NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON POINTS OUT THE SCIENCE FLAWS IN DAVID BOWIE’S ‘SPACE ODDITY’
Lyric: You’ve really made the grade and the papers want to know whose shirts you wear.
Tyson: That’s a weird question to ask, even on Earth. Plus, astronauts are nude most of the time – for aerodynamics and propulsion reasons.Lyric: Now it’s time to leave the capsule if you dare.
Tyson: Commands are rarely so direct, but instead use a lot of psychological tricks. “All the little babies are staying in the capsule. Only big boys go for space walks. Or maybe your little sister would like to go for a space walk. After all, she knows that she’ll get a McFlurry afterwards. I don’t think Santa Claus would be very impressed if you stayed in the capsule.”
Lyric: I’m floating in a most peculiar way and the stars look very different today.
Tyson: An astronaut would never say that, for fear of being called a “n00b” by mission control, thereby being “pwned.”