Before Bill Nye was the Science Guy, he was Bill Nye the Cornell Student, Bill Nye the Boeing Engineer and Bill Nye the Comedian.
The Emmy-winning TV presenter, who turns 70 on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025, didn’t start out in the entertainment industry. After leaving his post-graduate engineering job, Nye kicked off a career in comedy before landing a pilot that would land him in primary school classrooms for years to come.
Today, Nye remains involved as an educator on-screen and off-screen, advocating for science education and climate change awareness. As he celebrates his milestone 70th birthday, look back at his life and career in photos.
Bill Nye’s Childhood
Bill Nye/Instagram
William Sanford Nye was born in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 27, 1950, to World War II codebreaker Jacqueline Jenkins and veteran Edwin Nye. He attended Cornell University to study mechanical engineering, and after graduating, he joined Boeing as an engineer.
Bill Nye Begins His Comedy Career
KING-TV
While working at Boeing, Nye began moonlighting as a comedian. As his burgeoning comedy career took off, he quit his job to write and perform on Seattle sketch comedy show Almost Live! His famous stage moniker originated from a moment with host John Keister. Nye corrected Keister’s pronunciation of “gigawatt,” and the comedian quipped back, “Who do you think you are, Bill Nye the Science Guy?”
Over the years, Nye received more broadcast opportunities, including a recurring segment on Disney’s All-New Mickey Mouse Club.
Bill Nye Makes It Big with ‘Bill Nye the Science Guy’
PBS
In 1993, he premiered his children’s educational series Bill Nye the Science Guy, produced by Walt Disney Television, for Seattle public broadcasting station KCTS-TV. It became one of the most-watched educational shows in the nation, syndicated to both public and commercial stations.
The show received critical acclaim over its five years on air, nominated for 23 Emmy Awards and winning 19, including Outstanding Performer in Children’s Programming for Nye.
“People come up to me, [saying the show is] ‘the reason I became a physician, the reason I became a geologist,” Nye told Today for the series’ 30th anniversary. “It’s overwhelming. I try to get it, but it’s amazing.”
Bill Nye on ‘Dancing with the Stars’
Adam Taylor/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
In addition to other TV appearances throughout the years, Nye had a brief stint on season 17 of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. Partnering with Tyne Stecklein in her only run on the show, the duo finished in 11th place after Nye injured his tendon during rehearsals.
Bill Nye Continues TV Work
Eddy Chen/Netflix
He premiered Bill Nye Saves the World, a sequel and revival of Bill Nye the Science Guy, on Netflix in 2017, which featured the TV presenter discussing scientific issues with experts and celebrities in his lab. Five recurring correspondents, including Karlie Kloss, also assisted Nye throughout the episodes.
Bill Nye Saves the World ran for three seasons, ending in May 2018.
Teaming up with Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy) and Brannon Braga (Star Trek), the star created The End Is Nye for Peacock, which saw him explain natural and unnatural disasters.
Bill Nye’s Marriage to Liza Mundy
Monica Schipper/Getty
Nye married journalist Liza Mundy in May 2022 at the Castle Building’s Haupt Garden at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. The two connected when Nye reached out to Mundy about her book Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II, in which she mentions his mother Jacqueline.
Bill Nye Receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Tom Brenner/Getty
In January 2025, former President Joe Biden awarded Nye the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his role as “a beloved science educator for the nation.”
Introducing Nye onstage, the announcer continued: “He also earned the trust of millions of children and families. By sharing the magic of fun and science, he inspires generations of Americans to follow facts and reason and leave the world better than we found it.”
Bill Nye Receives His Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
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Three months before he hit 70, Nye received the 2,281st star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. “His star is a tribute to his dedication in making science accessible and entertaining for all ages through his iconic educational show,” said Ana Martinez, Walk of Fame producer.
In his acceptance speech, Nye proclaimed, “When you’re in love, you want to tell the world! And I love science, I love comedy, I love television.”
He continued, “With the help of some great crews, I managed to be a big part of some TV shows that are inspiring a fourth generation of our kids. All of my work … is a celebration of the PB&J, the passion, beauty and joy of science, coupled with the art of television and the moving image.”
The star concluded his speech with a call to action, asking viewers to keep in mind that their actions affect “everyone, everywhere” and, in doing so, “influence the course of history.”
