Science & Tech
Meet Your Instructor
Lesson time 06:53 min
Bill introduces himself and explains what members can expect from this class and how science can be used not only in our everyday lives, but also to solve big problems like climate change.
Students give MasterClass an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars
Topics include: Bill Nye Teaches Science and Problem-Solving
Preview
[MUSIC PLAYING] [GULLS CHEEPING] [INTENSE MUSIC] BILL NYE: When I was a kid, there were fewer than 3 billion people in the world. Now they're almost 8 billion. The Earth's climate is changing and humans are responsible. And it's through the process of science that we are all going to address it, to preserve the quality of life for the billions of US here on Earth. [MELODIC MUSIC] My name is Bill Nye. I'm a mechanical engineer. Mechanical engineers use science to solve problems and make things. And I became a science educator because I felt the world is so full of troubles, and these troubles are going to be addressed with science. And, Mr. President, I'll be honest with you. I'm a patriot. Both of my parents were veterans of World War Two. And I want the US to lead. I want the US to be the best in the world at the solutions and the innovations and what it's going to take to address climate change. Science is political, but it is not partisan. Science serves all of us. Let's march! Many of you probably watched some of the early shows. Hi. - Bill Nye, the Science Guy. What have you got for us? - And that was a show where we talked about fundamentals in science, elementary science education. Well, along the way, I've picked up a way of thinking, a way of understanding the world, a way of accomplishing goals. Stuff I've never really discussed on the kid show, never really discussed on any television show. And so now, I want to show you this way of thinking, these ideas that I've come up with over the last, eh, 40 years. 3, 2, so in this class, we're going to look at science and how it applies to our everyday life. It's not magic, people. It's science. But we'll also be taking a wider view. I'll explain how science-based decision making can help us tackle big problems, like climate change. [MUSIC PLAYING] Here's what I hope students will take away from this class. First of all, science is for everyone. We are all scientists, everybody, no matter what age we are. We all seek to have this understanding of the world, and we all have fun doing it. You know, it's fun. Yeah, it's fun, right? Yeah. And we don't want everyone to become an engineer. Believe me, the fashion consequences of that alone would be very troubling. But I do want everybody to have a fundamental knowledge of science and an appreciation of it. Furthermore, I'll claim that the scientific method, where you make an observation, come up with a hypothesis, run a test, compare what happened with what you thought would happen, that way of thinking will improve your life. And then, specifically, I like to talk about the upside-down pyramid of design, where the idea that you're going to execute will be for naught if the design isn't really good. That's true, both of physical objects and of regulations and laws. And speaking of regulations, rules aren't bad. Just embrace the rules....
About the Instructor
With his 19-time Emmy Award–winning show, Bill Nye the Science Guy introduced the joy of scientific discovery to a worldwide audience. Now, for the first time, the beloved educator is teaching his framework for scientific thinking and everyday problem-solving. Learn Bill’s approach to navigating information through “critical filtering” and embrace a science-based, optimistic response to some of the planet’s biggest challenges.
Featured MasterClass Instructor
Bill Nye
Emmy Award–winning science educator Bill Nye teaches you his method for solving everyday problems, evaluating information, and thinking like a scientist.
Explore the Class