Bill Nye
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==''Bill Nye: the Science Guy'' television program== | ==''Bill Nye: the Science Guy'' television program== | ||
Bill Nye's most notable for his ''Bill Nye: the Science Guy'' children's television series. In this series, he melded humor and entertainment with actual teaching about science and scientific concepts. This often included watering down complicated scientific theories, such as [[evolution]], into easily understandable, "do-it-yourself at home" sketches. Being a [[skeptic]] himself, he once dedicated an entire episode of his program to the exploration of [[pseudoscience]].<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtEVirQgPeI&feature=related A YouTube] broadcast of this program with Spanish subtitles.</ref> | Bill Nye's most notable for his ''Bill Nye: the Science Guy'' children's television series. In this series, he melded humor and entertainment with actual teaching about science and scientific concepts. This often included watering down complicated scientific theories, such as [[evolution]], into easily understandable, "do-it-yourself at home" sketches. Being a [[skeptic]] himself, he once dedicated an entire episode of his program to the exploration of [[pseudoscience]].<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtEVirQgPeI&feature=related A YouTube] broadcast of this program with Spanish subtitles.</ref> | ||
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| + | ==Some interesting personal appearances== | ||
| + | * On 5 April 2006, Nye made two public appearances at McLennan Community College in Waco, [[Texas]]. During both lectures, he mentioned Genesis 1:16, which states "And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also." ([[KJV]]) He then stated that the "lesser light" was, in fact, not a light, but a reflector. During the evening (7 p.m.) lecture, some audience members started booing him at this point. One woman with three kids yelled "We believe in God" at him, then dragged her kids out of the building.<ref>Matthew, Morgan. [http://www.thinkatheist.com/profiles/blogs/bill-nye-bood-in-texas-for "Bill Nye Boo'd In Texas For Saying The Moon Reflects The Sun"], ''Think Atheist'' website, posted 21 February 2009, accessed 30 August 2011.</ref> During the afternoon (1:30 p.m.) lecture, Nye had given the same lecture to about 600 appreciative school children, their teachers and a few of their parents. So, it's possible that this was a flash mob organized by a few incensed fundies upset by Nye's contradiction of Genesis. (The ''Waco Tribune-Herald'' published this story in their 6 April 2006 edition, but pulled the story from their website soon after it got international attention.)<ref>Fortunately, ''Archive.org'' grabs everything that appears on the internet, even for only a few days. The story, titled "'The Science Guy' is entertaining and provocative at MCC lecture" and written by staff writer Tim Woods, [http://web.archive.org/web/20060412101020/http://www.wacotrib.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/04/06/04062006wacbillnye.html is archived here].</ref> | ||
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| + | * On 29 August 2011, Nye appeared on [[Fox Business Network]] to talk about Hurricane Irene and the effects of [[global warming]] on weather patterns. Being well practiced at discussing science with children, Nye talked to the FBN host and viewers is if they were ten-year-olds. Host Charles Payne did his best to lead Nye down a few blind alleys, including showing a video of [[Al Gore]] comparing global warming denialism to [[racism]], then asking Nye to comment on it. Then, when they ran short on time, Payne said that "the route that (Nye had) taken (to explain the matter) is still confusing some of the viewers."<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/30/bill-nye-on-climate-science_n_942459.html "Bill Nye Discusses Climate Change With Fox Business Network's Charles Payne"], ''Huffington Post'', posted and accessed 30 August 2011.</ref> | ||
== Footnotes == | == Footnotes == | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||
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{{stub|education}} | {{stub|education}} | ||
Revision as of 02:06, 31 August 2011
Bill Nye, popularly known as "Bill Nye the Science Guy", is an American science educator, television host, comedian, and mechanical engineer, most popularly known for his children's educational television program Bill Nye: The Science Guy.[1] A fellow for the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, he is most well known, in the years since his Science Guy program, for making television appearances questioning the existence of UFOs as well as being a heavy critic of global warming denialism, though that has not kept him from questioning and critiquing other pseudosciences as well.[2]
Bill Nye: the Science Guy television program
Bill Nye's most notable for his Bill Nye: the Science Guy children's television series. In this series, he melded humor and entertainment with actual teaching about science and scientific concepts. This often included watering down complicated scientific theories, such as evolution, into easily understandable, "do-it-yourself at home" sketches. Being a skeptic himself, he once dedicated an entire episode of his program to the exploration of pseudoscience.[3]
Some interesting personal appearances
- On 5 April 2006, Nye made two public appearances at McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas. During both lectures, he mentioned Genesis 1:16, which states "And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also." (KJV) He then stated that the "lesser light" was, in fact, not a light, but a reflector. During the evening (7 p.m.) lecture, some audience members started booing him at this point. One woman with three kids yelled "We believe in God" at him, then dragged her kids out of the building.[4] During the afternoon (1:30 p.m.) lecture, Nye had given the same lecture to about 600 appreciative school children, their teachers and a few of their parents. So, it's possible that this was a flash mob organized by a few incensed fundies upset by Nye's contradiction of Genesis. (The Waco Tribune-Herald published this story in their 6 April 2006 edition, but pulled the story from their website soon after it got international attention.)[5]
- On 29 August 2011, Nye appeared on Fox Business Network to talk about Hurricane Irene and the effects of global warming on weather patterns. Being well practiced at discussing science with children, Nye talked to the FBN host and viewers is if they were ten-year-olds. Host Charles Payne did his best to lead Nye down a few blind alleys, including showing a video of Al Gore comparing global warming denialism to racism, then asking Nye to comment on it. Then, when they ran short on time, Payne said that "the route that (Nye had) taken (to explain the matter) is still confusing some of the viewers."[6]
Footnotes
- ↑ A clip from his television program
- ↑ Such as in this video, where he explores astrology
- ↑ A YouTube broadcast of this program with Spanish subtitles.
- ↑ Matthew, Morgan. "Bill Nye Boo'd In Texas For Saying The Moon Reflects The Sun", Think Atheist website, posted 21 February 2009, accessed 30 August 2011.
- ↑ Fortunately, Archive.org grabs everything that appears on the internet, even for only a few days. The story, titled "'The Science Guy' is entertaining and provocative at MCC lecture" and written by staff writer Tim Woods, is archived here.
- ↑ "Bill Nye Discusses Climate Change With Fox Business Network's Charles Payne", Huffington Post, posted and accessed 30 August 2011.