(Originally published in 2014, -updated in 2016 and-even more so-in 2023)
I might be opening the “troll-gates” with this post, but so be it.
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Some time ago, I was reading a thread on a site whose name rhymes with “-acebook” about the new Cosmos series. One of the comments said something like “…Tyson is this era’s Einstein”.
Some people are very easily impressed (facepalm).
Neil DeGrasse Tyson (1958-) is a gifted science communicator (when he knows what he is talking about). Although honestly, I’m afraid I have to disagree with some of the things that he says (or EVEN how HE says IT; he is kind of “Kirk-ish”). However, it is undeniable that he knows and loves science and explains it beautifully.
However, it is important to differentiate between a practicing scientist and a science communicator.
Let me say right away that both science paths are extremely important. They are two of the three pillars supporting the scientific endeavor. Scientific research explores nature firsthand, and science communication informs the general public about it. The third one is education (at the school and university level).
For the record, I have worked for the last 30 years on the first and third aspects mentioned above, and for the last 10 years, I began communicating science to the public. I am telling you this to make clear how important I consider all these three aspects of science.
But we have to be very clear about who is what.
Dr. Tyson is a scientist trained at top institutions, but truth be told, his original scientific contributions are modest at best. According to his own website (see below), he lists 13 papers and 12 books. He has published quite a few magazine articles, essays, etc. We’ll just talk about papers and books here. By the way, he had never had a university academic position, nor had he led his own research group, as far as I know. That said, since 1996, he’s been the director of the Hayden Planetarium in NY. This prestigious position contributes more to science education than most of us can contribute in a lifetime.
On to Sagan.
Do I have to tell you who Carl Sagan was? I hope not, but just in case, he is only one of the best-known scientists of the 20th century.
Just like Tyson, Dr. Sagan (1936-1996) also trained at top universities, knew and loved science, and was very capable of explaining it beautifully.
I miss his writings…
He was the original Cosmos host and possibly the first celebrity scientist of our era (Note added in January, 2016: Incidentally, I did not care that much for Tyson’s Cosmos, but that’s a story for another day).
Sagan also published close to 600 (yes 600!) scientific papers and wrote about 15 books, most of them as sole author. Sagan also gave us the correct description of the planet Venus’ temperature and atmosphere and was involved with the Pioneer, Voyager, and Viking missions. And this is just a sample of his original contributions to science. He was also a professor at Harvard and Cornell, had his own research group, and many of his students have honored him with outstanding careers of their own.
But Sagan was no Einstein.
Now, if I have to tell you who Einstein was, I weep for you and because of you…
Albert Einstein (1879-1955) is THE name that comes to mind to most people whenever they think “scientist.” Even if you know nothing besides his name, your life has most likely been influenced by his work. Incidentally, he was not trained at a top institution… this serves to illustrate that where you train may be important, but your mind is essential.
Einstein wrote close to 300 scientific papers and some books on his thoughts (but he could have only written 4 of these papers (see below), and his scientific standing would have remained unchanged). These four papers were published in the journal Annalen der Physik in 1905 (his so-called miracle year – Annus Mirabilis – ). He was also a Princeton professor and a Nobelist.
Now, here’s my point:
Tyson’s work provides us with a much-needed public understanding of science (especially in this Year of the Lord 2023… Let’s not go there today). Sagan also did that during his time on Earth, and his undeniable original scientific output will prove invaluable when we finally venture out of our home planet in a real way; right now, not so much, as we have barely left the solar system, and that’s with automatic probes. Now, Einstein’s work changed physics forever (Remember E = mc squared?), and by extension, our view of the universe, with many practical applications that are in place today, from atomic power to global positioning systems.
Tyson, Sagan, and Einstein are worthy contributors to science, each one in his own way.
So there.
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Sources:
http://www.haydenplanetarium.org/tyson/curriculum-vitae#assortedwriting
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Sagan
http://www.einstein-website.de/z_physics/wisspub-e.html
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein
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