The problem is that many people operate on the assumption that NASA should go to Congress every year with hat in hand and justify it every year. Well, I see it as the greatest economic driver that there ever was. Economic drivers don't need justification.
By the way, were we to find life-forms on Venus, we would probably call them Venutians, just as people from Mars would be Martians. But according to rules of Latin genitives, to be “of Venus” ought to make you a Venereal. Unfortunately, medical doctors reached that word before astronomers did. Can’t blame them, I suppose. Venereal disease long predates astronomy, which itself stands as only the second oldest profession.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote humorously highlights the linguistic quirks surrounding the naming of hypothetical life-forms and reflects on the historical precedence of certain terms in medicine and astronomy.
Neil Degrasse Tyson's quote showcases the intersection of language, science, and history, suggesting that the naming conventions we take for granted can lead to amusing situations. He uses the potential discovery of life on Venus to illustrate how we might hilariously mislabel beings with roots in medical terminology, while also pointing out that the concerns of venereal disease are far older than any space exploration. This blend of humor and insight invites us to think about how words evolve and the context in which they are used.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a science class to illustrate the importance of proper terminology.
More from Neil Degrasse Tyson
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As a scientist, I want to go to Mars and back to asteroids and the Moon because I'm a scientist. But I can tell you, I'm not so naive a scientist to think that the nation might not have geopolitical reasons for going into space.
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