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<\/a><\/p>\nNeil deGrasse Tyson is seen speaking with the KTLA Morning News team on his birthday. October 2025. (KTLA)<\/p>\n
Buckley asked Tyson his thoughts on Comet 3I\/ATLAS, the third-ever interstellar comet discovered passing through our solar system.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe should always investigate new stuff,\u201d Tyson said.<\/p>\n
However, regarding theories that the comet could be alien technology, Tyson cautioned, \u201cJust because you don\u2019t understand something doesn\u2019t mean aliens did it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it could be?\u201d Buckley asked.<\/p>\n
Quoting astronomer Carl Sagan, Tyson replied: \u201cIf you\u2019re gonna make an extraordinary claim \u2014 which that would be \u2014 you\u2019re gonna need extraordinary evidence, not just simply something you can\u2019t explain.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tyson said Sagan inspired him to be a better educator \u2014 to listen to others, to understand how people best receive information and then \u201cclad\u201d it with science.<\/p>\n
He offered an example from his new book, referencing the iconic moment in the 1978 Superman film where the hero flies backward around Earth to reverse its rotation and turn back time.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo that\u2019s kind of fun to watch,\u201d Tyson said. \u201cBut then I have to say, if he did that, he would have killed a billion people!\u201d<\/p>\n
Laughing with the news team, he explained that stopping the Earth\u2019s rotation would have flooded North and South America with the Pacific Ocean. \u201cHe would have saved Lois Lane, but killed a billion people,\u201d Tyson said.<\/p>\n
KTLA\u2019s Jessica Holmes followed up by asking Tyson how parents can foster a love of science.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t have to foster it,\u201d Tyson said. \u201cYou just have to get out of its way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Evidence of planet found around sci-fi\u2019s favorite star, Earth\u2019s \u2018solar twin\u2019 <\/a><\/p>\n Before wrapping up, the KTLA team surprised Tyson with a nod to his birthday. Even for his special day, he said he was \u201cjust channeling the universe\u201d \u2014 sharing his passion for science with anyone who will listen.<\/p>\n