Ronny Chieng (performing a bit)

He's an artist. I want to get into that.

There you go. What a talented family. Art and science. And, yeah, what I love about this book is, like, it's almost written like poetry. The science questions in terms of, like, you know, every page is a distinct thing.

There you go. What a talented family. Art and science. And, yeah, what I love about this book is, like, it's almost written like poetry. The science questions in terms of, like, you know, every page is a distinct thing.

But it's almost like reading a Bukowski book, because you can just have it on your desk, and you flip it open, and you get some inspiration from how dumb people are. Like, this was written 35 years ago. Um, um, you know, well, I shouldn't say done. That's some good questions. How effective would the Hubble Space Telescope be for Earth viewing? Blah, blah, blah, Houston, Texas.

But it's almost like reading a Bukowski book, because you can just have it on your desk, and you flip it open, and you get some inspiration from how dumb people are. Like, this was written 35 years ago. Um, um, you know, well, I shouldn't say done. That's some good questions. How effective would the Hubble Space Telescope be for Earth viewing? Blah, blah, blah, Houston, Texas.

But I guess my point, like, this was written 35 years ago. Have you found, like, the general public's questions to you have gotten dumber or smarter? I... Like, where are we trending? Where are we trending?

But I guess my point, like, this was written 35 years ago. Have you found, like, the general public's questions to you have gotten dumber or smarter? I... Like, where are we trending? Where are we trending?

Oh, no.

Oh, no.

Okay, so even in science, we're going to extremes. Yes, but I'm okay on either side of that fence. Mathematically, it cancels out. Yes, they average out to the middle. Look, very good. Yes, yes. Is that good? Take the average. It works out.

Okay, so even in science, we're going to extremes. Yes, but I'm okay on either side of that fence. Mathematically, it cancels out. Yes, they average out to the middle. Look, very good. Yes, yes. Is that good? Take the average. It works out.

Yeah, I mean, you know, I hate to be... I'm trying to phrase these questions neutrally, but it sounds sometimes... It feels sometimes like when, as an outsider to America, I came here when I was 30, and growing up, I always felt like this was the place for innovation. This is where NASA was. This is where they invented the Internet. They invented Apple.

Yeah, I mean, you know, I hate to be... I'm trying to phrase these questions neutrally, but it sounds sometimes... It feels sometimes like when, as an outsider to America, I came here when I was 30, and growing up, I always felt like this was the place for innovation. This is where NASA was. This is where they invented the Internet. They invented Apple.

This is where oil drillers went to space and blew up an asteroid using nuclear weapons. That actually happened. Yeah, I know. Yeah, yeah. So, for me, like, America was always the place you go when you're the best at science, you know? And do you feel like the politics is kind of getting in the way of that now? And just, like, do people not want to come here?

This is where oil drillers went to space and blew up an asteroid using nuclear weapons. That actually happened. Yeah, I know. Yeah, yeah. So, for me, like, America was always the place you go when you're the best at science, you know? And do you feel like the politics is kind of getting in the way of that now? And just, like, do people not want to come here?

No, no, that was the hit single.

No, no, that was the hit single.

in that moon. Yeah, yeah. It touched Europa's moon, yeah. But, uh... No, but, dude, like, doctor, what are you trying to tell me? I'm trying to tell you this stuff is still going down. Okay, well, I... It sounds like you're trying to convince me that science is good. I don't disagree. I agree science is good.

in that moon. Yeah, yeah. It touched Europa's moon, yeah. But, uh... No, but, dude, like, doctor, what are you trying to tell me? I'm trying to tell you this stuff is still going down. Okay, well, I... It sounds like you're trying to convince me that science is good. I don't disagree. I agree science is good.

I'm just asking in your expert opinion, do you think that the kind of divisive politics we're facing right now is adverse to American innovation and scientific development? I haven't seen. It can be that.