National Science Foundation

1st Logo (1985-2000)

Logo: Just a small globe surrounded by people holding hands, with "NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION" circling around it. Sometimes, it's in full color.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds/Voiceovers: Typically none. As a closing logo, a child can be heard saying, "Produced in association with the National Science Foundation." As a funding credit, a voiceover announces the company name, sometimes with the tagline "Supporting education and research in science, mathematics, and technology" or a variation thereof.

Availability: As a closing logo, it's seen at the end of the syndicated version of Bill Nye the Science Guy (the PBS broadcast version instead uses an in-credit notice for Walt Disney Television). As a sponsor tag, it appears on Reading Rainbow, 3-2-1 Contact, Square One TV, and some other programs of the timeframe, mainly dealing with science.

2nd Logo (September 10, 1994-December 6, 1997)

Logo: Same as before, but without the text circling the logo, and with the globe replaced by the initialism "NSF". Again, it's sometimes in full color on a blue background.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds/Voiceovers: Same as before.

Availability: Only used as a funding credit for The Magic School Bus.

3rd Logo (1997-2009)

Logo: Same as the 2nd logo, but it's animated, and the background is different. Three squares with each letter in them, spinning. Also, swirls are flying around the logo, and the bylines "National Science Foundation" and America's Investment In The Future" are animated by top and bottom. And the circle that make the logo form into the 1993 logo.

FX/SFX: CGI animation.

Music/Sounds/Voiceovers: Same as before. This time, however, the tagline used is "America's investment in the future"; however, on occasion the previous tagline is used instead or in conjunction; if the latter, the combined tagline is spoken as "Supporting education and research in science, mathematics, and technology. The National Science Foundation, America's investment in the future." On the Fox Kids broadcast version of The Magic School Bus, an edited version of the first part of the funding credits for each season is used, saying, "Major funding provided by the National Science Foundation." The music in the background depends on the TV show from PBS.

Availability: Uncommon. As a closing logo, it's seen on the Fox Kids broadcast version of The Magic School Bus. It can be also seen on some TV shows like Building Big, DragonflyTV, and other shows.

4th Logo (1999- )

TBA.

Availability: Used on Cyberchase, Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman, and later episodes of Reading Rainbow.

5th Logo (2008-2010)

Logo: The new NSF logo animating and the text on the right, and the new byline is "Where Discoveries Begin".

FX/SFX: TBA.

Music/Sounds/Voiceovers: A male adult voicing the funder, and the music is played by a guitar.

Availability: Rare. It can only be seen on PBS Newshour.

Legacy: It's a pretty cool logo.