StarTalk Radio
Neil deGrasse Tyson
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.
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books
10 snips
May 12, 2026 • 43min
Things You Thought You Knew – Is Everything Light?
They unpack albedo and why Earth, the Moon, and clothing reflect light differently. They explore light pollution, its ecological effects, and practical dark-sky fixes. They trace the full electromagnetic spectrum from radio to gamma rays and explain invisible bands like infrared and UV. They also cover satellite and radio interference with modern astronomy.
May 8, 2026 • 53min
Cosmic Queries – Starquakes with Conny Aerts
Conny Aerts, a leading astrophysicist and asteroseismology expert at KU Leuven and Radboud University, explains how stars “ring” like bells to reveal their inner lives. She covers starquakes versus earthquakes, sonifying stellar oscillations into sound, what drives and measures oscillations, and how long-baseline missions tease out hidden rotation and stellar structure.
59 snips
May 5, 2026 • 1h 5min
How Did Life Begin? with Betül Kaçar
Betül Kaçar, an astrobiologist and professor who directs NASA-funded research on metal use and early life, joins to explore life’s origins. Short, lively conversations cover resurrecting ancient enzymes in the lab, microbes’ outsized role on Earth, how metabolic energy drives habitability, nitrogen fixation’s rarity, and what biosignatures might reveal about life beyond our planet.
4 snips
May 1, 2026 • 1h 9min
Homesteading on the Moon with Kevin Espiritu
Kevin Espiritu, Gardening YouTuber and founder of Epic Gardening, who built a third-acre homestead from small-space beginnings. He explores backyard homesteading, rainwater and graywater systems, solar and cost trade-offs, hydroponics/aeroponics and vertical farming, growing in lunar regolith and pressurized habitats, aquaponics for closed loops, and a real 90-day self-sufficiency experiment.
19 snips
Apr 28, 2026 • 58min
Cosmic Queries – Take Me To Your Leader
Charles Liu, astrophysicist and science communicator, helps unpack alien contact scenarios and the physics behind near-light-speed travel. Short, lively takes cover what aliens might look like, how to communicate using math and music, and whether the universe or other civilizations could be conscious or hostile. Quick, curious, and playful exploration of first-contact questions.
38 snips
Apr 21, 2026 • 54min
Cosmic Queries – Total Darkness
They tackle absolute zero, quantum limits, and why true darkness is so hard to find. They unpack photons, the cosmic microwave background, and how all matter still emits light. They debate whether galaxies orbit a grand superstructure and whether gravity is a force or geometry. They imagine ambitious telescopes on the Moon and ponder how much the observable universe weighs.
91 snips
Apr 17, 2026 • 56min
Busting Nutrition Myths with Jessica Knurick
Jessica Knurick, PhD, nutrition scientist who debunks popular food myths. She tackles seed oil scares and explains polyunsaturated fats. Talks about protein trends and who actually needs more. Covers ultra-processed foods, dietary guideline shifts, industry influence, and how misinformation spreads online. Practical, evidence-based eating advice is highlighted.
8 snips
Apr 14, 2026 • 1h 13min
Secrets of Asteroid Bennu with Harold Connolly Jr.
Harold Connolly Jr., a geologist and OSIRIS-REx mission sample scientist, guides listeners through Bennu’s returned material. He discusses why carbon-rich asteroids matter, how the touch-and-go sample was collected and curated, surprising salts and organics found, comparisons with Ryugu, and what these findings mean for prebiotic chemistry and planetary defense.
54 snips
Apr 10, 2026 • 49min
Cosmic Queries – Origins of the Universe, with Janna Levin
Janna Levin, theoretical cosmologist known for work on black holes and cosmology, joins to tackle cosmic origins. She breaks down what shapes galaxies and stars. She contrasts dark matter and black holes and explains dark energy’s role in cosmic expansion. She explores multiverse ideas, particle colliders versus cosmic collisions, and how quantum processes might weave spacetime.
46 snips
Apr 7, 2026 • 41min
Project Hail Mary with Andy Weir
Andy Weir, bestselling sci‑fi author of The Martian and Project Hail Mary, chats about crafting realistic science and non‑humanoid aliens. He explains astrophage, designing Rocky’s biology and senses, and how translation and friendship drive the story. Movie adaptation and deleted scenes also come up.
