There's a debate of epic proportions on the horizon. Bill Nye, made famous by "Bill Nye the Science Guy," will be battling creationist Ken Ham during an online debate about the origins of human life and existence.
The debate will air on Tuesday night, and more than one million people are expected to tune in online to watch, according to USA Today. Focusing on creationism versus evolution, the debate is liable to cause a bit of a public splash--especially considering who's doing the debating.
Ham is a founder of the creationist ministry, Answers in Genesis. First created about two decades about, Answers in Genesis continues to be a source of controversy. The ministry supports the literal interpretation of the book of Genesis from the Bible.
Bill Nye, in contrast, is known for his strong views on evolution. However, he's currently receiving quite a bit of criticism from colleagues for agreeing to the debate in the first place.
"I don't think Nye should be getting into this," said Jerry Coyne, a biologist at the University of Chicaco, in an interview with NBC News. "He may be walking into a buzzsaw."
With that said, Nye is looking forward to the show. He wants to make the point that open debate is a part of the scientific process. By butting heads with Ham, he can draw attention to forces that are trying to place creationism in science textbooks.
"I say to the grown-ups, if you want to deny evolution and live in your world, in your world that's completely inconsistent with everything we observe in the universe, that's fine," said Nye in a video posted online. "But don't make your kids do it, because we need them."
It's very unlikely that the debate will actually change anyone's minds. However, it will provide viewers with quite the show. You can catch the spectacle for yourself on Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. EST at this link here.
Want to learn more? Check out the video below, courtesy of YouTube.
