On “Real time with Bill Maher on Friday, host Bill Maher and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson had a heated exchange over gender differences in sports and a controversial article published by Scientific American. The article claimed that disparities between male and female athletes were due more to societal biases than inherent biological differences. Maher dismissed the claim as "nuts" and unscientific, pointing out the absurdity of suggesting that societal biases, rather than biology, explain why a WNBA team couldn’t beat the Lakers. Tyson countered, clarifying that the statement came from a former editor of the magazine, not the institution itself, and cautioned against indicting the publication over one person's opinion. Maher pressed Tyson to denounce the statement as unscientific, but Tyson deflected, pointing out that in some sports, like long-distance swimming, women might have a natural edge. Frustrated by Tyson’s reluctance to concede on the broader issue, Maher joked that he was "part of the problem."