Steven Weiner
You don't have to twist my arm, I will say it freely: I love Bill Nye. And, to my great surprise Tuesday night, I realized just how many other people shared my enthusiasm for the bow-tie-clad TV scientist. Hundreds showed up to show their support and unfortunately not everyone could get in to Nye's speech at UF. For those of you who missed it, allow me to share my individual thoughts on the event.
Bill Nye's presentation was excellent. It was informative, upbeat and funny. It was not filled with basic demonstrations using dry ice and liquid nitrogen. It was a serious talk, albeit with a lot of laughter. It was, in that sense, a lot different than his show. Nye has always been knowledgeable and entertaining, but I ask you to:
"Consider the Following"
In the 10 years since "Bill Nye the Science Guy" was on my TV at home, my awareness of science has changed a lot. Science isn't simply about making a baking soda volcano or a potato-powered clock anymore - not that these things aren't awesome.
It's about technological innovation and Mars exploration. It's about global climate change and renewable energy. It's about saving our planet.
As we've grown, so has the importance of science in our lives, and Nye's speech spoke to this fact. Yet, even while seriously addressing the issues at hand, Nye could still joke and still make us laugh.
I think we should all take a page out of the Book of Nye. With his pragmatic optimism and sense of humor, the looming problems in our future don't appear so insurmountable. It will take work, no doubt, but nothing is impossible.
His idealism is contagious. I, for one, hope it becomes epidemic.
