By KURT LOFT of The Tampa Tribune

TAMPA - Neil deGrasse Tyson may be the world’s sexiest astrophysicist, but he cares more about the state of science literacy than his much-touted good looks.
“There are adversaries, cultural adversaries, to the progress of science,” Tyson said by telephone this week. “History has demonstrated that whenever they get the upper hand, progress stalls or reverses.”
Tyson is a scientist with plenty to say, and he will share his thoughts tonight in Cosmic Quandaries, a lecture on everything from the big bang to stem cell research. Sponsored by WEDU, Channel 3, the event is at the Palladium Theatre in St. Petersburg, and includes a talkback with the audience.
The director of the Hayden Planetarium at the Museum of Natural History in New York also is promoting his new book, “Death by Black Hole and other Cosmic Quandaries.” He has been recognized as one of the country’s most influential people by Time magazine, and People magazine anointed him “Sexiest Astrophysicist Alive.”
But Tyson prefers to talk about causes and effects. When asked about the recent attempts among politicians and religious groups to alter science in the schools, Tyson waxed philosophical.
“Just look back at the Dark Ages,” he said. “They were dark because people were not allowed to think freely, and any time you do that you regress. There are many examples in history that tell us that you don’t want to stop human exploration.”
Tyson is an advocate of science education, and the processes of the how and why. If people have a better understanding of science, he said, they would be more apt to appreciate what otherwise appears improbable or even impossible.
“The elements that comprise our bodies are traceable to the formation of the stars; now, that’s a profound concept,” he said. “But to be denied such a discovery is to close off the wonders of the universe.”
Tyson has worked at the American Museum since 1995, and known to a larger audience through his books and public television’s “ScienceNow” series on Nova. While many scientists have little contact with the public, he believes an ongoing conversation is critical if people are to know the difference between astrology and astronomy.
Tyson will talk tonight about his passion — the universe — but he’s happy to tackle any subject the audience wants to discuss, including the evolution-creationism debate.
“My concern is not whether people in the world are religious or whether they maintain a faith-based system of thought,” he said. “What matters is whether they take that philosophy into the science classroom. If you want to bring non-science into the science classroom you will compromise what the next generation thinks science is.”
The less Americans know about basic science, he said, the less prepared they will be in sifting the facts from public policy. But inevitably, that understanding is up to each person, he said: “I’ve stopped blaming leaders for things — I hold Americans accountable. It’s entirely up to them.”

Reporter Kurt Loft can be reached at (813) 259-7570 or kloft@tampatrib.com.