History of Neil deGrasse Tyson in Timeline
Neil deGrasse Tyson is a prominent American astrophysicist, author, and science communicator. He holds degrees from Harvard, University of Texas at Austin, and Columbia University. After a postdoctoral position at Princeton, he joined the Hayden Planetarium in 1994. He became its director in 1996 and spearheaded a major reconstruction completed in 2000. Since 1996, he's remained the director of the Hayden Planetarium at the Rose Center for Earth and Space. Further, in 1997, he founded the Department of Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History, where he has been a research associate since 2003.
11 hours ago : Neil deGrasse Tyson suggests aliens contact Taylor Swift instead of world leaders for better communication.
Neil deGrasse Tyson humorously proposed that aliens, upon arriving on Earth, should communicate with Taylor Swift instead of world leaders. He believes Swift's global popularity and relatable messaging would facilitate better understanding and communication with humanity.
1984: Accusation of Rape
In 1984, Tchiya Amet El Maat accused Neil deGrasse Tyson of drugging and raping her while both were graduate students at UT Austin.
1988: Marriage to Alice Young
In 1988, Neil deGrasse Tyson married Alice Young, whom he met in a physics class at the University of Texas at Austin.
1993: Declining Interviews on Race
Since 1993, Neil deGrasse Tyson has declined every interview where his race is the primary focus, to avoid it overshadowing his work in astrophysics.
May 2000: Wine Collection Featured in Wine Spectator
In May 2000, Neil deGrasse Tyson's wine collection was featured in the Wine Spectator magazine, highlighting his interest in wine.
September 11, 2001: Eyewitness to 9/11 Attacks
On September 11, 2001, Neil deGrasse Tyson, who lived near the World Trade Center, was an eyewitness to the September 11 attacks. He wrote a letter about what he saw.
2005: Response on Genetic Differences
At a conference at the National Academy of Sciences in 2005, Neil deGrasse Tyson addressed a question about genetic differences potentially hindering women in science. He emphasized the importance of equal opportunity before considering genetic factors, drawing from his own experiences overcoming societal barriers.
2005: Wine Collection Featured in The World of Fine Wine
In the Spring 2005, Neil deGrasse Tyson's wine collection was featured in The World of Fine Wine magazine, showcasing his passion for wine.
2005: Panel Experience
Neil deGrasse Tyson describes his experience on a panel in 2005 and the obstacles that blacks and women face in science, advocating for equal opportunity before discussing genetic differences.
2006: Beyond Belief Workshop
In 2006, Neil deGrasse Tyson participated in the Beyond Belief workshop and discussed his views on science, spirituality, and the spirituality of science. He offered his definition of spirituality as a feeling that connects one to the universe in a way that defies simple vocabulary.
2007: Appearance on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
In 2007, Neil deGrasse Tyson participated on the NPR radio quiz program Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
2007: Keynote Speaker at Deerfield Academy
In 2007, Neil deGrasse Tyson was the keynote speaker during the dedication ceremony of Deerfield Academy's new science center, the Koch Center, in Massachusetts. He emphasized the importance of science in the twenty-first century and the invaluable returns on investments in science.
2008: Inclusion in Documentary Film
In 2008, footage filmed by Neil deGrasse Tyson on the day of the September 11 attacks was included in the documentary film 102 Minutes That Changed America.
2009: Conversation with Neil deGrasse Tyson
During the 2009 interview "Called by the Universe: A Conversation with Neil deGrasse Tyson", Tyson stated that he does not identify as an atheist and is not interested in converting people to any particular belief.
2009: Allegation of Inappropriate Touching
In 2009, Katelyn Allers, a professor at Bucknell University, alleged that Neil deGrasse Tyson touched her inappropriately at an American Astronomical Society gathering.
March 2010: Advocacy for NASA Funding
In a March 2010 address, Neil deGrasse Tyson advocated for increased funding for NASA, stating that the agency receives only half a penny of every tax dollar. He argued that the public tends to overestimate NASA's budget and underestimate the importance of space exploration.
2010: Allegation of Inappropriate Comments
In 2010, an anonymous woman alleged that Neil deGrasse Tyson made inappropriate comments to her during a holiday party at the American Museum of Natural History.
May 2011: StarTalk Radio Show
In a May 2011 StarTalk Radio show episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson mentioned that he donates all income earned as a guest speaker. He is also a frequent participant in Reddit's AMAs.
March 2012: Testimony Before United States Senate Science Committee
In March 2012, Neil deGrasse Tyson testified before the United States Senate Science Committee.
November 7, 2012: Action Comics #14 Published
On November 7, 2012, Action Comics #14 was published, featuring Neil deGrasse Tyson in the story. He determines that Superman's home planet, Krypton, orbited the red dwarf LHS 2520 in the constellation Corvus.
2012: Penny4NASA Campaign Founded
In 2012, inspired by Neil deGrasse Tyson's advocacy for NASA, the Penny4NASA campaign was founded by John Zeller, aiming to double NASA's budget to one percent of the federal budget.
January 2013: Appearance in Action Comics
In January 2013, Neil deGrasse Tyson appeared in Action Comics #14, where he determines that Superman's home planet, Krypton, orbited the red dwarf LHS 2520.
May 2013: Science Laureates of the United States Act
In May 2013, the Science Laureates of the United States Act of 2013 (H.R. 1891; 113th Congress) was introduced into Congress. Neil deGrasse Tyson was considered a possible nominee for the position of Science Laureate.
March 8, 2014: SXSW Interactive Keynote Presentation
On March 8, 2014, Neil deGrasse Tyson delivered a SXSW Interactive keynote presentation at the Austin Convention Center.
March 2014: Discussion on God and Atheism
In March 2014, during a discussion with philosopher Massimo Pigliucci, Neil deGrasse Tyson expressed that he remains unconvinced by any claims about the existence of a divine force in the universe. He also reiterated his discomfort with the label "atheist", preferring adjectives to describe his stance.
March 2014: Remarks on Philosophy
In March 2014, during an episode of The Nerdist Podcast, Neil deGrasse Tyson made controversial remarks calling philosophy "useless", sparking criticism from philosophers like Massimo Pigliucci.
June 3, 2014: Co-Review of Gravity on CinemaSins
On June 3, 2014, Neil deGrasse Tyson co-reviewed the movie Gravity in a CinemaSins episode.
2014: Discussion on Race
In a 2014 interview with Grantland, Neil deGrasse Tyson clarified his experience from a 2005 panel, emphasizing that the scientific question about genetic differences cannot be addressed until social barriers are dismantled. He also mentioned that race is not the central point of his work and life.
September 29, 2015: Co-Review of Interstellar on CinemaSins
On September 29, 2015, Neil deGrasse Tyson co-reviewed the movie Interstellar on a CinemaSins episode.
2015: Appearance on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
In 2015, Neil deGrasse Tyson participated on the NPR radio quiz program Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
March 31, 2016: Co-Review of The Martian on CinemaSins
On March 31, 2016, Neil deGrasse Tyson co-reviewed the movie The Martian on a CinemaSins episode.
2016: Narration of Food Evolution and Guest Appearance on Avenged Sevenfold Album
In 2016, Neil deGrasse Tyson narrated and was a script supervisor for the science documentary Food Evolution. He also made a guest appearance on the Avenged Sevenfold album The Stage, delivering a monologue on the track "Exist".
2017: Appearance on Albums by Logic and Musiq Soulchild
In 2017, Neil deGrasse Tyson appeared on Logic's album Everybody as God, and on Musiq Soulchild's album Feel the Real, on the song "The Moon".
December 2018: Accusations of Sexual Misconduct
During December 2018, Neil deGrasse Tyson faced accusations of rape and inappropriate sexual advances from multiple women. The allegations led to investigations by various organizations.
2018: Guest Appearances on Television Shows and Movies
In 2018, Neil deGrasse Tyson made a second guest appearance on The Big Bang Theory with Bill Nye. He also appeared in Gravity Falls, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Zoolander 2, Ice Age: Collision Course, Family Guy, BoJack Horseman, The Simpsons, Salvation and Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?.
January 3, 2019: Hiatus of StarTalk
On January 3, 2019, National Geographic Channel announced a hiatus of StarTalk to allow an unimpeded investigation into accusations against Neil deGrasse Tyson.
March 3, 2019: Delay of Cosmos: Possible Worlds Premiere
The premiere of Cosmos: Possible Worlds, initially scheduled for March 3, 2019, was delayed due to the ongoing investigation into accusations against Neil deGrasse Tyson.
March 15, 2019: Investigation Completed, StarTalk and Cosmos to Resume
On March 15, 2019, National Geographic and Fox announced the completion of the investigation into accusations against Neil deGrasse Tyson and affirmed that both StarTalk and Cosmos would resume.
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