Last Call: All The Times Bill Nye Taught Us About Food

Bill Nye the Science Guy premiered on September 10, 1993, beguiling science teachers, parents—and me, a little idiot who realized that handsome television hosts were cool, but science was cooler. To this day, I believe that nothing gets a room of third graders to shut up faster than flipping off the lights and flipping on Bill Nye reruns. Why? Because science rules.

I still remember my favorite Science Guy episode, in which Bill Nye took a chainsaw to a large piece of bread to explains the layers of the Earth. Namely, the Earth's crust. (A timeless quip!) Now, Bill Nye is back with similar foodie vibes—except this time, he's on TikTok. In his latest video, he shows fans how to use ~*~science~*~ to make pizza dough using a water bottle. The process is gloriously simple: you just put sugar and warm water into a water bottle, dissolve the sugar, add a few teaspoons of yeast, and slap a balloon on the top of the water bottle while it rises. (The balloon traps carbon dioxide, which makes for a very satisfying little visual.) Nye tops his crust with spinach, pecorino, olive oil, and garlic on one side and braised onions, salmon, and crème fraîche on the other. All the while, the video is spewing goofy Science Guy–style sound effects, all boings and whacks. It's nostalgic and wonderful, and it ends with a helpful reminder for home cooks everywhere: "It's not magic, people. It's science!" Whether he's outlining the intricacies of tectonic plates or carving through a giant bread loaf with a chainsaw, Nye makes one thing crystal clear: knowledge is power, and knowledge should be for everyone—particularly when you're in the kitchen.

What are your favorite Bill Nye memories? Do you remember the Earth's crust episode? Do you ever recall another Nye-ism while working in your grown-up kitchen? Please discuss.