Ronny Chieng (performing a bit)

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.

But you haven't seen evidence of it.

But you haven't seen evidence of it.

You haven't seen anything that bothers you? That's a different question. That is the question I'm asking. Does anything bother you in the last, I don't know, maybe year of presidential elections that makes you think that maybe science is in trouble?

You haven't seen anything that bothers you? That's a different question. That is the question I'm asking. Does anything bother you in the last, I don't know, maybe year of presidential elections that makes you think that maybe science is in trouble?

Right. Doctor, so far, I agree with you that science is good and the Internet is stupid. I'm asking, are you worried about where we're headed in terms of... Because America is always the leader to me. I know that CERN and whatever is happening. But I'm saying America is the leader of science. Are you worried?

Right. Doctor, so far, I agree with you that science is good and the Internet is stupid. I'm asking, are you worried about where we're headed in terms of... Because America is always the leader to me. I know that CERN and whatever is happening. But I'm saying America is the leader of science. Are you worried?

Look, that's, yo, that's Buddhism. That's Buddhism. So, give me some Buddhism to dance. I want you for science, okay? You're the science guy. Buddhism is my thing. You're the science guy. You give the science. Okay, well, here's, I guess I'll put him on. Here's what'll happen.

Look, that's, yo, that's Buddhism. That's Buddhism. So, give me some Buddhism to dance. I want you for science, okay? You're the science guy. Buddhism is my thing. You're the science guy. You give the science. Okay, well, here's, I guess I'll put him on. Here's what'll happen.

Let me put it this way, because one thing that was always what I'm getting at in this whole questioning is that the innovation in America seems to me driven a lot by immigrants to America. Immigrants invented the phone.

Let me put it this way, because one thing that was always what I'm getting at in this whole questioning is that the innovation in America seems to me driven a lot by immigrants to America. Immigrants invented the phone.

Okay, well, maybe that's not great. No, but I'm just saying, if you have an environment that's kind of saying, hey, country first, let's not have so much immigration that affects science.

Okay, well, maybe that's not great. No, but I'm just saying, if you have an environment that's kind of saying, hey, country first, let's not have so much immigration that affects science.

Again, we agree. Immigrants are good for science.

Again, we agree. Immigrants are good for science.

You're describing a dark age right now, which I was hoping would not happen, but I guess I gotta turn to Buddhism to get out of that one.

You're describing a dark age right now, which I was hoping would not happen, but I guess I gotta turn to Buddhism to get out of that one.

Buddha will claim it. We'll give that one to Buddha. All right. Yeah, but there is this idea that I feel like any time I see you explaining something about science in America right now, it's like people just want to argue, like pull you into this culture war. Yeah. And you know what? To be fair, I guess if you look at history, scientists have always been pulled into politics and the cultural.

Buddha will claim it. We'll give that one to Buddha. All right. Yeah, but there is this idea that I feel like any time I see you explaining something about science in America right now, it's like people just want to argue, like pull you into this culture war. Yeah. And you know what? To be fair, I guess if you look at history, scientists have always been pulled into politics and the cultural.

But you, as like a kind of front-facing member of the science community trying to educate people, how do you navigate this ?