Fact Check: Neil deGrasse Tyson’s Views on Earth’s Shape Examined

Neil deGrasse Tyson Exposes Dangers of Deepfakes After Viral “Flat Earth” Video

Renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has found himself at the center of viral controversy after a clip apparently showing him claiming the Earth is flat spread rapidly across social media platforms. The footage, taken from an October 30 episode of his popular podcast “StarTalk,” has accumulated over 1.6 million views, causing confusion among his followers and science enthusiasts.

In the first 30 seconds of the episode, viewers were shocked to hear what appeared to be deGrasse Tyson saying: “I’ve been doing calculations, as well as looking back at old NASA footage and raw data from satellites hovering above earth and I just can’t escape the conclusion that the Earth might actually be flat.”

The statement immediately raised eyebrows given deGrasse Tyson’s distinguished career in astrophysics and science communication. A Harvard, University of Texas, and Columbia University graduate, the 67-year-old scientist has served as director of New York City’s Hayden Planetarium at the Rose Center for Earth and Space since 1996. As a recipient of the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal and a frequent media personality, deGrasse Tyson has established himself as a trusted voice in scientific discourse.

However, viewers who continued watching quickly discovered the truth behind the startling claim. In a clever demonstration, deGrasse Tyson revealed that he was simply playing an AI-generated deepfake video from his phone. “That’s not me, it was never me, those aren’t my words, that’s what is called a deepfake,” he clarified immediately after showing the manipulated content.

The segment was deliberately crafted to highlight the growing threat of deepfake technology and its potential to spread misinformation. One clip of this reveal, shared by Twitter user @thecarteldel, garnered nearly 21 million views, demonstrating both the viral nature of sensationalist content and the effectiveness of deGrasse Tyson’s educational approach.

The timing of this demonstration comes amid increasing concerns about AI-generated content across multiple sectors. Deepfakes—synthetic media created using artificial intelligence that can realistically mimic real people’s appearances, voices, and mannerisms—have become increasingly sophisticated and accessible. The technology poses particular risks in scientific communication, where trust and accuracy are paramount.

DeGrasse Tyson used this episode to express serious concerns about how deepfake technology could be weaponized to manipulate public opinion and undermine scientific consensus on critical issues. By creating a controlled demonstration of a deepfake featuring himself making an outlandish claim, he effectively illustrated how even trusted experts can be falsely depicted supporting fringe theories.

The incident highlights broader challenges facing science communicators in the digital age. As AI technology continues to evolve, distinguishing authentic content from manipulated media becomes increasingly difficult for the average person. This creates fertile ground for conspiracy theories and scientific misinformation to flourish.

Experts in digital media ethics have warned that deepfakes represent one of the most significant emerging threats to information integrity. Unlike obvious parodies or low-quality manipulations of the past, modern deepfakes can appear convincingly authentic, especially when viewed briefly on social media without context.

When contacted by Newsweek for additional comment on Wednesday, deGrasse Tyson’s team emphasized that the demonstration was intended as an educational tool to improve media literacy among his audience. The scientist has long advocated for better critical thinking skills as a defense against misinformation.

For the record, deGrasse Tyson has consistently supported the scientific consensus that Earth is an oblate spheroid—slightly flattened at the poles and bulging at the equator—based on overwhelming evidence from multiple fields of science, including astronomy, physics, and geology.

This incident serves as a timely reminder of the challenges facing science communication in an era of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence. As deepfake technology becomes more sophisticated, the responsibility falls increasingly on both content creators and consumers to verify information and maintain healthy skepticism about sensational claims, especially those that contradict established scientific understanding.