Aug 26, 2022
In August 2006, the International Astronomical Union voted Pluto
out of planethood. Far from the sun, tiny, and eccentric in orbit,
it's a wonder Pluto has any fans. Yet during the mounting debate
over Pluto's status, Americans rallied behind this extraterrestrial
underdog. The year of Pluto's discovery, Disney created the iconic
cartoon puppy by the same name, and, as one NASA scientist put it,
Pluto was "discovered by an American for America." Pluto is
entrenched in our cultural, patriotic view of the cosmos, and famed
astrophysicist and science communicator Neil deGrasse Tyson is on a
quest to discover why.
Perhaps only Tyson can tell this story: he was involved in the
first exhibits to demote Pluto, and consequently, Pluto lovers have
freely shared their opinions with him, including endless hate mail
from third graders. In his typically witty way, Tyson explores the
history of planet classification and America's obsession with the
"planet" that's recently been judged a dwarf.
Originally published in February of 2009.
Visit YouTube.com/TalksatGoogle to watch the video.