HE IS THE HOST OF "COSMOS" AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE HAYDEN

PLANETARIUM AT THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY.

PLEASE WELCOME BACK TO "A LATE SHOW," AMERICA'S FAVORITE

ASTROPHYSICIST, AND TEACHER, I'D SAY, NEIL deGRASSE TYSON!

NEIL, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> STEPHEN, IT'S BEEN TOO LONG.

>> Stephen: IT HAS.

I THREW IN "TEACHER" BECAUSE YOU'RE ONE OF THE GREATEST

EXPLAINERS I KNOW.

YOU MAKE NOT ONLY LEARNING BUT THE IDEA ABOUT LEARNING

INTERESTING BECAUSE YOU BURN WITH SUCH PASSION FOR KNOWLEDGE

THAT YOU INFECT ALL AROUND YOU.

YOU COUGH YOUR KNOWLEDGE AT THEM, AND IT AEROSOLIZES, AND WE

BREATHE IT IN, AND WE WANT TO KNOW MORE.

WE CATCH THE FEVER, NEIL TYSON.

>> THE CONTAGION OF LEARNING, YES, OKAY.

>> Stephen: THE LAST TIME WE WERE TOGETHER WAS MARCH 6, AND

WE BUGGED OUT OF THIS THEATER ON MARCH 12?

THIS IS THE LAST NIGHT, MARCH 12, A WEEK LATER, A LITTLE LESS

THAN A WEEK LATER, THE LAST TIME YOU WERE ON ABOUT THE

CORONAVIRUS, YOU SAID THIS: >> IT WOULD BE INTERESTING IF WE

ALL PAID ATTENTION TO WHAT SCIENTISTS SAY AND MAYBE THE

CORONAVIRUS WILL JUST BLOW ON BY.

( LAUGHTER ).

>> Stephen: SO, NEIL, NEIL deGRASSE TYSON, HOW DID WE DO?

( LAUGHING ) >> WELL, YOU KNOW, HAD YOU ASKED

ME THIS A MONTH AGO, I WOULD HAVE GIVEN US MAYBE A C-MINUS,

BUT GIVEN THAT RATES ARE-- THEY'RE NOT ONLY PEAK-- THEY'RE

SPIKING, THEY'RE HIGHER THAN EVER BEFORE SINCE THE PANDEMIC

BEGAN.

SO I'D HAVE TO GIVE IT SORT OF AN F-PLUS.

( LAUGHING ).

>> Stephen: SO F-PLUS, SO FILURE, BUT EXTRAORDINARILY SO.

>> NO, THE PLUS PART IS THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEW

HABITS THAT THEY MAINTAIN.

SO YOU WATCH-- WE ALL WASH OUR HANDS-- NOT WE ALL-- MANY WASH

OUR HANDS MORE OFTEN.

YOU KNOW, WASH DOWN THE GROCERIES, YOU DO-- YOU DO--

EXACTLY.

SO, SO ONCE-- I GIVE IT A PLUS SIGN THERE.

I THINK WE HAVE A NEW MENTAL STATE.

BUT THE "WE" IS NOT EVERYONE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, MY FAMILY HAS BEEN COVID-FREE, BECAUSE WE

LISTEN TO MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS.

THAT'S THE SECRET.

THAT'S THE SECRET, OKAY?

I DON'T WANT TO TELL ANYBODY THAT.

SO THAT'S REALLY KIND OF ALL IT TAKES.

SO, I'M DISAPPOINTED, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'VE ALL BECOME

TRIBALLIZED OVER THIS.

>> Stephen: RIGHT.

>> AND, YOU KNOW, THE VIRUS DOESN'T CARE WHAT TRIBE YOU

BELONG TO.

IT DOESN'T CARE WHO YOU HAVE SEX WITH, WHO YOU WORSHIP, WHAT YOUR

SKIN COLOR IS, WHAT SIDE OF THE LINE IN THE SAND YOU WERE BORN

OIT CAN INFECT YOU SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU ARE HUMAN.

AND BY BIG DISAPPOINTMENT IS WE AS HUMANS DIDN'T BAND TOGETHER

TO FIRE DEPARTMENT COMMON ENEMY.

>> Stephen: LIKE IN THE MOVIES WHEN THE ALIENS LAND HUMANS BAND

TOGETHER AND PUT OUR DIFFERENCES ASIDE.

THE VIRUS IS THE ALIEN.

>> THE VIE-- THIS IS A DRY RUN FOR WHEN THE ALIENS COME--

EXCUSE ME, IF THE ALIENS COME.

>> Stephen: YOU JUST SAID "WHEN."

YOU BLEW YOUR COVER, NEIL TYSON.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SKY A LITTLE BIT HERE.

HALLOWEEN TREAT.

TOMORROW'S HALLOWEEN.

BLUE MOON TOMORROW.

WHAT DOES BLUE MOON MEAN AGAIN?

>> OH, YES, SO, IF YOU CAN SQUEEZE TWO FULL MOONS IN A

MONTH, THEN THE SECOND OF THOSE FULL MOONS IS CALLED A BLUE

MOON.

THE TERM HAS BEEN AROUND FOR-- SINCE THE EARLY 1800s.

AND THE MOON ISN'T ACTUALLY BLUE.

ALL THE MOONS-- ALL THE FULL MOONS OF THE YEAR HAVE NAMES.

SOME ARE FAMILIAR LIKE THE HARVEST MOON.

>> Stephen: SURE.

>> AND THE MOON IN JUNE, BY THE WAY, NEVER GETS TOO HIGH IN THE

SKY SO IT TAKES ON SORT OF AN AMBLE SUNSHINE COLOR, THE WHOLE

TRIP, SO THAT'S CALLED THE HONEYMOON.

SO THE JUNE FULL MOON IS THE HONEYMOON.

SO IT'S FUN, CULTURAL FACTS.

TO TRY TO SQUEEZE IT INTO A MONTH YOU NEED A LONGER MONTH,

SO FEBRUARY IS OUT OF LUCK HERE.

IT WILL NEVER GET A BLUE MOON.

>> Stephen: THIS WEEK, RESEARCHERS FOUND WATER AND ICE

ON THE MOON.

TWO THINGS-- WE ALREADY KNEW THERE WAS ICE, RIGHT, ON THE

SOUTH POLL OF THE MOON?

>> YEAH, DEEP IN THE CRATERS WITH-- FORGIVE ME-- WHERE THE

SUN DON'T SHINE, THE CRATER RIMS --

>> Stephen: DOWN SOUTH.

>> ARE HIGH ENOUGH SO THE LONG SUN CASTS A SHADOW, AND THEY'RE

CALLED COAL TRAPS.

WATER SCATTERS ON TO THE SURFACE.

IF THIS LANDS INTO THAT COLD TRAP IT'S THERE FOR BILLIONS OF

YEARS.

IF IT HITS ANYWHERE ELSE, THE SUN HITS IT AND IT EVAPORATES

YEAH.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN THE COLD TRAP AND STILL FIND-- I DON'T

WANT TO CALL IT A REZ ZOR, BUT A SUPPOSITORY OF HIGH QUANTITIES.

THERE ARE NO SKATING RINKS, BUT IF YOU MAKE A MACHINE TO DO

THIS, YOU CAN SIFT THROUGH THE SOSOSOILS AND GATHER THE WATER

MOLECULES.

YOU WANT TO DO THAT, OTHERWISE YOU HAVE TO CARRY THE WATER TO

THE MOON WITH YOU, AND WHY DO THAT, IF IT'S WAITING FOR YOU

WHEN YOU GET THERE.

>> Stephen: OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO DRINK WATER, BUT WHY ELSE DO

WE NEED WATER UP THERE?

>> OH, OH, WELL, OKAY, SO, WATER, IF YOU BUILD A LITTLE

FACTORY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, H20, REMEMBER, IT'S H20--

SEPARATE THE HYDROGEN FROM THE OXYGEN.

AND ONCE YOU DO THAT, THESE TWO, IF THEY EVER RECOMBINE, GIVE OFF

ENERGY.

YOU REMEMBER FROM CHEMISTRY, THAT WOULD BE CALLED AN

EXOTHERMIC REACTION.

THE WATER YOU CAN DRINK, AND YOU CAN USE IT AS ROCKET FUEL TO GET

BACK.

IT'S IN SITUE RESOURCE TO USE THAT.

IT COSTS $10,000 A POUND TO PUT ANYTHING IN ORBIT.

IF NASA WANTS TO SEND YOU WITH A BOTTLE OF EFIAN, IT'S $10,000.

IF I CAN MINE THAT WATER IN SPACE AND SELL IT TO NASA FOR

$9,000, THEY'RE BUYING IT.

SO THERE'S A WHOLE FUTURE ECONOMY, SPACE ON SPACE.

>> Stephen: IS THERE ANY LIQUID WATER ON THE MOON?

IS THERE A CHANCE FOR THAT?

OR IS THE VACUUM TOO HARD AND IT WOULD JUST--

>> REMEMBERING SOME CHEMISTRY FOR YOU THERE.

WITH NO ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, THE WATER CAN'T-- IS NOT STABLE

AS A LIQUID.

PLUS, THEY'RE JUST SORT OF MOLECULES THERE EMBEDDED IN THE

SOILS.

SO-- BUT IF IT GETS TOO HOT, IT WILL FLY AWAY.

IT'S THAT REGION AROUND THE CRATERS.

SO THIS IS MORE WATER THAN WE THOUGHT.

>> Stephen: BIG DAY COMING UP.

THIS IS NO SURPRISE.

ELECTION DAY IS ON TUESDAY.

YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THIS MONTH-- LET ME GET THIS RIGHT UP

HERE.

THERE YOU GO.

NEIL TYSON WARNS ASTEROID COULD HIT EARTH THE DAY BEFORE THE

ELECTION.

DON'T PANIC.

YOU CAN STILL VOTE.

I HEARD ABOUT THIS.

I HEARD ABOUT THIS ASTEROID THAT'S WHIZZING BY ON MONDAY.

AND JON STEWART'S FREAKED OUT ABOUT IT, BY THE WAY.

I TOLD HIM I WOULD ASK YOU ABOUT THIS.

WHAT HAPPENS IF IT DOES HIT?

AND WHAT'S THE PROBABILITY?

>> ALL RIGHT, SO, FIRST, IT'S ABOUT THE SIZE OF A

REFRIGERATOR, AND SO THESE ARE INTERESTING AND INTRIGUING

OBJECTS, BUT THEY'RE NOT DANGEROUS TO US.

SO EVEN-- BY THE WAY, WHEN I TWEETED ABOUT THIS, I DIDN'T SAY

IT WAS GOING TO HIT.

I SAID IT MAY INTU BUZZ CUT US T DAY BEFORE.

>> Stephen: IT COULD HIT EARTH.

THAT'S IN PRINT.

YOU'RE CALLING THE HILL-- ALL RIGHT.

>> THERE'S A ONE HALF OF 1% CHANCE IT WILL HIT EARTH.

BUT EVEN IF IT DOES, OKAY, IT'S GOING 25,000 MILES AN HOUR,

ABOUT SEVEN MILES PER SECOND -- >> Stephen: THAT'S BOOKIN'.

>> TOTALLY BOOKIN'.

IT'S AT LEAST THAT SPEED, IF IT DIDN'T HAVE EXTRA VELOCITY

COMING IN.

AT 25,000 MILES AN HOUR, YOU HIT EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE, IT'S LIKE A

BRICK WALL.

IT HITS IT, EXPLODES, SCATTERS INTO A ZILLION PIECES, AND SOME

OF THOSE ROCKS REACH EARTH.

IT WILL BE A VISIBLE EXPLOSION IF IT HITS, VISIBLE IN THE SKY.

YOU MIGHT EVEN HEAR A SHOCKWAVE.

IT'S NOT GOING TO HURT ANYBODY.

THERE'S NO DAMAGE.

THERE'S NO EXCUSE TO NOT VOTE.

>> Stephen: HOW BIG-- GOOD, GO VOTE, EVERYBODY.

ALL IS NOT LOST.

HOW BIG-- YOU SAY THE SIZE OF A REFRIGERATOR IS NOT BIG ENOUGH

TO, LIKE PENETRATE ALL THE WAY THROUGH AND HIT ME ON THE HEAD.

>> CORRECT.

>> Stephen: HOW BIG DOES IT HAVE TO BE?

>> SO THE ONES WE ARE REALLY WORRIED ABOUT ARE THE ONES THAT

ARE HALF A MILE ACROSS.

SMALLER THAN THAT WILL STILL HIT THE EARTH BUT THEY WON'T DISRUPT

CIVILIZATION.

WHEN YOU GET TO HALF A MILE ACROSS YOU DO THINGS LIKE

DISRUPT THE TRANSPORTATION GRID.

IT WILL HIT, CAUSE FIRES.

>> Stephen: SURE.

>> SO A FULL-UP DISASTER, AND THAT AND UP IS WHERE YOU REALLY

NEED TO WORRY.

AND FORTUNATELY, THE BIGGER ASTEROIDS ARE EASIER TO DETECT.

SO WE WANT TO GET AS COMPLETE A CATALOG AS WE CAN, DOWN TO THE

SMALLEST THAT WE CAN.

THE PROBLEM IS WHEN THEY'RE LITTLE AND THEY GO AWAY FROM US

AFTER THEY COME NEAR, WE LOSE THEM.

SO WE HAVE TO SORT OF PROJECT THEIR ORBIT AND LOOK FOR IT ON

THE BACK SIDE ON THE WAY BACK.

THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTION DAY ASTEROID.

IT WAS DISCOVERED TWO YEARS AGO.

WE ONLY HAD A FEW DAYS OF ITS ORBIT IN ORDER TO CALCULATE THE

ENTIRE ORBIT, AND THEN IT WENT AND GOT DISAPPEARED, OKAY.

SO WE SHOULD BE RECOVERING THAT ANY MINUTE NOW, ACTUALLY.

>> Stephen: WE HAVE TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK, NEIL.

BUT STICK AROUND, EVERYBODY.

WHEN WE COME BACK, I'M GOING TO ASK NEIL deGRASSE TYSON