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Secret Science Nerds: Seth Green Is a Real Space Cadet

Seth Green has been acting for about as long as he can remember. His first film role came when he was only eight years old, and with 169 acting credits and counting, Green shows no signs of slowing down. As we celebrate Nerdoween, we remember Green’s performances in such horror-slanted titles as Buffy the Vampire Slayer in which he played the werewolf Daniel “Oz” Osbourne, as well as the Stephen King’s It and the 1999 horror/comedy Idle Hands. And while he might be best remembered for his character in the Austin Powers movies or his numerous voice acting roles in animated shows like Family Guy and Robot Chicken, it might surprise you to know that Green is also one of our Secret Science Nerds.

After guesting on the Nerdist Podcast back in 2012, Green’s pro-science message began to spread across the internet. In 2013, he collaborated with the Wall Street Journal for their “Tech & Science Innovators Week” for a pair of videos: in one, Green talked about the instinctive power of collaboration that can be applied to technological innovation, and in another, he commented on the way modern technology has allowed us to assess each other from a distance. Green was also listed alongside Sir Richard Branson, Bill Nye, and Brent Spiner among others who supported Planetary Resources, which is actively developing the technology for asteroid mining. He talked about his obsession with Earth and space sciences in a chat with RocketSTEM later that same year.

In June of 2014, Green teamed up with NASA for one of their “spinoff” videos, which were intended to show off the ways in which NASA’s technology and knowhow benefits everyday life on Earth. Take a look and listen to Green talk about NASA’s innovations in aerodynamics and car seat design below:

Later that summer, Green brought Buzz Aldrin and other NASA astronauts to San Diego Comic-Con to moderate a panel about a planned mission to Mars in a great example of the intersection of nerd culture and science.

In December of that same year, Green had a chance to design a mission patch for Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), which oversees the U.S. National Laboratory on the International Space Station. It may not be obvious when looking at the patch, but Green’s self-professed nerdiness is captured in its color scheme, reference to the station’s cupola, and CASIS’ own motto: “Science in Space for Life on Earth.”

CASIS’ director of marketing and communications Brian Talbot said of the actor, “Seth Green has been an outspoken advocate on the need to explore beyond Earth’s horizons for years. We are excited to have this opportunity to engage him in a fun and meaningful partnership to promote the benefits of conducting research in space.”

Green himself explains the inspiration behind the design below:

Now that you know Seth Green is one of our Secret Science Nerds, what other celebrity would you like us to profile? Let us know in the comments!

Featured Image: Warner Bros

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