Cosmic Queries – Galactic Grab Bag – Blue Steel

About This Episode

Terraforming mars? How do black holes die? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice answer questions about the moon, periodic table of elements, light photons, black holes and more! 

Find out about the moon’s libration and orbit. How much of our moon do we actually see? We observe patterns from Neil’s time in front of the camera. What film franchise will he wreak havoc on next? Back to the non-human stars: have modern humans always lived under the same night sky? Will there be a day when we no longer recognize the constellations?

Why is mercury– the element, not the planet– liquid? Why does one proton make such a big difference? Discover the states of the elements on other worlds and the meaning of a “triple point.” Is it possible to terraform Mars, even though it doesn’t have a magnetic field? We explore geoengineering and how to terraform to protect against solar wind. 

Next, we talk telescopes. How much does the moon disrupt observation time? How do we combat that? We discuss the James Webb Space Telescope, Hubble Deep Field, and how astronomers combat interference. How does a light photon experience time? Does it? Can a black hole’s mass get so low it can no longer trap light? What would it look like? How does a black hole die? All that, plus, Chuck tests out new joke material on another Cosmic Queries!

Thanks to our Patrons John Turnham, Andrew Nelson, Honza Rek, Jason Pretzlaf, Jason Johst, Fernando Gomes, Thibaut van Thorenburg, Ava Spurr, Andrew Kodama, and CNASTY ! for supporting us this week.

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.