"The problem in society is not kids not knowing science. The problem is adults not knowing science. They outnumber kids 5 to 1, they wield power, they write legislation. When you have scientifically illiterate adults, you have undermined the very fabric of what makes a nation wealthy and strong."
"We should not measure our space-faring era by where footprints have been laid.... We should measure our era by how many people take no notice at all. A legacy rises to become culture only when its elements are so common that they no longer attract comment."
3 likes
Source: Neil Degrasse Tyson (2010). “The Sky Is Not the Limit: Adventures of an Urban Astrophysicist”, p.69, Prometheus Books
About the author
Same author
More quotes by Neil deGrasse Tyson
"Dreams about the future are always filled with gadgets."
"The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it."
"Claiming there is no other life in the universe is like scooping up some water, looking at the cup and claiming there are no whales in the ocean."
"Knowing how to think empowers you far beyond those who know only what to think."
"The problem, often not discovered until late in life, is that when you look for things like love, meaning, motivation, it implies they are sitting behind a tree or under a rock. The most successful people recognize, that in life they create their own love, they manufacture their own meaning, they generate their own motivation. For me, I am driven by two main philosophies, know more today about the world than I knew yesterday. And along the way, lessen the suffering of others. You'd be surprised how far that gets you."