Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson discusses his newest book on Pluto's recent demotion in this humorous interview conducted at the Los Angeles Public Library. In a style all his own, Tyson describes the uproar created when he helped demote Pluto to a new class of planetoid, even going as far as to cite letters from school children decrying his stance. He also goes on to answer many pressing (and not so pressing) scientific questions; including the role science has played in the Bush administration, and whether or not the world will end in 2012.
With the Pluto Files, Dyson regales the audience with the story of how he became the central figure in the debate over whether or not Pluto was an actual planet. Since the most distant body in our solar system was humbled to "planetoid" status, he's received angry letters from school children and teachers alike, which he feels is indicative of how protective we are over our nearest planetary neighbors. Ultimately, he argues that Pluto's "demotion" has led to a breakthrough debate over planetary definitions, which in turn has broadened our grasp of how to research, classify, and explore the universe.