Join Bill Nye for an LA Times Dust-Up

by Susan Lendroth

Bill Nye the Science Guy -- The Planetary Society's Vice-president -- is participating in a Los Angeles Times "Dust-Up" with Michael Potter for the next two days. Their online point/counterpoint discussion began yesterday with the topic: Many regard the Apollo program as the high watermark of American space exploration. Are they correct? Was sending a man to the moon mostly about national pride, or were there more practical purposes?

Each day through Friday, July 24, will feature a new space-related topic and invites readers to weigh in with their own comments. Nye hosted the series Bill Nye the Science Guy on PBS from 1992 to 1998, and since then has hosted The 100 Greatest Discoveries, The Greatest Inventions, and Stuff Happens for Discovery, and The Eyes of Nye for Public Broadcasting. Potter directed the documentary "Orphans of Apollo.