StarTalk Radio

Can MDMA make you a better person? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly learn about the neuroscience of empathy, psychopathy, and MDMA in the brain with neuroscientist Ben Rein, PhD. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/the-science-of-mdma-with-ben-rein/ Thanks to our Patrons Jason Hostens, John Lewis, Maria Dorman, Alejandro Reynoso, Radiel Cardentey, Amir Littman, Allan Rayer, Whitney, Tom Stidham, and Christopher Becks for supporting us this week.

Is gravity fundamental to the universe? Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice explore quantum physics, the fourth dimension, whether H2O is water, and the many-worlds interpretation with theoretical cosmologist Janna Levin, PhD. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/cosmic-queries-bits-of-spacetime-with-janna-levin/ Thanks to our Patrons Mikal Krane, Tramond Spencer, John R, Laura Morrison, Javier Mejia, Emilio Campín Ramírez de Arellano, Jeff Gauthier, Tom Jones, and Jaired H for supporting us this week.

What would aliens think of our inventions? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice answer fan questions on Maxwell’s Equations, the symmetry of the universe, and the physics around us all the time. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/cosmic-queries-physics-all-around-us/ (Originally released April 12, 2019)

Could we find life around low-mass stars? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice find out why life might be more likely around low-mass stars, what makes brown dwarfs, galactic archeology, and more with astronomer Emily Rice. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/low-mass-mania-with-emily-rice/ Thanks to our Patrons Anthony Garcia, Matthew Carlson, mike kelly, Brett DiFrischia, Mary Clare V., Peter Ilvento, A dinosaur in dental school, Cedric Rashade Collins, 1874 Homestead, and Bob for supporting us this week.

How certain are we about aliens? Neil deGrasse Tyson and cohosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly answer science questions from celebrities like Kevin Hart, Jack White, Nikki Glaser, and more! NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/stars-talk-to-neil-alien-love/ Thanks to our Patrons Larry Houghton, Marc-ids Foppen, Rob Love, Dominic Hemken, Brian Begnoche, josh lemasters, Mike Yin, Petchu Daniel, Jalal Dallo, and Jesse De La Rosa for supporting us this week.

Will Neil take back what he said about Pluto? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice explore planets, dwarf planets, and the Kuiper belt with planetary scientist and principal investigator for the New Horizons Mission, Alan Stern. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/debating-plutos-planethood-with-alan-stern/ Thanks to our Patrons laura, Mihajlo Jovanovic, Heather Smith, Juan Ignacio Galán, Artsaveslife, Frank Wagner, Adam Brown, Greg Albrecht, Mickey Fuson, and Jeremy Green for supporting us this week.

How is new tech helping protect the rainforest? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice learn how space technology is helping uncover illegal gold mines and protecting the Amazon, with illegal mining expert Larissa Rodrigues and Earth researcher Jennifer Holm. Thanks to SkyFi for sponsoring today's episode. Bringing nearly instant access to high-quality satellite and aerial imagery along with expert-created analytics, get a bird’s eye view of anywhere on the planet with SkyFi’s easy-to-use web browser or mobile app and create a free account today at http://StarTalk.SkyFi.com. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/eyes-in-the-sky-with-larissa-rodrigues-jennifer-hull/ Thanks to our Patrons James Aurouze, Andrea Ramirez, Amy Tan, Joede870, Cris, Gina Martin, Glenn Fishkin, Mihael Mirt, Lion King, and Gábriel Németh for supporting us this week.

Are black holes places or objects? Neil deGrasse Tyson and cohosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly answer grab-bag questions about distorting spacetime, Olbers’ Paradox, singularities, the shape of the universe, and more with astrophysicist Charles Liu. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/cosmic-queries-black-hole-time-cloak-with-charles-liu/ Thanks to our Patrons Logan Kent, James in 3d, Renee Skrip, Maarten Spruijt, Alan Domonoske, Liam Predergast, sparkman, Cecil J Taylor, abhinav yadav, and Markus Gustafsson for supporting us this week.

What is the Sun’s ecliptic? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice break down the things you thought you knew about spheres in the universe, navigating the sky, and taking spacecraft out of orbit. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/things-you-thought-you-knew-the-geometric-universe/ Thanks to our Patrons Will Farmer, David Robertson, Andrii Snihyr, Michael de Boeve, Patricia A Elvin, Dade Bloomfield, Ahmed Dawod, Oenomaus Williamson, Marek Król, and Elizabeth Terveer for supporting us this week.

What can we learn from eclipses? Janna Levin joined by comedian Matt Kirshen and professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Columbia University, Joe Patterson, discuss the 2017 eclipse, binary star systems, super novae and more. What is an eclipse on Jupiter like? NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/eclipses-cosmic-cataclysms-janna-levin/

Is space infinitely stretchable? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice explore fan grab bag questions about supermassive black holes, Planck lengths, and the gravitational wave background with extragalactic astrophysicist and host of PBS Space Time, Matt O’Dowd. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/cosmic-queries-planck-lengths-to-supermassive-black-holes-with-matt-odowd/ Thanks to our Patrons Nick Francis, nick lopez, John deLeo, Jeff Otis, Deano F, Ekam Khaira, and Jeffrey Tallcott for supporting us this week.

What is the value of curiosity? Neil deGrasse Tyson sits down with William Shatner to explore the nature of spacetime, Star Trek, human curiosity, loneliness, and more. How would warp drive work? NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/staying-curious-with-william-shatner/ Thanks to our Patrons Thor Juhasz, Kevin Thompson, Ben Walters, Fredrick Murphy, Lynne Fowler, Jonathan Ramirez, and Aaron for supporting us this week.

Is aging a disease that can be cured? Neil deGrasse Tyson and cohosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly discover the field of epigenetics, the Information Theory of Aging, and curing blindness for mice with Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School, David Sinclair. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/is-aging-a-disease-epigenetics-with-david-sinclair/ Thanks to our Patrons Jason L, Daniel Holzmann, Anne P Vance, Unknown, Myles G Blanton, Paul A. Straus, and Gregory Dees for supporting us this week.

What happens to quarks during spaghettification? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice answer fan questions about positrons, how we got the speed of light, where the Big Bang took place, and more! NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/cosmic-queries-infinite-quarks/ Thanks to our Patrons Eternal Sunshine, LLC, Arthur Brown, James Turner, Taygen Mercier, Bayley, Aaron, and Pete Sherburne for supporting us this week.

Neil deGrasse Tyson, co-host Harrison Greenbaum, and astrophysicist Janna Levin answer questions on the far away and the far out, including Andromeda's impending collision with the Milky Way, white holes, a holographic universe, and more. Prepare to get trippy! NOTE: StarTalk All-Access subscribers can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/cosmic-queries-out-there/ (Originally released February 15, 2019)

Is there a quantum reason we could have free will? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice explore the concept of free will and predetermination with neuroscientist, biologist, and author of Determined: The Science of Life Without Free Will, Robert Sapolsky. A special thanks from our editors to Robert Sapolsky’s dog. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/do-we-have-free-will-with-robert-sapolsky/ Thanks to our Patrons Pro Handyman, Brad K. Daniels, Starman, Stephen Somers, Nina Kane, Paul Applegate, and David Goldberg for supporting us this week.

What happens after death? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-host Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly answer science questions from celebrities like Kelly Clarkson, Dax Shepard, Sway Calloway, and more! NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/stars-talk-to-neil-reversing-earths-rotation/ Thanks to our Patrons JEFF MARTINKA, Lacey Jane, Scott Bringloe, Jehan Hariramani, Julien Genest, Melissa Rittenhouse, and Jared Cone for supporting us this week.

What do two physicists think about the movie Oppenheimer? Neil deGrasse Tyson sits down with theoretical physicist Brian Greene to discuss Robert J. Oppenheimer’s work on the Manhattan Project, the science in Christopher Nolan’s film, and the dawn of quantum physics. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/breaking-down-oppenheimer-with-brian-greene/ Thanks to our Patrons Kiril Stoilov, aaron tanenbaum, Oswaldo Asprino, cary mannaberg, Taylor Jenkins, BeerandBrat, and J Maz for supporting us this week.

How do you make some things stay hot and others stay cool? Neil deGrasse Tyson, with the help of comedian Chuck Nice, explains the physics of heat transfer, insulation, and why your Stanley cup can keep your drink cold during a fire. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/neils-guide-to-heat-transfer-physics/ Thanks to our Patrons Kiril Stoilov, aaron tanenbaum, Oswaldo Asprino, cary mannaberg, Taylor Jenkins, BeerandBrat, and J Maz for supporting us this week.

What is depression? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly break down the neuroscience behind major depression, its treatments, and the factors that contribute to this pervasive condition with neuroscientist Heather Berlin, PhD. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/why-we-get-depressed-with-heather-berlin/ Thanks to our Patrons Geoff Malone, Neander Rowlett, Brial Teel, Baran Blaser, Maxwell Miller, Doug Litwin, and Edward Bally for supporting us this week.