This episode is the next in our oral history series, In Their Own Words. These pieces chronicle the stories of scientists who have made great contributions to their fields. Each month, we will publish in the pages of BioScience, and on this podcast, the results of these conversations.  Today, we are joined by Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History, in New York City, and host of COSMOS: Possible Worlds.

Note: Both the text and audio versions have been edited for clarity and length.

• Read this article in BioScience.
•  Subscribe on iTunes.
• Subscribe on Stitcher.
• Catch up with us on Twitter.