Bill Nye Has Never Been Afraid to Get Political When It Comes to Science

Millennials will know him as the funny science guy who mouths "Science Rules" in the theme song of his old educational show from the '90s, but Bill Nye is a reputable scientist in his own right. Outside of his award-winning PBS series, Bill is a well-known mechanical engineer and science advocate. Of course, he isn't afraid to get political when getting scientific.

Aside from appearing as a TV personality in shows like Inside Amy Schumer and Dancing with the Stars, Bill Nye has had his hands in several fields. He originally designed components for Boeing 747 airplanes and even applied to become an astronaut. Though he was never accepted, he would later design tools for Mars rovers in the early 2000s and served as the vice president for the Planetary Society, eventually becoming CEO.

Bill Nye very clearly loves talking science. Within politics, he's always urged that the U.S. government take serious action when it comes to using science to protect our way of life.

Though his political alignment isn't explicitly stated, we can safely assume that Bill Nye is a bona fide democrat. He frequently met with Barack Obama during his presidency to discuss climate change with him and the administration. He also openly supported Barack's reelection bid in 2012.

Of course, Bill also isn't afraid to go wherever science needs him. During the infamous era of the Trump administration, Bill drew criticism for attending the 2018 State of the Union at the invitation of Jim Bridenstine, a known climate change denier and Trump's controversial pick for NASA administrator. Having never endorsed Trump for the president-elect, Bill voiced his intention to maintain a relationship with the White House in order to make sure science prevails within the troubled administration.

"While the Congressman and I disagree on a great many issues – we share a deep respect for NASA and its achievements and a strong interest in the future of space exploration," Bill tweeted. "My attendance tomorrow should not be interpreted as an endorsement of this administration, or of Congressman Bridenstine’s nomination, or seen as an acceptance of the recent attacks on science and the scientific community."

In 2019, he wasn't afraid to get a little unhinged. On the satirical news show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, he voiced his explicit support for Green New Deal democratic policies which would impose carbon pricing to de-incentivize the use of carbon emissions and reduce the effect of climate change. In 2020, Bill endorsed democratic candidate Joe Biden for president, urging people to vote in order to further potential world-saving politics.

Bill Nye continues to support President Biden, even on TikTok. In a spoof of his old show segment, "Consider the Following," Bill appeared alongside the president advocating for better U.S. infrastructure and more policies for combatting climate change. Together, they spoke about the importance of prioritizing electric cars and weatherizing houses to reduce our carbon footprint. The video even drew the ire of conservative critics.

Bill Nye has gone from teaching kids on PBS to stressing the importance of countering the effects of climate change on whatever platform he can find. He's worked to guide democrats in the right direction and has grown unafraid of ticking off conservatives in the process.

You're right, Bill. Science does rule.