<p>By STEVEN WEINER, Alligator Writer
As Bill Nye "The Science Guy" emerged onto the stage of the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday night, he was met with wild screams and a standing ovation.</p>
<p>The famous TV personality spoke to an auditorium filled beyond capacity and then took questions from the audience.</p>
<p>Nye, whose popular show "Bill Nye the Science Guy" aired on PBS during the mid-'90s, spoke about science topics such as global warming and Mars exploration. He also told stories about his family, his own work in science and his hope for the next generation of scientists.</p>
<p>Throughout the presentation, Nye injected his own brand of light-hearted comedy.</p>
<p>By 7:30 p.m., the 1,700 allotted tickets had been claimed, and about 200 people had congregated to watch the show simulcast in the lobby and outside, where a projector had been set up on the lawn.</p>
<p>Jared Hamil, a political science junior, joked that Nye was the "public-science-education system" for a generation.</p>
<p>"The reason why there was such a high turnout was because people recognize Bill Nye as a father figure, an authority on science," he said.</p>
<p>Nye began with a discussion about the exploration of Mars and his involvement with NASA and the Mars Exploration Rovers. He half-jokingly encouraged the younger generation to visit the red planet.</p>
<p>Nye also spoke about the necessity for using alternative energy resources, such as electric fuel cells for cars, solar-powered water heaters and wind energy.</p>
<p>He approached the subject of global climate change in typical "Science Guy" style.</p>
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