The Mystery That Keeps Neil deGrasse Tyson Up At Night

Summary

In this engaging interview, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson discusses a wide range of topics with Stephen Colbert, from the arbitrary nature of New Year's celebrations to the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy. Tyson humorously challenges conventional thinking, revealing his passion for science and the cosmos. He explains the cosmic significance of different holidays and delves into the mysteries of the universe, including the potential future isolation of galaxies due to accelerated expansion. The conversation blends humor with deep scientific exploration, making complex topics accessible and thought-provoking.

Takeaways

• 😀 Tyson humorously explains that the New Year has no particular astronomical significance, calling it an arbitrary point on the calendar.
• 😀 The celebration of New Year's around the world, happening 24 times in a single day, seems odd to Tyson from a scientific perspective.
• 😀 While the New Year may not have any cosmic meaning, many other holidays, like Chinese New Year and Christmas, have astronomical roots.
• 😀 Saturnalia was an ancient Roman festival that marked the winter solstice, where the sun's declining path worried people about its return.
• 😀 Christmas was strategically placed to coincide with Saturnalia, helping to incorporate existing traditions into Christian celebrations.
• 😀 Tyson shares his excitement for 2018, focusing on the scientific progress we might make in understanding dark matter and dark energy.
• 😀 Dark matter and dark energy are two of the greatest mysteries in astrophysics, making up 85% of the universe's gravity, yet remaining invisible and unknown.
• 😀 The universe is expanding at an accelerating rate due to dark energy, causing galaxies to move beyond our observational horizon.
• 😀 Tyson speculates that future cosmic explorers will lose access to a significant part of the universe’s history as galaxies accelerate beyond view.
• 😀 He wonders if there were chapters of the universe that were lost even before our current time, leaving humanity unaware of the full picture of cosmic history.
• 😀 Colbert humorously points out that Tyson’s explanations may cause sleepless nights due to their existential implications on our understanding of the universe.

Q & A

Why is Neil deGrasse Tyson a frequent guest on Stephen Colbert's show?

Neil deGrasse Tyson is a frequent guest because of his engaging and insightful commentary on science, his charismatic personality, and the fact that he lives near the studio, making him a convenient and consistent guest.

What is Neil's opinion on celebrating the New Year?

Neil deGrasse Tyson believes that the New Year celebration is arbitrary, as it marks a point in Earth's orbit around the Sun with no special astronomical significance. He finds it odd that people celebrate the exact same moment 24 times as the New Year moves across the globe.

Why does Neil deGrasse Tyson think other holidays are more interesting than the New Year?

Neil argues that many other holidays, such as the Chinese New Year, Jewish New Year, and others, have real astronomical or seasonal significance, unlike the arbitrary nature of New Year's Day.

What is Saturnalia, and why is it historically significant?

Saturnalia was an ancient Roman festival celebrating the god Saturn, marking the winter solstice when the sun starts returning to higher positions in the sky. It was a time of social role reversal and widespread festivities, which influenced modern holiday traditions like Christmas.

What is the Gregorian calendar, and how did it come about?

The Gregorian calendar, introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582, corrected inaccuracies in the Julian calendar, which had caused a misalignment with the solar year. The new calendar was adopted to ensure that events like Easter fell at the right time relative to the seasons.

How did the Catholic Church contribute to the development of modern astronomy?

The Catholic Church, particularly through Jesuit priests, played a significant role in early astronomy, including the creation of the Gregorian calendar and the establishment of the Vatican Observatory. They worked on astronomical problems like the shifting of the calendar long before telescopes were invented.

What role did a Catholic priest have in proposing the Big Bang theory?

Catholic priest Georges Lemaître proposed the Big Bang theory using Einstein's equations. He suggested that the universe had a definite beginning, which was later confirmed through observations, making him one of the first to present this idea.

What scientific mystery excites Neil deGrasse Tyson in 2018?

Neil deGrasse Tyson is excited about scientific missions aimed at understanding dark matter and dark energy. These phenomena are critical to our understanding of the universe but remain a complete mystery, despite their significant role in shaping the cosmos.

What is dark matter, and why is it such a mystery?

Dark matter is a type of matter that doesn't emit, absorb, or reflect light, making it invisible to current detection methods. However, it is believed to account for about 85% of the universe's mass and influences gravity. Its exact nature remains unknown.

What impact does dark energy have on the universe?

Dark energy is a mysterious force that is accelerating the expansion of the universe. It counteracts gravity and is responsible for causing galaxies to move away from each other at an increasing rate. The precise nature of dark energy remains one of the most puzzling aspects of cosmology.