Copyright Newsweek
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has become the subject of online speculation after a viral clip appeared to show him claiming the Earth is flat. The footage from the scientist's podcast, StarTalk, quickly spread after the episode was shared on October 30. Viewers were able to see the claim within the first 30 seconds of the 18-minute long episode. Its video version has garnered more than 1.6 million watches to date. A prominent astrophysicist and science communicator, deGrasse Tyson studied at Harvard University, the University of Texas at Austin and Columbia University. A published author, the 67-year-old has been the director of the Hayden Planetarium at the Rose Center for Earth and Space in New York City since 1996 and has numerous media and television appearances under his belt. The NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal winner has cemented himself as a key and reliable source for the public on scientific issues, making the video a shock for viewers online. The Claim "I've been doing calculations, as well as looking back at old NASA footage and raw data from satellites hovering above earth and I just can't escape the conclusion that the Earth might actually be flat," the clip appears to show the astrophysicist saying. But viewers who stayed tuned quickly realized something else was going on, as deGrasse Tyson lowers his phone to show that the recording was actually playing from its smaller screen as opposed to being produced in real time. He then clarifies that the video was an AI-generated deepfake. "That's not me, it was never me, those aren't my words, that's what is called a deepfake," he says. The clip quickly went viral, with one X post about it from the user @thecarteldel amassing 20.9 million views. The podcast episode, and the short clip from it that gained so much attention, were intended to draw attention to the rise of deepfakes, and how they can distort and manipulate facts in the scientific world and beyond. As AI-generated content continues to evolve and become harder to distinguish from authentically produced material, the astrophysicist spoke about his concerns about how this technology could be used for nefarious purposes to influence people and promote the spread of disinformation. The Facts DeGrasse Tyson confirmed in the podcast episode that the clip shown was a deepfake. Newsweek reached out to the astrophysicist for more information via email on Wednesday. Deepfakes are images, videos, or audio clips that have been produced using AI, with AI-based tools or editing software. They seemingly depict real people, with several deepfakes involving public and political figures having already caused a stir. The Ruling False. DeGrasse Tyson does not believe the Earth is flat, confirming on his own podcast the clip of him supposedly saying so was an AI-generated deepfake. Based on known research, information and the pushback on this claim by experts including deGrasse Tyson himself, there is no evidence to suggest the Earth is flat.
