Business & Entrepreneurship

Community & Government

Science & Technology

Improve Your Public Speaking Skills

Navigate News With Media Literacy

Unlock the Secrets of Space

Use Science and Math to Solve Problems

Teaches Scientific Thinking and Communication

Neil deGrasse Tyson

Meet your new instructor: world-renowned astrophysicist, Emmy-nominated host, author, and science communicator Neil deGrasse Tyson. Neil welcomes you and discusses the importance of scientific thinking and communication.

1. What You Know Is Not as Important as How You Think

What You Know Is Not as Important as How You Think

The frontier of science is a messy place. Neil takes you through the process of understanding the frontier’s landscape and explains the roles of hypothesis and theory in determining objective truths.

2. The Frontier of Science

The Frontier of Science

When we use the scientific method in the quest for objective truths, nature is the judge and jury. Neil shares some remarkable astrophysical examples of how this method plays out in real life and in our vast universe.

3. The Scientific Method

The Scientific Method

Asking questions is a tried-and-true component of scientific thinking. Neil talks about the processes behind informed skepticism as well as how to evaluate incoming scientific data.

4. Be a Skeptic: Ask Questions

Be a Skeptic: Ask Questions

If you are human, then you are susceptible to cognitive bias. Neil defines some of the most common cognitive biases and reveals how our need to feel special may be getting in the way of our search for objective truths.

5. Cognitive Bias

Cognitive Bias

Cultural biases and assumptions affect how we treat one another, but they may be harder to spot than we think. Neil provides examples of conscious and unconscious cultural biases and explains how to avoid them.

6. Beware of Cultural Bias

Beware of Cultural Bias

Every personal system of belief contains identifiable biases that impact the ability to think scientifically. Neil talks about two of these biases and how inner beliefs can have a significant societal and scientific impact.

7. Our Systems of Belief 

Our Systems of Belief 

Neil explores one of his favorite subjects: scientific measurement. He distinguishes precision from accuracy and offers examples to illuminate the approximations that are inherent in any measurement.

8. Scientific Measurement: Calculating the Incalculable

Scientific Measurement: Calculating the Incalculable

Communicating objective truths convincingly is just as important as using methods of scientific thinking to find them. Neil shares his personal reason for this belief and some of his favorite tools of communication.

9. Communication: It’s Not Enough to Be Right

Communication: It’s Not Enough to Be Right

To properly prepare for an audience, you need to get detailed information about whom you’re speaking to. Neil discusses how to consider demographics and how that influences his message.

10. Preparing for Your Audience

Preparing for Your Audience

Knowing what drives your audience can set you up for communication success. Neil reviews some of the key “tool belt items” he uses when speaking to groups.

11. Communication Tactics

Communication Tactics

Stoking curiosity is an essential component of effective communication. Neil demonstrates how to make the strategic delivery of information a powerful tool in your communication arsenal.

12. Inspire Curiosity in Your Audience

Inspire Curiosity in Your Audience

Neil presents his case for why scientific thinking and effective communication strategies are necessary for the progress of society—and why everything he's discussed is just the beginning of what's important to consider.

13. The Future of Our World

The Future of Our World

Neil deGrasse Tyson Teaches Scientific Thinking and Communication

variant_1

Enjoy 7 days free

The promo may be over, but your opportunity isn't. Dive into the full experience, worry-free, with our 7-day money-back guarantee.

The offer has ended

Amount charged now

Your 7-day free trial starts today

Proof you've trained with the world's best

Leadership and Decision Making Under Pressure

Get this certificate.

Proof you’ve learned from the best.

Brand Strategist

Ana M. Gómez Sanabria

Founder

Karl Baron

Service Design & Design Strategist

Meghan Preiss

R&D Manager

Morten Refsgaard Drost

Chief Technical Advisor

Doug Needham

Service Manager

Ólafur Már Símonarson

Get 50% off an annual membership of MasterClass

Congratulations, you purchased an annual standard membership of MasterClass. A confirmation has been sent to your email. You will now be able to access 200+ classes in addition to your Certificate course.

You're all set!

Build practical AI skills that matter. Learn how to think with AI, make better decisions, and prove you’re ready for what’s next.

AI as Your Copilot (4 min)

Prompting: Speak So AI Listens (8 min)

Step inside The Moonshot Factory to see how teams prototype new concepts in hours, pinpoint the riskiest part of any idea, and turn bold thinking into real-world breakthroughs.

This Is Where Bold Begins (12 min)

"What If" Before "What Is" (8 min)

Learn from five former SEALs, including Medal of Honor winner Command Master Britt Slabinski (Ret), and hear how they tackle issues, recognize stress early, and use quick resets to regain composure.

The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoW) visual information does not imply or constitute DoW endorsement.

Intro to High-Stakes Leadership (10 min)

Strategic Readiness Starts With You (6 min)

Pre-enroll and save 30% on this AI Strategy course from NVIDIA. 

nvidia-preenrollment

From TIME ©2022 TIME USA LLC. All rights reserved. Used under license.

Times

Wirecutter

Reviewed - USA Today

Personal Truths

Teaches Economics and Society

Paul Krugman

Paul Krugman Teaches Economics and Society

Teaches the Power of Resilience

Hillary Rodham Clinton

Hillary Rodham Clinton Teaches The Power of Resilience

Teaches Space Exploration

Chris Hadfield

Chris Hadfield Teaches Space Exploration

Independent Thinking and Media’s Invisible Powers

Noam Chomsky

Noam Chomsky Teaches Independent Thinking and Media’s Invisible Powers

Teaches Effective and Authentic Communication

Robin Roberts

Robin Roberts Teaches Effective and Authentic Communication

Teaches Investigative Journalism

Bob Woodward

Bob Woodward Teaches Investigative Journalism

Teaches Inclusive Leadership

Bill Clinton

President Bill Clinton Teaches Inclusive Leadership

Teaches How to Think Like an FBI Profiler

John Douglas

John Douglas Teaches How to Think Like an FBI Profiler

Teaches Mathematical Thinking

Terence Tao

Terence Tao Teaches Mathematical Thinking

Teaches Creating Change

Malala Yousafzai

Malala Teaches Creating Change

Teaches Science and Problem-Solving

Bill Nye

Bill Nye Teaches Science and Problem-Solving

Teaches Purposeful Communication

George Stephanopoulos

George Stephanopoulos Teaches Purposeful Communication

With Renowned Instructors

Richard Branson

Roy Choi

George W. Bush

Elaine Welteroth

Coach K

Lewis Hamilton

Shonda Rhimes

Doris Kearns Goodwin

Simone Biles

Bob Iger

Daniel Pink

Judd Apatow

Robin Arzón

LeVar Burton

Sara Blakely

RuPaul

Issa Rae

Anna Wintour

Geno Auriemma

Skill Builder Episodes

Teaches Conservation

Dr. Jane Goodall

Dr. Jane Goodall Teaches Conservation

Teaches the Power of Storytelling 

LeVar Burton Teaches the Power of Storytelling

Teach Campaign Strategy and Messaging

David Axelrod

Karl Rove

David Axelrod and Karl Rove Teach Campaign Strategy and Messaging

Teaches Authentic Leadership

President George W. Bush Teaches Authentic Leadership

With Former CIA Officers

Brian Carbaugh

Dawn Meyerriecks

Michael Morell

The Art of Intelligence

Teaches Disruptive Entrepreneurship 

Richard Branson Teaches Disruptive Entrepreneurship 

Prepare to Be Unprepared

Amy Poehler

Tell a Great Story

Michael Lewis

Chris Voss and Noted Co-Experts

Chris Voss

Condoleezza Rice

Stephen Hadley

Crisis Day

AI’s Future—and Yours

Dr. Fei-Fei Li

With Vanessa Van Edwards

Vanessa Van Edwards

People Intelligence

With Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer

Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer

The Power Playbook

With Notable Instructors

Paul Nakasone

Chris Krebs

Nicole Perlroth

Cyberwarfare

Using Humor to Make Your Mark

Kevin Hart

Teaches Designing Your Career

Elaine Welteroth Teaches Designing Your Career

Menu

Skills You'll Learn

Download