Tinder might seem like a bizarre topic for a podcast centered on space travel, extraterrestrial life, and the wonders of the universe.
It might seem even more bizarre for famous astrophysicist and director of the Hayden Planetarium Neil deGrasse Tyson to be talking about Tinder.
It's pretty bizarre, but it's also freaking hilarious, and it comes with some dating-app insights that only an astrophysicist would have.
Tyson recently had two relationship experts appear on his StarTalk Radio show to discuss the evolution of love and relationships. At the end of the episode, one of them gives him a crash course on Tinder.
Tyson is the first to admit he knows nothing about modern dating.
"So I've been married 28 years which means I have no idea how these dating apps work," Tyson said during the show. "I've no idea what Tinder is, how it works, what it is."
Luckily, relationship expert Dan Savage was ready to walk Tyson through the app. Savage explained that if a user likes one of their potential matches, then they swipe the image to the right. If the user isn't interested, then they swipe to the left. If you both swipe right then the app introduces you to each other.
"Okay so if you're left-right dyslexic that could be a problem," Tyson said.
Next, Savage explained the location feature of Tinder. The app uses your GPS location so it only shows you potential matches that are nearby.
And then came Tyson's best observation:
"I'm betting that the inventors of the Global Positioning Satellite never anticipated that there would be an app that localizes you on the surface of the Earth to find someone else that you're gonna have sex with in a few hours," Tyson said. "This is an extraordinary application of tax money! Because GPS is a military project by the Air Force."
Savage wasn't as impressed.
"We always do that with new technologies," Savage said. "The first use, the first adaptation of new technology will be to the service of our sex lives and our romantic lives."
Tyson wrapped up the show by showing off a little extra tidbit about Tinder that he learned.
"I'm told there's a condition called 'Tinder thumb,'" Tyson said. "You get Tinderitis."
You can listen to the full StarTalk episode below. The Tinder discussion happens in the last five minutes of the show:
