Neil deGrasse Tyson: 'The universe was never locked — it was an open door'

Neil deGrasse Tyson | Talking with Natasha Ep. 29

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson joins Natasha Verma to unlock big cosmic questions with wit and clarity: Have aliens visited Earth? Will the universe ever stop expanding? Why does “Manhattanhenge” happen? And what’s inside his brand-new book, "Just Visiting This Planet." This conversation was recorded live.

NEW YORK - Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson joined FOX 5 NY's Natasha Verma to unlock big cosmic questions with wit and clarity: Have aliens visited Earth? Will the universe ever stop expanding? Why does "Manhattanhenge" happen?

With his new book, "Just Visiting This Planet," hitting store shelves Tuesday, Tyson sat down for a candid conversation on the mysteries of the universe and explained why curiosity remains humanity’s most powerful tool. You can watch the full episode of Talking with Natasha in the media player above.

"Merlin" returns

Dig deeper:

"Just Visiting This Planet" continues Tyson's "Merlin" series, written through the voice of an alien philosopher who answers questions about science and life.

"Merlin was born in another galaxy and has seen all scientific, cultural and philosophical progress of our species," Tyson explained.

He traced his passion for the cosmos to a childhood visit to New York’s Hayden Planetarium.

"I was starstruck," he said. "The lights dimmed, the stars came out… that’s when I learned what the real sky looked like." Tyson now directs that same planetarium — a "full circle" moment he said.

Expanding the universe — and our minds

What they're saying:

When asked if aliens have visited Earth, Tyson replied, "If you watch the History Channel, the answer is yes. But in order to believe that, you have to ignore a half dozen other possibilities." He called such thinking "aliens of your ignorance," urging people to question extraordinary claims until real evidence emerges.

Discussing the universe’s expansion, Tyson said, "All observations and evidence tell us we are on a one-way trip. The expansion itself is accelerating." He added, "The universe is under no obligation to make sense to you."

What's next:

Tyson urged viewers to resist overreliance on technology and think critically about the world around them. "I’d like computers and machines to do the work of my body, but not the work of my mind," he said.

His central message: curiosity drives progress. "The universe was never locked," Tyson said. "It was an open door — and nobody was looking through it."

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