Emily Calandrelli [The Space Gal]

Bill Nye. Neil deGrasse Tyson.

- Paul French

Michio Kaku. These three scientific ambassadors have much in common (including an appearance in these pages). They are all storytellers of science, raconteurs of rationalism – each with personalities engaging enough to turn hour-long lectures on physics into YouTube hits with views in the millions. They’re also figures that exemplify the goals and hopes of Emily Calandrelli, the 29-year-old host of Fox’s Xploration Outer Space.

“I value people that are very scientifically minded but are also great storytellers because I think those people can have an incredible influence on the world and be able to teach science in ways that your ordinary teacher can’t,” she says.

You can tell she works in television. Her tone is upbeat, her speech quick-drawn and sure. Talking to her is a little intimidating, I admit over the phone. We’re roughly the same age, and yet she’s earned two master’s degrees from MIT and has worked with NASA. But she’s remarkably (and ironically) down-to-earth – an outlook that dovetails with her role of popular educator. If you want the masses to listen to you talk about gravitational physics, it helps to be likeable.