Bust out those Bunsen burners. Bill Nye the Science Guy — in case you get him confused with other Bill Nyes — is returning to Seattle, the city where his career began.

Bill will be doing a presentation at McCaw Hall on Tuesday, May 16, about fighting climate change.

Sure, the world may recognize Bill from his acclaimed 90s kids show and tireless environmental advocacy — he was even the subject of a 2017 Netflix documentary. But, not to brag —we knew him way back when.

Almost famous

In the late 70s, Bill came to Seattle from Washington, DC to work at Boeing as a mechanical engineer. But he had even higher aspirations for himself: to be a stand-up comedian.

While working the local club circuit, Bill won a “Steve Martin look alike contest” — yes, really — and caught the attention of John Keister, host of the homegrown sketch show on KING 5, “Almost Live!”

Bill was brought on as a writer on “Almost Live!” and soon found himself in front of the camera by performing experiments and fighting crime as a speedwalking superhero. His wacky, bow-tied Science Guy persona was a hit — even if some demonstrations appeared like they could burn down the set at any second.

Still blowing up

Looking to branch out, Bill pitched a "Bill Nye the Science Guy" spinoff show to Seattle’s PBS affiliate. It aired for the first time in 1993, got nationally syndicated, won 19 Emmy Awards, and helped teach a whole generation of kids about complex topics in a fun, approachable way.

Despite moving back to his original roots in the other Washington, he's returned to the PNW in recent years to talk about outdoor education as a board member at the Mount St. Helens Institute. Yep, he's Bill Nye the Volcano Guy, too.