YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson Joins Twitterati with 1 Million Followers

    By Miriam Kramer | SPACE.com – Wed, Feb 6, 2013

    Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson joined the ranks of the Twitter elite when he reached 1 million followers on Sunday (Feb. 3).

    The director of the Hayden Planetarium run by the American Museum of Natural History in New York City commemorated the occasion with a special tweet to his newest follower.

    "Welcome @halfsail as my millionth Twitter follower," Neil deGrasse Tyson  wrote in a twitter post from his handle, @neiltyson. "FYI: I tweet mostly random, occasionally coherent, cosmic brain droppings."

    Tyson is known for his somewhat irreverent tweets about space and science.

    "In 5-billion yrs the Sun will expand & engulf our orbit as the charred ember that was once Earth vaporizes," Tyson wrote on Jan. 24. "Have a nice day."

    He even had a conversation with a popular anthropomorphized tweeter, the Mars Rover Curiosity.

    "Dear @MarsCuriosity, Neil deGrasse Tyson here on Earth, tweeting you, via a wormhole, through deep space. Do you copy?" Tyson wrote after Curiosity landed safely on Mars.

    In 2014, Tyson will host a reboot of the famed TV show "Cosmos," originally hosted by astronomer and writer Carl Sagan. The original program focused on exploring broad scientific ideas like the origin of life, and humanity's place in a vast universe.

    Tyson is no stranger to television. He hosted five seasons of the educational science show "NOVA scienceNOW" on PBS, and he often makes guest appearances on news and commentary programs like "The Daily Show" and "Real Time with Bill Maher."

    Although Tyson might be the latest space-obsessed tweeter to garner 1 million followers, he isn't the first. Veteran spaceflyer Michael Massimino (@Astro_Mike) not only surpassed 1 million followers, he was also the first NASA astronaut to tweet from space.

    Follow Miriam Kramer on Twitter @mirikramer or SPACE.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook & Google+. 

    Copyright 2013 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
    Loading...

    More Science News

     

    News for You »

    • Boyfriend espaces out window as husband confronts cheating wife [VIDEO]

      As part of perhaps the most spectacular walk-of-shame ever, an underwear-clad lover escaped from a third floor bedroom as the returning husband confronted his cheating wife on a balcony.

    • Why We Can't Forget That Oklahoma's Senators Voted Against Sandy Relief

      Nearly four months ago, Oklahoma Senators Tom Coburn and James Inhofe both voted against H.R.152, the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act that eventually sent $50.5 billion in relief to victims of Hurricane Sandy. And in the flurry of last night's devastation in Moore, Oklahoma. it was impossible not to forget that fact, knowing the federal government would soon rally to the cause.

    • Cycling-Road-Giro d'Italia classification after stage 16

      May 21 (Infostrada Sports) - Classification from Giro d'Italia after Stage 16 on Tuesday 1. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy / Astana) 67:55:36" 2. Cadel Evans (Australia / BMC Racing) +1:26" 3. Rigoberto Uran (Colombia / Team Sky) +2:46" 4. Michele Scarponi (Italy / Lampre) +3:53" 5. Przemyslaw Niemiec (Poland / Lampre) +4:13" 6. Mauro Santambrogio (Italy / Vini Fantini) +4:57" 7. Carlos Betancur (Colombia / AG2R) +5:15" 8. Rafal Majka (Poland / Saxo - Tinkoff) +5:20" 9. Benat Intxausti (Spain / Movistar) +5:47" 10. Domenico Pozzovivo (Italy / AG2R) +7:34" 11. Tanel Kangert (Estonia / Astana) +7:43" ...

    • See the Face of Suspected Burglar After Homeowners Fought Back

      It involved a stun gun.

    • Teens Are Turning Away from Facebook Because Tumblr Is Real, and Parent-Free

      Teenagers really are over Facebook. In February the social network warned investors that "our younger users ... are aware of and actively engaging with other products and services similar to, or as a substitute for, Facebook." And in April the investment bank Piper Jaffray reported that products and services like Tumblr and Twitter were further eroding Facebook's dominance among the Justin Bieber set. But why? In a deep report published on Tuesday, Pew Research explains that teenagers departing the social network's blue confines are looking for something more... real. ...

    • Indian guest workers sue company in Miss., Texas

      Dozens of Indian guest workers are suing an Alabama-based marine and fabrication company, claiming it financially exploited them and forced them to live in squalid conditions after bringing them to work ...

    • Soccer-Real president under scrutiny after Mourinho exit

      (Corrects billion to million in fourth par) By Iain Rogers MADRID, May 21 (Reuters) - Florentino Perez's record as Real Madrid president was under scrutiny on Tuesday after the construction magnate's latest coaching project ended in disarray with the premature departure of Jose Mourinho. Perez, who is up for reelection next month, announced on Monday Mourinho would be leaving at the end of the season, three years before his contract expires. ...

    • BREAKING: Subway Just as Unhealthy as McDonald’s!

      If you watched the London Olympics last summer, you saw a parade of top athletes touting the nutritional qualities of their favorite eatery: Subway. Watching Apolo Ohno or Robert Griffin III bite into a veggie footlong with avocado or hearing that Subway is “the official training restaurant of athletes everywhere,” you might get the idea that the food served at the chain isn’t that bad for you—that it’s even healthy.

    Show More
    Loading...

    Follow Yahoo! News