Watch the Exact Moment: Where the Neil deGrasse Tyson Meme Actually Came From
By Robert Thorne
Q1: What video did the Neil deGrasse Tyson "badass" meme originally come from?
The meme comes from a video interview recorded for Big Think in June 2011 titled "Neil deGrasse Tyson: Isaac Newton was a Badass." In the clip, Tyson describes Sir Isaac Newton inventing calculus on a dare before turning 26.
Q2: Was Neil deGrasse Tyson actually mocking someone when he made the gesture?
No. Tyson raised his hands in genuine awe and mock surrender to Isaac Newton's unmatched intellect. The sarcastic phrase "Watch out guys, we got a badass over here" was added months later by internet users on Reddit.
Q3: At what point in the original video does the meme happen?
The exact physical gesture takes place at approximately 1 minute and 32 seconds (1:32) into the original June 2011 interview footage.
Robert Thorne covers electric vehicle innovations, autonomous driving systems, global mobility trends, and automotive engineering developments.
