Popular Science – Cliff Ransom
“On a recent afternoon, I found myself standing with Neil deGrasse Tyson, staring at a model of DNA. Tyson is one of the world’s best-known scientists. He is the director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History and the host of StarTalk, the first science-themed, late-night TV talk show. But on this particular afternoon, he was playing the role of educator. “DNA has a chirality to it,” he said. In all known life, DNA’s double helix winds, by and large, only one direction—to the right. “This model winds to the left. That means it’s either wrong or,” he paused to give a broad smile, “from an unknown life-form.” We had asked Tyson over that day to photograph him for this month’s cover story, “How to Be an Expert in Anything.” If there was ever any doubt that he was the right guy for the job, it ended with the DNA model. Over the course of the next hour, he dropped science at every turn. He corrected our nine-planet solar-system mobile (“I don’t work with Pluto!”). He praised us for displaying a bust of Isaac Newton (his favorite scientist) on the set. And he adjusted our photo concept for maximum effect: When we asked him to smash apples frozen in liquid nitrogen, he replied: “Why apples? Why not a banana? No one expects a banana to shatter.” Good point, Neil. So we went out and bought some bananas.”(more)