm right. >> What? I I'm I don't I don't like her. I'm saying you're a black man. Yes. You. don't have hair coming up your No. To. your collars like they do in the. Mediterranean. >> No. No. I'm not a silverback IF THAT'S. WHAT. >> I'M SAYING. SO, I'M SAYING THIS WAS THE. WEIRD thing about 19th century.

anthropologists. They're trying to put. white people at the top and black people. they were saying were still evolving. They were right next to apes. And And. they completely ignored the hairy white. people in the world. Okay. >> That that ARE MORE HAIRIER. >> WAY HAIRIER. >> More hairy. >> Yes. than any black person they've ever. seen. You said something interesting I. saw you say about the Neanderthal and. they compared the Neanderthal to the. black man until they found out the. Neanderthal was really smart and then. all of a sudden Oh yeah, WE WE YEAH THEY.

>> YEAH. So we grew up the was the brunt of. all jokes. >> Yes. >> Okay. And and plus they didn't make it, right? So all right then after we. cracked the human genome early 90s it's. the genome. >> We can see what's in the genome. what. other branches of evolution showed up in. the genome and they found out that some. people have Neanderthal genes in them. >> So that so if this was 19th century. anthropology racist anthrop they say oh. those are probably the black people cuz.

they're still dumb and stupid. >> Turns out. Europeans on average are between 1 and. 3% Neanderthal DNA. African blacks near zero. Wow. That's. kind of hard to you got to settle that. score if you're one of these. anthropologists, right? Beginning in the. 1990s, >> anthropological studies of Neanderthal. started describing how inventive and. CREATIVE THEY WERE, HOW ARTISTIC they. they.

said, "Oh, we got it wrong. They they. really just they had to have to fix that. image right quick." [laughter]. >> That's that'sed up what what went on. that whole period. So why why do we. still fight so much over skin color? >> So I So I don't think it's skin color. >> What do you think? >> It's just the most obvious way to. tribalize someone at a distance. >> Okay. >> Okay. They have to get a little closer. before you know what god they worship.

>> They have to get even closer before you. know who they sleep with. >> Mhm. >> You got to get even closer to know what. they smell like. >> Right. >> All right. And the sad part about our. species is that. evidence shows we are prone to. tribalism. If it was just skin color, you would have never had World War I and. two, which are basically white people, white Christians killing and. slaughtering other white Christians. >> Correct. >> For cultural reasons or their brand of. Christianity was slightly different.

>> What What's up there? Right. >> Okay. So. people will find reasons. >> to want to kill you if you're. sufficiently different from them, right? And a skin color, you can see that half. a mile away. >> Correct. Right. >> So that's the e that's the easiest. determining factor like correct you. different than me because you don't look. like me. Or then when you hear me talk, you don't talk like me. >> Correct. >> Or if I come into your home where you. don't have the say you don't have you. don't worship the same god or you don't. eat the same food that I eat. Right. So. now. >> I eat it at the same time or the same.

day of the week. Okay, >> look at the rules that come with the. package. >> So, so to me it's tribal more than it is. racial. It's racial just as one. manifestation of something that's been. there forever. >> Right. Right. >> To do your best uh uh guess. >> I mean, look look at the look at how. many years did France and England fight. each other. >> Yes. >> Over what? Oh, they speak different. languages. Okay. And England fighting. Spain. >> Okay. They're all Christian,

>> right? They're all white. So, so yeah, I. I don't take it personally, right? >> When people want to kill me for being. black. [laughter]. >> I I just say you're just being tribal, >> right? >> And if I were something else, not you, you'd still want to kill me. >> Right. There it is. What is What do you. think is the biggest difference between. European, Asians, and Africans? Well, >> besides region.

>> Well, so we all came out of Africa. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> We all originated. Yes. So every So. basically every human form originated. from the Asiatic. >> No. From African. >> African. >> Yes. Humans. >> Okay. Origin is in Africa. >> Africa. >> There is no dispute about. >> none at all. >> None. Zero. >> at all. So now let me lead into that by. saying. uh we surely know people you say. Americans and you say oh you know.

they'll say well what what are you. that's a come well I'm Italian. Well. where were you born? America. Where are. your parents born? Brooklyn. [laughter]. >> Where were their parents born? Italy. So. I'm Italian. >> Right. >> All right. Here's another one. >> Okay. >> Uh. what are you? Oh I'm Swedish. >> Okay. >> Well where were you born? I I I'm born. in New York. Where were your parents. born? New York. Where are their parents? Because that's the immigrant, >> right? Where were their parents born? Um, no, I get it right. So, we'll come.

through. Where are their parents born? Minnesota. Okay. Where where were their. parents born? Minnesota. Where are their. parents born? Sweden. So, I'm Swedish. >> Right. >> You see what they're doing? They're. going back their tree, finding a place. that that fits that that that that. that's that soothes their need to have. some kind of an association, >> even if they've never been to that. place. [clears throat]. And they stop there. Okay. >> Okay. >> What I tell them all is, why don't you.

keep going? Just keep going. >> No, I just want to be from Sweden. I'm. Swedish. >> Okay. Keep going. And if you keep going, we're all African. There is an ancestor of yours that is. African if you go far enough back on the. tree. But you stopped in Sweden and you. stopped in Italy and you stopped in. Poland. Keep going back. H. >> the tree, the human tree of life traces. back to Africa. So now we come out of.

Africa. Yes. Some continue north. >> Yes. >> It's costly to sustain dark skin. Yes. >> Uh it it's a it's a nutritional cost on. you. So you go north, the sun is not. there as much. The the dark skin rapidly. goes away and people just turn white. Wow. >> Okay. Evolutionarily. >> Yes. >> And then so some went there, some went. towards Asia. Yes. >> There's some dispute about whether they. went south or north, but went into Asia,

populated Asia. >> Mhm. >> Then they kept going. This is during the. ice age. Wow. How do you get an ice age? Water. evaporates from the oceans. >> Yes. >> Goes into the sky, is so cold it comes. back out as snow. The snowflake lands on. the on the countryside. >> Yeah. >> And never goes away. because the whole the world is below. freezing. So the snowflake is just. there. Had it been rain, the water would.

have just worked its way back to the. ocean and you'd have this circulation of. water. >> But during the ice age, you drain the. ocean of its water, deposit the water on. land, it never returns to the ocean. The. ocean levels drop, exposing a land bridge, >> right, >> between Asia and North America. Okay, >> that's the famous bearing straight, >> right? And so the migrating human ancestors, >> okay, >> it was just land. They just walked.

across base. Then the ice age ended. >> The waters melt back into the ocean. The. ocean levels rise, closes off the. bearing straight, stranding an entire. branch of the human species in North and. South America. And Europe has no memory. of this. Wow. That's why it's called the. new world. There it was. and the rest of. the world had wars. They interbred. They. did whatever. And there it is. So.

even though Columbus was a dick. Okay. [laughter]. >> Okay. >> The most important thing he did. was reconnect two branches of the human. species that had been separated for. 10,000 years. >> Wow. >> Okay. >> Mhm. had that never reconnected. That's. the precise setup for biological. evolution to have a branch separate away.

from the branch that got it there. >> That's why Australia's animals are so. weird. >> Yes. >> Cuz Australia separated from the. mainland long ago. >> on an evolutionary time scale. >> Yes. >> So they got kangaroos and and their. snakes are so deadly they got the most. They got venom up the. >> inland Tan, the coast of Taipan and the. brown the common ground. >> Okay. They got stuff the rest of the. world never seen or heard of. >> Keep it over there. >> because it because it got isolated. So.

you will evolve if you're subject to. your own. uh uh environmental forcing. >> and you're not interbreeding with the. rest of the world. >> Okay? >> Help me understand this. >> But right now everybody's interbreeding. with everybody. Airplanes enable this. >> Yeah. >> Everybody. >> Yes. >> Everybody. >> Thanks. Uh uh Wright brothers. [laughter]. >> Help me understand this. >> Wait. Wait. Write brothers. Wait. Don't. blame them because they.

>> Yes. >> Do you realize. >> Yes. >> The Boeing 707 jet. >> Mhm. >> The first ever commercial jet. It came. from the military. Yes. First ever. commercial jet. >> came out in 1958. Its wingspan. is the distance that the Wright brothers. first flew. We went from the Wright brothers flight. >> Yeah. >> to a Boeing 707 plane in 55 years.

with a wingspan is the distance they. flew. Damn, that was very far. >> Yeah, >> that wasn't very far. But we made great. advances. And people who are in denial. that we have smart humans among us. Yes. They just say aliens help. We reverse. engineer the aliens. [clears throat]. [laughter]. >> But you can help me understand this. >> Yeah. >> Why is it that we can handle heat with. our black skin better? Because when. normally, what do they tell you? If it's.

hot outside, you put on light colored. clothing. >> Yeah. >> How is it that we became so adaptable to. dark? cuz I I don't really like the. heat, but I know we handle it better. than our white counterparts. >> Okay. Not everything is a perfect. solution. >> Okay. >> Some is just a better solution than what. otherwise would have happened. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Dark skin absorbs sunlight. >> Yes. >> Black people in the same situation will. absorb more sunlight than white people. >> Yes. >> Making your body hotter.

>> Yes. >> Which means you might have to drink more. water. Okay. Fine. So you're saying why not turn white. under at the equator? >> Yeah. >> Just Why isn't everyone in Africa white? Right. >> So you're not absorbing sunlight. >> Turns out. the skin absorbs ultraviolet light. Okay. Ultraviolet light gives you skin. cancer and you die. Damn. Melanin absorbs ultraviolet light and.

does not give you skin cancer. Skin cancer is 30 times more prevalent. in white people than in black people. And where black people even get it, it's. usually not in a part exposed to where. the sun had hit. It's like on your. bottom of your feet or you have which is. you're not always looking at your bottom. of your feet. Correct. Um who's our guy. from Jamaica died of that? Um. >> Bob Marley died of skin cancer from his. feet. >> Really? >> Yes. Yes. Okay. And so it's it's it's.

it's pernicious because it's you're not. looking at the bottom of your feet. Correct. How often do you do that? Let. me look in a mirror at the you that's. not what you do. >> Yeah. People ain't looking at their. feet. They barely washing their feet. So. these dumps ain't looking at them. [laughter]. >> So So the tradeoff is. >> right, you're going to be hotter, but. you're not going to get skin cancer, >> right? >> And it would kill all white people that. don't have melanin in their skin. >> Wow. So that's why Nordic countries.

those people are so white. >> Yes. >> It's not false to portray Elsa in the. Disney movie uh you know what's the in. um. >> throw and throws him. >> Make those people as white as you have. ink to do so. >> Right. >> And that'll be just fine. So and if you. wanted to make a movie with no black. people set it in Norway. [laughter]. So why don't we So why don't we handle. the cold weather.

>> like Well, I mean I don't think anyone. wants to be in the cold. >> Yeah, they do. Some of them do. >> Like like you said, Norway, those ice. Icelandic. >> Well, they don't mind it. I think so. The the thing about dark skin is if it's. cold out, you will absorb more sunlight. to keep you warm, right? >> Okay. You'll have to put on fewer. clothes. >> to to stay warm. >> in that way. Okay. And I've taken I've. done that knowing the physics of this. I've taken full advantage of that. >> Right. [laughter]. >> The mo you know what I think the biggest.

thing is and and uh I remember I heard. my grandfather said it. He's uh he was a. farmer and he was talking about. >> what where was this? >> This was he was in Georgia. I'm from. South Georgia. And he believed it. because the weather he said the weather. changed and he said yeah Mary they. messing with that moon. >> Some people don't believe it. They say. man they went to Hollywood. They got. into a studio and. >> moon landing. >> The moon landing. You you you know. exactly where I was going with this. >> Can we prove the moon landing actually. happened?

>> I'm not authorized to comment. [laughter]. >> So let me offer you a couple of. perspectives. >> Okay. So um. I had this conversation with someone. otherwise educated man. >> Yes. rational. >> Yes. >> And I said to him as to he came out to. me and say, you know, he was citing. things that were out of his expertise, right? Like how come every picture we.

see from the moon the there no stars in. the sky? I mean, you should see stars, >> right? >> He doesn't understand photography, >> right? >> If you're exposed for the bright because. there's no atmosphere, so the sky is not. glowing. You'll see the sun and stars in. the sky at the same time. But a. photograph can only take one exposure. And if it exposes for the sunlit people, Buzz Aldrin posing in the picture, that. exposure frame is not long enough to. capture the much dimmer stars in the. night sky.

>> He doesn't know this, but he's citing as. evidence that we didn't go to the moon. Right? This is irresponsible. Go learn. something before you start lobbing. evidence against something that you. don't know anything about. >> Right? >> Okay. So I said, "What would prove to you that we landed. on the moon? You tell me." He said, "A. photograph of the landing site.". I said, "Okay.". So the next day I handed him a a website. and go on that website. It's pictures.

cuz we went back to the moon with an. orbiting reconnaissance camera. >> and we saw the website. So, and and I. gave him the the the the the pointer to. the actual photo, right? Because there's. a million photos there, >> correct? >> And you can see the tracks from the from. the rover and the the landing from the. limb. >> And he said, "I saw it, but I looked at. the bottom corner and it said it had the. NASA logo as well as the Japan logo.

because it was a Japanese American. collaboration, >> right? and because of the NASA logo, that's still the US government and so I. don't trust that it's real. And I said to him, I gave you exactly. what you asked me to give you. and you still don't believe it. So the. conversation is over. and just be glad you live in a country. where you can believe whatever the hell. you want, right? >> And we're not going to put you in jail. for it, right? >> Because it's a free country. I just.

don't want him to ever become head of. NASA. >> Right. So, in other words, with your. expertise, you don't go back and forth. with people. I will. I I will at to some. level. Yes. But if they reject the. evidence that they asked me to supply, >> right, >> then. >> then what's the point at. >> Well, yeah. Where you going with that, >> right? I can't take that any further. And so, um, plus you saw the Saturn 5 rocket. launch. Where do you think that was going? to.

the Piggly Wiggly down the street. No, it's you can calculate how much fuel is. in the rocket, right? It's enough fuel. to go into orbit to go to the moon, orbit the moon, come back to Earth. That's how much fuel was in there. Do. the math. Oh, no. They can't do the. math. So, we're stuck. I'm stuck hitting. them on the head about this. >> Right. >> So, here's a fun story. You ready? >> Yep. >> So, NASA, the government says, NASA, Russia's going to beat us to the moon. We have to get there. We're not ready. >> Yes. >> Oh, we have to fake it. Yes. So, we know.

who could do it for us. Let's go to. Hollywood. They go to Hollywood, top. secret meeting, the best producers, uh, set designers said, "We got to fake the. moon landing.". >> So, they go away, study it, and come. back and they say, >> "We could fake the moon landing for you, >> but we think it'll be more convincing if. we shoot it on location.". [laughter]. There it is. That's what happened. Yeah. But then you get Artemis 2. They're. like, "Man, that wasn't real, man. They.

ain't do nothing but go up there a. little bit. They went up about about a. thousand feet and just circle and talk. about they in orbit. >> Do you get you know these are people?". So think about it, >> okay? >> What a compliment it is of modern. civilization. >> that we have people walking among us. >> who are in denial of how far we've come. in our science and technology. >> Isn't that a beautiful thing? >> They should not be denying technology. Because you go to the airport, they they. got they got scanned everything.

I mean, you can be thinking something. and go to Google. I'm like, WHO HAVE MY. PHONE? >> How you know I was thinking about this? I WAS THINKING ABOUT HOW DOES IT I'M. LIKE, HOLD ON. Wait a minute. Now y'all. doing too. >> It make you want TO TURN YOUR PHONE OFF. YOU. >> SOUND LIKE YOUR GRANDFATHER NOW. Who you. >> I WANT TO TURN my phone off when I'm. singing to myself. How does it do that? It's listening. I ain't say nothing. [laughter].

>> No. So, you have to watch out because. we're very bad data taking devices, >> right? >> So, we tend to remember the hits. >> and forget the misses. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> You're having thoughts all the time. Yes. >> And you look at your pad and it doesn't. match your thought. >> Yeah. >> So, nothing. >> Yeah. >> You You don't make a big deal on that. because nothing matched. >> Yes. Once in the last month out of the 10,000. ads you saw, it happened to match when. you thought about it and you want to. think something deep is going on.

>> This is a susceptibility of the human. mind wanting to put meaning into. something that is otherwise random. >> Oh, so that's how fortune tellers get us. >> all the time. So they'll give you one. thing that have actually well your your. your father did this or your grandfather. grandmother. >> and you're not even paying attention. You don't even register that because. none of that's true, right? But they hit. one. How did you know? >> How did you know that? >> Yes. >> Yes. And then before you know it, you'd. have emptied your bank account.

>> Here's what happened. I taught a class. uh an evening class, adult class in. astrophysics. This is at the. planetarium. Would you have two people. in there? No. [laughter]. More people like the universe than just. two people. So about halfway through, a. woman comes up to me. Weren't many. people in class, 25 or something. And. she says, "I got a level with you. I'm a. professional astrologer and I'm taking. your class to see if I can learn some. things to help out. >> Right. So, I said, "Okay, welcome." Okay. Uh,

and she said, "Well, what's your star. sign?" And I said, "Well, if you're a. professional astrologer, you ought to be. able to figure that out. [laughter]. Is that too much to ask?" She said, "Okay." And she said, "Gemini." I said, "No." Then she said, "Oh, it must be. Leo." I said, "No." No. And then I know it's cancer. I I said. no. On the eighth guess, eight out of how many? >> 12. >> 12. She gets the right answer. >> I knew it. AND SHE SAID [laughter] I. KNEW IT.

I [laughter]. people don't understand statistics. So. I don't know. [laughter]. So what I you know I worry the aliens. come. >> and they see all of this. >> they see us killing each other for like. I said for all these reasons skin color. who you pray to see that and they. they'll see people think earth is flat. that we never went to the moon even.

though we have all manner of hardware on. the moon if they say we didn't go to the. moon they have to admit that we didn't. go to the moon nine times right okay. >> yes. >> we didn't go to the moon nine times. what's that about okay nine missions. went to the moon right. >> uh and so So they'll see all of this. They'll see people denying the claims of. scientists and they'll they'll wonder. what the what what and they'll rush. home. >> Yeah. They say we ain't fooling with. them. >> And report there's no sign of. intelligent life on Earth [laughter].

sometimes. I I I don't know if I I would. disagree with it. >> That's all I'm saying. That's all I'm. saying. I knew you'd help me understand. this, but I've never been there. Um I I. I do want to go cuz I want to see it. [snorts] the pyramids at Giza. >> Yeah, I haven't seen them either. But. you got to explain some how with not the. machinery, the equipment that we have. today, how did they ar how did they put. that up?

I'm not authorized. No, [laughter] stop. Stop. Um, you have been influenced. by people. who are in. denial. >> Denial. >> Not the river. [laughter]. In denial. of a brilliant. African civilization. >> Uhhuh. Last I checked, Egypt is in.

Africa. And the people leading the charge of. disbelief. tend to be Europeans, not from Africa. >> Okay? The Europeans come in because what. was Europe doing 2000 BC? Nothing much. happening back then. Okay? And living in. huts or whatever they were doing, it was. not the brilliant civilization going on. in Africa. >> Right. Africa, the the Nile would flood,

the irrigation, the architecture, the. science. Yes. The the civilization that. that represented, the hanging gardens of. Babylon, >> full of Artemis. >> Okay. Holoconus. >> These are these are well, except when. you go to the Greece and Rome, well, that's Europe. >> Yeah. >> And so, uh, >> they they say they they can have a they. could have an explanation of how that. happened. >> because that's their own people. [laughter]. >> That's my point. >> So, I'm tired. I'm gonna sound like. Martin Luther King. I'm tired.

of having people, you know, deny the. intellect of Africans in Egypt 5,000. years ago. >> And so, look at who primarily is in denial of. it. And doesn't mean I didn't like enjoy. the movie with the ring. Star. >> Stargate. Okay. Love me some Stargate. Okay. But it's aliens coming through a.

Stargate. >> into Egypt. Yes. >> And creating that civilization, >> right? >> Once again, in denial. >> of what actually happened. >> of of dark-kinned people having that. ability, right? So. >> you look at how did they do that? They. were smart. >> How could they build it? They had a lot. of people, >> right? >> Uh still, how was it? They took a lot of. time, >> right? >> It wasn't built overnight, >> right? It wasn't built by a few people, smart people. One of them, I think, was.

Imoteep was one of the architects, one. of the the the Yeah. the architects of. from ancient Egypt. So, I have no. hesitation. accepting recognizing the. role that local Egyptians played in. building that empire. Zodiac. Do the zodiac do do they. actually mean because you doc you know. how women are. What's your sign? Mhm. I.

knew it. You a water sign or you a this. or that. Yeah. >> They only say I knew it after you gave. them the answer. >> But I'm saying this like they only say. they knew it after they gave the answer. going like, "Okay, I'm a Cancer crab. That's a water sign or you're this or. you're you're Capricorn or you're a. Sagittarius or you're a Leo Taurus, a. Taurus or I'm like, I don't know what. that who came up with the the zodiac. signs and put a meaning that people buy. into. People actually believe that they.

fall up under this sign and because they. said, "Okay, you're compassionate. You're the this and you're that." And. people believe it. So, in all fairness. to people, >> yeah, [laughter]. >> let me just give a shout out, >> okay, >> to our species. >> If you go back far enough. >> Mhm. >> when we're agrarian, >> uh, when do you plant seeds? How do you. know? Oh, cuz this constellation is here. in the sky at this time of night.

>> It's not in that part of the sky 3. months from now, >> right? >> Two months ago. Now, >> right. When are you going to harvest? Well, when this other constellation is. right here. >> Okay. >> Um, it must know about my crops. [laughter]. >> It must care. It must think about this. >> It all revolves around me. >> Yes. >> You're at the center of all this motion. >> So, how could you think anything else?

Plus your religious book. puts earth in the middle and everything. is in the service of you. Everything go. This is a pre-scientific era. >> Okay. Where our ego knew no limits. [laughter]. We invent the telescope. >> Yes. >> We find out the stars are at different. distances in space. >> Right. It's not just on a dome where we.

connect the dots. The dots are actually. distributed throughout space, >> right? And you want to put a pattern on. these random ass stars in the sky. >> Really? And I told you we will see. patterns even when they're not actually. there, >> right? Cuz that's a human thing to do. >> We're going to see Jesus in the. tortilla. He's going to be in the. tortilla and in the waffle or whatever. your your waffle iron is going to do. Yes. So.

once we learned the universe, these are. not discrete patterns sitting on a. surface, >> right? >> The stars spread out in space. Once we. learned this, >> the idea that these. mythological. entities that were layered onto the sky. by sleepless Babylonians and and Greek. and Romans, >> [snorts]. >> It's untenable in the face of that.

knowledge. And if you do experiments, okay, if they fail every time. So, here's a good experiment. Um, which no one gets you to do. Uh, what would it be? Um, they say that where the sun is in the. sky when you're born, that's your sign. So, you probably know your sign. What is. it? >> I'm a Cancer. Cancer. And what's your. birthday? >> June 26th. >> Okay. Do you realize 2,000 years ago.

>> the sun was in the constellation Cancer. on June 26th. >> Yeah. >> It's not there anymore. >> The correspondence for the sun has. shifted against the background stars. over the last 2,000 years. So, it's an. entire constellation off from the. origins of the zodiac. Right? So for and. not only that. Scorpius, okay, [clears throat] do you.

realize when the sun enters Scorpius cuz. it's our movement around the sun, right? >> Where we see it appear in front of. stars, right? >> When the sun enters Scorpius, it then. exits Scorpius before the month is over. and goes into another constellation, right, called Ofucus. >> You ever hear of Ofucus? >> No. The sun spends more time in Ofucus. than in Scorpius. Most people who think they're scorpions. are actually ofans. And all scorpions. and ofucans are currently Librans. cuz that's where the sun is right now.

when you were born. >> Wow. >> Now go pay someone to read your. horoscope. [laughter]. Is it true and I've heard this I don't. know if this is a myth. You going to. clear it up right here today that we. only use 10% of our brain? >> No. >> More or less. It was never true. >> Okay. But it's not going away because. teachers love it. An underperforming. student, you're only using 10% of your. brain. Reach in for more of it. >> So I think the way it goes is there was. a, you know, in brain research, you.

can't just experiment on people's. brains, right? It's it's unethical, >> right? >> The best you can do, >> can't you lobotomy? >> Best you can do is wait for somebody to. come in with a brain injury, >> right? >> Okay. There's like a spike goes through. here. Yeah. And then they lose their. language. >> Okay. another spike goes through here. and they go blind but they can still. speak or they can make noises but they. don't they make gibberish. So you can. make a pattern of what's going on. >> If that repeats with everyone we all. maybe is the brain the same for.

everybody we don't know test it. Okay. >> What the guy said in the 19th century. was the brain is so complex I forgot who. said this. >> The brain is so complex we only know. what 10% of it is used for. And we took that to mean that we only. used 10 10% of our brain. And that's. what led without that you couldn't have. the movie Lucy. Did you see Lucy? >> I did not. >> Uh Scarlett Johansson. >> Okay. >> Uh Morgan Freeman. Check it out. She's. drug smuggling with a chemical sewn into.

her body and the the bag breaks and it. makes her completely brilliant. >> Okay. >> Okay. And all the psychologists are. trying to understand it. And Morgan. Freeman, he says. >> she's now using 20% of her brain. >> Okay. >> And then she then things happen and then. she can she can start like stopping. bullets. She's now 50% of her brain. Okay. And so as more and more of her. brain gets used, she has powers that go. beyond her body, right? >> Which is not a thing.

>> I talk about it in here, right? >> I say if you're really really smart, >> you're not moving things with your. fingers, >> right? >> You'll just solve problems faster, >> right? That's all. >> That's it. >> That's it. >> So yeah, >> flatearthers, >> do they annoy you? >> No, I just don't. Don't bring them when. you meet the alien. [laughter] I want to. leave a good impression on the alien. Okay, leave him at home. Say, I'll get. back to you. >> Antarctica. >> Oh, by the way, did you see Beonia?

>> I have not. >> Okay, so it's a it's a alien movie. >> Okay. >> And you don't believe in aliens, but you. like watching those movies. >> I like movies. Okay. >> I like being entertained. Okay. With big. budget movies. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> Provided they have some story in them. [laughter]. >> Big budget doesn't always equal good. story, right? lately. Uh there's a. point, spoiler alert, >> right, >> where she meets the aliens, >> right? >> Fine, but the aliens are standing around.

a table and there's a model of the flat. earth there. No, I'm going to give you. the alien, but I'm not giving you the. flat earth. >> Right. >> So, this was like a catch basin for like. people who are saying there's a. conspiracy to hide all this information. >> So, yeah. No flat earth. Take that. Just. stay home with that. Did people ever. live in Antarctica? >> No. >> No. >> So, no. There. There were animals there. before the ice age. >> So, the mammoth? >> Uh, I don't think so.

I I I don't know. I can't answer that. Um, but they're fossils of prehistoric. animals in Antarctica before it was iced. over. So, >> so the possibility. >> this is climate this is climate change. from continental drift, >> right? And and that's the kind of thing. that'll bring one species in, take 10. species out. >> Yeah. >> So to the best of your estimate, no. person has ever people. >> Definitely not humans. No. >> Wow. >> And Antarctica has a lake that's.

submerged beneath the ice. Liquid lake. >> It's called Lake Vastto. I think it was. discovered by the Russians. >> I forgot how long. It has not been in. contact with our air or our biosphere. for some huge length of time. Forgive. me, I don't remember how long, but. significant amount of time relative to. recent evolution, >> right? >> It's being held up as a test bed for.

alien. evolution in water uh repositories on. other planets. So, we don't want to contaminate it with. any life form that thrives today, right? >> Because it's life forms. It's it's a. it's a record, right, of life forms that. existed back when the thing got sealed. over. >> Do you believe the bottom of the ocean. is as fascinating as space as space? >> Yeah. It's just much harder to get to. >> Really? >> Oh, yeah. >> What makes the What makes going down. there so much more difficult than going.

up there? Because. [laughter]. do you know the atmospheric pressure. around us right now? >> Yes. >> Okay. Let's just call it one atmosphere. >> Yes. >> It I can numerically it's 14.7 pounds. per square inch. Okay. This is one. atmosphere. Okay. >> When you go into space. >> do you know the air pressure? >> No, I do not. >> Zero. >> So what's the difference between sea. level and space? Right. is one. atmosphere.

>> You go bel yes. every several meters I forgot the number. is a whole extra atmospheres worth of. water pressure on top of you. >> Okay. >> That's why that that submersible. imploded and everybody died on it a few. months ago. I forgot what the the. expedition was. I know I know it was in. the news. Right. The deeper down you go. >> the more pressure. >> the more pressure you feel and the more. stress your vessel is under. >> Yes. It's much harder to build something.

where you stay alive under those. pressures than it is to stay alive in. space. So, we know more about the. surface of the moon than we know about. the surface of the ocean. Somehow the. animals finally just fine and just be. able to go down there and chill out. >> Well, >> that's right. But we we didn't we didn't. evolve there. So, we're not capable of. >> of And by the way, back there, this. where is literally where the sun don't. shine. So, they have pretty useless. eyeballs. They have vestigial eyes. eyes. that they may have had at another time, >> but then they didn't use them. They.

didn't need them. And so the the sockets. are still there, >> right? >> And but they're they're just not. >> getting. >> Do you think we are as interested in. what's down there as we are what's up. there? >> No. >> Anything in space? I'm surely biased. right now. >> Yes. >> But maybe not. >> Right. >> Everything in space is more interesting. than everything on Earth. >> Right. >> I'll give an example. Not everything, but let's say there's an eighth grade. class of kids. Okay. Okay. >> And you study volcanoes.

You're a geologist. And you come and. say, >> "I like volcanoes, right? >> And [clears throat] here's the here's. like, you know, Vuvius, and that blew up. in ancient Rome, and here's and you just. go on." Everyone say, "Wow, wow, wow.". And I wait till you're done. And then I. come in. They say this volcano on Mars. is the single largest mountain in the. entire solar system. On Jupiter's moon Io is the most.

volcanically active place in all of our. sector of the galaxy. and I'll show pictures of it. Plumes. coming up. Volcanoes on planets. >> Wow. >> Not volcano. And then I win because it's. a volcano in space. I got it on ready. On Europa and on Enceladus, it is so cold, but it's warm underneath. It gurgles up, punches through the ice, and you have ice volcanoes.

on these moons. Wow. Ice volcanoes. I. got the whole class. You You out of a job. [laughter]. The size of Africa on the map. Don't get. me started. Africa is bigger than what they portray. on the map or they're smaller than what. they portray on the map. On flat maps, there are distortions. in the north and in the south. >> Okay. >> And Africa straddles straddles the.

equator. >> Yes. >> Okay. So on those maps, the most. accurate size things are along the. equator. >> Okay. >> As you move away, things get. artificially bigger because of the. projection. And North America looks. huge. Do you realize you can fit the. continental United States? You can fit. five of them into Africa. Five. >> Wow. >> And we make a big deal what state you're. from. Oh, you're just from Africa.

You're not going to take the time to. learn what countries are in Africa. Like. really? >> Yeah. >> You learn every state in the union and. Africa can can fit five of those. So. yeah, so it's not that Africa is too. small or large. It's that North America. and Europe are distortedly large. relative to Africa. Oh, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, they in a race. to get the space. Have they called you.

and say, "Hey, no, help us out. They don't need my help." The quickest, safest way. They don't need my help. Plus, they're doing different things. Bezos, he's he's got this you go up and. you come back. >> Right. >> Right. Elon can actually put things into. orbit. Two very different spacecraft. >> Right. And uh uh Bezos is how long is. that ride? 20 minutes at most. Something. like that. >> You don't need bathrooms on board unless. you have bladder problems, >> right? >> If you have [clears throat] bladder. problems, you shouldn't be going up. Uh.

whereas Elon puts you into orbit. >> and he has a much more significant space. operation going on, right, >> than Bezos or Branson or you know the. billionaire boys space race. >> So. uh so yeah, I'm not I'm not eager to go. into quote space, >> right? >> Because to everybody who asked me that. they're talking about these going up and. coming back, >> right? If you shrunk Earth to the size. of a school room globe, >> I ask you, how high above that would you.

find the International Space Station? Just get take a guess. >> A couple of miles. >> from the school room globe. Yeah. >> Okay. The space station is 4/10 of an. inch above the surface. >> That's it. >> Bezos and Branson when they send people. up in their little rocket. Yeah. the. thickness of two dimes above Earth's. surface. If Earth were a school room. globe. as an astrophysicist, I cannot embrace.

that as space, >> right? >> Space send me somewhere. Moon, Mars, beyond? >> Yeah. >> Then I'll go. >> Well, Musk is tal wants to populate. Mars. You interested in that? >> No. Well, yeah. Provided he sends his. mother first. [laughter]. >> He You're not going to be the guinea. pig. >> I don't want to be anybody guinea pig. Yeah. And I would go to visit. I. wouldn't go to stay. Do you realize. Antarctica. >> Yeah. >> is warmer, warmer, balmier, and wetter.

than any place on Mars, yet nobody's. lining up to build condos in Antarctica? >> Yeah. What? So, what what is this? And I. I I I guess I'm asking the wrong person, but what's the fascination about putting. or having people go to another planet or. go to have people to be out of space? What is that fascination. >> to go where no man has gone before? Star Trek, huh? [laughter]. Just cuz you don't feel it doesn't mean.

others wouldn't. You think people would. actually want to live? There was already. a company called Mars One that would get. people to sign up for one-way trips to. Mars. [clears throat] They went out of. business cuz they couldn't raise money. enough to do it cuz it's way cheaper to. send somebody there one way than to. bring him back. >> Of course. So be like the old Mayflower, you know. And I spoke with the guy, the. entrepreneur. He was Dutch, by the way, which was a little surreal because.

>> the Dutch East India Trading Company. Yes. came right behind Columbus to sell. you stuff in the new world. >> So. I I spoke to him and I I said, "Are. people interested in this?" Yes. There's. a like a waiting list. for my podcast. We interviewed one of. the people who who had signed up. >> Yes. >> Kind of geeky guy, you know, my type. >> And [laughter]. I said, "Well, why do you want to go?".

He said, "Oh, because it's a. fascinating. It's a frontier. I'd love. to." and you're not coming back. You. okay with it? Yeah. And I said, "What. does your wife think about this?" And he. said, "Oh, she's encouraging it.". >> I didn't want to give him a lesson in. relationships. >> Yeah. But yeah, she over you, bro. >> In that moment, I didn't want to be the. one. >> Yes. >> To like But she's she's over him, right? Right. Okay. >> So, um, here's the thing. When the Mayflower.

landed in the New World. >> Yes. and they got off the ship. >> Yeah. >> They could breathe the air. >> Yes. >> If there's a broken part of the ship, the trees in the new world are made of. wood, right? And they could repair it. >> There were other human beings waiting to. feed them. And when they landed, >> that was a one-way trip, but the. destination was very different. Yes. >> Than from Mars where Martians aren't. waiting to feed them, right? They can't. breathe the air. There are no trees. Not. that you would repair a spaceship with. wood, right? But so yeah, I don't see.

that happening anytime soon. What is the. correlation? There seems to be a. correlation or I think there's a. correlation between. geniuses and high functioning autism. I don't think that's it. I would say, by. the way, one out of six of my colleagues. is probably on the spectrum. Um, there. may be a correlation, >> but I have an easier explanation for it. Okay. If you're on the spectrum, >> yes,

>> you could focus like it's nobody's. business. >> Okay. >> Because you don't have other people. distracting you. >> Yes. >> You're not showing up on podcasts. >> Yes. >> You're not hosting your own podcast. Correct. You're not the life of the. party. In fact, you're not going to any. party at all. >> So, another genius. >> who might be socialized, >> right? is not so focused as the. unsocialized. person on the spectrum. >> So, it's easy for me to think instead.

that. social geniuses never ascend to the. highest heights they could have. intellectually because they're due too. distracted living their life. >> Okay. So where whereas on the spectrum, yeah, >> you you could be in the lab and forget. to pee, right? >> Right. You your personal hygiene doesn't. even come up. >> All right. As a priority given how. focused you are, uh Einstein,

do you believe he was on the spectrum? You know, you look back now because we. didn't have that vocabulary back then. We didn't know what to call people. plenty of people I grew up with. It's. easy to. >> retroactively declare yes. >> they on the spectrum. Uh. I don't know. I don't think he was. >> because he had an awareness and a. sensitivity. to well I don't want to generalize. everybody on the autism spectrum. So the.

the symptoms are so varied, but. in terms of seeing what people think and. feel and do, >> when he was at Princeton, >> yes, >> Marian Anderson came through town, she couldn't stay in. the Nassau Inn, which is the hotel. Yes. In town. >> She put her uh He put her up. He put her up. black opera singer.

>> Yes. >> Uh he's written about the plight of. black people and and he noticed some. similarities between the plight of Jews. in Hitler Europe and the plight of black. people in America and made these these. correlations. You have to be aware of. the human condition and the interplay. and the geopolitics on a level that I've. not seen deeper autistically affected. people uh manifest. I just haven't seen. it. But I don't claim to be an expert. there. But.

>> yeah, it's funny [snorts] that you said. that because in his famous visit to. Lincoln University in 1946 to teach a. physics class, uh, uh, >> Lincoln University, an H.B.C.U. Yes. AB. Absolutely. >> Um, he historically black college and. university. >> Historically black. I went to one. I'm. an H.B.C.U. Savannah State. >> Is that right? Okay, cool. >> You recruited right out of there. >> I did. >> All right. >> And black students and calling racism a. disease of white people. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, he said that. >> He did. >> Yeah. So, >> how how is.

>> for him to even know that, to say it, have the incentive, the motivation to go. to an HBC? This is why I'm saying. >> I don't see that when when you're that. if you're into yourself and into your. lab, >> you don't tend to behave that way. So, I. don't he he might have been an empath, right, >> on that level, >> right? which is kind of the opposite. >> because he for him to be so brilliant. and to be obviously from another country. and to and to see the plight just come. over here just for a little while. He.

didn't stay. He didn't have to be here. 10 years, 15, 20 years. He come for a. very limited amount of time and he could. see. >> and he observed. >> what many say didn't don't even exist to. this day. >> He saw it immediately. >> Unfortunately, you don't have to be. Einstein dying to see it. You know what was that all a setup just. for you to say that line? >> [laughter]. >> See this is you made me sit through that. whole explanation.

>> If you could, would you want to live. forever? >> No. >> No. >> Can I tell you why? >> Why you don't want to be like Methusela? >> HE LIVED TO 956. >> YES. >> That wasn't forever. >> Well, that's 956. I MEAN, I IT'S STILL A. long time. As a matter of fact, I GOT. 832 YEARS TO GO. It's a long time. [laughter]. >> It's a long time. I think it was 956. >> And somebody I think he wasn't the.

longest. I think somebody else lived. longer than. >> No. No. A lot of people lived in their. 900s. >> Yes. >> In the Bible. >> Yeah. You wouldn't want to be Okay. I'm. >> What about 475? >> Did I [laughter]. Didn't I say I was about to explain? >> Okay. You I would I would get in. >> All right. Ready? >> Yes. >> In life. >> Mhm. I don't search for meaning as so many. people do, >> right? >> Like you might find it, you know, under. a rock or behind a tree. >> Yeah. >> I manufacture.

>> meaning in life. >> Okay. >> You have the power to do this. >> Okay. >> So part of me wants to every day as is. possible. lessen the suffering of others. Every day I want to learn something that. I didn't know the day before. Every day I want to have a new thought, empowered by the new knowledge I gleaned. from what I learned today.

If someone does me a favor and says, "When are you going to pay me back?" I. say, "I'm not." You know what I'm going. to do? I'm going to pass it forward. So that rivers of favors. move through civilization. The moment you pay back a favor, it. closes off. And that's the end of it, >> right? But if you do that favor for. someone else and they do it for someone. else. >> Oh, the favor never stops moving. >> Yeah. Yeah. But I'm going to need my. favor back. I'm going to need my $500. back. Don't.

>> $500. >> I'M GOING to get in your sorted pass. >> I I'll do a favor for somebody else. >> I don't know what happened in your past. Don't involve me in your debts. [laughter]. Okay. So. now. knowledge you're going to die, right? Kind of puts some urgency. in what you're doing today. >> Absolutely. >> Doesn't it? >> Yes. >> Okay. Let me give an example.

If you're going to bring flowers to a. loved one, you're going to go to florist or you. going to go to a place and buy plastic. flowers? What you going to do? I go to. florist. Wait a minute. the flowers die. Why not get plastic flowers? Then they. live forever. You know, not to get plastic flowers. because if they live forever, there's no. urgency. >> to devote any attention to them at all. today, >> right? >> Because they're going to be around. tomorrow, right? >> Whereas flowers, they'll all be dead in. 10 days, right? Probably seven. And then.

the male it it's you are compelled to. pay attention. >> Yes. In the seven days at most that you. have that vase of flowers, knowledge of. the death. compels you to give of yourself to it. So. look at dogs. You go out to the mailbox and come back, the dog is jumping, licking you in the. face. >> like he ain't seen you. >> in in weeks. Weeks. Okay.

>> Absolutely. >> Why is that? Wait a minute. What's that. calculation? to human to dog years. It's. like seven to one. That's you seven. There's some more complex versions of. that, but it's basically seven to one. >> Yes. >> Dog lived 14 years. You live to 84. Yeah. Okay. 85 something like that. All. right. >> Did I do the math on that right? No, I. didn't. Seven 14. >> 28. You might live to 90. Yeah. 98. Okay. Fine. But around there. >> Yes. Could it be.

that every day a dog lives. is really a week? That's a 7 to1 ratio, >> right? Think about that. >> They're living an entire week of their. lives in one day. >> So, they're making their lives count. >> Mhm. >> Either explicitly or implicitly. They know they're going to die.

And so to express enthusiasm and joy, in fact, I don't think we deserve dogs. Just ask yourself, they're amazing. >> Be were you ever the hero your dog. thought you were? >> No. >> No. No. >> No. >> Cuz I'm I'm I'm the I'm the greatest. thing it has ever known. And in the same token,

>> they say man's best friend, which they. ne which no one has ever said of cats. Okay. [laughter]. >> But if the dog only knew if anytime I'm. around cats, I feel like they're. exploiting me for some reason. >> THEY WHY IS IT WHY IS IT that we think. cats are sneaky? It feel like they're. always up to no good. They always hiding. up under something patty feet. >> I know, right? Right. They're sneaky. >> and then THEY RUB UP. WHERE YOU COME. FROM? [screaming]. >> CUZ THEY WANT something from you. [laughter]. All right. So there's my point.

If. knowing I'm going to die. boosts the meaning of my life in my. remaining days. Then mathematically. living forever. is to live a life of no meaning at all. cuz we knew we live forever. We have no. sense of urgency. You could just do it. tomorrow.

>> What kind of hell life would that be? >> You're right. >> Not only that, uh the population of. Earth would grow rapidly and we'd. outstrip its resources and we don't have. another planet to live on. >> And then we we we die anyway. >> We die. [laughter] You die anyway. Die. And. >> And uh when you're most creative, it's. when you're youngest. >> Yes. >> If we have the population where. everybody's old. >> Yeah. They Yeah. Yeah, we ain't getting. that done. >> No, nothing new is going Nothing new. under the sun there. You'll be living in. your wealth. >> Yes. >> And it's the hungry younger folks that.

are trying to make a new thing in the. world. >> and you're they're outnumbered a. thousand to one by old people. That's. not a world you want to live in. >> I like that. >> So. take kindly. the council of the years. gracefully surrendering the things of. youth. Are you afraid of dying? Don't. you want to ask me where I got that. quote from? >> I Who gave you that quote? You made it. up. >> No, >> I wish I did, but uh it's Desert Dorado. >> Desa Data. >> was a part of it was a big thing back in.

the 70s. I had a handwritten copy in my. wallet. Yeah, >> I memorized. Go blessedly amid the noise. and haste, remembering what peace there. may be in silence as far as possible. without surrender. Be on good terms with. all persons. It's it's the it's the. track that has the line you're this they. that somebody turned it into a song in. the 1970s. You are a child of the. universe no less than the trees and the. stars and you have a right to be here. >> It was it was wisdom that I didn't even.

know could exist right. >> when I was 12 years old. >> Mhm. >> And for me it's so it's part of how I've. thought about getting old. Take kindly. the council of the years. >> But you don't fear death. >> I fear about I fear. living a life where I could have. accomplished more. That would be a shame, wouldn't it? Yes. >> And so I'm driven and I want this on my.

tombstone. A quote from Horus man, >> great educator from the 19th century. You've heard the name even if you have. heard the name. You all know the name. >> Yes. >> Schools named after him and everything. He was also a university president. For. his farewell speech, it includes. this line. I beseech you, love that word. Nobody. uses it anymore. >> No. >> Very 19th century. I beseech you to. treasure up in your hearts.

these my parting words. Be ashamed to die. until you have won some victory for. humanity. That's my credo. [snorts]. I don't want to live forever. Make room. for the next next round. >> But you want to accomplish as much as. you can. >> Yes. And I still have a lot. I got a. list. I ain't done yet. >> Wow. Sun color. What? What color is the sun?

>> Right. Why it look yellow? >> Because in the middle of the day it's so. bright it will burn out your eyes. So. when you look at the sun, when it's low. on the horizon, when there's a lot of. crap in the air, smoke and pollen and. dust, and it it it what it does is it. filters out the blue light. The sun. gives all the colors of the spectrum, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet. >> The atmosphere filters out the blue, indigo, violet, scatters it into the.

into the sky, turning the sky blue. Right? Well, if you take red, orange, yellow, green, blue, vi, take out the. blue, you're left with red, orange, yellow, >> right? That's why sunsets are red, orange, yellow. That's the light that's. left over after the atmosphere filtered. out everything else. So, and leaving. everyone to think the sun is yellow and. they draw it that way in pictures and. everything. >> Yeah, it's a shame, but you know, >> it's when you I'm sure you were told the. same thing. I was told, "Boy, don't look. at the sun. You going to go blind,

>> right? Your body is pretty good at. preventing that.". >> Yes. >> But it'll make you blink. >> Just try try not to look at the sun. [laughter]. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Look at the things that the sun. illuminates in your life. >> Yes. [laughter]. >> Gravity. Get used to it. >> It's a property of matter and energy. >> Mhm. >> And. I like gravity.

>> Mhm. >> Because there are times when I need it. to keep me grounded and it does. Wow. What if what if could could could we. exist if the [snorts] the Earth had the. moon's gravity? Um, no. Because we'd lose our atmosphere. and we'd suffocate. If you put Earth's atmosphere on the. moon,

>> it would it would evaporate away. Earth's gravity is enough cuz the. particles are moving at certain speeds, right? All those speeds are less than. the escape velocity of the Earth. Okay? If you put this atmosphere on the moon, the gravity in the moon is not so. strong, right? >> They'd all just escape into space. So, no, you need at least Earth's gravity. You could do a little less, a little. more, but not much less, >> right? >> Did asteroid did an asteroid really kill. the dinosaurs? >> Oh, yeah.

>> It really did. >> Oh, yeah. or something else killed it. and it just happened to be at the same. time a Mount Everest sized rock slammed. [laughter] into the earth. Okay, we have the smoke and the gun, right, of. that incident. So, we have empirical. data that says 10 million years ago, this big meteorite the size of Mount. Everest, Here you go. You ready? >> Yes. >> Dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years.

ago. >> 65. Okay. >> You look at the fossil record, the. geologists tell you here's 10 million. years ago, 20, 30, 65 million years ago. One layer below that, >> yeah, >> dinosaurs. >> One layer above it, no dinosaurs. >> They went extinct abruptly. Maybe over a. thousand years, but it's abrupt in a in. a thing. They went extinct there, >> right? >> What happened there? I don't know. Let's. look around. Could it be volcanoes? Well, there always volcanoes. Could it.

be this? Could it be that? And then. they found iridium in that layer of the. iridium is what? It is an element on the. periodic table that is common in. metallic asteroids. >> and it's only at that layer not before. not after it. >> How you and it's everywhere in the. world. How are you gonna lay down a layer of.

aridium everywhere in the world at the. same time? >> So dinosaurs walk the entire earth. >> Yes. >> There is not there is not a place on. earth that was not inhibited by some. form of. >> inhabited. Yes. They might have been. inhibited. That's inhabited. >> That's a different thing, right? Inhabited. >> Inhibition island and then they. inhibited [laughter] whatever. Um, so, so there might have been some areas, but. there dinosaurs in in the Gobi Desert, in North America, okay, >> in I I I assume South America. No reason.

why they couldn't have gotten there, right? And so point is. the asteroid hit, >> right? Well, how do you get aridium on. the other side? It hits with such energy. that the whole thing vaporizes. It turns. into meteor dust, right? goes into the. stratosphere and cloaks Earth, blocking sunlight, taking out the base. of the food chain and sending a wave of. extinction that percolates across the.

tree of life. Have a nice day. Okay. [laughter]. What? What? So, so, but wait a minute. We're just inferring there was a. metallic asteroid because there's just. this layer, right? Some years later, some oil company drilling in the Gulf, they found this anomaly under the ocean,

>> this this wall of dense rock. >> And they kept following it and it made a. circle. Was it 200 miles in circumference? Some. huge circle. >> Wow. >> They said, "Wait a minute. When was that. circle made?". >> 65 million years ago. Holy Ain't. that something? So [snorts] the iridium. was the smoke, the crater was the And we. know how big craters are made based on. the size of the asteroid. So we can tell. how big the asteroid was. And that.

started it gave a boost to our studies. of climate change, >> right? >> Where something can happen here and. affect climate around the world. >> Wow. What determines. what determined what dinosaurs [snorts]. were able to fly? What dinosaurs lived. in the water? What dinosaurs walked. upright? What dinosaurs had four? Was. that do we have do we have any idea? >> The problem is we have only one word for. all of them. But they all have their own. species names, right? And just like. different.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Just like we different. different species, >> you know, can fly or walk or borrow or. whatever, you know. So, don't be so. impressed, right, that they had. different features. >> Features, >> right? We're mammals just the way mice. are, right? >> But mice will dig a hole and live in a. hole, >> right? I don't see you doing that. So, [laughter]. >> I might have to though. >> So, here's something to contemplate. >> Okay. >> Do you remember this dinosaur? Which. one? This one? The um Stegosaurus. That's the one with the like armor. plates.

>> Yeah. Go back. >> Okay. Do you realize. that we are closer in time. to the extinction of the dinosaurs. than the extinction of the dinosaurs are. to the extinction of Stegosaurus? So, we're here. Here's the extinction of. T-Rex. >> Okay. >> Here's the extinction of T-Rex. Here's. the extinction of Stegosaurus. >> Wow. So [snorts].

the dinosaurs just got unlucky, right? They were around for hundreds of. millions of years and a dinosaur takes. them out. This Stegosaurus went extinct. for other reasons. A asteroid takes out. the dinosaurs and they'd still be here. if an asteroid didn't come. But we'd be. having this podcast interview where we. need to put a tail through the thing. [laughter]. But do we know people were people around. at that point in time? No. Unless you're. religious,

>> Orthodox Christian, >> right? >> Because they will tell you, I I don't. need to do their bidding here, but they. will tell you that Noah's Ark had. dinosaurs. >> or reptiles that are of the same Yeah. >> order of as dinosaurs and that humans. coexisted with dinosaurs. So, if you go. to the the Christian parks, right, >> theme parks, there are theme rides where. you ride the back of a dinosaur, >> right? And so this is what you think. about the world when you don't have. science.

>> Yeah. What is the most impressive. creature that's ever walked earth or. crawled flew? It could be a mammal. It can be an. insect. It can be a whatever to your. best guess estimate. I've always been impressed with snakes. Let's do the same example we did with. the alien. Okay, only two dozen people. have ever seen snakes. They start.

testifying. You got to believe me. There's this animal. It's just a tube. It's just a It's a thing. But it could. chase you down the street. It's got NO. ARMS AND NO LEGS. And it can move as. fast as you can walk. And it's got a head. that can eat something five times bigger. than its head. IT CAN DISLOCATE ITS JAWS. AND eat this. What do you It can eat an. entire egg bigger than its head. No. And.

it can stalk its prey with infrared. rays. >> What the hell are you talking about? And. then you get them to draw it and it'll. be some stupid drawing that nobody. understands. It's a snake. I think snakes are Oh, and if it bites. you, you die, >> right? >> Some of them, right? >> Some can straight, >> right? So, I'm impressed what a snake can do. without any arms and legs.

Well, help me understand roaches cuz. them jokers, they're mad. They've been. around as long as the dinosaurs. They. will outlive us. >> Why did THEY GO EXTINCT? WHY THEY WHY. DID THE ASTEROID wipe them jokers out? Hey, it's the same thing. You know, you. can't just have your way with the tree. of life. [laughter]. It's not for you to nip tuck and edit. and delete. >> I I was I was reading. >> But that same tree of life gave us.

roses. >> Yeah, I take the roaches. >> and puppy dogs. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Well, we made puppies, but. >> but I could do without the roaches and. the ants. No, probably not the ants. >> Actually, you realize the insect. population is dropping in the world. Roaches are at an all-time low. When's. the last time you saw a roach? >> Well, considering where I live, I hope I. don't see one because I'm I'm have a. problem if I do. >> I saw a bunch of them when I was growing. up. >> Right. Saw too many. >> Okay. Do you have any friends back when. you were growing up? >> Yes. >> What do you visit them.

>> recently? >> I do not. >> You do not. That's bad. Okay. You know. that's bad. >> Yeah. [laughter]. >> Okay. Go back there and see if you see. any roaches. They They've been on the. exit. They've been on decline, huh? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. What happened to them? >> It's a It's a mystery. Mystery to me. I. think even to the insect people. [clears throat]. >> Insect population has been waning. >> You know what I didn't know, doc? I I. >> It's not always good. It's cuz some. insects pollinate flowers, you know. >> Yeah. I want the bees. Bees got to stay. >> Insects got their do their business.

But, you know, even ants, like you said, ants, you know, they they eat dead. things and they help clean up cuz, you. know, you know, I used to think about. like, man, why buzzards? Vultures they. call, we call them buzzards. I I don't. know if they're the same thing. I was. like, man, why we need those? But then. you understand if something died and it. was just left to to go away by itself. >> Yeah. Plus, mosquitoes and gnats Yeah. >> are food for bats. >> Yes. >> All right. You take you knock something. out of the food chain, >> something else, it impacts something.

else. >> It's going to impact something else. Yeah. Is it true? Cuz I I don't know if. this true and I think it is. They said. like if you kill an ant, it will release. a fer a a pheromone. And his homeboys. say, "Man, Johnny Johnny got done with. got dealt with and they they come they. come look for the body. That's why you. see like when you kill one, you see a. >> I I don't know enough about I got pe I. got experts, okay, in my museum who. would know this. the American Museum of.

Natural History. But I I don't know. about the ants. >> Yeah. >> But I'll tell you this about ants. >> What about it? >> They smart. >> Well, uh I was taught in school that humans. have the biggest brain relative to our. body size. >> Right. >> Which requires a bit of arithmetic. >> Yeah. >> To be at the top of that list. Right. >> You have to weigh the brain. Weigh the. body. Divide those two numbers. Right. >> Now you plot that. We're at the top. >> Okay. We don't have the biggest brain. Biggest brain is whales. Next is.

dolphins. >> Yeah. >> Or porpuses. Next is elephants. And. we're fourth. Okay. In terms of brain to body weight ratio, >> yeah, >> we're at the top, but only for mammals. And they didn't tell me that in school. Wow. >> Do you realize there's certain midsized. birds that have a higher brain to body. weight ratio than we do? >> Really? >> Yes. You know how they get away with. that? Cuz birds are light, >> right? And they have the bones are very. >> fragile. Yes. >> Okay.

>> So. mid like the the the the magpie. Yeah. >> And certain parrots. >> Yeah. Heckle and jackal were magpies. People think they were crows. They were. magpies. >> Oh, what? >> Yes. >> You mean from You don't mean from Dumbo? >> Yeah. Heckle and Jackal. You remember. Heckle and Jackal? They're magpies. >> from Fro from Dumbo? No, those were. crows. >> Crows. No. What was the Heckle and. Jackal on? >> Heckle and Jackal. You remember Heckle. and Jackekal? >> I just remember that Crows. >> Yeah. You want to know what uh. >> No, no. Where they from? Heckle and.

Jackal. >> No. Heckle and Jack are bag pies. They're the difference. No, I get that. But I just want to know what movie. they're from. >> They had they had their own series. >> Yeah. Yeah. This is just like a 20th century. Talking about. >> Yeah. Okay. Okay. So, magpies. Yeah. So, have you ever seen the video of the. magpie drinking? Look it up. There's a one of these sort. of half liter plastic bottles of water. Yes. The kind anybody carries around.

>> It's sitting there. in a in a they're like park benches. It's sitting there on the ground. >> The magpie goes up to it, drinks water, and the water level drops. >> right. >> until the beak can't reach the water. anymore. It comes out, goes, gets a. pebble, drops the pebble in, raises the. water level, drinks some more, does this. three or four times. What human would figure that out?

[laughter]. So, so brains, they have a higher brain to body weight. ratio than we do. Wow. You know, has the. highest. are certain species of ants. >> Really? >> Yes. Which. that's not hard to embrace because. you've seen ants. >> Yeah. They're not very big. >> They're not very But they have some big. old head ants. Yeah. There's some ants. with some big old heads. >> Yeah. Well, you got the bull ants. You. ever seen those bull ants? They call. them uh uh velvet ants.

>> They're in the fields uh with bulls in. in the south. You probably I don't uh uh. you're not from So, but they're called. velvet ants because if you feel them, they I wouldn't recommend you feel them, but they look like it's velvet. We call. them bull ants, but they're called I. think the common term is a velvet ant. And they're they're about this big. They're big. They'll on you, doc. >> I'm telling you, so so you got So. >> all I'm saying is if an alien came and. cared about brains. >> Yes. >> They wouldn't come to us first. >> Oh, like the predator. >> They they go to the whale.

>> Yeah. >> Okay. We would be fourth on that list. Yeah. >> If they cared about brain to body weight. ratio, >> then they go to ants first. >> Okay. >> We're not near the top of that list. So. we're not we're not we're not as is as. as as by your your your theory and and. recollection and and. we're not as high as up as we think that. as we think we are. >> Our ego knows no bounds. [laughter]. That's all I can say.

Is there a new vi should is there. something that's look we had co six. years ago. [snorts] Is there is there. something else coming down? Because. every year we seem like we go through. something. Be it, you know, uh uh uh. what's this? We had Zika and we had West. Nile and we had Ebola and we had CO. >> All I can say is whatever it is, we. ain't ready for it. >> So, uh we still have antiaxers running. around. >> You know, I don't trust scientists. I. saw a YouTube video. I'm not going to. take, you know, it's like what what just.

so well it used to be you had to get to. go to school. you had to get. There are. certain vaccines you had to get. I'm going tell you a story and I don't. want you ever forget this story. >> Okay. >> 20,000 years ago, we're in the cave. >> Yes. >> Do you know what the life expectancy. was? >> 10 years. 15 years. >> 30. >> 30. >> 30. >> 30. >> Half of everyone born was dead before. they were 30. >> Wow. >> Fast forward to 1840.

>> Right. >> 1840. That's a long time. >> Yes. from 20,000 years ago. >> Half of everyone born in the world was. dead by the age of 34. 35. We gained 5. years life expectancy. >> Wow. >> And every one of them ate organic, breathe clean air. >> Yes. >> Drank fresh water. >> Yes. There was no. >> ate a um free range. >> Yes. >> Game. >> Science matters here,

>> right? We've doubled the life expectancy. with antibiotics, vaccines, and sanitation. >> The three biggest forces operating on. our longevity. So to come around and say, "I don't need. vaccines because I'm not getting sick.". That's like saying, "Why are you using. dandruff shampoo? You You don't have. dandruff. I don't want to I don't want. to get it." That's my point. If you're successful, people think you.

don't need it when that's what's. creating the ongoing success in the. first place. Well, they like when all. this when when when all these scientists. was coming up with these these. inventions, these great inventions, uh. uh antibiotics that that you know, all. this stuff that helped polio and wiped. out all these vaccines, the vaccines. were they were they deniers back then as. much as they as much as. >> there were some people who did not want. to be vaccinated. Okay. Especially uh.

especially since the way they made. vaccines back then some it would be from. a live virus so there's a risk you know. there's some risk factors of course. >> there was an antivax movement from the. beginning nothing as organized and as. >> effective as it is now right right so I. don't even know how you want to outline. talk about this but Terren Howard you. responded to him because you don't you. don't really respond to a whole lot of. people uh but I guess. >> that's a That's a good point. So, um, my mother heard Terren Howard on.

NPR. >> Okay. >> He had some new series coming out. It. might have even been the, you know, the. not Empire. What was it called that he. was in? >> Yeah. It was in Empire. >> Yeah. Yeah. And it was on NPR. and they talked about his early. childhood and he said he loved. astronomy. >> Mhm. >> And telescopes and the night sky. And my. mother heard this said, "You should get. him on your podcast, Star Talk podcast.". Right. Because back then we were. interviewing a lot of celebrities, >> hence the name Star Talk. >> Yes. >> That's the double meaning there.

>> And so I said, I'll keep it in mind. And. so I start doing Cosmos. and because I was on I was on Fox. Yeah. And co Cosmos was on Fox. So I started. and we went to one of these Fox up. fronts where you they showcase their. >> next season's product to advertisers. And so they bring all the celebs. So. everybody's there and I see Terara. Tower. I pleased to meet you. my mother. described this to you. I said, "I'd love. to have you on my podcast." And he said, "Great.

I'll send you my writeup.". I was like, "Huh? What? Huh?". And he sends me this 30page document. >> Mhm. >> Titled. 1*. 1 equals 2. [laughter]. where he says all of math is wrong. He has a new math that we should use. And I thought to he thought that I.

wanted to give him platform. >> Yeah. >> For this new idea, >> right, >> that he had. >> and rather than just talk about his. geeky underbelly as a science. enthusiast. >> So a little bit is my fault for not. knowing that that's what he was going to. send my way. He says, "I felt obligated, >> right, >> to reply, right? >> I went line by line, >> right, >> and I replied. >> and I kept my version of it, print out. >> Then he shows up on Joe Rogan,

>> right? >> And he said that I treated him badly or. mean I was mean to him. And even Joe. Rogan said, "Are we talking about Neil. deGrasse Tyson? >> Cuz that's not my MO. That's not what I. do. >> I'm not mean to people." And so my. producer says, "Neil, this is going. viral. You have to reply." I said, "I. can't reply. I don't want to reply. You. got to reply." So I got my document. where all my comments are on it. And I. go page by page and I show the audience.

where I was firm with him where I was, you know, take this, develop it here. This is not true. And your next page. that depends on that is therefore not. true. So I do this, it goes viral. And it ends up drawing more views than. the original post, right? That triggered. me to do that, right, by the prompting. of my producers. So I figured, okay, my. job is done here. [laughter]. >> That's all that h that's the beginning. end of that episode. >> Is it really true that you told that. James Cameron that he depicted the wrong.

night sky? >> Oh yeah. >> Oh, wrong sky in the Titanic. There's Rose. sitting there on the plank. >> Yes. >> And she's looking up. Is the wrong sky. I knew this instantly when I saw it. We. know the day, the date, the time, the. weather conditions, the longitude, the. latitude of where the ship sank. There's. only one sky she should have been seeing. and it was the wrong sky. Can you enjoy. anything without looking up in the sky. and thinking about. I mean, can I watch a football game and.

I'm not a fan because I'm trying to. figure out, okay, they scored a. touchdown. How did they score a. touchdown? How did this play gain this. yards? How did they sack the. quarterback? Should they have done this. and that? Do you watch events? Do you. watch things on television and you're. looking at the surroundings more so than. the event that's actually going on? >> No, I'm looking at everything, ingesting. everything I can as just a ma as a. matter of curiosity. I ingest. everything. I'm watching a football. game. I said, "Oh, the tush push.". Interesting physics there. Right. >> Then I hear people describe it and it's. all wrong.

>> I have to post my own video on the tush. push. >> So So what what NFL Films came to my. office to film me explaining the tush. push. Yes, cuz everyone got the they thought. Jaylen, what's his name? Herz. Jaylen. Herz. Because they say he he can lad him. with the tush push. >> That ain't got nothing to do with. >> the moment he leaves the ground. >> Yeah. >> What he squats had nothing to do with. anything. >> cuz they ain't get no push. >> because what matters at that point once. he's left the ground are the two.

>> linemen who feet are on the ground who. are pushing each butt cheek. >> Right? That's who's that you want to ask. them how much can they bench, how much. they squat, right? That's what you want. to know because they're the ones doing. the pushing against Earth. He's just. this floating object there who happens. to be holding the ball. >> So, I had to get set that record. straight. >> So, yeah. No, I watch it and I pay. attention. Yeah. From a a physics. perspective, which is more impressive, shooting a three-pointer, throwing a. touchdown in the NFL, or a pitcher.

throwing a strike in MLB? I it's got to be the the football. quarterback. throwing. because think about it. There are people who want to harm the. quarterback. >> Absolutely. >> While that's happening, okay, let's just. start there. >> Then there's this spin stabilized. projectile. >> Yes. the football,

he needs to throw it. to where his receiver will be when the. ball gets there. You're. >> right. He's not throwing it at his. receiver, >> right? He's throwing it in anticipating. where the. >> the commentators never say this. correctly. He threw it to this receiver. No, he threw it to where the receiver. and the football would be at the same. time. >> And the guy's got to catch it. People. trying to prevent him from catching it. And when he catches it, he wants to. still run. >> Right. So, >> so they prevented you from trying to.

throw. >> There are fewer successful passes. >> in a football game than pitchers. throwing strikes. >> You know, you're going to cause some. confusion with this. >> No. >> No. It's hard to hit the ball, >> right? You didn't ask me about hitting. the ball. You just said throwing the. throw it. Yeah. >> Throwing a strike. >> Yeah. What is harder. to throw a baseball 100 miles an hour. for a strike because you're 60 what 60.

feet 6 inches from the home plate. That. plate is a little bit wider than these. these cards. or or shooting a basketball from say 30. feet out of three-point shot or throwing. that said football. I've had uh time Deion Sanders said the. hardest thing to do in sports is to hit. a baseball. I Bo Jackson who played both. sports. >> So you still haven't answered me about. hitting the ball. You're still asking me. about the pitcher. >> Okay. What's the hardest thing to do in.

sports? >> To hit the ball. [laughter]. >> Here's a conversation. I've wanted to. like write a play. Yeah. >> A very short skit. Yeah. >> You ready? >> Yes. >> Okay. There's a baseball player. >> Yeah. >> And a golfer. >> Yes. They don't know anything about each. other's sports. >> Yes. >> And they're standing there having a. conversation. >> Okay. >> And the baseball player says, "So, how fast is the ball moving when you hit.

it?" Uh, "Not at all.". >> Mhm. >> Well, where is it? It's right in front of me. >> Right. Right. [laughter] Okay. Okay. Um, how big is the thing you're hitting it. with? It's about maybe the size of my. fist. >> Yeah, it's about five times bigger than. the ball itself. Um, are crowds cheering. you on? >> No, they're silent. >> Silent. >> cuz I have to concentrate.

>> How about you? What do you do? How fast is Is the ball. stationary at your feet? No. It's moving. 90 miles an hour. Oh, who threw it? A. pitcher. Does he want you to hit it? No. He's doing everything he can to prevent. me from hitting it, >> right? >> Okay. And well, that's clearly takes. concentration. Do they silence the. crowds? No. They're screaming at the top. of their lungs, >> right? >> You can't get me to respect golf.

>> in the face of those facts. >> Oh my goodness. >> I'm sorry. I can't I and they were in. cleats and somebody else carries their. their their their I I I just can't. Some. people out there. >> the cies the catties carry the club. >> People out there love them some golf. >> Yeah, >> I get I I I'm there. Fine. But I don't. have to. >> Right. >> Okay. Now about basketball. >> The rim. >> area Yeah.

>> is four times. the area of a basketball. Wow. You could take two basketballs and drop. them through the rim simultaneously. >> Really? >> Yes. Yes. That's why people do slam. dunks, 360 slam dunks. And it doesn't. have to actually be that precise, >> right? >> Because four the area of this is four. times the cross-sectional area of a.

basketball. Wow. I show this. We have one of my. episodes is with the Harlem Globe. Trotter, >> right? >> And. um I pick up is he still there? Hot. shot. Uh there's a guy who's a. who plays for them. It's called. >> You got to say dwarf. You got to say. little person or dwarf. >> Midget's not a thing anymore. >> No. No. It's a derogatory. >> Even dwarf. Dwarf. No, you can say dwarf. or little person. >> Is that they prefer little person, but. dwarf is acceptable. So one of their. players is a dwarf. >> Yeah. >> And he's he's uh he's 4 foot five or.

something like that. And so, but anyhow, so we picked him up and he had the two. basketballs and we showed that two. basketballs can fit through the rim at. the same time. So, >> okay. So, I'm saying it's easier to make. the shot. That's why in basketball they. score, you know, 100 points, right? >> Or or at least 50 baskets, >> right? >> And but you don't score 100 runs in a. >> baseball game. >> or 100 points in a football game. Yeah. >> And I'm going to get you out of here. I. want to talk a little about your. childhood. When did you know.

your brain and as a child you were. different than other kids? I didn't. think about it that way. You did? Not. just But the kids thought about it cuz. the kids know like with damn Neil knows. everything. >> Well, no, because because in school. >> Yeah. >> Are you a Are you smart in school? That. means you get high grades. I'd like. average grades in school. >> Average you. average doesn't become an. astrophysicist. a average doesn't go get. a a a a physics degree from Harvard or a.

a a PhD in astrophysics and all these. other [laughter]. these merits that's not average doc. and graduate magnauma over no I no I. wasn't any of the Latin graduations. [laughter]. um oh what I did do it you gave me a. full uh intro there what you missed I. have 27 honorary doctorates. >> Yes. >> I don't know if that was in there.

>> No. >> Yeah. But don't be impressed by that. Be. impressed by the fact that I sat through. 27 graduations. [laughter]. I want that to impress you. Okay. >> Did your Did your Did your Did your. parents know you were different? >> Did you I mean, cuz were were you a. normal child? >> Only when only. later did I look back and say, "Oh my. gosh." Hm. Here's what it is. My. brother, >> yes, >> they put in the Boy Scouts.

>> My sister, they put in the Girl Scouts, >> right? >> They didn't put me in anything. >> As a kid, I was very focused. >> I had hobbies. >> I had If you put me in the Boy Scouts, that would get rid of my hobbies, >> right? >> All right. I built balsa wood airplanes, gliders. I designed them. I I just did. stuff, >> right? >> I wasn't just out in the street doing. nothing. Did you always know that you. wanted to be from age nine? Yes. A first. visit to the Hayden Planetarium that I.

now serve as director of. was sports. Do you did you play sports? >> Yes. >> Yes, I did. Okay. And I would later. conclude [laughter]. that. >> I played sports. >> Okay. >> And was good at it more for the. expectations of society than for my own. fulfillment. black man. Oh, don't do an astrophysics. thing. We have this the basketball here. Here's some sporting things. Do this,

right? And we'll give you a ride home. and we'll give you the. >> Yes. >> So, I I ran pretty fast. Typically third. fastest in my school. >> Um I. I was in ninth grade when I could slam. dunk for the first time. Dang. Yes, I have big hands. So, hold your. hands. You Yeah. So, >> yeah, you got hands. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, my hands were about the. same size. Yeah. Oh, that camera.

probably the guy got. >> you. You got you got the you you So, you. were the. >> Yeah, because dunking you have to. control the ball. Correct. >> You can't just go up and have the ball. float with you, right? So, so that was. little little benchmarks in my life. >> Um, and then I then I wrestled. I. started wrestling. >> in high I was undefeated and captain of. my team. >> Wow. >> And and then I then I got to college. Then you meet cornfed boys from Iowa. [laughter]. That's a whole other another right.

there. So I had a losing record in. college. I was undefeated in high. school. That's but I loved the sport. So. I didn't care that I was. >> wasn't winning everything that I I cared. that I. >> that I had a a a an opponent. >> and if they beat me, they were better. than I was. And I that's reason to try. to get better of yourself. >> Correct. Okay. So, and then I in. college, like I said, I continued. wrestling. I was also a a performing. member of three different dance. companies. So, I also danced. So, I did.

all of this. >> Yeah. You've lived a very fulfilling. life. Is it a very fulfilling life? >> Oh, one other thing, >> right? >> In high school. >> Yes. >> One of my friends was ball boy for the. New York Knicks. I happened to have the same size feet as. Wal Frasier. >> Wal Frasier had a Puma contract. >> Yes. >> Would throw away his Pumas after every. every home stand. >> Yeah.

>> My boy went picked them out. >> Brought them to you. >> Brought them to me. I was wearing Clyde. Clyde Frasier's Pumas for about a year. and a half. >> Wow. >> Yeah. That was fun. The size was 12 and. a half at the time. So, does any does your brothers, your. siblings, do they have the capacity of. knowledge or. >> uh they're not academic if that's what. you mean? Well, my brother is academic. >> Uh he's an artist and also academic. He. teaches art. >> Okay. >> Yeah. And my sister is a a complete.

sellout. >> She went to corporate America. Okay. She. got an MBA. You know, somebody's got to. make the money, right, into the family. >> I'm I want to get you out of here on. this. They say this generation of kids because. it seemed like every generation was. getting smarter and it seemed like this. Gen Z is going to be the first. generation. that ain't going to happen for well IQ. scores have been going up. Uh but they. think that was for a different reason. >> Okay. >> But uh I don't think whatever we declare.

is what makes someone smart. >> Okay. >> It could be different for a different. generation because they got other. things. They have other values. They got. other and sources of entertainment. And. so, no, I don't want to be entertained. the way my parents were entertained, >> right? >> I got my own generation of. entertainment. So, I'm not that guy, okay, >> who says, "Get off my lawn, you young. ripper snappers. You, in my day, we did. it right, you guys." No, I'm not ever.

going to be that guy. >> Okay. No. No. But has the computer, the. internet, has it slowed down learning. because now you you used to have to go. to the book, you had to do things up, >> go to the library. Yes. Now I can just. hit Chad GPT tell me. Yeah. So, so. I was at a dinner party once. >> Yeah. >> And one of these fancy ones with his. servants and things. And I'm sitting. next to a guy kind of geeky, maybe. low30s. He works in tech. >> Yeah. >> He asked me, "Neil, when I have aliens.

visited us?". >> And so I start replying. >> Yeah. >> But he's not paying attention. and he's. looking down at his at his phone. >> And this is rude. So I said, "Maybe. he'll look up. Maybe there's some. emergency." But he kept looking down, >> right? >> And after like two minutes, I said, "What are you doing?" He said, "I asked. chat GPT how you would answer that. question, and I'm comparing what you're. saying to what what it. >> I said, how am I doing?" He said, "Oh,

you're doing fine." [laughter]. >> And this is the last one. Does time. accelerate as we get older or does it. slow down? >> No. It time is only affected by I mean. emotionally, psychologically maybe, but. if you put timers in you. >> Yes. >> they're not they're not affected by it. at all. >> Right. >> And I remember when you were we were. young, >> summer vacation felt so long. >> Yes. >> You know, and I couldn't wait to get. grown. I'm like, man, I can't wait to. get grown. NOW I'M LIKE, TIME SLOW DOWN.

>> I WAS JUST TALKING to my sister on the. way coming over here. I said, you know. what? >> Fast. We're the age of old people. We. used to say, "Oh, man.". >> I found that out last November. I'm at. Thanksgiving and we usually go to the. old people to to say grace. AND AND I'M. LOOKING AROUND. I'M THE OLD PERSON. >> YES. >> WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN? WHO AUTHOR I Who. gave permission for me to be the oldest. dude at the table? >> Yeah. >> No. >> So, I had to adjust to that. That was an. adjustment.

>> Don, thanks for coming by. I appreciate. your time. >> Yeah. [applause]. M guys Kyson, thank you so much. I. appreciate that. That was unbelievable. >> All right. Thank you again, Double. Barrel and the Whiskey Shop in Beverly. Hills for hosting us today. [music] With. over 3,000 different types of whiskey, the Double Barrel has everything you. need. And it's a full shop lounge so you. can actually try before you buy. Familyrun and operated with locations in. Calabasas, at Saddle Peak Lounge, and. here in Beverly Hills, the Double Barrel. and Whiskey Shop is the place for all. your whiskey needs.

>> [music]. >> Thank you again to the double barrel and. whiskey shop for having us. >> Sacrifice hustle paid the price. [music]. Want a slice got to roll the dice. That's why all my life I've [singing]. been grinding all my life. All my life. [music] been grinding all my life. Sacrifice hustle paid the price. Want a. slice. [music] Got to roll dice. That's. why all my life I' been grinding all my. life.