Cosmic Queries: Galactic Gumbo

About This Episode

Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice are here to serve you a spicy, stellar bowl of Galactic Gumbo. On this edition of Cosmic Queries, Neil and Chuck are answering all types of fan-submitted questions that come together to create a tasty cosmic serving of the universe. You’ll hear about matter and antimatter, why the universe isn’t made of pure energy, and Georges Lemaitre’s process of discovery for the Big Bang theory. Investigate the expansion of the universe, why it’s slowing down, and how the fabric of the universe can expand faster than the speed of light according to Einstein’s general theory of relativity and special theory of relativity. Neil and Chuck discuss combining creationism and science, how Ptolemy and Isaac Newton used the god of the gaps theory in their work, and how it’s never wrong to trust in the scientific method, even when hunting for a higher power. You’ll find out what Neil would research if he had access to 100% of the world’s computing power. Explore string theory and why the frequency from vibrating strings might be different for different universes. Neil also gives details on the terminology we should use for the space between universes in the multiverse. Discover more about the asteroids that took out the dinosaurs and created Meteor Crater, and what would have happened if they had landed in the ocean. All that, plus, our pair ponders whether earlier access to CGI could have helped our culture be more creative when discussing aliens, and a fan asks Neil the all-important question, “How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?”

NOTE: All-Access subscribers can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: Cosmic Queries: Galactic Gumbo