NOVA scienceNOW Names Dr. Neil Degrasse Tyson as New Host for Science Magazine Series in 2006

NOVA scienceNOW Names Dr. Neil Degrasse Tyson as New Host for Science Magazine Series in 2006

Renowned Scientist, Author, and Director of the Hayden Planetarium at The American Museum of Natural History to Join Critically Acclaimed Science News Program in its Second Season on PBS

PASADENA, Calif., Jan. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- PBS Press Tour -- NOVA scienceNOW has named Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, respected scientist, author, and director of the Hayden Planetarium in the Rose Center for Earth and Space at the American Museum of Natural History, to host the critically acclaimed science magazine series with the launch of its second season, senior executive producer Paula S. Apsell announced today. One of the world's most popular lecturers on astronomy, Dr. Tyson is a familiar face to NOVA audiences, having hosted the miniseries ORIGINS (PBS, 2004) and having been a featured scientist in prior episodes of NOVA scienceNOW. He replaces departing host Robert Krulwich, who is moving on to National Public Radio (NPR).

"We are thrilled to have Neil deGrasse Tyson on the NOVA scienceNOW team," said Apsell. "Neil's scientific background and the passion he brings to his work complement perfectly the series' commitment to reporting the most astonishing stories from the frontlines of science-in-process. He loves a good story -- and it shows. His enthusiasm is palpable and infectious -- a winning combination."

An astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson was appointed the Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in 1995. His research interests include star formation, dwarf galaxies, and the structure of the Milky Way. Dr. Tyson has authored seven books, including Just Visiting This Planet, a Q&A on the universe for all ages, and his memoir, The Sky Is Not the Limit: Adventures of an Urban Astrophysicist.

"NOVA scienceNOW is the only show on television that presents cutting-edge science stories in this exciting and fresh magazine format, and I relish the challenge of making science accessible and relevant to many different audiences," said Tyson.

Tyson, a graduate of New York City's Bronx High School of Science, studied physics at Harvard before receiving his doctorate in astrophysics from Columbia University. Born and raised in the Big Apple, he now makes his home there with his wife and two children.

NOVA launched its quarterly, hour-long science news magazine NOVA scienceNOW in January 2005. The provocative, fast-paced show delivers reports from the frontlines of scientific research and discovery while highlighting the intersections between scientific innovation and viewers' everyday worlds. Stories cover a vast range of topics, from stem cell research to alternative fuel technology, advancements in veterinary medicine to the mysteries of the Big Bang. Learn more online at pbs.org/nova/sciencenow.

Beginning January 2006, NOVA scienceNOW began offering original video podcasts on iTunes, in addition to the already popular audio podcasts that have been available since August 5, 2005. The most recent vodcast, entitled "The Twin Prime Conjecture," is a whimsical, original song and performance about the nature of prime numbers, featuring cameos by some of the world's foremost mathematicians. Since launching in summer 2005, NOVA scienceNOW audio podcasts have been among the most popular and most subscribed to of the thousands of podcasts available on iTunes. Both audio and video podcasts subscriptions are available through pbs.org/nova/sciencenow.

Now in its thirty-third year of broadcasting, NOVA is produced for PBS by the WGBH Science Unit. The director of the WGBH Science Unit and senior executive producer of NOVA is Paula S. Apsell. NOVA is closed captioned for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers by the Media Access Group at WGBH. Major corporate funding for NOVA is provided by Google and BP. Additional funding is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and public television viewers. Major funding for NOVA scienceNOW is provided by the National Science Foundation and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), with additional funding provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and The Kavli Foundation.

PBS is a private, nonprofit media enterprise that serves the nation's 348 public noncommercial television stations, reaching nearly 90 million people each week through on-air and online content. Bringing diverse viewpoints to television and the Internet, PBS provides high-quality documentary and dramatic entertainment, and consistently dominates the most prestigious award competitions. BS is the leading provider of educational materials for K-12 teachers, and offers a broad array of educational services for adult learners. PBS' premier kids' TV programming and Web site, PBS KIDS Online (pbskids.org), continue to be parents' and teachers' most trusted learning environments for children. More information about PBS is available at pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org Web sites on the Internet, averaging more than 35 million unique visits and nearly 400 million page views per month in 2005. PBS is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia.

WGBH Boston is America's preeminent public broadcasting producer, the source of one-third of PBS's primetime lineup and companion online content as well as many public radio favorites. WGBH is a pioneer in educational multimedia (including the web, broadband, and interactive television) and in technologies and services that make media accessible for people with disabilities. WGBH has been recognized with hundreds of honors: Emmys, Peabodys, duPont-Columbia Awards ... even two Oscars. In 2002 WGBH was honored with a special institutional Peabody Award for fifty years of excellence. For more information visit http://www.wgbh.org/.

Source: PBS

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