Cosmic Queries – Why Are We Here?

About This Episode

Why does the universe exist? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice answer fan questions about black holes, wormholes, the expansion of the universe and more! What are our options to solve the crisis in cosmology?

Can we answer the question: why does the universe exist? We discuss the meaning of life and get scientific and philosophical with it. Is it all just physics? What happens to matter when it reaches the singularity and not just the event horizon? Learn about Hawking radiation and spaghettification and the mysteries that still persist.

What’s the deal with the green comet? Find out about Oort cloud comets and where the comet gets its green. How big does an asteroid have to be to blow an atmosphere off a planet? What would happen if you pointed a laser pointer at a black hole? We explore gravitational redshift, time dilation, as well as how artificial intelligence will perceive the universe. Could we establish a wormhole for interstellar travel?

Discover the Big Rip and where the heat energy emitted from stars goes. Is the universe getting colder? We weigh the options for resolving the crisis in cosmology, how the JWST impacts it, and whether we are alone in the universe.  Plus, find out time travel theories on how the Titanic really sank.

Thanks to our Patrons Fadi Hayek, Kemlyn Brazda, pascale manales, Jules Martin, and Scott Alderman 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.