Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains Boiling Water

What happens when water boils? On this explainer, Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice dive into thermodynamics, what goes on when water boils, and other steam-powered facts.
We talk about the unique structure of water and how it behaves in different phases. What happens during a phase change? How did water help get us to the moon? Find out other ways humans exploit the thermodynamics of water for our use. Discover how you can boil water in a paper cup and how toasting a piece of bread works all on another StarTalk explainer!
Get the NEW Cosmic Queries book (5/5 ⭐s on Amazon!): amzn.to/3dYIEQF
Support us on Patreon: / startalkradio
FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to StarTalk:
Twitter: / startalkradio
Facebook: / startalk
Instagram: / startalk
About StarTalk:
Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up!
#StarTalk #NeildeGrasseTyson
0:00 - Introduction
1:06 - The Science Behind Boiling Water
2:07 - Fuel from Water?
3:59 - Is there a limit to how hot water can get?
7:20 - What is a Phase Change?
8:40 - How Does Steam Power Work?
11:32 - Why Can You Boil Water in a Paper Cup?
14:37 - What Do Toast and Spontaneous Combustion Have in Common?
16:06 - Closing Notes

[@mollybell5779]

I honestly did not expect to learn anything with this one, but I was wrong. I love watching you guys.😁

[@StarTalk]

We're always happy to hear when someone is learning! Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@STST]

@@StarTalk Please Get Me On The Show!

[@silvioferrari5373]

Often the ones with the least captivating titles are the best

[@a178design]

I thought this subject would have been quite dry but it certainly did quenched my thirst for knowledge. Boom 🤣

[@aninhapmr]

There's always something to learn with Professor Neil De Grasse Tyson

[@ryanwells1551]

“F in Fahrenheit stands for freedom” I never expect to laugh out loud with science deep dives but Chuck you are hilarious! Keep up the great work!

[@QcumberCumquat]

I fell out laughing

[@jimr9499]

Chuck never fails to amuse! I just watched a video on rainbows where Neil explains how light, and the color white, is composed of all the colors. And Chuck broke into an impression of MLK doing his speech only it was, "I have a dream that one day we'll all be white!" Lmao I literally did a spit take.

[@timmywashere1164]

Also the auto ignition temperature of most books isn't 451 Freedomahrenheit. It's 450.....Communistelsius. Anyone can test this with the spare stove on the back porch and see you gotta get that thing up to 840 degrees 'Merican 'for it burst to flames.

[@alejandromontes2575]

Chuck, I hope you shared that song with Neil and watched his reaction. "We don't need no water".. 😂😂

[@peggywoods4327]

Well at least I got a new ear worm!

[@ericparrish1515]

Who's that, the King Cutter?

[@GeorgeVCohea-dw7ou]

That's a video and should have happened.

[@samogufonianrockstar7510]

Boiling water who knew something so simple ..yet way more interesting -totally loved the explainer 🙏 Thank you Dr Tyson & Lord Chuck ❤

[@FlorianProgri1]

Lord Nice*

[@StarTalk]

Everything is interesting if you pay close enough attention! Happy to hear you loved it :)

[@aftonwolivar7950]

Lol lord chuck. That made me chuckle.

[@guytheincognito4186]

@@StarTalk Very true 👍 Love your work man, keep it up.))

[@BiggaTigga]

Chuck having to explain the "The Roof Is on Fire" has made my day!

[@AlexGarcia-co1ec]

What I love about science is having someone explain something I know, only to realize I didn't really know it, or know that I needed to know it, or should know about it.

[@mmgibson1]

Ironically I had sat down to watch this with a cup of tea that I had brewed a little while ago. Scientific me started to think back to her college days of taking chemistry and learning about the behavior of different molecules, wondering what is really going on inside the tea kettle with hard water in it and what the minerals do to the temperature of the water. Another part of me came into my head and said, "Oh, just enjoy the hot tea and stop it!"

[@StarTalk]

Happy to hear you're finding that balance between thinking-Melanie and being-Melanie. Enjoy!

[@hasithagayalambattaya8929]

Began thinking about the role of H-bonds, London bonds and surface tension forces!😅

[@NunoLeitaoTheEpiq]

@@StarTalk kzbin.info/www/bejne/d5XKqWytqZtmhLs

[@mayan8204]

I love your explaining videos of everyday things. When they all add up you see same world around you in new way. Thank you for bringing back the magic of wonder that we lost growing up.

[@iamdb1990]

"it never ceases to amaze me how smart these Nasa people are" Chuck, you're awesome lol

[@williamlundbergh5683]

This explainer I loved! It was Richard Feynman all over again. Three all-time favorite physicists in my book: Neil Degrasse Tyson, Richard Feynman, and Lawrence Krauss. Learned gentlemen, all of them with the gift of talking in layman's terms. That others can understand our marvelous world!

[@KOSMIKFEADRECORDS]

You may be more lay than the average layman. I'm a layman and this dragged on forever....

[@jimr9499]

@KosmikFead nah I'd say you're the one who's more lay than the average layman. This explainer, like all the rest, was endlessly fascinating!!

[@Unseen1sland]

Neil is like my dad, lengthening the conversation with a side story.♥️♥️♥️

[@JohnFleshman]

My water boils at 201 F. gotta love living over a mile above sea level.

[@mattevans-koch9353]

Thank you gentlemen for another entertaining on-line class. Always a great time.

[@MegaSpacemanSpliff]

I'm so glad I found StarTalk. You guys are amazing. Thank you for doing these.

[@Chemy.]

Man it's funny, informative and also something you can watch several times

[@gatopardos19]

We appreciate the chapters StarTalk team, keep up the good work!

[@phillyjawnlolo089]

Me immediately shouting 🗣 THE ROOF, THE ROOF, THE ROOF IS ON FIRE 🔥

[@LEDewey_MD]

You guys are great!! Keep up your important work!

[@BryantCaudill]

OMG I love that Neil had never heard the roof is on fire and loved that interaction!

[@reinholdhenke1641]

awesome, thank you, very fun, informative and enlightening, thank you for putting so much effort is put into this project...

[@StarTalk]

We do it for viewers like you!

[@1monagale]

I learn a new fact every time! Thank you!

[@shubhgaming375]

Water remains at 100°c when boiling starts, and then stays at the same temp, because phase change takes the energy, also called latent heat of fusion. When water is completely boiled, and steam is given energy further more, its Superheated steam. Thanks for the information Neil, I remembered it while watching.

[@evanurissylaise9981]

i love your show! Yes, every episode. Dig your books too, i get them from the library ...audio usually. thank you. Be well.

[@mythbuster581]

Living and learning... Thank you guys!

[@simsfamily298]

Big love to Chuck and Neil from Ohio ! It's amazing that the atmospheric pressure affects on boiling water.

[@pedrosso0]

Grammar has left the chat.

[@MrT------5743]

You can boil water at room temperature. The pressure just has to get really low.

[@jeffs6090]

0:50 He was such a literal child and tested it. Just like Data on Star Trek. "I've boiled the same amount of water 62 times....., and in every instance the water reaches its boiling point in precisely 51.7 seconds."

[@pedrosso0]

What's wrong with Data?

[@C-LOS420]

Exciting knowledge! Love it!!

[@mlegrand79]

Chuck just taught Neil something! I cannot believe you never heard that song. 🤣😂 This was a great episode. Thank you!

[@judebrad]

Thanks for the Euro conversions :)

[@bradmeacham6982]

Another interesting tidbit about "boiling water"... The boiling point of water decreases about 1ºF per 500-ft of elevation gain above sea level. The sea level boiling point is 212ºF, but up at 7,500-ft where I live in Colorado, it's about 198ºF.

[@davidbesant]

Bet you're crying out for a decent cup of tea.

[@homosapien5684]

"It never ceases to amaze me how smart these NASA people are." You and me both Chuck, you and me both.

[@thesearenotthedroidsyouare695]

I absolutely love these videos!

[@chris_johns]

Never stop these! You guys are great!

[@swampylist]

Really love this explainer

[@jeremydanchuk1897]

I thought they would get into how different altitudes will effect the temperature water boils at.

[@bradcooke5383]

Always a pleasure. Thanks fellas.

[@rickashtray]

This was fantastic. Something went boom in my head watching this one.

[@MSeaNP]

No one taught me about latent heat energy this way in tenth grade. It would've made it soooooo much easier than figuring it out myself.

[@Milesco]

My dear father, an engineer, taught me about latent heat when I was a little kid. Maybe around 12 years old. Interesting stuff. I always enjoyed learning about science.

[@peterwoods8299]

Another lovely explainer

[@adrees]

This was an amazing explainer. So many mind blown moments. Love you guys!

[@larrykwartowitz]

Much much love, ALWAYS. Keep looking up everyone.

[@MisterIncog]

There is some interesting things about boiling Neil didn’t mention. Water ALWAYS converts into gas (well, any liquid, but let’s stick to the water). The thing is, molecules of water have different energy, different speed they vibrate, so to speak. The molecules at the edge between water and gas (air) with high energy eventually detach from liquid water structure and become gas water molecules, or steam. That’s why you can dry wet clothes in the cold weather. So, how is boiling different? Remember those bubbles that form when you boil water? These are steam bubbles, of course. The molecules of water get so much energy in every part of your pot, steam can form inside water. Neil told a little lie in the vid, water does have molecular structure, it’s just not as organized as ice’s. And even that structure breaks with high enough energy of individual molecules, and that’s why steam is forming inside water.

[@guytheincognito4186]

It's a little white lie in a sense but still true in the sense he ment it as it not having a rigid structure. This is because the small hydrogen bonds only holds it together for a fraction of a second. Hence, (anywhere from zero degree centigrade to 100 degrees centigrade), water is found in a liquid state. Water molecules are constantly on the move.

[@MisterIncog]

@@guytheincognito4186 yes, of course. I just pointed it out because it was needed for further explanation

[@guytheincognito4186]

@@MisterIncog (Edit.Typo.) No problem. I only pointed out this bit myself to alleviate the issue of having someone misconstrue and or confuse the meaning of "lie" as it's used here. It might be an overreaction on my part but there are people that will jump on the tiniest possible incongruency in order to attack an persons standing or ideas plainly for the sake of it. In the past I wouldn't even react to it but today you almost expect a flash mob to instantaneously appear wherever the term lie appears even tangentially with anything scientific. 😅🤣🤣✌

[@MisterIncog]

@@guytheincognito4186 oh, I also might’ve used the word wrong. I’m not a native speaker and it could’ve had a different connotation in my head

[@guytheincognito4186]

@@MisterIncog It's fine actually, just lacks the "white" inbetween "little" and "lie" but technically "little lie" is enough per common sense. I never even pegged you for a non-native speaker. But perfect English-speaking doesn't neccesary make you a native speaker of it either lol. So No worries friend 🙂

[@TheFunkadelicFan]

"The "F" stands for freedom!"

[@davidpierce9065]

That sounds fair.

[@renatoigmed]

or fail

[@kryogyn1]

The people he’s making fun of aren’t even smart enough to know he’s making fun of them.

[@michealmoore2960]

“If we can keep it!” - Ben. Franklin

[@ericparrish1515]

Ain't nobody coming to this likker joint

[@joshjackson5569]

😁 Classic Star Talk 🔥🌅🌕🔥

[@MikeLinPA]

You guys are so much fun to chat with! BTW: You can also boil water in a flimsy plastic water bottle. Same idea. The survival guy, (Les something...) did it. He suspended the bottle over the fire with a bit of twine and the water boiled without completely ruining the bottle. (It got distorted, but was still a bottle that could hold the water.) It was cool! (No, it was hot!)

[@bigmyke587]

You guys inspire me to learn something new everyday

[@fc-qr1cy]

13:40 Rock Master Scott & the Dynamic Three - The Roof Is On Fire

[@munikarmanish]

Can you also do an explainer on how boiling point changes with pressure?

[@gorillafacewastaken]

You forgot to mention the effects of ambient atmospheric pressure on boiling point of water.. If you seal your paper cup completely by glueing another piece of paper onto the top, you can have liquid water hotter than 212 °f

[@grinkashman7884]

Wow, I was making toast while watching this, as you got to the toast part, I started smelling my partially burnt toast(just how I like It!).Blew my mind, along with the vid, as always, you rock!!

[@mikestevens1441]

Too funny! Glad you both were equally educated this episode!

[@xdragon2k]

And this is why cooking in oil, barbecuing, and steaming has different effect on the food above the fire. The temperature that the food is bathing in is different with different method.

[@gnarthdarkanen7464]

There's also a different "carrier chemical" involved in reacting with and delivering different "extractives" to and from the food (and spices count as part of the food) depending... A LOT of the most popular flavors and aromatics are actually more organically solvent, rather than readily water-soluble, meaning you need an "oil" or carbon-based carrier... SO fats and oils actually carry and help the spices in question deliver more of their flavors into the other foods... In some cases, too much heat causes "thermal decomposition" in the desired extractives, so you have to keep the temperatures lower, and it takes much longer for the food (meat often) to be rendered "safe for consumption"... This is the case in smoking and curing, where salt is (frequently) a major constituent of both flavor and cooking (chemically)... SO a smoker might only ever reach between 185 and 210 F, to give the oils and water enough time to move through and over and out of the meat in the process of cooking... Further, anyone with sufficient experience with a slow-smoker process, will generally stock poultry at the bottom, beef in the middle and fatty pork at the top of the smoker, to allow the higher fat contents carry down from the pork over everything else, and the lighter flavor of the chicken dry out and soak up the flavors cascaded down in that time. It's delicious and efficient... even if it takes hours to "do the magic"... ;o)

[@johnandrews6872]

Very interesting , and an equally interesting area is the phase change to a solid where the volume as a solid is larger. some believe that water is the most essential element in the world. a good show would be the phase change from liquid to solid.

[@theoteddy9665]

this was more fun then I expected, eventhough I suprisingly knew all of it from earlier👍😂very good one. Chuck😍

[@apedosmil99]

Top notch episode, gentlemen. 😎

[@greenbeancom38]

Awesomeness thanks for the insight

[@ikusha84]

Neil I always listen to you with a great interest and pleasure, your way of explaining things is perfect. I've a question with regards to water boiling at the specific pressure (let's say at atmospheric pressure, at 100 degrees Celsius) in zero gravity, or on ISS for example. I've read some materials which describe the beginning of the boiling process, but none of them goes till the end. I know that due to the lack of gravity, there is no convection to transfer the heat, so as water starts vaporizing bubbles are combined in the center near the heat exposure, and that's all. Cannot get further data what happens next. This lack of information, is it because of unknown dangers (maybe explosion) that may happen? Or why is it kept as a secret? Thanks

[@James-pl2oy]

Rock Master Scott & The Dynamic Three - “The Roof is on Fire”

[@ChooseJoywithTisa]

This was so good. If y’all hear sirens 🚨 don’t worry I’m sciencing 😂

[@stephan5279]

nice episode! But I don`t know, what surprises me more... That Chuck never heard, that you can boil water in a paper cup, or that Neil don`t know the song "The roof is on fire"... ;)

[@AbbyTheAbinator]

yup... amazed again. as I scrolled through the videos cherry picking the ones with interesting titles, always going past this and afew other videos until they were the only ones left. my thought process here was there was going to be a bar graph like decline from most interesting at the top to boring being at the bottom. flawed lol all were just as interesting as the next and last. Much respect and love from Canada 🇨🇦 for this enlightening adventure StarTalk! looking forward to future. \m/-.-' PS I love how subliminal these titles translate to everyone's experiences for school when they were younger. uninteresting titles. none enthusiastic room filled with fresh minds. but you convey very easily that never judge before you know what your judging. and also... the setting in school and being put on the spot in front of the class was too much for me to handle so I just never went to classes where that was a common thing. anxiety can really hold back some youngsters from their true desire for a higher learning. if it were one on one or a teacher and like 5 others. I would of been so enthralled because I greatly enjoyed learning sciencing...

[@guillaumedescavernes5111]

Guys, I love to learn, I love to laugh, and I need to say you two make me both in the same time every time. Thank you!!!

[@vir822]

Boiling water in a paper cup was my 4th grade experiment for science class but nobody explained it better than you. Thank you Neil

[@damslifevlog5031]

Thank you guys.

[@JA-ze6yb]

Lol! I lost it at 13:38. Neil was in a lab when we were hearing that chant in clubs.

[@joserangel8099]

"The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire!" Chuck's pop references are so funny! Well done gentlemen!

[@qxz1776]

Poor Neil. I instantly thought about that line from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: “Many respectable physicists said that they weren't going to stand for this -- partly because it was a debasement of science, but mostly because they didn't get invited to those sort of parties.” ― Douglas Adams

[@AceSpadeThePikachu]

Now I want to see an explainer video all about steam powered engines and turbines.

[@ruanvisagie8090]

I remember learning about this in my High School chemistry class but Neil just explained it in a way that makes much more sense

[@dwaynep6174]

Wow. What an amazing episode. Neil deGrasse Tyson is something else. And Chuck being Chuck as always. Awesome 👍🏼

[@dorothyedwards7225]

Go ahead Chuck!! Yes, I LOOVE It! "The Roof is on Fire""!!!! LMAO!! You two are hysterical!! So great!!

[@bullettube9863]

Understanding steam was one of the great scientific fields that allowed the industrial revolution to take place. Steam power is not an archaic science, nuclear powered ships and power plants use the incredible power of steam to generate electrical power and propulsion. Fun fact: keeping the cooing fluid in a car under pressure makes it more efficient at keeping engines cool. The normal pressure in a car engine is 20 psi at 220 degrees (F) maintained by the engines' thermostat. Which is why you do not open your radiator cap without standing back, otherwise you get scalded!

[@jakeosorio946]

These are things people don't think about. This is very interesting!

[@acim68mx]

Super.... hay agua en todos los alimentos.... gracias y video más listo...!!

[@davew5383]

This video seemed appropriate since I am currently boiling water to make Spaghetti, That's what's for dinner👍🙂

[@artomies1972]

A nice refresher. I boiled water in a paper cup with a bunsen burner in school. Even when you know the physics, it is still amazing.

[@shaundubai8941]

I learnt a lot today

[@boilingsnowwater2121]

Aw yeah that's the stuff.

[@vrishankpandey8537]

I was a bit sceptical watching on boiling water as it sounded as a very simple topic but yes! Indeed this was a very interesting topic to watch.

[@raymondst.jacques2030]

Totally surprised and amazed, to learn why the movie, is called fahrenheit 451, i had no idea it was the paper burning point and not just a fire station random number.... (BIG EYES). 212 Water, 451 paper, Thank You N.D.T., thank you.

[@davidemeghe9623]

I love Chuck Nice, dude's so witty and funny 😂..

[@anonymousyt6692]

ohh that's latent heat which turn water into steam..... you guys always makes things simple & fun to learn Great Work Both of u!!

[@jerzeyguy71]

The orange tank used to be white on first few missions of the Space Shuttle, but the weight and cost of painting the tank white was too much, so they stopped.. I work in health care kitchens, and had another guy argue me that the food pans need to sit in the water, because it is hotter... the tables to hold food are called steam tables.. so means steam is what you are using to keep the food hot, so you want the water level under the pan.. so steam is heating the food.. the roof the roof!!! LOL this was a very entertaining and educating explainer!! I never knew about why toast takes forever to show and browning, but then goes so quickly!! but learned something knew and will remember this one!

[@gnarthdarkanen7464]

The MAIN concern with a steam table is that you have sufficient water to cover the heating elements (if so equipped, which most are)... If it's aboard ship, the steam tables are heated with super-heated steam through pipes... Let those get dry and you start wearing them out... AND you do NOT want one of those to spout a pin-hole!!! Super-heated steam (modern day at about 2000F) can't be seen. It's "dry" steam, but you tend o find it with a wooden dowel by waving the thing around the "hissing" pipe until the end is sliced off... Wherever that happens is where there's a pin-hole... ;o)

[@jamiepeter3567]

Amazing, loved it as always BUT it does rather leave me wondering, what is the next part of the experiment? By that I mean, if you keep increasing the temperature of steam does it have its own version of boiling? Or can you increase the temperature indefinitely?

[@MisterIncog]

It turns into plasma eventually. Well, if you have enough energy to convey

[@shakthiweerawansa5548]

Well practically speaking the steam can only get as high as the temperature of the flame itself which is about 3500°F

[@MisterIncog]

@@shakthiweerawansa5548 yes, that’s what I’ve tried to say, just couldn’t find the right words. Thank you!

[@insylem]

Several years ago, as an adult, I did the thing where you watch the temperature while boiling water. I was just messing around because I didn't write it down. But I made the same observation. Temperature stopped increaseing at about 212F / 100C.

[@renatoigmed]

degrees in Celsius is a scale of water: 0ºC is solid water (ice) and 100ºC is boiling water at sea level. yes it seems obvious to anyone who lives in a country with metric measurements but I bet most Americans and Brits don't know this.

[@DavidBChannel]

Nah we brits know this. The only non-metric that we have I think is that we use miles on the road. But yeah this video confused me for the first half. I was like "Why would the water boil at 212C and not 100C???" And then I realised that they were probably using Fahrenheit. O.o lol

[@bookshelffury]

That's the only thing Americans know about Celsius lol.

[@donaldgreen9103]

Yes that one was amazing guys!!

[@justinsharkey8228]

I love Chuck on the show. He says exactly what I'm thinking. Of course I don't know when paper burns!

[@nerdative]

Love you both guys ❤

[@medelservicesinc.6582]

Rock Master Scott & the Dynamic Three originated that song.

[@aninhapmr]

I'm not American, but I consider Professor Neil De Grasse Tyson is my " personal astrophysicist" !!!! And he's even a better professor with Chuck by his side!!!! I imagine another Cosmos series with Chuck 😍😍😍😍

[@lintroverso6817]

i love how what i learnt in high school right now that most adult dont know about for the whole time , appreciate free education, kids.

[@gsav1320]

These two are gold together 👍👍👍🤝💯🥶‼️‼️

[@petejohnson8397]

interesting thing about fire rated drywall.... as it is heated water is released and turns to steam. which prevents the drywall from getting hotter than 100c until all the water has been released, preventing the fire from spreading to the other side for a period of time

[@SiddhanthRoyal]

After listening to this episode There is a question that always wondered me, Water at dam (P.E) to water fall (K.E) to turbine (mechanical) to electrical Then we get those at tube light as light and some heat Heat is getting into atmosphere that's understandable But what about Light energy what will happen to it? The photons will go to what next form?? I would love to listen answer to this ...

[@TimmyBudz]

Hey can you explain how hydraulics work? How do they create such force?

[@gabrielcraciun2936]

Chuck, please tell me you played Niel the song after the show. And about the water in a paper cup, I was 16-18 when I first wondered what would happen if i set on fire a polystyrene ( i think.. the stuff you usually get take-away in ) full with water. being thick and fluffy, it burned the outside but it remained intact and full of water and no matter how long I'd keep the liter on it, it wouldn't make a hole . First time I actually hear the scientific explanation of it . Nice.

[@STNeish]

I once pondered what would happen if you increased the temperature of water, but kept it contained in an infinitely durable area. That is, imagine you have an indestructible force field that forces the water molecules to remain within that space, no matter how hot they get. What would happen if you just kept adding heat? The liquid would eventually turn to steam and fill the space. However, as the temperature continued getting higher, the steam molecules would accelerate their movement... but the field would prevent them spreading out any further. What would happen? If you kept adding more energy, more heat, what would happen? Would the molecules themselves break up? Would the atoms themselves come apart?

[@Ryuk-apples]

The temperature would definitely go higher than 100C because the pressure is strong keeping it liquid even though its over 100C. The reason it does boil at 100C with no additional pressure is because the standard pressure is equal to 1 atmosphere.

[@STNeish]

@@Ryuk-apples Ya, that's what I thought... the pressure would increase on and on... but is there a point of no return? Is there a point where the molecules couldn't gain any more energy?

[@OfficialRost]

@@STNeish there is a temperature at which molecules break up into atoms and then plasma. If you keep adding energy to it you would then break the atoms up into constituents like quarks and electrons, but we’re already at energies higher than the ones in the sun

[@gnarthdarkanen7464]

@@STNeish I've forgotten the exact temperature/pressure requisite, though I'm sure you could research it through wikipedia and bibliographic references or a scroogle search... BUT... There's already been a state of "common matter" discovered at incredibly high temp's and pressures only reachable in recent technology... It's called "Super critical" and it's in the super-critical state that water shows two remarkable new features... First, it acts like a metallic substance and Second, it becomes a more universal solvent... It's pretty incredible stuff... Not sure how much farther someone could "push" the theoretical limits of energy into materials like water, but as Official Rost points out, at least in theory, there's a point where matter begins to break down to fundamental particles and waves... BUT we're not really sure past the super-critical and plasma forms of matter... We haven't been able (yet) to get "there" with the stuff... In any case, there's a few new terms you can search and explore if you care... Enjoy and "good hunting"... ;o)

[@kcf881]

Always good stuff here!!

[@LongDivision27]

You are always so amazing

[@HiddenPalm]

Neil deGrasse Tyson never hearing those words spoken before, kind of breaks my heart. Because it means a major disconnect from large protest movements in NYC for the last half-century. But I guess, that leaves space in his head for the things we don't know, so he can do what he does best, teach. I know his friend Michio Kaku has heard them before. They should talk a lot more often. They both live in NYC.