We love Bill Hick, the Science Prick

Today the SCQ has a great humour piece, entitled "Bill Hick, the Science Prick, Houses on Fools" which of course is a direct play on words with the truly great science communicator, Bill Nye, the Science Guy. When I recieved the piece, it was initially submitted using Bill's real name, but having colleagues that actually know him as a nice guy overall, I thought that maybe using his actual name was too close for comfort.

Which is why Eric and I kind of played around with other possibilities, and ultimately moved from ideas such as Bill Bass, the Science Ass, or Bill Rude, the Science Dude.

In the end, Bill Hick, the Science Prick (still makes me smile) was chosen, but my actual favourite was Bill Tucker, the Science F******, but decided that was maybe too much, having this expletive in the title, for the the likes of the Science Creative Quarterly, since there is on occasion a strong connection to high school communities.

Of note, is the last letter in the piece, since this section was based on a real life event that Bill experienced. Basically, back in April 2006, he gave a science talk in Waco, Texus, and jabbed at the whole creationist thing.

The Emmy-winning scientist angered a few audience members when he criticized literal interpretation of the biblical verse Genesis 1:16, which reads: "God made two great lights -- the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars."

He pointed out that the sun, the "greater light," is but one of countless stars and that the "lesser light" is the moon, which really is not a light at all, rather a reflector of light.

A number of audience members left the room at that point, visibly angered by what some perceived as irreverence.

"We believe in a God!" exclaimed one woman as she left the room with three young children.

(Waco Tribune)

Great stuff! Hey can I be Dave Ng, the Science King? And, Ben Cohen, the Science... ?