Go to https://ground.news/startalk to stay fully informed on the latest Space and Science news. Save 40% off through our link for unlimited access to the Vantage plan this month. What is truly foundational to the universe? Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice welcome physicist and author Brian Cox for a discussion about emergence, particles, consciousness, and the very fabric of spacetime. Learn about Brian’s new show and it’s focus on emergence. Starting with Kepler’s six-cornered snowflake, Brian unpacks why symmetry appears in nature and how simple molecular rules scale up to astonishing patterns. We explore how complexity arises, from birds flocking to consciousness itself, and why understanding the brain doesn’t require particle physics, even if physics underpins everything. Is life just computation? Are we just symbol-shuffling machines? Brian shares debates from neuroscientists and computer scientists, on whether AI might someday count as a lifeform. We zoom down to quarks, protons, and the Standard Model’s mysterious triplicate particle families. Why do particles have the masses they do? Why does gravity resist unification? Could spacetime itself be emergent, built from entangled quantum bits or wormhole-like connections? Brian and Neil tackle black hole information, the Hawking chronology prevention conjecture, entropy flow, and whether casuality is what underpins the entire universe. We explore quark catastrophes inside black holes, whether dark matter and dark energy might be relics of earlier cosmic phases, how tides emerge from curved spacetime, why particles decay when they do, and what limits the smallest possible wavelength of light. Thanks to our Patrons Kyrie Diantonio, Brandon Zimmerman, Blane Sibille, Eva Dis, Micheal Bejarano, Z A N, Bart, Aaron Gannon, Chad McJannett, I'm here for the Knowledge Fight!, Daish, Jim, Zachary Casey, Nasry Al-Haddad, Mackrobin Bille, Rebecca, N, Tom Roughley, COrry Pogue, Matthew McNabb, Christian Kendall, Robert L Eberle, Alan Harris, Dayne Mauney, Christopher Moore, Shaq-q, David Maurice, Edmund Prieto, Dan Central Jersey Is Real Alles, Tony Isaacs, Erik Gregemar, Galaksee, Kellen, Amr Saleh, Mystery Jay, MisteryJay, Crosley Duckmann, Jim Hudson, Michael Mustillo, Tony Bacon, John Ordover, Jordan Senerth, MARK LOFTIS, CodyDon, Reader, elliott C, Andrs Larsen, San Anderson-Moxley, Nex Gen Pools LLC, Hayden Quinlan, Aaron Corn, ryan hurst, Tressa Eubank, David Heckert, Matteo ADD Ideas, JCampos Entertainment, Gavin K Chase-Dunn, Olexander Samoilenko, Alexandre Deme, Oyunokata, Natasha Johnson, Julianne Gray, Julia Whitted, Jani Jaikala, Justin Kupsick, peppertree73, chuck Kessler, Jay Goldberg, Cody Moore, Rose, Logan Kuehl, Charles Wayman, and Quantum Crusader for supporting us this week. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: Brian Cox 06:58 - Kepler & Complexity 10:10 - What is Emergence? 14:13 - The Advancements in Science 21:24 - Misinformation in the Information Age 25:31 - Examples of Emergence 35:53 - Is Life Computation? 41:34 - Emergence in the Standard Model 42:26 - What is a Particle? 44:29 - Why Particles Come in 3s 50:50 - Is Spacetime Fundamental? 01:03:28 - Infinite Quark Catastrophe 01:11:18 - Are Dark Matter & Dark Energy Emergent Phenomena? 01:19:25 - How Does Curvature of Spacetime Cause Tides? 01:21:41 - Will the Word “Particle” Maintain Meaning? 01:24:04 - How Do Particles Know to Decay? 01:31:28 - Light with a Wavelength of One Planck 01:35:22 - What is the Information in Hawking Radiation? 01:37:00 - The Limits of Newton’s Laws 01:40:18 - Galilean Transformation 01:43:40 - Closing Thoughts Check out our second channel, @StarTalkPlus Get the NEW StarTalk book, 'To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery' on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3PL0NFn Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/startalkradio FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to StarTalk: Twitter: http://twitter.com/startalkradio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarTalk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startalk About StarTalk: Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up! #StarTalk #NeildeGrasseTyson

Are we making science fiction a reality? Is that a good thing? Neil deGrasse Tyson, Chuck Nice, and guest Adam Becker, science communicator and author of More Everything Forever, take a clear-eyed tour through sci-fi dreams, tech-bro promises, and the real science shaping our tomorrow. We explore the predictions made by billionaires and futurists who claim they’ll build space empires, conquer death, and upload human consciousness. Adam breaks down how he researched the book by reading tech bro predictions, cross-checking with experts in their field, and getting stonewalled by the CEOs themselves. From there, the trio examines Mars fantasies: Elon Musk’s dream of a million-person colony by 2050, the brutal physics of radiation exposure, perchlorates in Martian soil, and why even The Martian got key dangers wrong. We explore the singularity, “functional immortality,” and whether intelligence is a single number fated to grow exponentially. We unpack why Moore’s Law has already hit physical and economic limits, why AGI won’t magically fix global warming, and how physics (not hype) sets hard boundaries on computation, energy, and runaway technological dreams. Do tech bros need a lesson in reading comprehension? We explore the misreading of science fiction as blueprints instead of warnings, and the real dangers of concentrating wealth, power, and hypothetical AI “genies” in the hands of a few. Along the way they revisit Star Trek, dystopian futures from Blade Runner to Soylent Green, and what science fiction can teach us about ourselves—if we actually read it correctly. Neil closes with a cosmic perspective: the future will be shaped not just by invention, but by wisdom, restraint, and how responsibly we wield the tools we create. Thanks to our Patrons Jeremiah Washington, Lawrence Burr, PAscal, Melissa Lange, Noah Naccarato, christian lopez, Matthew Thomas Dunn, thalian, Morten Leirkjaer, Jonathan Markey, Expo, Heather, Brandon G, S Gr, carwingo, Neil, Micheal Rogerson, Torgeir Sundet, Nina (aka HelloDaydream) Scott Polaske, Christopher Branch, Matthew Tarter, Jeff Dasteel, Matthew Light, Dj Stuffin, Virginia Walters, Pablo Rojo, Don T, Jacob Searcy, Jeffery Marraccini, Madam Power, Bartosz Jaworski, Jonathan Amir, Brandon D, Zdeněk Bučko, Mason, Benedikt Hopf, L4NK, Susan Baumgartner, Austin Browning, Kari Windham, How to Poe, Richard C, Margie Baker, SubTheGator, Harry W Peters Jr, Sean, Ravi Kapoor, Diego Sanz, Jeremy Malli, Walter Mashman, Arthur Cousland, Jordan Dck, Ryan Kroboth, Daniel Carroll, Bartlomiej Lepka, Christopher M, Starry Dust, Kingfisher9000, Pdub, Mat Cauthon, Leithor, Wesley Wright, MJ Ladiosa, Minty FreSH RandoMness, Gilberto Garza, Daryle Lockhart, Lyric Kite, Sasquatch, Carolyn Duvall, Heather Renn, DavidX, Mr. Thrasher, and Tracy Boomer for supporting us this week. Check out our second channel, @StarTalkPlus Get the NEW StarTalk book, 'To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery' on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3PL0NFn Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/startalkradio FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to StarTalk: Twitter: http://twitter.com/startalkradio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarTalk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startalk About StarTalk: Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up! #StarTalk #NeildeGrasseTyson

Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/startalk Can you listen to a picture of the universe? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice welcome back Chandra X-ray Observatory data-sonification expert Kim Arcand of the to explore how translating cosmic data into sound lets us sense the universe in entirely new ways. We break down what sonification is and why it helps both sighted and non-sighted people interpret information hidden in invisible wavelengths like X-rays and infrared. From reconstructing images through sound to rethinking how we perceive radio signals in movies like Contact, Neil and Chuck trace how these translations shift our understanding of space itself. With Chandra’s razor-sharp resolution, we explore how it is perfect for studying black holes, pulsars, and high-energy cosmic events. We break down stellar explosions, the bizarre behavior of Eta Carinae, and how 3D-printed nebulae help scientists analyze structures like the Homunculus. Learn about the power of sonification for detecting patterns, color-mapping choices in astrophysics, the eerie “sounds” of black holes, and how visualization can reveal details that raw numbers alone might miss. They dive into VR for space missions, coordinated global telescope campaigns, and explain why every new observatory opens a fresh cosmic window. Buy the book! 📖 'Why Space Will Freak You Out: The Scariest, Strangest Parts of the Universe' by Kimberly K. Arcand: https://a.co/d/eZTXWWV Outro Music Courtesy of @DrumState Song — 'DrumState - Data Sonification I': https://youtu.be/waTMyblr0dw?si=C2QI_zT2fORdEyi5 Thanks to our Patrons William Ash, Jonathan Bond, Frank Clowes, Aureus Griffith, Steven Tull, Jane, Rachel Banks, Dave, Colin Segovis, Danilo Alcantara, Nick Poulos, Val Teal, jr242, Kenny MacFarlane, LT From DC, A.J. Gonzalez, Aria Vaughn, Damion King, Aluarua Borealis, Thom Sturgill, Justin Perleoni, Elizabeth Fortier, Jagger Carter, FutureFear, AI, Aaron Hardy, GillaBreed42, Leah Stoker, Shayba Muhammad, Micheal Shepard, Jyri Körmöläinen, Christopher Boggs, Robert, Alwaleed Althani, sonja, Stephen Vyskocil, Luc Sr, Gina Boyd, Nathaniel Toups, Pam Floyd, Dent, Arthur Dent, Judie Stanley, Corey Therrien, Jay Lo, Bret, Matthias Beckmann, Girlgeek101, Alek Pyers, Wingo, Ricky G, Austin, Ian Simonson, Jennifer A Ford, Mark Shaefer, Stephen Karlson, Tyler Evans, Gabriel Najul, Evan F, Jeff Soner, Stiven Miranda, Joey Ostos, Lian, Deontae R, Brian Isaman, Chris Kempel, Mike Burns, Alicia Mendez, Dan Dial, Trey Hopkins, Nater Tater, Nata, Lynn Wladen, Allison T, Daniel Hall, Mick JB, Dick Cox, Yonatan Broder, Clayton Smith, DBP19, Justin Cooke, Braulio A Rivera, TurboShark, Tmac, Cory Hack, Nick Haner, Stephy B, Sophie, Will Atwood, Julie Bradley, Greg, Davey Qasem, Jeff, Malerie Corniea, Micki Thomas, and Will P. for supporting us this week. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: Kim Arcand 03:41 - Invisible Data 07:07 - Sound & Radio Waves 08:55 - CHANDRA’s High Energy Universe 14:22 - Pulsars 16:46 - Eta Carinae & Our Local Galactic Neighborhood 20:00 - Understanding Black Holes & Supernova 24:20 - Why Will Space Freak Us Out 30:02 - Maximizing Detection of Photons 35:18 - Assigning Color Pallets 42:41 - What Do Black Holes Sound Like? 46:16 - What Would You Sonify? 48:52 - Visualizing Supernova Data 50:54 - VR for Deep Space Training 53:50 - Black Hole Feedback & Galaxy Growth 01:02:11 - Closing Check out our second channel, @StarTalkPlus Get the NEW StarTalk book, 'To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery' on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3PL0NFn Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/startalkradio FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to StarTalk: Twitter: http://twitter.com/startalkradio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarTalk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startalk About StarTalk: Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up! #StarTalk #NeildeGrasseTyson

Why can’t we run through walls if atoms are mostly empty space? Neil deGrasse Tyson, Chuck Nice, Gary O’Reilly, and astrophysicist Charles Liu explore force fields, warp drive, invisibility, and quantum physics behind superhero powers. If Superman swoops in to catch a falling Lois Lane, wouldn’t she hit him like a bug on a windshield? Could his physiology, including his digestive system be super too? And what would happen if Superman’s methane-packed farts met his heat vision? The gang imagines a literal human flamethrower. How can Superman see colors with x-ray vision? Neil recalls DC Comics once asking him to help Superman find Krypton in the night sky, raising questions about how long it took Superman to get here. Could he have traveled through a wormhole? Or warped spacetime like the Enterprise? Charles explains why folding space might be harder than warping ourselves, and how Miguel Alcubierre’s warp bubble could one day make sci-fi travel real. We break down the science of invisibility. What would it mean to be truly unseen? The crew explores stealth technology, light-bending metamaterials, and quantum invisibility. Learn about invisible forces, like the Casimir effect and how quantum fluctuations affect our world. We break down how the Flash can walk through walls. If atoms are mostly empty space why aren’t we falling through the floor? Learn about quantum teleportation, and whether we can use entanglement for quantum communication. We dive into the quantum realm itself with the fictional Pym particles, Dr. Manhattan’s wave function, and the many-worlds theory that spawns infinite universes every second. Neil wonders if that’s a scientific breakthrough or a cosmic cop-out. Charles closes with wisdom: as our knowledge grows, so does the perimeter of our ignorance. In a universe where every possibility happens somewhere, God doesn’t just play dice—He plays all of them at once. Thanks to our Patrons Dave, Downtime Coffee, David, Colby Bechtold, Carlo Gomez, Mark Hanley, zach, David Bishop, Danielle Grant, Brian Petrunik, Micheal, Private Name, Dustin Hurtt, O.C, Cris Martinella, Václav Pechman, MrMcMuffinJr, Matthew Reagan, Kellie, Christopher Peffers, Vishal Ahmed, Chris Hodgins, Linda Nguyen, Ben F, Kirk, Charles Spence, Kirk, Zack Fay, Dave Lora, Mark Wilson, David Gaston, Emily Keck, Julian Walker, Samantha, Mikeland, Amy, M Rrr1994, Daniel Carter, Bill Holub, Craig Crawford, Rajkumar Polepaka, Tom Mison, Neil Disney, Tomas fridrik, Kurt Hayes, GA Armistead, Andrew Hagan, Jordan Wagner, Mai Tai, Ross Walker, Jonathan Price, FatDunb'Murican, Ann, Isaac Bicher, Michael Tiberg, Darrell Messer, Jeff Smith, Kimberly V Silver, Joe Jenkins, Phillips Williams, Archie, Andrew Wery, Jacob Hernke, John Ryan, Arthur Forlin, Tom Jenkins, Mario Miranda, Douglas, Heather Jones, Mancheno, Marcus Lowe, Mister Sandman, Brand0n Rs, Raj Sivakumar, Ryne Thornsen, Sean Doyle, BRAD BRIDGEWATER, Paul Bernard, Karl Desfosses, Kody Remer, Greg Scopel, Sriti Jha, Tim Enfinger, Jacob Glanville, Rilee Jensen, David W., Micheal Austin, Carlos Alberto Gonzalez, JOSH SHE-BONG, George, and Geezapouch for supporting us this week. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: Charles Liu 05:09 - Superman Catching Lois Lane 07:28 - Superman’s Super Digestion 11:23 - X-Ray Vision 13:37 - Neil’s Adventure with Superman 18:25 - Wormholes & Warp Drive 24:38 - The Power of Invisibility 29:58 - Force Fields & The Casimir Effect 36:38 - How Empty is an Atom? 40:10 - How to Run Through Walls 43:23 - Quantum Teleportation & Absolute Zero 53:00 - Getting Larger & Smaller 56:12 - Superposition & Entanglement 1:02:52 - Many Worlds Theory 1:10:28 - Practicality with Quantum Physics 01:14:40 - A Cosmic Perspective Check out our second channel, @StarTalkPlus Get the NEW StarTalk book, 'To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery' on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3PL0NFn Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/startalkradio FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to StarTalk: Twitter: http://twitter.com/startalkradio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarTalk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startalk About StarTalk: Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up! #StarTalk #NeildeGrasseTyson

What would a four-dimensional being see if it looked at us? In this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice answer fan questions covering higher-dimensional surgery, space elevators, alien intelligence, and colliding galaxies. Could spacetime itself be a cosmic crystal? Could 2D creatures exist, and if so, how would we even know? If 4D beings turned sideways, would we disappear like cartoon characters? We wonder whether we could make 4D surgeons do our operations for us. Could the Trantor Starbridge from Foundation actually work? Neil explains the physics behind a space elevator, how it would reach geostationary orbit, and why the dream faded once rockets got efficient. Chuck wants to know what kind of music you’d play during the world’s longest elevator ride. If a superintelligent alien could answer any one question, what would you ask? Neil wonders if the human brain is smart enough to understand the entire universe, or are we just too dumb? Can learning happen without human connection? Neil argues that even an AI tutor can’t replace the ever-changing human condition. What makes spacetime flat? Can there ever be a “universal now”? We ask whether you’d need absolute coordinates to return somewhere, factoring in the expansion of the universe. Finally, we explore the cosmic heavyweights: supermassive black holes. Could they swallow entire galaxies? What happens when two galaxiesand their black holes collide? Neil explains why the universe is mostly empty space, how black holes grow through mergers, and whether spacetime itself might behave like a supersonic lattice or even a cosmic crystal. Thanks to our Patrons Joei Brianne, Robert Simons, Isiah Campbell, DEVVON WILMOT, mark horgan, Jesse Carruth, John Aktiv, Kgaleberkeley, Jordan Crist, Alex Gonzalez, Guy, Jack Molyneaux, Mike, CJ Brooks, Thomas Jones, Ashley, Matt H, Pamela Carroll, Kristie Nixon, Wolter Wielenga, Richard Breytenbach, Will Mansell-Brown, Wayne Eyjolfson, Ashlanne, Jeff, PatternsComplexity, Venessa, Maya Hawthorne, Lil.Mazikeen, David Stokes, Samantha, vijay raghunathan, Jon Kerr, Micheal Charles, Alicia Reed, Petrovici Bogdan, Jordan Fofonoff, Yawaridi Southerland, Rodney Ross, Ted Doyle, Alish, Yelson Rodriguez, dahonetwo ., Janis Purens, Oscar Blanco, Roy Frank Sproule III, Tayla Szabadics, Jens Frederik Lennert Olsen, Gabe, Daniel, Nora, masterbuilderej, Brad, Will, James H English, Evolved Finch, Kioshana LaCount Burrell, Lynda Osborne, Micheal Tiberg, Damein Alexander, Jared Craig, wqf3qwf32tgf23qg, Zane Smith, Ondřej Dubina, Chimenem Wodi, George Stewart, Robbie & Annie James, John Koehler, Megan, David Bayles, robenheimer, Kiryl Medina, paul paulson, Justin Reinschmidt, Tammye, Henry C Weismann IV, and Eric Schwartz for supporting us this week. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: Grab Bag 01:23 - Do 2D Beings Exist? 06:21 - Could We Make a Space Elevator? 11:36 - Neil’s Question For an Advanced Alien 17:10 - Is Human Connection Essential for Learning? 19:23 - Why is Spacetime Flat? 21:16 - Is There a Universal Now? 23:32 - Pitfalls of Time Travel 28:45 - Does Light Ever Do Work? 35:00 - Will Our Black Hole Swallow the Galaxy? 39:29 - When Galaxies Collide 41:22 - Could Spacetime Be A Crystal? Check out our second channel, @StarTalkPlus Get the NEW StarTalk book, 'To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery' on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3PL0NFn Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/startalkradio FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to StarTalk: Twitter: http://twitter.com/startalkradio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarTalk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startalk About StarTalk: Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up! #StarTalk #NeildeGrasseTyson

What happens when physics meets the big questions of philosophy? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice sit down with Elise Crull, philosopher of physics at CUNY and author of The Einstein Paradox, to explore physics, philosophy, and how thought experiments shape real science. Why did 20th-century physicists like Einstein, Schrödinger, and Bohr disagree about what quantum mechanics even means? Why did Einstein insist that physics needed deeper explanations, and how did philosophical thinking guide his breakthroughs? Was he really doing physics—or philosophy? And what does it mean to “do” science when the evidence runs thin? From Newton’s Principia to quantum entanglement, we explore how physics and philosophy were once deeply intertwined—and why that relationship matters now more than ever. Why did physics and philosophy split in the first place? What do we lose when science becomes only experimental and utilitarian? Is there still room in modern physics for “why” questions? Plus, we debate whether scientists can truly leave their worldview at the lab door? How did Newton and Einstein’s philosophies differ? We explore philosophical differences between great scientists and how it yielded different results. What philosophical leap helped Schrödinger and others imagine the electron as a wave? We break down if today’s physicists still need philosophy to address unanswered quantum questions. What does “entanglement” really mean? Could echoes of the early universe’s quantum state still be hiding in the cosmos? If science is a method, who decides which questions matter? And what happens when the data runs out… but the questions remain? Thanks to our Patrons Jason Dobbins, Robert Egoroff, Steven Rodby, David Miller, BiologyBob, Charles William McDonald, kara lockmiller, Cade Solsbery, Cakery, Eugene Swimmer, Andrew Di Bello, Bob Patterson, Melissa Buchter, Mathew, Mike Dockins, A Wade, Harrison Netherway, Padraic Hagerty, Bryan Nusbaum, Jorge Daniel, Samir Banerjeesh, Chad Salter, Helix, Mohammad Imrul Kayes, Bryson Taylor, Mickey Kellam, Susan Pingree, ThatStratosPlayer!?, Sam Tuttle, Henock Taddese, Rosemarie Boll, Alex Pilon, Trevor Carpenter, Max Laarmann, Melissa Hannah, Donna Van Benschoten, David Quilloy, John Kordyback, Tony S, Francisco Rubiolo, Mallory Boyd, Briana Green, Laurie Smith, Grey Gorman, Mark Bentley, Joseph Formisano, Velovinovicci, tosha ristoff, Isaac Woosley, Lucas Legey, and Carl Dalby for supporting us this week. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: Elise Crull 01:50 - The Einstein Paradox 03:44 - What’s Philosophy’s Role in Physics? 8:29 - Philosophy at the Edge of Science 12:17 - Training Scientist with Deep Questions 19:00 - Being Biased By Beliefs in Science 28:05 - Philosophies of Einstein & Newton 35:40 - Questions of Quantum Physics 46:50 - A Cosmic Perspective Check out our second channel, @StarTalkPlus Get the NEW StarTalk book, 'To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery' on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3PL0NFn Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/startalkradio FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to StarTalk: Twitter: http://twitter.com/startalkradio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarTalk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startalk About StarTalk: Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up! #StarTalk #NeildeGrasseTyson

Go to https://ground.news/startalk to stay fully informed on the latest Space and Science news. Save 40% off through our link for unlimited access to the Vantage plan this month. How can we build a new Moon program while slashing science funding? Bill Nye takes the host’s chair alongside Chuck Nice to tackle one of the most urgent issues facing our future in space with Casey Dreier, Chief of Space Policy at @planetarysociety who’s been tracking and analyzing NASA’s funding for years. Why are we cutting NASA’s budget in half, right when we need it most? What’s the difference between human spaceflight and scientific exploration? Bill and Casey trace NASA’s mission back to its origins in 1958, exploring how Earth observation became one of its most vital roles. What happens to climate research when we stop monitoring our planet? What do space cuts mean for everyday life? With less than half of a percent of the federal budget going to NASA, are we really “saving” money or just shrinking our curiosity? From Mars sample return missions and the search for life to the philosophical question of whether we want to keep looking up, the team explores why exploration matters. We confront the new space race with China, the politics behind NASA’s funding, and how ordinary citizens can make a difference. If space exploration reflects who we are as a people, the question isn’t just what’s out there, it’s what kind of future do we want to build here? Together, they unpack what these unprecedented cuts mean for science, exploration, and our place in the cosmos. Thanks to our Patrons anthonee rolfson, David Moncsko, 7Linden7, Kyle Meserve, Nancy Kimmel, Marc Gardiner, Carl Cheshire, El Mero Chingón Daniel Shin, Daniel Fisher, Christopher Crider, pintos dabeans, Alfric, Ry Guy, Juan Roa, Ph1lycheez, John4Disney, Esther Klein, Mako, Matthew Schuller, Alison L Bentley, Spencer Dohm, Brandon, David Yamanoha, Yash Goyal, Emily Hendrix, Mick W, Darin Wagner, Grant Cameron, Cheryl Courtright from Spring TX, Yonatan Gher, Edward Martin, erin grant, Emilio Martinez-Cordero, Nathan Trent, Pat D, Daniel Nicgorski, Alvan Mbongo, Colin Zwicker, Grand One, Adam, ubanamie320., Eric Mill, Aikya, Sean Dalglish, brian rowley, Philip, Quentin Walker, david smith, John Dusenberry, Karina Szalaiova, Ycros, Karel Netusil, Joe M, Rossell E Cameron, Gary Weber, Major King, david powell, Six String Sam, milky, Alyssa Solis, Wrama, Deanna Szwarc, Anthony Wiseman, Veronica Tash, Carrie Wilson-Bridges, Sebastian Cruz, Rhyskel, Kendra Meinert Hodson, princess, Jessy Kaiser, Anand Raman, Lance Davis, Yvonne S McCool, cameron campbell, Gene Davis, Greg, Micheal Jarka, Jenn [Z3120], Mark Lineberger, Jimmy Walker, Noëllie Newcastle, Andrew Nolen, Andrwnick, David Harrold, Vicki, Kaelyn P, and Kevin Staley for supporting us this week. Timestamps: 00:00 - Bill Nye Takeover 01:42 - Casey Dreier: Analyzing the NASA Budget 03:32 - Earth Science Cuts 8:30 - Why Missions Happen 13:04 - “Wasting” Money in Space 16:35 - Potential Biosignatures on Mars 22:13 - Mars Sample Return 28:54 - The Space Race with China 34:38 - Before Public Funding of Science 36:33 - Investing in the Future 48:12 - The Space Launch System 52:33 - An Antidote to Cynicism Check out our second channel, @StarTalkPlus Get the NEW StarTalk book, 'To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery' on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3PL0NFn Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/startalkradio FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to StarTalk: Twitter: http://twitter.com/startalkradio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarTalk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startalk About StarTalk: Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up! #StarTalk #NeildeGrasseTyson

Would Godzilla be structurally sound or too big for its own weight? Neil deGrasse Tyson, with co-host Matt Kirshen and “Geek-in-Chief” Charles Liu, takes a look at the monsters that have terrified us, like the zombies in The Last of Us or Godzilla, and the scary speculative science behind them. Are black holes cosmic cookie monsters? Charles shares his favorite creature, Godzilla, as Japan’s way of processing nuclear trauma. What does it mean that the monster came from radiation? Neil recalls his childhood fascination with Rodan’s supersonic flight and asks: could any creature that big actually move? We put monster physics to the test. What would happen if Godzilla really walked the Earth? Would his bones shatter under his own weight? From King Kong’s tragic fall to Frankenstein’s electric creation, we trace how monsters evolved alongside scientific discovery. How did Benjamin Franklin’s experiments with electricity inspire Mary Shelley? Why are we drawn to the undead like zombies in The Last of Us to infected humans in Body Snatchers? Could climate change or fungi actually create a real-life zombie apocalypse? And what if the scariest monsters… are humans themselves? From Finding Nemo to The Twilight Zone, Neil, Matt, and Charles examine how fear of the unfamiliar drives us to monstrous behavior. Can understanding physics and biology make the terrifying beautiful? Do monsters endure because they hold up a mirror to our imagination, our fears, and the edges of our humanity? Thanks to our Patrons Brandon, Ikumi Nakajima, Vanessa Johnston, Thomas Weeks, Vicvegatw, M G, Vijay Kale, Anshuman Rai, Zach Kellogg, Marcus, Glenn Clark, christian mendez pagan, Felipe Rocha, John Olsson, Ralph Kewish, George Vailakis, Rick Stawicki, Stephen Bradley, Jeffrey Moore, matthew gilmer, Cheryl, Jeanne, Bishop PPB, Rob, Moose Polk, Daniel Rajski, Mila Gregory, Magnus, Paul Chatalbash, Koy Corwin, Max A, James Lott, Frosty, Stacy Hughes, Shay Collins, Darryl Barton, Graham Anderson, Akseli, James Bartram, Hacker Man, Dick Feynman, Theresa Hernandez, Shannon Pincombe, Arnab Mukherjee, James Rinker, (Not) Lord Kelvin, Daniel Smith, Rob Woods, Trevor Krumm, Joan Amelia Tarshis, Brendan Shrimplin, Joshua Sahner, Kalin Zlatinov, Jay2Serious, Marcus, Nathan Charland, ciana marie dolphin, Justin Jacob, Toilet machine, T P Hysmith, David Faulkner, Ernest Huntress, N.L. Peterson, Andrew McCall, Ondrej Pinter, Benjamin Froud, Jason Northrop, Sloopy55, Floris Kuik, Jan Leslie, Ameesa, Angi Brown, Mesa Kevin, Tars, Dk, thomas Appleby, StarlitFox117, Jessica Black, Jesse Lakeman, jbas2015, Ethan Stepp, Patricia J Clements, Emmanual Morales Rodriguez, Laura Michelle, Darwin Gregory, Michelle Man, Rebecca Wright, Helen Dahlberg, Franny R, Vassilis Bakosis, Lance Hoopes, Steven Savicki, Melissa Lange, and Riley Ruffin for supporting us this week. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: Charles Liu 03:24 - Our Relationship to Monsters 08:10 - Dragons 10:39 - Are Vampires Monsters? 12:29 - Godzilla & The Atomic Bomb 20:50 - How Big Can Monsters Be? 23:40 - King Kong 26:33 - Frankenstein’s Monster 32:06 - The Undead, Zombies, & The Last of Us 42:08 - Embodying Our Fears & The Uncanny Valley 48:43 - Physics Monsters 50:49 - A Cosmic Perspective Check out our second channel, @StarTalkPlus Get the NEW StarTalk book, 'To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery' on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3PL0NFn Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/startalkradio FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to StarTalk: Twitter: http://twitter.com/startalkradio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarTalk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startalk About StarTalk: Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up! #StarTalk #NeildeGrasseTyson