Neil deGrasse Tyson
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Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-hosts field Cosmic Queries on physics, space, and beyond.
StarTalk Radio pairs big science questions with restless banter, moving from asteroid samples and hidden dimensions to food myths and sci-fi biology. The tone is curious, quick, and accessible, with jokes used as a way back into the idea rather than away from it.
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StarTalk Radio is an interview and panel-format show hosted by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, recorded with one or more comic co-hosts present in nearly every episode. Chuck Nice and Gary O'Reilly are the two recurring co-hosts, functioning as an audience stand-in who ask clarifying questions and keep exchanges from becoming pure lecture. A distinct recurring format, 'Cosmic Queries,' pulls questions directly from listeners and Patreon supporters and uses them to structure episodes on topics like quantum measurement, entropy, and cosmic expansion; astrophysicist Charles Liu appears repeatedly in this format as a explainer. Outside Cosmic Queries, most episodes are single-guest interviews: mission scientists discussing specific space projects (an OSIRIS-REx sample scientist on the Bennu asteroid return), authors discussing the science behind their books (Andy Weir on 'Project Hail Mary,' Patricia Cornwell on forensic-accurate crime fiction), or subject-matter experts on topics adjacent to Tyson's core beat (a nutrition PhD on GLP-1 drugs and dietary guidelines, a forensic pathologist on autopsy procedure). The through-line across episodes is holding claims and popular narratives up against the underlying physical or biological evidence, whether the subject is a listener's question about black holes or a viral nutrition claim. Episodes run roughly 40 to 75 minutes and are released on a regular weekly schedule. The show suits listeners who want detailed scientific explanation delivered conversationally, with room for tangents into science fiction, true crime, and the personal histories of scientists. It is not a solo-narrated show or a strict news-of-the-week format; it is anchored by Tyson's presence in nearly every episode alongside a rotating cast of guests and a fixed pair of comic co-hosts.
Made for: Listeners with an existing interest in physics and space science who want detailed, guest-driven explanations delivered in a casual, joke-inflected conversation rather than a straight lecture or news format.
What sets it apart: Unlike single-host science explainer podcasts, StarTalk pairs an astrophysicist host with fixed comic co-hosts and a dedicated listener-submitted 'Cosmic Queries' format, and regularly brings in guests from outside astrophysics (nutrition science, forensic pathology, science fiction authors) to apply the same evidence-first approach.
Science, pop culture, and comedy collide on StarTalk Radio! Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and Director of New York's Hayden Planetarium, and his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities, and scientific experts explore astronomy, physics, and everything else there is to know about life in the universe. New episodes premiere Tuesdays. Keep Looking Up! Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of StarTalk Radio ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
StarTalk Radio uses energetic questioning and humor to make complex science approachable without hiding uncertainty or the work behind scientific conclusions.
StarTalk Radio turns scientific explanation into a lively exchange, with Neil deGrasse Tyson pressing guests for mechanisms, evidence, and useful distinctions while Chuck Nice and Gary O'Reilly keep the conversation loose.
Asteroid amino acids meet forensic bodies while Neil deGrasse Tyson keeps your cosmic panic cheerfully calibrated.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A lively StarTalk conversation about cosmic origins, missing evidence, and the limits of what observers can know.
StarTalk frames origins of the universe as a problem of evidence: what can any civilization know if whole chapters of cosmic data have slipped out of reach?
Andy Weir and StarTalk turn alien biology into a lively argument about bodies, sound, and rules.
StarTalk uses Andy Weir's return visit to treat Project Hail Mary less as a publicity stop than as a working problem in speculative biology. The best stretch is the anatomy of Rocky's species: five interchangeable limbs, no obvious front or back, and sound-sensing organs spread…
A lively StarTalk conversation about scientists vindicated late, and the institutions and rivals that resisted them.
StarTalk frames scientific progress as a bruising human story, where new evidence can run into religion, government, the establishment, and rival scientists.
StarTalk links true crime, forensic science, and space-age murder scenarios without losing sight of the body itself.
StarTalk takes forensic pathology as both a science and a storytelling engine, with Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice using true crime's pull to ask why death investigation has become such durable pop culture material.
A lively StarTalk grab bag turns cosmic dust from an observational nuisance into a story about where planets and people come from.
StarTalk's Cosmic Queries puts Charles Liu in the center of a loose, fast-moving grab bag on quantum paradoxes, information, entropy, and the less glamorous problem of cosmic dust.
A funny quantum grab bag that keeps consciousness, entanglement, and science fiction tethered to what physics can actually say.
StarTalk turns quantum physics into a lively panel sport, with Neil deGrasse Tyson, Chuck Nice, Gary O'Reilly, and Charles Liu taking Patreon questions into the deep end.
Rotating StarTalk scientist-hosts and a comedian co-host tackle listener-submitted cosmic questions.
ABC Radio National pairs daily Artemis II updates with its five-part Challenger Legacy investigation.
Patient space coverage with real mission context.
Neil is worried about missing chapters.
Andy Weir is back.
Science keeps receipts.
Neil deGrasse Tyson interviews theoretical physicist Brian Greene about string theory, quantum mechanics, and the nature of the universe in a special extended episode of StarTalk.
This episode explains the physics behind sonic booms, using airplanes as an example to illustrate how sound travels faster than the plane itself.
Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts answer burning questions from the production team, blending science with humor.
Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-host Chuck Nice welcome cosmologist Katie Freeze to answer Patreon supporter questions about cosmology.
Dead bodies get the StarTalk treatment.
Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice answer audience questions about physics and space in a grab bag format.
StarTalk Special Edition Cosmic Queries brings back Charles Liu, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Gary O'Reilly, and Chuck Nice for listener questions on quantum paradoxes, information, entropy, and dust.
A live panel discussion exploring the science behind iconic science fiction stories, featuring astrophysicists and a comedian.
This episode of Star Talk features Neil deGrasse Tyson and Paul Mercurio discussing mathematics and the universe, with a focus on cosmic queries and the intersection of science and pop culture.
Neil deGrasse Tyson and Gary O'Reilly discuss AI's potential to end or advance civilization with a Nobel laureate expert.
Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-host Chuck Nice answer listener questions about photons and the speed of light in a Cosmic Queries episode.
Quantum consciousness gets tossed into the deep end.
Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts discuss the scale of molecules and atoms, using humor to explain scientific concepts.
Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice interview astrobiologist David Grinspoon about NASA's upcoming DaVinci Mission to Venus and the search for life in the solar system.
This episode features Steven Pinker discussing common knowledge, exploring how humans as social creatures use language and signaling in their interactions.
This episode features an interview with cosmologist Sean Carroll discussing complex questions about the universe on the StarTalk podcast.
A live panel discussion exploring the real science behind superhero powers, blending physics and pop culture.
Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts explore the intersection of physics and philosophy with humor.
Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts discuss the neuroscience of loneliness, its effects on the brain, and potential treatments like MDMA.
Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-host Chuck discuss aliens in film and TV, blending science with pop culture.
Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Matt Kershen explore the physics, biology, and chemistry of monsters in a humorous science discussion.
Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts explore astronomy and physics with humor and celebrity guests.
Neil deGrasse Tyson and guests debate whether social media is bad for us, focusing on its impact on younger generations.
Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice discuss the future of the space industry with aerospace engineer Jeff Thornburg.
Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-host Matt Kersh discuss the state of the universe and introduce astrophysicist Wendy Freeman to talk about observational data.
Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts humorously debate the impact of AI on human brain skills.
Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-host Chuck Nice discuss the next generation gravitational wave detector LISA with a guest expert.
Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts discuss science topics with humor and guest experts, starting with a quantum soup joke and introducing a returning guest.
Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Matt Kirshen discuss creating aliens in a laboratory, blending science with humor.