What is the Sun’s ecliptic? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice break down the things you thought you knew about spheres in the universe, navigating the sky, and taking spacecraft out of orbit. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/things-you-thought-you-knew-the-geometric-universe/ Thanks to our Patrons Will Farmer, David Robertson, Andrii Snihyr, Michael de Boeve, Patricia A Elvin, Dade Bloomfield, Ahmed Dawod, Oenomaus Williamson, Marek Król, and Elizabeth Terveer for supporting us this week.

What can we learn from eclipses? Janna Levin joined by comedian Matt Kirshen and professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Columbia University, Joe Patterson, discuss the 2017 eclipse, binary star systems, super novae and more. What is an eclipse on Jupiter like? NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/eclipses-cosmic-cataclysms-janna-levin/

Neil deGrasse Tyson, co-host Harrison Greenbaum, and astrophysicist Janna Levin answer questions on the far away and the far out, including Andromeda's impending collision with the Milky Way, white holes, a holographic universe, and more. Prepare to get trippy! NOTE: StarTalk All-Access subscribers can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/cosmic-queries-out-there/ (Originally released February 15, 2019)

How is new tech helping protect the rainforest? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice learn how space technology is helping uncover illegal gold mines and protecting the Amazon, with illegal mining expert Larissa Rodrigues and Earth researcher Jennifer Holm. Thanks to SkyFi for sponsoring today's episode. Bringing nearly instant access to high-quality satellite and aerial imagery along with expert-created analytics, get a bird’s eye view of anywhere on the planet with SkyFi’s easy-to-use web browser or mobile app and create a free account today at http://StarTalk.SkyFi.com. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/eyes-in-the-sky-with-larissa-rodrigues-jennifer-hull/ Thanks to our Patrons James Aurouze, Andrea Ramirez, Amy Tan, Joede870, Cris, Gina Martin, Glenn Fishkin, Mihael Mirt, Lion King, and Gábriel Németh for supporting us this week.

Are black holes places or objects? Neil deGrasse Tyson and cohosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly answer grab-bag questions about distorting spacetime, Olbers’ Paradox, singularities, the shape of the universe, and more with astrophysicist Charles Liu. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/cosmic-queries-black-hole-time-cloak-with-charles-liu/ Thanks to our Patrons Logan Kent, James in 3d, Renee Skrip, Maarten Spruijt, Alan Domonoske, Liam Predergast, sparkman, Cecil J Taylor, abhinav yadav, and Markus Gustafsson for supporting us this week.

Is space infinitely stretchable? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice explore fan grab bag questions about supermassive black holes, Planck lengths, and the gravitational wave background with extragalactic astrophysicist and host of PBS Space Time, Matt O’Dowd. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/cosmic-queries-planck-lengths-to-supermassive-black-holes-with-matt-odowd/ Thanks to our Patrons Nick Francis, nick lopez, John deLeo, Jeff Otis, Deano F, Ekam Khaira, and Jeffrey Tallcott for supporting us this week.

What is the value of curiosity? Neil deGrasse Tyson sits down with William Shatner to explore the nature of spacetime, Star Trek, human curiosity, loneliness, and more. How would warp drive work? NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/staying-curious-with-william-shatner/ Thanks to our Patrons Thor Juhasz, Kevin Thompson, Ben Walters, Fredrick Murphy, Lynne Fowler, Jonathan Ramirez, and Aaron for supporting us this week.

Is aging a disease that can be cured? Neil deGrasse Tyson and cohosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly discover the field of epigenetics, the Information Theory of Aging, and curing blindness for mice with Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School, David Sinclair. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/is-aging-a-disease-epigenetics-with-david-sinclair/ Thanks to our Patrons Jason L, Daniel Holzmann, Anne P Vance, Unknown, Myles G Blanton, Paul A. Straus, and Gregory Dees for supporting us this week.

What happens to quarks during spaghettification? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice answer fan questions about positrons, how we got the speed of light, where the Big Bang took place, and more! NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/cosmic-queries-infinite-quarks/ Thanks to our Patrons Eternal Sunshine, LLC, Arthur Brown, James Turner, Taygen Mercier, Bayley, Aaron, and Pete Sherburne for supporting us this week.

Is there a quantum reason we could have free will? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice explore the concept of free will and predetermination with neuroscientist, biologist, and author of Determined: The Science of Life Without Free Will, Robert Sapolsky. A special thanks from our editors to Robert Sapolsky’s dog. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/do-we-have-free-will-with-robert-sapolsky/ Thanks to our Patrons Pro Handyman, Brad K. Daniels, Starman, Stephen Somers, Nina Kane, Paul Applegate, and David Goldberg for supporting us this week.

What happens after death? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-host Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly answer science questions from celebrities like Kelly Clarkson, Dax Shepard, Sway Calloway, and more! NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/stars-talk-to-neil-reversing-earths-rotation/ Thanks to our Patrons JEFF MARTINKA, Lacey Jane, Scott Bringloe, Jehan Hariramani, Julien Genest, Melissa Rittenhouse, and Jared Cone for supporting us this week.

What do two physicists think about the movie Oppenheimer? Neil deGrasse Tyson sits down with theoretical physicist Brian Greene to discuss Robert J. Oppenheimer’s work on the Manhattan Project, the science in Christopher Nolan’s film, and the dawn of quantum physics. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/breaking-down-oppenheimer-with-brian-greene/ Thanks to our Patrons Kiril Stoilov, aaron tanenbaum, Oswaldo Asprino, cary mannaberg, Taylor Jenkins, BeerandBrat, and J Maz for supporting us this week.

How do you make some things stay hot and others stay cool? Neil deGrasse Tyson, with the help of comedian Chuck Nice, explains the physics of heat transfer, insulation, and why your Stanley cup can keep your drink cold during a fire. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/neils-guide-to-heat-transfer-physics/ Thanks to our Patrons Kiril Stoilov, aaron tanenbaum, Oswaldo Asprino, cary mannaberg, Taylor Jenkins, BeerandBrat, and J Maz for supporting us this week.

What is depression? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly break down the neuroscience behind major depression, its treatments, and the factors that contribute to this pervasive condition with neuroscientist Heather Berlin, PhD. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/why-we-get-depressed-with-heather-berlin/ Thanks to our Patrons Geoff Malone, Neander Rowlett, Brial Teel, Baran Blaser, Maxwell Miller, Doug Litwin, and Edward Bally for supporting us this week.

How do science competitions further innovation? Neil deGrasse Tyson sits down with Peter Diamandis, Founder of the XPRIZE Foundation, to discuss science innovation, incentive competitions, and the future of space, longevity, AI, and more. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/incentivizing-the-future-with-peter-diamandis/ Thanks to our Patrons Lauren Crist, Nick R, George Swain, Karsten de Braaf, Winifred Kessler, Lucille Bosco, and Tom Lindelius for supporting us this week.

How do particles get entangled? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice, answer grab-bag questions about harnessing Hawking Radiation, bad places to construct wormholes, and whether running or walking in the rain makes you wetter. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/cosmic-queries-becoming-entangled/ Thanks to our Patrons Tovi Sonnenberg, Lara McClintock, Timotheus, Tony Chantosa, Trent M Brown, Richard van Deursen, and Phillip McRill for supporting us this week.

What is one of the greatest displays of terrestrial physics? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly break down the physics of “The Tush Push” and the science in American football. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free. Thanks to our Patrons Anders Kjær Themsen, George Deitchman, Mason Steinberg, HimSigung, Akshat Pathrikar, Hai Du, and Mistress Venia for supporting us this week

Why are some mushrooms delicious, some make you high, and some kill you? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice discover the weird world of mushrooms, psilocybin, and mycelia with mycologist Bryn Dentinger. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/the-mystery-of-mushrooms-with-bryn-dentinger/ Thanks to our Patrons Jack Hill, The Fantasy GOAT, Andrew Gendreau, ND, Vijai Karthigesu, Shellz, and Jeff Lane for supporting us this week.

How do you stop the spread of anti-science rhetoric? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Paul Mecurio break down disease prevention and the rise of anti-science with physician and global health expert, Peter Hotez. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/immunizing-against-anti-science-with-peter-hotez/ Thanks to our Patrons Ivan Stanic, Jeff Collins, HD, Matthew Steinberger, Michael Tikalsky, Kin Chan, and Cynthia Cook for supporting us this week.

What if time had multiple dimensions? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly answer grab-bag questions about Hawking Radiation, the speed of light, and how rare black holes are with astrophysicist Charles Liu. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/cosmic-queries-a-ripple-in-spacetime-with-charles-liu/ Thanks to our Patrons Mapplicable, Sam J, Karen Goodger, Bean Mon, Brittany Mencotti, Jeremy Davidson, and Brian Giordano for supporting us this week.