nPostednon November 27, 2013
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Anlot of “science guys” aren’t famous. Perhaps especially thenmechanical engineers who apply every few years to NASA to becomenastronauts, but are rejected each and every time!
Anlot of “science guys” aren’t famous. Perhaps especially thenmechanical engineers who apply every few years to NASA to becomenastronauts, but are rejected each and every time!n
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nButnBill Nye crafted an entertainer / educator role for himself, somehow,nand has become one of the most famous science educators around.
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nPerhapsnhe was inspired by one of his college professors, who also became anscience educator and media darling, Carl Sagan. Perhaps he realizednthat he liked being in front of a camera when he worked at Boeingnstarring in training films. Perhaps it was because a television shownhost teased him and created that famous rhyming name, Bill Nye thenScience Guy.
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nWhynwould a TV show host tease a mechanical engineer? Well, the host of nAlmost Live! mispronounced a word, gigawatt,npronouncing it jigawatt.nBill Nye called in to correct the mistake. And the host asked him,n“Who do you think you are—Bill Nye the Science Guy?”
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nPerhapsnthe host didn’t like being corrected. Or perhaps the host was angenius who knew how to use a call-in to recruit a new actor for thensketch comedy show.
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nBecausenNye became “the Science Guy” on the show. From there he earned annonspeaking role as an assistant and demonstrator on Backnto the Future: The Animated Series,nand eventually his own show—called, of course, Bill Nyenthe Science Guy. That show luredna wider audience than expected, including adults, and became popularnas a teaching aid in schools. And Nye wasn’t just the eager sciencenbuff on-camera—he wrote for the show and became a producer as well.nNye’s Science Guy persona became popular enough to be the subject ofnparody, and Nye joked right back.
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| Nye is sometimes called “a firebrand for science.” |
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nBecomingna cultural icon
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nEvennthough Nye’s show ended after 100 episodes, in 1998, Nye continued tonact and teach science and act some more. From acting in movies tonbeing the voice-over in features at Walt Disney World, from hostingnTV specials to guest starring in shows such as Numb3rsnand The Big Bang Theory,nfrom being one of the “stars” on Dancing with the Starsnto being an on-camera expert on television news programs, Nye hasncontinued to help people understand science, help people laugh, ornboth at once!
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nBillnNye is very involved with two organizations I like to promote. He isna fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, and he is thenExecutive Director of The Planetary Society.
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nAlsonon this date:
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AstronomernAnders Celsius’s birthday
AstronomernAnders Celsius’s birthday n
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nNew-MathnGuy Edward Begle’s birthday
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nAnniversarynof the invention of the friction match
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nPlannAhead:
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Checknout my Pinterest boards for:
Checknout my Pinterest boards for:
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nn Novembern holidays
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nn Novembern birthdays
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- n Historicaln anniversaries in November
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
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nn Decembern holidays
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nn Decembern birthdays
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- n Historicaln anniversaries in December
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