Something about this doesn't sit right with me. I feel like the kind of people I would ordinarily consider role models are selling out to a video game.
It feels like the other way around too me -- in order to reach out and inspire a new generation, NASA willingly collaborated with Rovio to show people that (an abstraction of) space can be all sorts of fun. Its relevant physics puzzles in much more palatable form!
'Sides, at least it's a game about space where, for once the aliens are not exterminating humans and blowing up everything.
I don't see how this is selling out. Something kids care about is being used to promote math and science (and perhaps even help them understand it, in the case of gravity). He even says, quite directly, "learn math and science and get a neat job, like me" (or something to that effect). I can't help but see this as a good thing.
Especially when this is a physics based videogame where you learn to explore different solutions, test and refine your hypothesis, assess the stability of structures ... Not too bad in itself.
Also, he seems to have a really stuffy nose. Is that a zero gravity thing?
I came away with a different feeling. He never really said anything about going and buying anything. Lots of kids already play Angry Birds, they know this and want to reach out to kids. So they're making a little pro-science advertisement "hey if you like this kind of stuff you better study science so you can become an astronaut".
What he forgot to mention was the part where probably most Physics graduates do not find work in their field and a very small fraction go on to become astronauts.
