Cosmic Queries – Alien Heist, Scimitars, & Time in a Bottle with Charles Liu

About This Episode

What if the laws of physics were different? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly answer grab bag questions with astrophysicist Charles Liu about alien heists, gravity, and space exploration.

Is there a way to manipulate time? Is time a constant? Learn about time as a dimension, scimitars, and time as a resource. What would happen if advanced aliens could steal the sun? Would we fall into orbit around Jupiter? We consider the possibilities…

Which laws of physics could we change that would have the least effect on everyday? What if the Hubble constant was different? Or if Newton’s laws were slightly tweaked? Plus, learn how one body of mass can have multiple strengths of gravity. When will Earth’s tectonic plates stop moving? We also discuss why we go to space instead of the many unexplored parts of the ocean. 

How does weather affect a football match? We explore the impact of weather on sports and how Neil, Chuck, and Gary would do in a survival situation. Is it faster to run or dive to a base in baseball? Find out all about physics and astrophysics in another Grab Bag Cosmic Queries episode!

NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free.

About the prints that flank Neil in this video:
“Black Swan” & “White Swan” limited edition serigraph prints by Coast Salish artist Jane Kwatleematt Marston. For more information about this artist and her work, visit Inuit Gallery of Vancouver.