StarTalk Radio

If the multiverse exists, where does our universe end and another begin? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice tackle a wide-ranging grab bag of fan questions covering bubble universes, the nature of now, fractals, Hoag's Object, and more. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here:  https://startalkmedia.com/show/cosmic-queries-light-sails-quant...

Why did intelligence evolve in the universe? Neil deGrasse Tyson, Chuck Nice, and Gary O’Reilly explore the nature of intelligence, information theory, consciousness, and whether AI is actually intelligent at all with David Krakauer, evolutionary biologist and president of the Santa Fe Institute. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here:  https://startalk...

Why does string theory need ten dimensions? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Jordan Klepper sit down with Lara Anderson, string theorist and associate professor of physics at Virginia Tech, to tackle intersecting dimensions, the nature of gravity, and a unified field theory.  NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here:  https://startalkmedia.com/s...

What do we do with all this space junk? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice answer questions about the stuff we put into orbit with astrodynamicist and space environmentalist, Dr. Moriba Jah.  Originally Aired July 5th, 2021. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here:  https://startalkmedia.com/show/cosmic-queries-space-j...

How far did Alan Shepard hit a golf ball on the moon? How many monkeys named Albert have been to space? Neil deGrasse Tyson, comedian Paul Mecurio, and Senior StarTalk Producer Lindsey Walker find out the answers on this Game Show Edition of Startalk celebrating the release of our new book, Lost in Space: 5,000 Facts for Navigating the Universe . NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire e...

Do the fractal nature of the universe and the human brain have anything to do with each other? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly welcome back Geek-In-Chief Charles Liu, for a grab bag covering deep space travel, fractal mathematics, multiverse theory, and what we might never know about the universe. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-fr...

What is fundamental in the universe? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice welcome back Hakeem Oluseyi to dive deep into cosmology, plasma physics, the origins of life, and some of the most provocative ideas in modern astrophysics. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here:  https://startalkmedia.com/show/why-do-we-exist-with-hakeem-oluseyi/ Tha...

Is there a limit to how small life can be? Or how big? Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice break down why all craters on the moon are round, the scale to life, and why the length of the day isn’t 24 hours.  NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free  here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/why-craters-are-round-size-of-life-the-real-length-of-day-tytyk/ Thanks...

What if you could reopen your childhood brain? Neil deGrasse Tyson, Chuck Nice, and Gary O’Reilly explore the cutting edge of psychedelic science, critical periods, and what a high octopus can teach us about the human mind with neuroscientist and psychedelics expert Gül Dölen. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here:  https://startalkmedia.com/show/this-...

Did we discover an exomoon? Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice learn about the search for exoplanets with biosignatures, super Earths & mini Neptunes, and whether rogue planets outside of a solar system could harbor life with astrophysicist David Kipping.  NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/rogue-planets-exomoons-with-davi...

Is nuclear power the key to sustainability? With data centers consuming massive amounts of energy, can we keep up? Neil deGrasse Tyson, Gary O’Reilly & Paul Mecurio discuss the physics, safety, and future of nuclear reactors in a world of increasing power demands with nuclear engineer Kathryn Huff. Originally Aired February 21, 2025. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commer...

How do you build a telescope to study something you can't see? Neil deGrasse Tyson and Paul Mecurio sit down with Jason Rhodes, senior research scientist at JPL, to explore the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope and its search for answers on dark energy and dark matter. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here:  https://startalkmedia.com/show/the-hunt-for-dark-...

What are the limits of the human mind? Neil deGrasse Tyson, Chuck Nice, and Gary O’Reilly explore sensory perception, dreaming, synesthesia, time, and the flexibility of the human brain with neuroscientist David Eagleman. Why does time seem to slow down during an emergency? NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here:  https://startalkmedia.com/show/your-inner-co...

How big can bugs get? Neil deGrasse Tyson and Negin Farsad sit down with entomologist, Jessica Ware, to dig into the extraordinary world of bugs, insects the size of navel oranges, how they invented flying and so much more. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free. Thanks to our Patrons Farouk, David Arnold, Michael Gugel, Forbidjon, Lech Kaniuk, Jay C, Taylor -, C...

What does it look like beneath the surface of the sun? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice discuss the heliosphere, the Parker Solar Probe, and solar storms with heliophysicist Lika Guhathakurta. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here:  https://startalkmedia.com/show/super-solar-storms-with-lika-guhathakurta/ Thanks to our Patrons Ke...

Could there be other universes out there? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly answer science questions from celebrities like Steven Spielberg, Josh Scherer, Emily Blunt, and more. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here:  https://startalkmedia.com/show/stars-ask-neil-to-save-the-universe/ Thanks to our Patrons teonie...

Could there be a hidden planet lurking beyond Pluto and Neptune? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice tackle a wide-ranging grab bag of fan questions covering Planet 9, galaxy shapes, dark matter, the odds of getting hit by a meteorite, and more! NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free. Thanks to our Patrons Glenn Fiskin, A. Certain Woman, Jeffrey Schw...

If scientists discovered that we are not alone, what would they do with that information? Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice learn about the search for life, habitability around M stars and more with astrophysics professor and author Aomawa Shields. Originally Aired July 11, 2023. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here:  https://startalkmedia.com/show/cosmic...

Does time always move at the same rate? Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice break down things you thought you knew about time dilation, gravity assists, the north star, and your zodiac sign. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free. Thanks to our Patrons Dan Kelly, Richard Dickinson, Wendy Gaspard, Adam Diaz, Dylan Baun, Chuck Cosmo, Antal Turóczi, Cassie Mayberry,...

Is there such a thing as objective truth? Are we living in a post-truth world? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly sit down to build a toolkit for finding the truth in an era of motivated reasoning, misinformation, and alternative facts with science historian and professional skeptic, Michael Shermer. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-fr...

Could spacetime curve in the opposite direction and produce a repulsive field instead of gravity? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice tackle fan questions about photons, heat death, gravitational waves, neutron stars and more with astrophysicist Michelle Thaller. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free. Thanks to our Patrons Richard Asante, Zan Barrag...

How do you get entangled particles? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice unpack the experimental side of entanglement, superposition, and the quantum underpinnings of our universe with experimental physicist, Sean Hodgman. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here:  https://startalkmedia.com/show/getting-entangled-with-sean-hodgman/ Thanks to our Pa...

What’s the real difference between dreaming and waking consciousness?  Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly sit down with sleep expert Matt Walker to answer fan questions about the most mysterious thing humans do every single night: sleeping & dreaming. What’s the science behind your sleep paralysis demon?  NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commerci...

Is there no single shared "now" for everyone in the universe? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Paul Mecurio dive into another grab bag of fan questions about superconducting asteroids, what memories are made of, and if you could ever experience pure unwarped spacetime. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here:  https://startalkmedia.com/show/cosmic-querie...

Is it time to update the constellations? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Matt Kirshen dive into astrophysics, folklore, and our ancient connection to the stars with astrophysicist Moiya McTier, Ph. D. Originally Aired December 6, 2022. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here:  https://startalkmedia.com/show/cosmic-queries-astro-lore-wit...