A full Indiana University Auditorium and the iconic “Bill Nye the Science Guy” theme song met the science educator and entertainer as he walked onto stage Thursday with a red IU bowtie.
The student-run IU Union Board organized the moderated Q&A with Nye Moderated by Union Board Director of Lectures Lucy Gray, the hour-long talk began with questions on Nye’s early childhood before branching into entertainment and his ongoing works in the scientific field.
“We see Bill Nye as more than just the science guy,” Love Anker, director of the Union Board STEM Committee, said in an interview. “I know a lot of people coming might be expecting him to teach us something. He so totally can, but our goal is to walk you through his life and his journey and what inspired him to be that.”
Before speaking about his own childhood experience, Nye explained that research has been conducted indicating that children develop their interests by age 10. He said his interest in science had been with him since the very beginning.
Nye recalled learning how to ride a bike, fascinated by the physics that explained how the bike could stay upright.
“I remember learning to ride a bike, and my older brother was pushing me down the street, and he let go of the saddle, but I didn’t know,” Nye said. “Gyroscopic action of the spinning wheels kept me up as if by magic, you see. But it was not magic, it was science.”
As an undergraduate, Nye studied mechanical engineering at Cornell University and recalled advising Cornell geologists to put sundials on Mars. Sundials have played a significant role in Nye’s life. During World War II, Nye’s father, Edward “Ned” Darby Nye, was a prisoner of war captured in Japan, he said. While imprisoned, Nye’s father would make a sundial out of a shovel. Later on, Nye’s father would write a book on sundials.
When Nye got to college, his knowledge of sundials led him to suggest putting sundials on Mars.
"I’m proud to tell you there are four sundials on Mars,” Nye said. “I'm not the first guy to suggest it, but I may have been the first guy jumping out of his chair, waving his arms about it.”
Many of the questions Gray asked had a larger purpose than simply getting to know Nye. Each question was carefully thought through in collaboration with the STEM Committee and the Lectures Committee of the Union Board.
“I want people to see areas where they feel like there's hope for the future,” Gray said in an interview. “I think a lot of people worry a lot about things like that, especially climate change. And getting to hear from someone who's kind of an expert on that might be good.”
About halfway through the conversation, Nye pulled a pocket-sized paperback copy of the U.S. Constitution from his suit jacket. He read through multiple articles and emphasized the Founding Fathers’ values of science and the arts as they wrote the Constitution.
“To promote Congress is to promote the progress of science and useful arts,” Nye said. “You guys, they realized the value of science for our health, our public health, our overall well-being and our international competitors.”
Nye also strongly emphasized the importance of voting. He said positive change for the environment can happen when people vote for government officials who value the climate.
“If you want to do something about climate change, vote, freaking vote and vote,” Nye said.
Looking to the future, Nye told the audience that next May, he and his editor Corey Powell have a book coming out titled “Across the Cosmos with Bill Nye.” Every day, NASA publishes an Astronomy Picture of the Day. Nye took 100 photos from NASA’s photo of the day and created a book about these images.
Nye also spoke about a potential YouTube TV show in the works called “Bill Nye’s House,” which would also feature the Philadelphia 76ers’ Jaylen Brown. The basketball player previously stated he grew to love science thanks to Nye, and even went to honor Nye when the science educator received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
During a series of rapid-fire questions, Nye said his favorite food is popcorn and another time period he would like to live in is when humans discover life outside of Earth. The scientist also gave a final piece of advice to the audience.
Nye recalled that one day, as he was renting a car, the car dealer confidently told Nye that he believed the Earth to be flat. The interaction reminded Nye of the importance of critical thinking, skills which he emphasized to the audience.
“If we could just get one thing across to everybody is what’s nowadays called critical thinking,” Nye said. “It means the habit of mind to evaluate evidence, to think.”
As he left, Nye received a standing ovation while the audience chanted “Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill!” referencing his “Bill Nye the Science Guy” theme song.
Afterward, audience members had an array of reactions surrounding the lecture and the nostalgia that seeing Nye in person brought.
“I really just can't believe all this happened, for real,” Analise Singh, an attendee and IU junior, said. “This is like reliving our middle school days.”
One audience member, senior Lindley Scott, said they were left inspired by Nye’s conversation. Like many, they grew up watching his show and were excited to hear what he had to say.
"I think that was just freaking awesome,” Scott said. “Bill Nye was just so knowledgeable about everything, and he had amazing things to say. It was very good to hear him speak on climate change because these are the science topics that still concern us as students.”
