We still don't know for sure what the trigger was, but since we've discovered meteorites with supernova dust, we do know that a violent explosion rocked our cosmic neighborhood at the time of our birth, and it's quite possible that without it, our stable, stately solar system would never exist at all.
Neil deGrasse TysonIf you're a scientist, and you have to have an answer, even in the absence of data, you're not going to be a good scientist.
Neil deGrasse TysonThat's the point, to get the people who wouldn't otherwise think to eavesdrop on a conversation that involves science.
Neil deGrasse TysonHere's the problem, when you're stargazing on a mountain top you are partially oxygen-deprived and you're in command of million dollars worth of hardware. So as much as I would like to sip wine under the stars, it's contraindicated in the instructions on operating telescopes.
Neil deGrasse TysonI'm optimistic. I see no longer people accepting fuzzy thinking in the world. The change is not that people aren't still saying under-informed things. The change is that if you're in power and you say something under-informed, there are people out there with a voice who will take you to task for having done so
Neil deGrasse Tyson