StarTalk Podcast: The Life and Death of Stars with Jackie Faherty

Are we really made of stardust? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Negin Farsad explore questions from our patrons on the life - and death - of stars with astrophysicist Jackie Faherty, PhD.
We start with questions from our patrons: how do we know how stars are born? What do we know - and don’t know - about the stars in our galaxy? Discover what happens to the planets in a solar system after a star dies. Which planets would survive in our solar system when our own sun starts its death sequence? We talk all things white dwarfs, brown dwarfs, and neutron stars. Are we really all stardust? We break down the astronomer’s periodic table and what all the elements on the periodic table really come from.
Is a star becoming a black hole just star death or really star evolution? If Jupiter is considered a failed star, are stars just failed blackholes? You’ll learn about brown dwarfs and what it takes to be categorized as a star. How many stars eventually go supernova? How long does a star’s death sequence take? Are there such things as “zombie” stars? We discuss the death of our own star, the different phases of a star’s lifetime, and a scenario where one larger star might feed off another.
You’ll also discover why previously uninhabitable planets may become inhabitable during a star’s death phase. What would happen if you could theoretically split a star in half? Or if one star hit another star? What would happen if the star nearest to our solar system went supernova? What would it look like? Are more distant stars bigger and do they have shorter lives? Plus, find out why we probably don’t want to live on a planet neighboring a supergiant star on another StarTalk Cosmic Queries!
Thanks to our Patrons The Warzone12, 1x4x9, Michael Borger, Michael Meyn, Hieu Trinh, Vegard Gjertsen, Gavin Dhillon, Xavier Sims, Ram Kumar, and Rhys Smith for supporting us this week.
About the prints that flank Neil in this video:
“Black Swan” & “White Swan” limited edition serigraph prints by Coast Salish artist Jane Kwatleematt Marston. For more information about this artist and her work, visit Inuit Gallery of Vancouver: inuit.com
Support us on Patreon: / startalkradio
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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

[@ankithshetty18]

Missed Chuck tonight. We all saw Chuck grow from asking simple comedic questions to much more intellectual ones. Way to go.

[@Robert_McGarry_Poems]

And now he doesn't have to hide that he burns trees... 🔥🌳😤🌇

[@wehttamretrac1609]

spot on right there.

[@chrisbrowning360]

Chuck is as vital to this show as Neil, imo.. And I'm starting to think he may be more well read than Neil, even..

[@jaymarcase9737]

Yeah Chuck is amazing. Not to take anything away from anyone else but he really kicks the show up a notch.

[@RandomVideoApparatus]

They chucked him to the side for this one.

[@sheiladikshit5110]

a day without chuck, is like a day without sunshine.

[@michellesavage8437]

Facts

[@PatrickRyan147]

Who's Chuck?

[@sheiladikshit5110]

@@PatrickRyan147 tied with Neil for goat.

[@PatrickRyan147]

@@sheiladikshit5110 GOAT is a bit strong.. I mean they both believe that we live in an organic big bang scenario.. Our reality is organic alright but the overall scenario is a holodeck one.. They're way behind the times.. (I suppose there's no harm in studying the scenario that our one is based on.) 🙏

[@NoahFroio]

To all the commenters; yes, it has been great watching Chuck expand his knowledge, but let's all not disrespect Negin, she is a delight. The show is about ALL audiences and guest hosts, it's the science, not the hosts who like most. Please, think about your comments before you post them. Negin is a great guest host. Respect.

[@scy1038]

No, she sucks. Took me a year to stomach listening to the last half. Hopefully Neil never invites her back. Cheers tho.

[@MrDinoboy1]

I think on Earth Day, we should celebrate Jupiter for watching our backs!

[@callumcarscadden4865]

we should just have a Jupiter day

[@findyourcreativity9062]

We should celebrate earth day everyday and dedicate just one for Jupiter

[@madeonearth6506]

Chuck are you there can you hear us buddy??? We love you chuck!

[@lextacy2008]

What about Eugene Mirman?

[@shaneebz5292]

lextacy2008 Eugene mirman was funny enough I guess. But came across as a dumb assed stoner. This is meant to be an intelligent comedy podcast you can learn from. He seemed like in real life he's as smart as gene from Bob's burgers

[@connorlappe2418]

I have now listened to almost every episode and Chuck Nice should be the sidekick and sole comedian on the show when Neil Tyson is on star talk. We need Chuck even when other comedians appear. I think that two comedians is three times better than one.

[@ahardcorejedi2968]

Could be a friend of his, whos hes trying to get some rep for . . . I do miss ol chuckster tho

[@supaapple]

He has a life outside of startalk

[@connorlappe2418]

@@supaapple i know and neil already said that star talk is not his ambition. He wants to get spaghettified by a black hole more than he wants to talk to us, we all understand this.

[@tomasgomes8793]

Oh no, two comedians is a recipe for disaster! We've already seen how that turned out here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/apLXhamfqcdneNU Seriously, just take a look at the comments, or watch it for yourself, it was quite annoying.

[@NineInchRuiner]

I think Matt Kirshen is pretty good as a co-host too (second best after Chuck)

[@ThisIsLeeBird]

Dr. Tyson, if chuck can’t make it sometime, you should just do like an interview format with a guest. You do an awesome job filling in extras to questions, or help take a fans question to the next level! I just think we could learn more with you asking the questions every now and then. (even though you know the answers to them) I love this show because I’ve learned so many nuance things rather than my typical class and exam. Love the whole crew, thanks for the show!

[@alexmiramonteiro4862]

I love this show! Where is Chuck 🤔

[@shubhangituli5934]

If chuck is unavailable, you cancel the shoot.

[@infirite72]

u put two periods

[@cryptgnosis5749]

Need them to dumb it down for you a little more? Figures.

[@iwill6002]

Startalk without Chuck is like a PB & Jelly sandwich without the PB..... or the Jelly 🥺

[@jaymarcase9737]

For real.

[@madeonearth6506]

Honestly

[@nakks4921]

I can't handle this😬 He needs to come back ASAP

[@spookyninja4098]

Hey Neil - still in denial about UFO evidence from the US military - thats not science buddy - science is exploring all the evidence.

[@reddwarf3046]

What’s worth is the annoying fake laugh of this Chuck wanna be

[@grayroger]

I miss Chuck

[@allablr5765]

That new lady comedian, how shell I put it politely, not funny at all, and seems bored with the topic. Chuck is so much better.

[@Nexus-6]

And her book - "How to make white people laugh." /cringe 😐

[@vedangsinghal4754]

@@Nexus-6 also, to many race jokes. I miss Chuck. His humor made the show fun to watch. That's not how it is rn.

[@rolando2395]

Agreed.. get rid of both her and chuck

[@I-VisiBomb-I]

no offense for the girl with the glasses, but wheres chuck? he's funnier in my opinion, and also he's very involved in the conversations usually, where as this girl inserts a joke here and there but thats just about it.

[@diegofernandez4789]

Agree

[@usern4metak3ns]

Yep... The funniest thing about that parrot is how she manages to be unfunny after recycling neil's jokes. How can you use someone's jokes and make them unfunny? Mind boggling

[@nickl2571]

Yeah, and that laugh kinda grindes the air...

[@jmanj3917]

Absolutely!

[@lextacy2008]

or Eugene Mirman, bring him back to the show!

[@Evagamii]

Big fan for years keep it up. Chuck you're getting better with names.

[@WILLALWAYSWINNING]

Capturing a majestic view of planets, ✨ and Stars!

[@ThePixelExpedition]

Fantastic episode. I live for these. ♥️😊

[@wehttamretrac1609]

I was so excited when I got the notification on this and saw it was more then 15 minutes. We love you guys and just wont more and more hahaha😁

[@Rhimeson]

Great guests, great show. Thanks !

[@jeffreyt903]

Love your show! Thanks for inspiring in me an interest in astronomy, Dr Tyson!

[@techking55]

It's 2 am in India , me and my homies listening podcast on discord lol

[@attractedtothemetallikemag9385]

Enjoy

[@jett3197]

Bro I wish my friends enjoyed cosmology

[@manasveer6047]

@@jett3197 Same

[@arpitthakur45]

homies...

[@arpitthakur45]

homies is a cool word

[@WhiteBoyBran]

Consider Chuck just as important to StarTalk as Neil is, He's just apart of this show now

[@dabr8243]

What?

[@brookekersten9372]

Love any comedian that is on even though we all love chuck, I do like that you guys mix it up. Ps. idk where I’d. be without startalk❤️

[@brilliantlyfree7103]

Thanks for the continual content

[@ejmtv3]

Hey it's the scientist from the Brown Dwarf episode back then! Love that episode!

[@marcelclover6650]

Luv the celestial compound periodic table conversation chemistry

[@AmazePaulz]

20:00 "im sorry im picking on you, but sometimes it happens." I love this! I like this scientist!

[@katarinamiric1810]

Jackie is awesome, please ask her to come to StarTalk more often

[@ScienceRecap]

Keep Looking UP! 🌎

[@firstlast9731]

ok

[@HoshikawaHikari]

I see my ceiling

[@chrisangel5020]

@@HoshikawaHikari Great 👍 I see you too through the hole 🕳

[@spookyninja4098]

Hey Neil - still in denial about UFO evidence from the US military - thats not science buddy - science is exploring all the evidence.

[@samilamby]

Wondered why the name Jackie Faherty sounded so familiar to me, and then I realized I used several of her papers in past research and once happened to be on a zoom call with her (and others) - I love actually doing research in astronomy!!

[@kenbee1957]

"If you really mean it, you should get a tattoo" NDT at Tattoo parlour: "Yeah, you heard me, a tattoo of me punching Pluto"

[@DMZGHOSTS]

First time commenting but I absolutely love everything NDT has to teach us, i have learned more through him than i ever did in any science class.... was wondering if anyone reading this can explain this to me, and if the question made it onto your show...that would be even better..... can heat shrink fabric in a similar way that it can shrink heat shrink tubes? Breaking the forced tension between the weaves in the fabric, the way it makes the tubing collapse back on itself, giving it playability to return to an atomically neutral state? This makes it an unnatural occurrence due to these items both being man made......or are there elements or molecules in nature that disobey the law that tells us that when heated/energised electrons can orbit further from their nucleus? I hope you can answer or reword and answer my question, i like when you add your own to our questions.... :) keep up the fine work fellas! 👌. Anthony wyatt Melbourne - Australia

[@mach389]

Amazing as always

[@tytan5088]

The lady in the red doesn’t seem amused with Neil or the lady with the glasses side comments lol

[@Raz.C]

Star Talk always seems to have a co-host who's a comedian. I suspect that this is because they want to keep things light and appeal to a wider audience than otherwise. Unfortunately, they can take this a little too far. Neil seems to be far too easily amused and will laugh at almost every single thing Chuck (the usual comic/ co-host) says. Not only that, but he spends so much air time laughing, that the guests often seem frustrated at their inability to convey information without being interrupted by lame jokes that aren't all that funny, but that nevertheless draw a huge belly-laugh from the host. The most frequent emotion I see displayed on the faces of the guests here on Star Talk is best translated as "I am Unimpressed!"

[@II-xw6kg]

@@Raz.C even when they get interrupted, you still get what they were trying to say. Also, these people keep returning to the show. I guess they don't mind the format. I love it.

[@usern4metak3ns]

Because comedy to females is not useful when trying to be logical. That would be crossing wires to them

[@madmellow5846]

It could also just be that and she didn't find it funny.

[@ejmtv3]

I was about to say this. This made it feel a little awkward for me to watch. Chuck was like this before but he's on Startalk long enough to adapt on the guests. lol

[@gleadr6869]

Just got tickets for my Son and I for your Denver date in October, I cannot wait, this is going to be great.

[@francisjohnson665]

Yay . Another great video. 👍👍

[@kathryntate6809]

Great show!

[@321Squint]

Love this man, not for what he says, but what he can do, with the U-N-I-N-A-VERSE.

[@calapsesathir4408]

Been waiting a while for this one, since JF's last episode on startalk

[@bdr420i]

Dr Jackie is a wizard. I love you professor

[@mehdibaghbadran3182]

It’s fantastic up there ,

[@mcotch6675]

I recently became a Earth and Space science teacher so I love and appreciate these podcasts and videos. It has opened me up to a lot of questions and my most recent question is... If the Earth is made of the same exploded star material as the sun. Why are the proportions of known elements on each completely different? Why is the Earth 60 percentage by mass oxygen and the sun being mostly hydrogen? Why is all that hydrogen in the center of our galaxy and not the heavier elements that we see on earth? That question leads me to ask do all stars start by fusing hydrogen as their fuel or are there stars out there that are mostly already composed of helium at their "birth" causing them to fuse that into Oxygen and Carbon?

[@wiredupt.v9072]

Fav channel

[@TaterFarmer]

Love this channel

[@jmanj3917]

Jackie is great, and Neil is always awesome, but I'm starting to think that Nageen is Persian for "Not Funny".

[@coryfreeman151]

Phenomenal video today.

[@karynevensen2032]

I love Neil de grass Tyson

[@jamesbullock2379]

It’s Neal De Grasse Tisun

[@adityasargar8845]

@@jamesbullock2379 you are saying it wrong too😂

[@mukulmehar9250]

you could have looked at the title for the spelling

[@jamesbullock2379]

@@adityasargar8845 I was kidding lol

[@MiRaje8086]

bring back chuck, I can't bear this

[@tradedate]

Can we just hold off on doing episodes if Chuck is not available? We're willing to wait.

[@maxwell4546]

Great humor, everyone.

[@toofastfoyo3944]

Ugh she's trying so hard to land jokes lol 😂

[@TheBothWorlds]

lEaVe heR aloNe dUde

[@infirite72]

@@TheBothWorlds SIMP?

[@khamulisimo]

@24:30: If I may be a math nerd: it is a function of mass (if I understad correctly). Is it linear? pow? other?

[@lordgains3317]

I love this man.

[@MrTassoon]

Hey what's the picture in your background?

[@jkzac]

Sir Neil if u saw the new movie Kong vs Godzilla can you explain the physics and gravity works inside hollow earth, and also how they manage to survive or breath in it

[@Klumbox]

I was on time😊😊😊

[@jairoflores85]

Ive been seen cosmos on disney plus

[@jamesbullock2379]

What

[@infirite72]

What

[@rolando2395]

Wat

[@JAIBRASKYRIM]

She has a gaming chair, awesome!

[@marianoquiroga1976]

Yaayyyy caught it 6 minutes later !!!

[@adityasargar8845]

2:00 am in India and I am watching how stars live and die. Why don't I die in bed😂

[@firstlast9731]

i just ended school in america. dang

[@adityasargar8845]

@@firstlast9731 Time zones dude!!

[@saratpradhan4921]

Same 😂

[@tahadahodwala8874]

Lol me too🤣🤣🤣

[@anilbera9499]

Hmm....

[@4suits704]

I want to know where can I see this celestial compound periodic table conversion that Jennifer Johnson made so I can figure out more of the fundamental nature of these elements found on astronomers periodic table

[@unaibqaiser9457]

It makes me sad to see Sir Neil age. We dont have your replacement Sir 🥺

[@firstlast9731]

tru dat. hes only 62 tho. not t e r r i b l y old but getting up there

[@kevinm.1565]

60 is young.

[@madeonearth6506]

@@kevinm.1565 foreal he isn’t even that old he only 60

[@samakshnamdev3723]

Same here man :(

[@usern4metak3ns]

But he's 120 in white guy years

[@sathanimations1457]

27:30 So like a 'Rumspringa' party, but for stars. SUNspringa?

[@fajevstarlin]

Please talk about water memory

[@atlasfeynman1039]

That would be an interesting one

[@s1zeuq]

Let’s goooooo

[@chuckfaulk4539]

Excellent

[@codysmith9188]

This comedian needs to find a different line of work. Where’s chuck !!!!!!!!!!

[@atlasfeynman1039]

Like... who around her told her she should laugh professionally?

[@RobbieBlue]

This was comedic gold

[@dutchdevil2]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a book about the birth, life and death of stars?

[@maartendas1358]

So, we’re stardust and we need eachother to come back to life and shine!

[@fikretyet]

According to the description, a neutron star with a companion seems much more like a vampire star than a zombie star.

[@lightningcoreeygja9678]

Negin is one of my favorites

[@Atmanyatri]

We understand how gravity work but we need to know what it is . Or a deeper understanding of gravity

[@scottallencarr]

Can I mention how much I love looking at this team without getting cance

[@Vandyt842]

I must say chuck your better place as yourself!!

[@vossti]

2 minutes in ,.im like Ok... where's chuck?

[@CaliforniaBushman]

Since we know some Stars are buried under the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where are Stars of the Astronomical persuasion buried?

[@XxTheAwokenOnexX]

By the time the andromeda, and milky way galaxy collide, and form a super galaxy, humans better have figured out how to have travelled as far away from the milky way before that event happens. Happy Easter Star Talk

[@butterbean9354]

We’ll probably be fine sticking around when that happens. There is so much “empty” space between stars that a collision on a galactic scale probably won’t bring anything *too* close to our own star. It may not even be noticeable for us aside from changing up the night sky a bit.

[@Raz.C]

We still need to learn how to effectively travel between stars first, THEN we can start contemplating the seemingly impossible task of travelling between galaxies. It's been ~ 10,000 years since we first started farming, domesticating cattle and building large cities. It's been ~ 5,200 years since we first started writing. It's been ~ 300 years since the birth of modern science. It's been ~ 120 years since we first started flying. It's been ~ 50 years since we first visited the moon. Honestly, it's anyone's guess how long it will be- if ever- before we learn how to feasibly travel between stars (ie: within a single human lifetime). It's completely beyond our current capabilities. However, our capabilities are growing exponentially, so it's reasonable to think that we will one day be able to travel between stars. It's worth remembering, though, that travelling between stars is child's play, compared to travelling between galaxies.

[@robcarson2728]

I know you basically need to be on Patreon to get your questions answered these days, but this question is probably too big not to be it's own episode... So here goes: Can you, in excruciating detail, explain Neil's hate-on for Pluto?

[@chromabotia]

What about Sirius, large enough mass to go supernova? 10 ly away, not that far. But will proper motion move Sirius far enough away in time? Hey it just dawned on me that not being a patreon means I will never know the answer.

[@SciFyerGaming]

*Alpha Centauri:* [explodes] *People on Earth:* Oh no, the economy!

[@CharAznableLoNZ]

Holy cow, Chuck is not only more insightful with his questions but also funnier. This other "comic" just inserts random references, no humor.

[@lexithepinkwitch9330]

we all miss chuck but let’s not criticize this woman for doing her best version of what chuck does so beautifully😭😭💜

[@atlasfeynman1039]

@@lexithepinkwitch9330 Clearly she is above any criticism; how she managed to think she could have a career in comedy and laughing for a profession, shows nobody has ever criticized her before.

[@lexithepinkwitch9330]

@@atlasfeynman1039 you sound like a very empathetic person! have a great night!

[@CharAznableLoNZ]

@@lexithepinkwitch9330 This other comic is not only unfunny, they are often making jokes that are offensive to the expert which can be clearly seen on the experts face. Chuck manages to make jokes that everyone can be part of and enjoy while still being crazy insightful at the same time. I'd rather not have any comic then be annoyed by one who keeps interrupting with some dumb reference.

[@lexithepinkwitch9330]

@@CharAznableLoNZ i think the whole point of my comment was missed but i totally agree!!💜✨🙏

[@MikeKayK]

It's impossible to "swiftly" cut the Sun in half. Even if the giant knife blade is being swung at the speed light, it would still take almost 5 seconds to slice through the Sun, as its diameter is 865,370 miles. More than enough time for all sorts of mayhem to occur and prevent you from getting a clean cut in two.

[@connorlappe2418]

If the blade is moving at the speed of light, i think we are in uncharted territory. Anything could happen unless someone can think of a small scale example? The photons could be accelerated beyond the speed of light by the chemical reactions and each photon could split to reveal new properties of physics. the truth is we have no idea. We can’t observe things moving faster than light. If something that is not light moves faster than light, we do not know what happens. This is especially true if we are cutting light and all the elements contained within the sun, including the gases.

[@MikeKayK]

@@connorlappe2418 Indeed. Though this hypothetical fictional blade will likely be moving much, much slower than the speed of light anyway, and take much, much longer to get through the Sun. Regardless what happens at the "moment of impact" I think it's safe to say there's not going to be a clean cut as this blade slowly makes its way through.

[@josephconley3315]

Sorry that I'm picking on you but it happens sometimes best life quote EVER!!!!!!!!!!!

[@ajmalmaad4497]

I have a question from Tyson. When a usual white paper is wetted with cooking oil the paper becomes partly transparent. Why?

[@mikedesposito1981]

I'd like to find out some info we don't know about stars. I mean maybe something that will get us to the next level not the same stuff. It's been the same Exact Information since I've been a kid.

[@josephdonais4778]

"failed" implies intent. Whatever a thing is, it is. A noun and adjective is simply between our ears and absolutely nowhere else

[@mehdibaghbadran3182]

Any pieces coming from huge explosions, bring parts of the cause of material with them

[@kaalen24]

Love and miss Chuck!!!!

[@CosmicDesignz]

This was hard to listen to due to the immature jokes of the girl with red glasses. I love the concept of comedy while learning but her jokes are more cringe than funny Imo. Edit - I feel bad making a negative comment. It's probably just me but when I come to learn about science , I don't really want to hear jokes that have 0 to do with science. That's why Chuck shines. He's talented enough to make jokes related to science not just jokes that shock you and your reaction is to laugh. Chuck loves to learn like I feel most of us do. She just makes weird high school jokes. Chuck makes PhD level jokes.

[@vedangsinghal4754]

She made a pp joke. The immaturity is insane. Why is she allowed in Startalk.

[@brianback3997]

Chuck is missed - as usual when this happens..... :(

[@Pragma020]

Honestly, cant help but click on your videos.

[@kevinm.1565]

Where? The f#@k, Is Mr. Chuck!?

[@mehdibaghbadran3182]

Thanks

[@kimkardashianun68]

Why the speed of light is limited at c?

[@zerglilngvet5428]

Hi I have a question :) The universe is expanding according to what scientists say ... But they also say that the Milky Way galaxy and the Enromeda galaxy should collide in the distant future ... There is a contradiction between these two theories no? thanks:)

[@willderousse]

Milky way and Andromeda are gravitationally bound. Everything else too far away.

[@atlasfeynman1039]

You mean like... if the Big Bang is in the center and all galaxies are being pushed away from the center into an expanding universe, then the distance between galaxies should be increasing, making collision a contradiction? I think I see your point, but perhaps there is a cyclical and spiraling nature to the universe, just as there is with the stars within galaxies that spin and planets that orbit, this going around and round phenomenon is likely why galaxies are thought to collide.

[@willderousse]

@@atlasfeynman1039 Well I don't think the question of the ultimate fate of the universe is settled, but our understanding of milky way and Andromeda is straight forward. They are caught in each others gravity much like the earth around the sun. Other galaxies are very very far away so the effect of their gravity on the milky way is too weak. Ie their acceleration away from us is stronger than the gravitational pull, but it's the opposite for Andromeda.

[@nakks4921]

I can't handle this, where is Chuck?!

[@thatwastheory3744]

Failure-19 sounds pretty nice though.

[@FRENETIC11]

Episode without Chuck? Not so Nice (see what i did there) :D

[@conradcolon1215]

Here's a cosmic query for you, do we even want to make contact with advanced aliens? To specify, do you think the fallout from several major world religions being proved categorically wrong be worth any potential developments in physics, math, bragging rights, science, extraplanetary commerce, etc.?

[@shraddhavishwakarma4729]

Life and death of stars are really a journey maybe same goes for us transforming from 1to other