Neil deGrasse Tyson - "It would be cool if we were some simulation"

The host of StarTalk has become one of the world's best known astrophysicists, popularising space and science for millions

- David Crookes

You’ve gained a reputation for helping make science and space accessible to the wider population. How do you go about hitting the right spot for people – what do you think grabs their attention?

I’ve thought a lot about what might interest a disinterested person, and I’ve thought more about the impact of what I’m saying than you can possibly believe. I could say something off the cuff, and you’d say, “That’s really cool, that’s great; how have you just figured that out?” And I’d think, “No, I’ve thought about this and I’ve watched you react to things I’ve said – I know what you’re going to find interesting.” When I’m talking to people, I’m looking to see if they’ve raised their eyebrows or if they look bored or excited. I have a mental inventory of things that enchant and bore people and the things that people want to hear more of. I bring that to my lectures, books or StarTalk.

StarTalk has been around since 2009, but where did the idea come from, and what was your aim?