meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
StarTalk Radio

Cosmic Queries – Take Me To Your Leader

StarTalk Radio

StarTalk Radio

Scientist, Nasa, Neil Degrasse Tyson, Climate Science, Earth Science, Nature, Astronomy, Science, Multiverse, Spacetime, Astrophysicist, Space, Education, Cosmos, Astronomer, Startalk, Quantum Physics, Physics, Universe, Astrophysics, Star Talk

4.614.9K Ratings

🗓️ 28 April 2026

⏱️ 58 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

What would you actually do if an alien showed up and asked to be taken to your leader? Neil deGrasse Tyson, Paul Mecurio, and astrophysicist Charles Liu explore fan questions about physics of near-light-speed travel, Dark Forest Theory from The Three Body Problem, and whether the universe itself might be conscious.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Paul, love me some aliens.

0:01.5

That was a good episode.

0:02.3

Oh my God, we can talk about that all day.

0:03.7

But why are you trying to convince us that you're one?

0:08.6

Sorry I asked.

0:10.2

Coming up, the alien edition of StarTalk.

0:15.1

Welcome to StarTalk.

0:17.8

Your place in the universe where science and pop culture collide. StarTalk begins right now.

0:29.6

This is StarTalk. Neil deGrasse Tyson here, you're a personal astrophysicist. We've got a Cosmic Quarious edition, one I'm very much looking forward to. And to help me out here, we got Paul Mercurio. How you doing, ma'am? I'm good, buddy. Good to see you. All right, all right, comedian Paul Mercurio. And sometimes we cannot do a show without our geek and chief. That would be Chuck Lou, Charles Lou. Doing very well. Thank you so much, Neil. Hi, Paul. Old-time friend and colleague, Charles Lou. That's not what you were saying about him. It was a lot of like, Charles. So are you on the Baron and remind me of your title? Barron? Yeah, we have a Baron. I've been congratulations, sir. Please, Jan, you play. In your chair? No, don't have a stroke, just Januple. Yes, I'm a baron now. I was knighted by my man. Do you have a title? I don't remember. That means you don't, if you're trying to think. No, I don't think I do. I will work on that. It's really okay. Let me remind, people. Oh, my gosh. The handy quantum physics answer book. Now, that's a book, not that thing you got. Oh, no. Come on. Well, my book, you're just talking smack about my little book.

1:46.3

Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's true.

1:47.8

Okay.

1:48.7

But Charles Liu, this is not your first rodeo with the Handy Answer franchise, right?

1:54.0

It is not.

1:54.5

What were your other handy answers?

1:55.8

And astronomy and handy physics.

1:57.8

Handy answer book, astronomy, physics and quantum physics. Yeah, we were able to dig really deeply into a lot of the mysteries that we couldn't cover

2:04.8

in a big encyclopedic book like that.

2:06.8

And there's nothing like mysteries in quantum physics.

2:09.1

I want you to sign it for me.

2:11.1

It would be my pleasure.

2:12.1

Thank you so much.

2:13.1

Yeah, thanks.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from StarTalk Radio, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of StarTalk Radio and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.