Quirky Cosmic Queries

About This Episode

On this episode of StarTalk Radio, recorded live at YouTube Space NY, Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Paul Mecurio are back together again to answer fan-submitted Cosmic Queries. This time around, they’ll be answering the quirkiest of questions covering all corners of the universe. 

To start, we investigate binary star systems. Would planetary orbits be stable in binary star systems? Neil tells us why orbital allegiances might vary. Then, we ponder if humans would be the most intelligent species in the universe if it turns out there is no other intelligent life. Find out why it’s more likely than unlikely that intelligent life is out there somewhere. Neil breaks down the intelligence gap between chimps and humans and the possible intelligence gap between humans and extraterrestrial life. Could aliens have visited us already and we didn’t know?

We discuss the idea of immortally. You’ll learn why Neil thinks the first person to live forever is already alive. Paul shares why he thinks it’s Beyoncé. We ponder the downsides of living forever and why death gives meaning to life. 

Neil tells us what science fiction concept he would like to see become reality. We debate the merit of x-ray vision and warp drives. Discover more about ʻOumuamua, the interstellar object that passed through our solar system in 2017. Could it have been an alien space probe? Was it just another comet? Or could it have been something else?

Lastly, we dive into a passionate debate on the relationship between science and creativity. We explore the counterintuitive nature of the universe. All that, plus, we also investigate the multiverse and why, even in the multiverse, there’s still only one “you.”

Thanks to this week’s Patrons for supporting us: Daniel Kulikowski, Natalia Lalicata, Scott Eisen, Jeffrey David Marraccini, Sunil Ingle.

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