Bad Astronomy
For as long as he can remember, Dr. Phil Plait has been in love with science.
“When I was maybe four or five years old, my dad brought home a cheapo department store telescope. He aimed it at Saturn that night. One look, and that was it. I was hooked,” he says.
After earning his doctorate in astronomy at the University of Virginia, he worked as a NASA contractor at the Goddard Space Flight Center, working with the Hubble Space Telescope. Dr. Plait began a career in public outreach and education with the Bad Astronomy website and blog, debunking bad science and popular misconceptions. The book Bad Astronomy was released in 2002, followed in 2008 by Death From The Skies! Dr. Plait’s television show, Phil Plait’s Bad Universe premiered on the Discovery Channel in September 2010.
Dr. Plait has given dozens of talks about science and pseudoscience across the US and internationally. He uses images, audio, and video clips in an entertaining and informative
multimedia presentation packed with humor and backed by solid science.
He has spoken at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center, the Space Telescope Science Institute (home of Hubble), the Hayden Planetarium in NYC and many other world-class museums and planetaria, conferences, astronomy clubs, colleges & universities, and community groups. He has appeared on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, Pax TV, Tech TV, the SciFi Channel, Radio BBC, Air America, NPR, and many other television and internet venues. The Bad Astronomy website receives more than 6 million hits per year and received the ‘Best Science Blog’ Weblog award in 2007. His writing has appeared in Sky and Telescope, Astronomy magazine, Night Sky magazine, Space.com, Maxim, the Skeptical Inquirer, and the Huffington Post, and more.
Bad Astronomy
In this general discussion of popular science myths, Dr. Plait demolishes a wide array of scientific misconceptions, from standing eggs on end, to blowing up asteroids. Using video clips from several blockbuster movies and television shows including “Armageddon”, “Deep Impact”, “Enterprise”, and “The Simpsons”, he talks about Hollywood science (or the lack thereof).
2012: We’re All (not) Gonna Die
You’ve heard the rumors, the conspiracy theories, the internet scuttlebutt: the Mayans predicted the end of the world will occur on December 21, 2012. Books have been written, documentaries aired, even a major motion picture was made based on this idea. But is it real? In a word: nope. Astronomer and author Phil Plait will take you through the claims made by the doomsday-mongers and show why there’s nothing to fear. No mega solar flares, no galactic alignment, no giant asteroid impact… and, in fact, the Mayans didn’t even really predict the end of the world at all! Dr. Plait will use firm science and lots of humor to describe just why December 2012 will be pretty much like every other December on the calendar.
Death From The Skies!
Asteroid impacts! Cometary debris! Extinction level events! These are the ways the world might end, and these are the topics of “Death from the Skies!”, a scientifically-based but fun look at giant impacts from cosmic objects. Phil Plait — astronomer, author, and blogger — talks about how these events have shaped our history, how they may do so again, and why Hollywood always seems to get them wrong. And lest you think it’s all doom and gloom, Plait goes into details on how we might prevent the next great impact from ruining our whole day.
The Moon Hoax Hoax
Dr. Plait gleefully tears apart the ‘evidence’ that NASA faked the Apollo Moon missions.
7 Ways a Black Hole Can Kill You
We all know that falling into a black hole is a oneway trip to being crushed into a submicroscopic dot. But it turns out that’s the *least* interesting way a black hole can kill you. Astronomer and author Phil Plait will discuss all the myriad ways a black hole can ruin your day, using cutting-edge science and more than a little dash of humor.
In The Beginning
A dissection of young-Earth creationist claims about the age of the Earth and the Universe, and why they are wrong. Dr. Plait takes an unflinching look at some of the deceptions and lies told by proponents of a young Earth.
The Response
“We were very pleased with Phil Plait’s visit to our university. He spoke to students in a standing-room only auditorium and delivered a highly entertaining and educational presentation. His enthusiasm for astronomy was very obvious and contagious. We hope he can visit us again in the near future”
Sylvia Saenz Aldape
Director of Graduate School, Academic Centers and Continuing Education
The University of Texas-Pan American
“Phil Plait has a perfect mix of humor and intellect that make his presentations very entertaining. His talks are easily understandable by general audiences, yet provide enough scientific detail to stimulate the more scientifically informed of the crowd. Phil is very personable and is willing to entertain questions from the audience with candor and humor or will engage in one on one discussions. He was a pure delight to host.”
Kimberly A. Carlson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Biology Department
University of Nebraska at Kearney
“Phil did an outstanding job…. The lecture was accessible to students in all disciplines. In fact, the underlying message was one of critical analysis of claims that the listeners would encounter throughout their lives. Some of my students sought me out afterwards to tell me that this was the best lecture we’d had.”
Gordon Hammerle
Professor
Adrian College
“Students, faculty, staff and community members were entertained and educated by Dr. Plait’s lecture, particularly those who aren’t ‘science people’. They were impressed by his ability to take scientific concepts and explain them so that everyone could understand. His combination of science and humor made this talk a great way to start our 2009/2010 season.”
Ruth M. Dobyns
Issues & Artists Coordinator
Wilmington College
“There was literally standing room only in the Auditorium. We don’t often get such a huge crowd for our Noon Talks! As scientifically accurate as it was, (it) still was the most entertaining we’ve had in a very long time.”
Lucy Albert
Office of Public Outreach
Space Telescope Science Institute
“(Phil Plait’s) Moon Hoax presentation drew the largest crowd of teachers we have had to our Center in over three years…. We even had a waiting list and had to turn disappointed teachers away…. Presenting as a guest lecturer at a NASA Center for scientists and engineers is not the easiest task. (He) was humorous and enjoyable, yet scientifically accurate; this is what the Dryden Center staff appreciated the most. The multimedia presentation…was not only professional and interesting, but was delivered without a hitch. It captured everyone in the room.”
Tami Simmons
NASA Dryden ERC Manager
“Phil Plait’s absolute love and obsession with space science is apparent in all of his talks, but his down to earth style make him accessible for people of all ages and interest levels. His enthusiasm and energy make him a favorite with children, and his sharp wit and wide breadth of knowledge keep adult audiences glued to their seats. Phil Plait was one of the best speakers we had in our 2007 lecture season!”
Angela Torretta
Public Relations Manager
Turtle Bay Exploration Park
“Phil Plait is a gifted speaker, writer, and presenter. At his session, conference attendees fill the room, sit on the floor when there are no chairs left on which to sit, and stand outside the door if the room is full in order to hear the message Phil has to convey. He not only presents valuable information, but he also promotes thoughtful listening and provokes critical thinking in his audience. Phil Plait is a presenter/speaker extraordinaire.”
Sharon Janulaw
President-Elect
California Science Teachers Association
“Phil kept our audience thinking and laughing for over an hour. He had a real rapport with his interlocutors during questions and answers. Everyone loved him, and they kept telling me so for a week afterward. It would be hard to think of a more engaging way to bring real science to a general audience.”
Tony Zito
Chair
Department of Mathematics, Physical and Computer Sciences
Dutchess Community College
“’7 ways a Blackhole Can Kill You’ kept Iowa science educators on the edge of their seats. Phil’s presentation style not only informs and peaks your curiosity but it also pushes the envelope on learning more about our universe.”
Morgan Masters
Iowa Science Teachers 2009 Fall Conference
“From eggs to asteroids, Dr Phil Plait was outstanding. His lecture was perfect for the layman but technical enough for the enthusiast. He was very approachable and questions from the audience could have gone on forever. It was a pleasure to make him a part of the Union Speaker’s Forum program.”
Cameron McLean
Director of Student Activities
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
“Phil Plait, the Bad Astronomer, spoke to a group of 400 gifted and talented high school seniors at the summer Arkansas Governor’s School. He spoke about critical thinking from the view point of the sciences, specifically astronomy. His informal presentation style and his humor were appealing to our audience and he kept their attention for the full 90 minutes. Even the students who were not interested in science were engaged and entertained…. Our students rated Phil as one of the highest rated speakers of our program this summer. We definitely want him back next year!”
Lyle Rupert
Director
Arkansas Governor’s School
“Dr. Plait’s talk, “Death from the Skies!”, was engaging, informing, and alarming all at once. We really enjoyed having him on campus. The students asked lots of questions, and Phil stuck around to autograph everyone’s booksafterward. His visit to campus was simply fantastic.”
Heather Mbaye
Associate Professor of Political Science
University of West Georgia
