Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains What Temperature Really Means

How long would it take to cook a pizza outside on Venus? On this explainer, Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice discuss the physics of surface temperature, light absorption, and physics of heat.
What is temperature in the world of physics? We explore the temperature of light and how thermometers sense heat. How can you tell the temperature if you don’t have any particles? How long would it take to cook a pizza on a windowsill on Venus? We calculate just how long it would take and what sort of factors you need to take into account while making the perfect Venusian pizza pie. How does what you’re wearing impact your temperature? We talk about light absorption, the hottest parts of Earth's atmosphere, and what’s going on in the ozone layer.
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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!
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[@TurbineResearch]

Neil is a great teacher. There are a lot of knowledgeable people but very few are able to explain complicated subjects in simple language.

[@prezbige]

That defines great teachers versus good teachers

[@_watchyourback]

It’s called pedagogy

[@charles-antoineturcotte7608]

I still prefer Aurélien Barrau and Jean-Marc Jancovici, but Neil is very good too

[@anthonyarmstrong1460]

They make learning fun and interesting. I get a brain pop every time.

[@greatcesari]

Don’t get me wrong, Neil is super smart, but he knows as much as the average physicist (which is still a lot). But he is particularly eloquent and charismatic with his explanations, which makes him such a good teacher.

[@mariotaylor2390]

I'm anticipating these videos at this point. Me and my 4 year old learning from Dr. Neil!

[@thetruthspeaker1978]

I hope you and your 5 year old still watch together. I've only been subscribed for a few weeks now but I gotta say this is a awesome combo. Star talk is awesome.

[@rohitvk68]

And folks, that is what makes Neil one of the smartest people who can also explain smartly! :)

[@FreakyLeek]

When Chuck finds his own joke hilarious his laugh reminds me of Eddie Murphy.

[@quasar4601]

Utterly hilarious when he found out that the sun was indeed white or when he found out that white light has all the colors

[@marcus.thoren]

It was a long-long time I laughed as hard as I did when Chuck joked about which race he's with depending on the season. 😂

[@rftulie]

If my physics classes had been taught by NdeGT and cohosted by Chuck Nice, I would be a world-renowned astrophysicist by now - and still unable to stop laughing😂🤣😂🤣

[@terratenientesalgo2511]

We could have laughed our way trough the PhD degree

[@Darkmountaindweller]

Same🤣🤣, They make physics fun

[@ballsinyourface3724]

Genuinely one of the best shows on the app, very informative and easy to understand while also really entertaining! Keep it up!

[@HeaDzmold]

Agreed. Best content, hands down.

[@jayguilloty6560]

“In the Fall and Spring I just hang out with PuertoRicans”, I love it, haha. We get two seasons of Chuck, yes!

[@EduardoJPS-op9tu]

Nos ganamos la loto en esta

[@debbiehoagland548]

Chuck is awesome! He makes me laugh so hard, even when I'm having a bad day.🤣 I cant get enough of these videos!

[@jag731]

NWS Temp Trivia: Air temperature is officially measured in "shadow" as mentioned in the video, but also 4'-6' off the surface/ground to avoid radiant heat contamination.

[@sherlotta4404]

as a puertorican, Im happy and that made me smile xD

[@Sander-Brilman]

happy to hear you can take a joke not many people can these days

[@yahadyashabbat9364]

Neil is Puerto Rican

[@irismiranda1225]

He made me smile too. He is right. We are a mix of everyone. Thus, Chuck can hang out with us all seasons. 😂

[@cry2love]

9:00 don't worry about cancelling, the cancellers don't watch science

[@jaydenwatson8455]

Thats for dam sure

[@ejmtv3]

true that

[@NarynbekGilman]

Send links to studies. Otherwise, it's just your feeling/perception, so don't talk about what you don't know.

[@masterpopeyoda3290]

@@NarynbekGilman do your own research to prove it wrong.

[@AlkebulanLion67]

Neil's mother is Puerto Rican, that's why he laughed so hard.

[@kellybridwell7250]

Neil, you are such an inspiration to me as a teacher. Not only can you explain incredibly complex topics in a way that everyone can grasp, but your passion for science makes your talks so engaging. Many of the topics you cover were never of interest to me before, but then I hear you discuss them and become fascinated and want to learn more. What a gift you have!

[@gabriellonighi6780]

Just stumbled upon this channel. Binge watch time. All the love for both of you, brothers! Cheers from Spain

[@AceSpadeThePikachu]

Now I wanna try "Venusian-style" pizza. Made with wheat and tomatoes grown on Mars.

[@wesl-p4400]

Simply love this channel!! Amazingly educational and enlightening while also very entertaining!! Awesome job NDT and Chuck!

[@effychase62]

I always learn informative and thought provoking things watching Star Talk. Good Job folks.

[@jaydenwatson8455]

This is by far my favorite channel on KZbin so far. Great video

[@Rehvsy]

Neil is simply the best at explaining things! My favourite source of information! The Gluten Coefficient 🤣

[@katicabogar24]

Can’t wait for the one with horse power to drop. I was out for a walk noontime today and listened to the full episode and that made me laugh out loud 😂

[@PyrusFlameborn]

I wonder how they originally defined the horsepower? Did they pick an individual horse? The average power of a group of horses? Are horses weaker, stronger, or equally as strong nowadays vs back when the horsepower was first defined? Does an average modern horse have 1 hp, > 1 hp, or < 1 hp?

[@booqueefious2230]

@@PyrusFlameborn Neil didn't actually explain where the term came from. He made it sound like it was invented for cars, but this isn't really the case. It was for steam engines, goes back way before cars. Basically it was used for marketing James Watts improved steam engines to people who didn't already have one to trade in and were unfamiliar with how useful they were. So what he did was get some average work horses and measured how quickly they could complete certain tasks. Like raising a certain amount of weight a certain distance. He then compared that data to what his steam engine could do. It wasn't really meant as a "scientific term" (although now it is because it has a defined conversion to watts) It was a practical way to compare the work potential of a steam engine to horses for people, particularly in the US, that weren't familiar with the technology and would have to buy the new machines at full price. Don't need to overthink it. It actually is that simple.

[@fwd79]

Brilliant to see these two back. Thoroughly loved the explanations and that awesome descend into comedy at 08:12 was just brilliant 😂😂😂

[@Starfals]

If people get mad at Chuck, they are just toooooooo sensitive lol. Like how can ANYONE get mad at him, and take his jokes too serious? :P The man is a killer 🤣🔥

[@Kacpa2]

Yeah xD Also hi didnt expect to see you here tho Starfall fits just right in StarTalk :)

[@rwood1995]

Some people get mad just because they have a reason to get mad . Their life revolves around it ! Any mention of race seems off limits in 2020 and beyond

[@jimmydinerobro]

@@rwood1995 greetings i am grand master teleportdinero i am friend not foe

[@frogz]

bravo chuck, never change! i laughed out loud, im a lily white nerd who is 1/4 mexican and i think the world is too damn sensitive, my black friends appreciate a black joke as much as my asian friends.....try to read the joke while squinting..... joking!

[@Starfals]

@@Kacpa2 Haha yeah, also hey there ;p

[@SONO4B11T]

It just started with an electromagnetics video, and now I've gone down the rabbit hole. Love it!

[@SL-vs7fs]

8:24 when Chuck kills it. 😂🤣😂

[@HughJass-jv2lt]

Great finish!! With the Ozone / Thermaslphere 🔥🔥

[@the6sides]

"wow astrophysics, that sounds important and very difficult" Astrophysicists: "what if we cooked a pizza on Venus?"

[@suketgajah8107]

underrated

[@cristianogomes1910]

I learn a lot with your videos. Congratulations Dr. Tyson and Chuck.

[@theduder2617]

A retouching of the Heat vs Temperature explainer. Love it!

[@librasd8087]

you, guys, make me want to study again! this is a very bad time, at the beginning of September i didn't pass my last bachelor's degree exam, the exam was on technical physics ... it really knocked me down, i'm struggling to study the whole subject again, but you give me a different point of view with respect to some topics and cheer me up, thank you very much!

[@kevinstruke1031]

Love this stuff! Entertaining and educational. Sometimes I don't learn anything new, but still always enjoy. Thanx gents!😊👍✌

[@smokeyninja9920]

Chucks joke about hanging with friends was hilarious. 12:11 To be fair they knew next to nothing about space and the solar system

[@lilnastyy1604]

Maybe they just flew over the thermosphere too quickly and that’s what icarus flew into 🤷🏽‍♀️

[@frogz]

i laughed out loud, bravo chuck, bravo

[@divyanshukataria1710]

i love to hear you man. it is so relaxing and educating. also what web cam you guys use?

[@damslifevlog5031]

Love chuck&neil on every episode ❤️

[@ashtonvaughncharles6900]

Hey look, it's everyone's favorite time of day 😁

[@essahsaeidi5543]

such a great ending to a sweet explainer!!

[@Gokes93]

Neil explains Icarus: "He still falls but for different reasons" xD

[@fromnorway643]

There is an asteroid named Icarus that orbits the Sun in a very elongated orbit. When closest to the Sun, its distance is only 27 million km (less than 1/5 of the Earth's) and it's glowing red hot.

[@stonesour926]

I'm addicted to learning! I really love these discussions.

[@baycast]

Thank you Neil for bringing a complicate subject down to layman terms. Thank you Chuck for keeping everyone grounded. So very funny and so quick!

[@ayodelealfred3762]

Imagine having a professor like Tyson in the class teaching different concepts like quantum mechanics! I bet it would be damn enjoyable.

[@shaunmitchell2069]

This was good would love to see a segment on heat and pressure relationship

[@user-ur9fb1ld1j]

Greetings from a physics student from Greece!

[@Chris-op7yt]

in summer indeed you want light clothes however, unless you're wearing a t-shirt in winter, winter clothes are highly insulating to keep warmth in, so you wont get much sun energy thru them. Addtionally, winter sun is low and provides much less warmth, and winter has chilly weather that effectively negates any heat gain from sun.

[@erosion7618]

I was just thinking about this. Neil is kinda wrong in this one

[@keithmiller2714]

In aviation temperature is everything. It effects density altitude, thermals, humidity, and many other things.

[@enockmarere3113]

Nice the way the two dudes integrate physics into life and comedy, makes it easy to understand

[@evan6920]

Chuck you’re so funny!! And dare I say inspiring. Last year I drew large pictures of you, Neil, and the first three black female astronauts for my K-8 school. Keep up the great work!

[@jymonjyngh602]

cool Can you guys have an explainer video on the layers of the atmosphere?? I think it would be great to understand

[@Eric_D_6]

But, is that the time to the average temp of the pizza's molecules are whatever temp is done or the inner most molecules of it are to that temp? Either way the outside is charred completely black and the inner most molecules are either still cold or done just right, depending on which of those it is.

[@chrisagler8472]

love the science and the humor guys. just curious, even though the temperature drops at high altitudes would wax still melt or lose structural integrity at holding feathers at low velocities due to sunlight even given the rather low ambient temperatures? Or/And what is the wing speed velocity of a swallow carrying a coconut and is it possible?

[@ManWander]

you two make a fantastic team! keep 'em comin!

[@lightningogkush1918]

Chuck makes this perfect 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 🔥🔥💯💯😎

[@outerheaven2k7]

Ain't gonna lie, I cracked tf out Spring and Fall are the best seasons anyway

[@DonMarzzoni]

Spring and summer is the best

[@dunderwood4444]

Bless up from Brooklyn NY 🙏 learning allot, smoking allot #420 "this is STAR TALK" #AstronomyRocks

[@franklynterrell8182]

Whooooooo love the videos,always a great way to start the day

[@shepardjager929]

I'd love a video about kinds of stars, like supergiant starts and how are they classified

[@onementality9781]

Great stuff Neil, you inspire more than you know

[@timothygage7515]

Yes, being out of the sun when under a tree is one reason that it is cooler under a tree. However, the relative humidity is also a factor. When you add moisture to air, you reduce its temperature. This is why swamp coolers are used in the west where the air is hot and dry. Trees give off a huge amount of moisture as they transpire. Thus, in a rather dry climate like Utah, Arizona, or New Mexico, much of the cooling effect of standing under a tree comes from the additional moisture in the air around the tree.

[@dobermanownerforlife3902]

Complete opposite. Water transfers heat well. This is why it is used to cool engines. Humidity makes 90 F unbearable, compared to 90 F dry.

[@timothygage7515]

@@dobermanownerforlife3902 No, 90 degrees Fahrenheit with 100% humidity is hard to bear because one's sweat does not evaporate and thus has no cooling effect. 90 degrees Fahrenheit with 0% humidity is bearable because your sweat can indeed evaporate and thus cools you off. The ability of water to conduct heat has nothing to do with my comment. I suggest you do a Google search on the phrase "evaporative cooling" to learn more.

[@heliotsucane5317]

Thanks Neil. After the video about the space beeing ''cold'' I was confused coz I thought 'space' is closer to the sun than the ground, but from minut 11:25 to 11:46 of this video all became clear

[@cymbal_slasher2x924]

I have learned so much from this man. Thank you Neil!

[@autocontrolyexito]

Love you guys I learn a lot you with these videos

[@iammrgeekboy]

It makes sense now why tall mountains have snows on them eventhough they are closest to the sun.. I always thought about it and Dr. Neil finally answered my question! Thanks!

[@joshuastone8883]

Do one on Space weather and whether on other planets!

[@leonardkagiso6014]

My favorite science talk show of all the time 🐐 🐐 🐐

[@staiton3889]

How do we submit interesting questions for the show?

[@andrea7693]

The forest example (10:24) is not entirely correct since the percive temperature has to do also with humidity. Often in a forest due to the protection offer by the trees there’s less wind, combined with the shadow offered cause the soil to retain more water (compared to flat, sun-exposed soil) so there’s the component that Neil pointed out (shadow) but there’s more humidity and without much circulation of air with the surroundings there’s actually a delta in air temperature

[@YungJay0]

That thermosphere bit blew my mind

[@ishiharakanzo]

learning something new everyday

[@nikkibrown3282]

Hi I just recently stated listening to star talk and I have been really enjoying it. I don't mean to picky but as a weather geek this one kind of bothered me. It's not entirely accurate to say that the temperature decreases until reaching the thermosphere. There are other layers of the atmosphere. The troposphere is where we live and the temperature does decrease with height. The next layer is the stratosphere and in this layer the temperature increases with height because of the Ozone layer. The next layer is the mesosphere where temperature again decreases with height and then finally the thermosphere where yes temperature does increase with height but not do to the Ozone layer. The temperature increases with height in the thermosphere due to solar radiation. Again love listening to star talk and sorry for being picky about this.

[@jeffsequeira1989]

Hi guys, really enjoy and learn a lot from their videos, it is amazing the way u share ur knowledge... btw just today there was earthquake in Mexico weird lights in the sky were spoted... why u think this happens? Thanks u both...

[@chsmt19]

I just heard on todays Short Wave by NPR that both the host & guest agreed that water always flows downhill. I immediatelt thought of capillary action, so wanted to suggest to Neiil that that would make a cool topic for his next explainer ('splainin') episode...whaddya think?

[@davekirk100]

So are there differences in temperature readings between a mercury (silver and reflective) thermometer and one containing coloured alcohol, and a thermcouple probe

[@edwardoverbey5487]

Excellent post. Temperature explained exactly from a scientific point of view in layman's terms.

[@MikeKinney8675]

Neil & Chuck , make a great team

[@SimonJanoSessions]

Chuck!! you are the best!! :D

[@shantanubopardikar7719]

Sir, I got that everything vibrates and nothing is in a static state, but what is the energy that keeps these particles vibrating? or is the universe a perpetual machine that keeps everything vibrating.

[@joshuathomas8436]

13:13 the face I make after every startalk episode , because I learnt something new !!

[@yasintonge823]

daym tyson.. best teacher on the universe

[@ejmtv3]

Imagine making pizza on Venus. The dough already starts cooking while you're kneading it. XD

[@eecc9963]

If you like learning this your channel. Thank you for the insight.

[@reddwarf3046]

Neil is a blessing in the promotion of science 🧬

[@acethesupervillain348]

This is why I want Neil to build an Air Fryer that actually works

[@Darkmountaindweller]

I wish neil was my physic teacher back when I was in school ,I didn't like physic when I was in school.This man make physics so fun and interesting.learnt so much watching this videos.

[@MrRinre]

Damn I learned so much. Thanks Sir Tyson, and Mr Chuck.

[@eddiecampbell3514]

Wow I actually laughed hard too. Was good explainer video. Thanks for laughs

[@tristan4386]

finally, I’ve been waiting for Neil to explain this lol

[@andrewolson5471]

This video topic made me hungry. And inspired a craving for pizza.

[@angeloavanti2538]

Hello Neil. Can you go into the Lunar Standstill? I've recently become aware of it. Thanks.

[@alvinkoo2412]

Chuck made this even more entertaining

[@sebclements866]

Right this video was so smart. just.... the way Neil has built up on the idea of splitting temperature in to explaining how the sun heats the earth. mindblowing

[@steve-o6413]

All this information is electrically transmitted to our brain and tells our bodies whether to sweat or shake, thanks Neil...

[@novarwhoshere2sip865]

If pizza was made in 4 seconds it still would take a hour to get to u even if you're 20min away 😆

[@ikocheratcr]

So they will still need to give coupons for free pizza because they were late... I get it, business as usual ;)

[@HulkSmash512]

It would be highly inefficient to deliver one pizza per delivery though.

[@timbucktwo5929]

What about the pressure temperature relationship

[@yanndalad5943]

Taking notes as if I'm in class!!

[@sibusisomngadi7538]

Scientific comedy too, courtesy of Mr. Chuck Nice!

[@JoseRios-jw4ih]

Chuck literally made me laugh out loud and I got weak with his funny comment.

[@irismiranda1225]

Jose, Chuck can hang out with Puerto Rican all the seasons. He is so funny and cool 😎...

[@ravinknight7809]

I fricken love chucks ceiling fan.

[@pansexualdickhaver6878]

Thought it was just me

[@JayTemple]

I remember being taught in physics class that temperature was the average amount of molecular motion per unit time (and per unit of volume). Is your explanation actually a different one, or is it just differently worded?

[@reijnoud]

No matter the subject, it is allways interesting and a great laugh!

[@nuclearnyanboi]

it's 12 AM and I'm in bed. All this pizza talk is making me hungry. I need a snack now. Damn you Dr Tyson

[@livinginthisgalaxy7961]

What a logo behind Chuck!

[@Ahov]

These two may be the best pair