Things You Thought You Knew - Metric system, acceleration, and heat shields with Neil deGrasse Tyson

Metric system, acceleration, and heat shields, Oh my! On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice run us through some things you thought you knew: the metric system in the U.S., speed versus acceleration, and heat shields.
Why isn’t the U.S. on the metric system? Are there any problems that arise, since we’re not? What even is a meter? Discover the history behind the meter. Are we already inching toward the metric system? We break down why we may be using the metric system more in our daily lives than we originally thought.
Do you feel the need… the need for speed?! We break down why this might actually be a need for acceleration. Find out about vectors, velocity, and the motion of the earth. Have you ever timed how long it takes for a car to go from zero to 60? You’ll learn about “jerk” as a change of acceleration and what it does to the human body. What does it mean to “feel” speed and the road? We talk cars, planes, and why you can drink a glass of water in a turning airplane without spilling.
Do heat shields actually shield you from heat? What are heat shields really for? We explore objects entering Earth’s orbit. Do these objects always heat up when they enter our atmosphere? We talk about retrorockets versus aerobraking and how they are both used to land spacecraft in different places. How does landing on Mars differ from landing on Earth or the Moon? Discover our world in another episode of Things You Thought You Knew!
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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!
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[@daskraut]

"speed has never killed anyone. suddenly becoming stationary, that's what gets you." ― Jeremy Clarkson

[@hareecionelson5875]

Or the reverse: going from 0g to sustained acceleration. Yay for hypoxia

[@jasonknight1085]

Somehow I'd more expect that quote to be from Hamster... you know, personal experience.

[@MrReallogs]

i believe that's from a line in a movie called running on empty that he is using, though the line is something along the lines of "its no the speed that kills you boy, its the sudden stop at the end" or soemthing

[@christopherlaryck3333]

"It's not the fall that kills you; it's the sudden stop at the bottom." No idea who said it first, but I have been hearing and using the line since the '60's.

[@Whaliam]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eojFfqxof5d8etU

[@Johnb1723]

This podcast is amazing. I’m a lifelong learner and Neil is a great teacher. I’m also a comedy fan so the combo of Chuck and Neil is a legendary combination! I hope they continue this podcast for many years to come.

[@davemclellan4019]

I too am a lifelong learner and I indeed also adore Neil deGrasse Tyson. However I don't like this podcast from the point of view of the level of interruption between the two, and the somewhat self-appreciative nature of the jokes. I actually think Chuck is funny and wish the two of them could be more organized in the presentation of this valuable information. I'll still keep Watching and learning, but I wish it was less about laughing at jokes and more about the depth of the topics presented.

[@PD3666]

@@davemclellan4019 I think then you will like this series Cosmos: A SpaceTime Odyssey.

[@kyroshotz]

​@@davemclellan4019 I 5666766767777577666666556777666666666666666676666767777776677677777776777777777777777677777757777776777777777776777777777777676677777777667656665565666656656566665666566666555556566666666777777777777777777777777777677776767576757677667777577777767755555777757777567556776576677777777777777777776675677777777767766566777766777775776676777756776767777567667767767777767766676677677676777766767766777666666676677767766676767776767767767577777677777677767777676777777677777777777777777666777677767767677677777677777776766776766777777777777y How do I know000

[@jerelull9629]

Ahhh... It's the Neil and Chuck show! Entertaining, but if you aren't careful, you might learn some STEM skills.

[@FutureMan420Blazer]

Word!

[@pemocity1450]

Chuck's commentary is on-point but Neal's laughter is on a diff lvl! His laughter is sooo damn genuine and innocent that it makes me want to see more of it, lmao 🥰🤣

[@artellis2330]

Neil, I remember my 5th grade teacher teaching us about the metric system. She told us that the USA was converting to the metric system and we would be using it in 10 years. That was 1959. It was also the year Alaska and Hawaii became states. Also, most of the tools in my toolbox are metric because I need them to work on my car.

[@racheldinan]

love how Neil cracks up at everything Chuck says. they have the best chemistry

[@ejmtv3]

@@burgzaza for you maybe. every joke is not meant for everyone.

[@lemongavine]

Chuck is pretty funny though

[@sellison899]

Right! They're so enjoyable together

[@lesleydalrympleoneil6471]

@@ejmtv3 Chuck is a very smart man-very quick! Not just funny.

[@michaelbristow7494]

@EJ yeah one or two jokes is cool, but when he acts like a french man and says 8 lines, he drags it on a little long. i notice he tends to do this a lot in videos

[@rajinwonderland]

Chuck's comedic timing was 🔥🔥 today

[@meridien52681]

Neil lobbed that "inching toward metric" line a few times and Chuck didn't hit it back.

[@davidevans3227]

lol.. round about three minutes thirty Chuck makes a "french" comment and it's his straight face, he manages to keep is just brilliant.. never heard of him here in uk till i started watching these videos..

[@mauluconi2113]

@@meridien52681😮mxtt

[@Freefire-ee4cb]

Stop this guy talking silly things and let Neil explain the whole thing by himself!

[@henrik3995]

Too... much... intellect

[@martymart1048]

I got to keep watching these videos. Just because it cracks me up seeing two people make each other laugh. That's gold to me. That's what life should be about but it's not. And then the facts don't hurt either. I'm in shocked on some of the information

[@uschi414]

In reference to the first part where you're talking about the metric system, you mentioned engine displacement as being metric but you didn't mention the whole tire mess where metric and imperial units are both used - e.g. a 245/40 18 tire which is 245 mm across from sidewall to sidewall, 40% of the width from sidewall to sidewall for the height of the sidewall, and, of course, 18" wheel diameter. 😃

[@KennyMackPt2]

Very true!

[@atzuras]

and the tire pressure that is usually given in Psi/Bar to accommodate both systems.

[@Milesco]

​​@@atzuras I think it's more commonly kPa, actually, but either way, that's a reasonable thing to do -- to give tire pressures in both units in order to accommodate users of both systems. (In other words, it's not crazy, like using two different measurement systems just to specify a single object's dimensions!)

[@Darkflowerchyld718]

Chuck's face when Neil tells him about the Mars metric/imperial mess up... Priceless. I think We all make the same face when we hear that story for the first time.

[@MIGBMWLOVER]

it is free real estate for metric

[@Remnants100]

N. A. S. A. kept a very tight lid on divulging the reason for overshooting planet Mars.

[@ynr_spazzz7645]

💀💀💀💀💀💀💀I promise without him it would still be interesting but the fact he know about the stuff to a center point, his comedy back funny

[@promcheg]

“It's not the fall that kills you; it's the sudden stop at the end.” - Douglas Adams

[@clarkthomson5685]

Scientifically it's called a snapp 😊

[@milenkozivanovic1489]

It is an absolute pleasure and entertainment to watch you, guys, talking about science. On the other hand, it's very much educational which helps us learn important things in life we don't really think about in everyday life.👍

[@JinxMarie1985]

Ahhh classic Chuck. Always hilarious. But I love his love for knowledge. This was an interesting one! Thanks NDT

[@mollybell5779]

Neil is *so* easily amused. I do love to hear him laugh, though. It's quite charming. 🥰😄

[@LukeSumIpsePatremTe]

He does talk about encouraging child-like wonder.

[@theTrevorbeast]

Lol low key calling out chuck

[@FVanth]

I do like his laugh in fact that first one sounded French.

[@mollybell5779]

@@theTrevorbeast lol I like Chuck a lot, but Neil over-the-top loses it about every time Chuck opens his mouth. 😂

[@AsobiMedio]

He did say that his childhood nickname was Chuck/chuckles for how much he laughed.

[@JediLoreen]

When I was in 8th grade in 1972, they made us study the metric system so that we'd be ready for when we were to "switch over to the metric system in a few years". I'm still mad that we haven't switched over yet. At least I got to use the metric system when I took chemistry and physics in college.

[@russellszabadosaka5-pindin849]

@JediLoreen my 3rd grade teacher was British, and he taught us the metric system in the 1975-76 school year. I don’t know if that was required at the time - I was only 8 - but I believe we were all better for it. We also played a lot of soccer (football) and he taught us to play cricket. He was the best teacher I had through the 12 years of grade school!

[@thebotformalityknownasdale2564]

I was in grade 3 when Canada switched to the metric system and even today I find is still in my head mostly when judging how much a gal. Of gas cost in the US and here we use liters and that is much less than a gal. But even the American gal. Is smaller than the imperial gal. Example a 45gal. Drum in Canada is the same size a 55gal. Drum in the US so if you have to understand the cost of gal. Of gas in the US is close to the same as 4 liters so if you go to a gas station and it says 1.39 per liter is X 4 = to a US gal. And all this in mind the exchange rate is like 1.24= to 1$ us

[@russellszabadosaka5-pindin849]

@@thebotformalityknownasdale2564 that’s interesting. I’ve never been to Canada but might visit Toronto on business later this year. I grew up in NY State so I wasn’t that far from Ontario, but just never had a reason to cross the border. Thank you for explaining those measurement differences.

[@Romamb]

Don't be mad. The UK, where I live, have a blend of imperial and metric. Imperial is more interesting and useful and metric while also useful is rather boring and most people here dont bother with it. We buy pints, measure speed in MPH, we weigh ourselves in stones and lbs. So tbh, you aren't missing anything over there. Stick with imperial...it's better!

[@siddharthbarua8951]

@@Romamb its not useful,though. Only interesting

[@jeannieortiz3604]

I love, love, love the humor in every one of these episodes and thrilled at the science discussed and always learning!!! Love Star Talk, and Neil, Chuck and the amazing guests you have on. Thank you for this.

[@arielcabalin2746]

Great video, as always learning something and laughing with your comments ! Thank you !

[@G_Bastard]

Speed hasnt killed anybody, suddenly becoming stationary is what gets u, the wise words of jeremy clarkson

[@jcamvs2537]

He's amazing.

[@rodneyallen5003]

Captain Slow doesn’t need to be worried about the proverbial sudden stop…hahaha And to quote Jeremy Clarkson, “ More Power ! “

[@chickennuggetscoon6900]

There are implications for that quote that go beyond physicality

[@AggroPhene]

boy, that sure sums up the societies faceplants at this point.

[@davidt3956]

It's not the fall that gets you, it's the sudden stop at the bottom.. Jeremy isn't the first to mention it. :)

[@williamb9422]

Neil's definition of astronauts. "A living fleshy thing inside a capsule." This is gold.

[@silvercloud1641]

I just want to go a million miles an hour. In space. Without hitting anything.

[@ItIsYouAreNotYour]

Things you thought Neil knew but doesn't: 1st grade Biology.

[@AaronTremblay]

The part about not burning up simply from entering an atmosphere, but rather burning up because of the speed you’re losing blew my mind. I had assumed entering an atmosphere period generated the heat, I never had it explained this way!

[@sanchellewellyn3478]

Although, meteors . . . well, I guess they are auto-airbraking.

[@drumstickerphil]

These videos are just so awesome, and you guys bounce the topic around in such a entertaining way I love it!

[@matkobednjanec3478]

Chuck: "...milliliters of sugar..." my brain: error 404

[@stylis666]

Don't worry about it. Here in the EU we simply buy sugar by the kilo, just like any other drug :p

[@H3LLS4NG3L]

lol because we talk about cups of sugar. Its weird to refer to solid objects in volume as opposed to weight lol

[@straight-outta-jutta]

@@H3LLS4NG3L but cups is a measurement of volume...?

[@H3LLS4NG3L]

@@straight-outta-jutta yup. Re-read my comment.

[@ZlothSins]

@@H3LLS4NG3L we refer to weight to, He should have said miligrams of sugar

[@anubis63000jd]

I have moments where I'm impressed at Neil's depthy understanding of various topics. Then, I realize that Chuck is probably smarter than me too. He knows his stuff.

[@russellszabadosaka5-pindin849]

Yes, Chuck is an intelligent man. I get the impression he’s a lot more well read than he lets on.

[@vicentefernandez9084]

Chuck pushes the "comedian" side forward when he does these with Neil basically out of necesity; Neil's a pool of knowledge and two people discussing science from the same perspective would be less dynamic and slower (not at all less interesting, though). But yeah, you don't carry a podcast with one of the brightest dudes out there without the ability to keep up :p

[@russellszabadosaka5-pindin849]

@Vicente Fernández very well said. He’s obviously there for comic relief, but he’s also quick to latch on to many of the more abstract concepts Neil puts forward. Chuck is exactly the kind of guy I enjoy hanging out with. Willing & able to talk about intellectual concepts and humble enough to change course and probe further if he misses the mark. The type of friendship where everyone wins.

[@vicentefernandez9084]

@@russellszabadosaka5-pindin849 Never has there been a more fitting example of a Wingman, lol

[@russellszabadosaka5-pindin849]

Vicente Fernández ha ha, yes.

[@ginamcdonald7854]

Great episode! Learn something new every time I watch! Love listening to Neil and Chuck ❤️

[@sonishankar6008]

This is from LEXUS..... Thank you.....Metric system prevails....we love you, specially Chuck

[@MrJaymzhet]

Why do i have a feeling that i've already seen this episode?

[@Merlinmast]

You are not crazy. I'm surprised no one else here has picked up on it. "Great job staying busy guys!". On a repost... Lol. I'm more annoyed that the video doesn't explicitly say.

[@MrJaymzhet]

@@Merlinmast Yeah, i suppose not many people have seen as many episodes as some of us did but i clearly remember them talking on this topic and Chuck imitating french, talking about rolling heads, etc. Love them both but whoever runs the channel is getting my down vote.

[@Merlinmast]

Yea they often repeat facts but when chuck makes the exactly same jokes, that's when I realize (not that they aren't funny the second time)

[@stephanienirenberg7426]

I love you guys. a new episode makes my day.

[@luboinchina3013]

Actually, it is a recycled episode, I saw it before.

[@smokenstein]

@@luboinchina3013 Don't say that. You are ruining my day!

[@stephanienirenberg7426]

Neil and Chuck got your day. Reruns or not They make my day everytime.

[@20Nazar20]

Don't forget, Neil, that every household in the United States pays their electric bill for the amount of kilowatt-hours or megawatt-hours used.

[@linkthehero8431]

At least nobody has had to pay for 1.21 gigawatts in an hour 😉

[@stephencollins7334]

Thanks to both of you for bringing these pertinent, interesting topics that are compelling in the best way!

[@Tom-dt4ic]

Chuck's on a roll here!

[@dayceem]

Speaking as a Canadian, even if the U.S. goes metric, imperial measurements will stick around for some things. Degrees Celsius for outdoors and kilometers are in widespread use here, but many people still use Fahrenheit degrees for baking, pounds for meat products, feet and inches for body height and in construction. It's what you're used to and what works best for the job.

[@brownstonecustomcabinetry5309]

Dude you are absolutely right. I have worked with Craftsmen from all over the world and an interesting thing is how many of them use inches in construction, even on European cabinets.

[@Crash8668]

England still uses Miles per hour for speed limits on Motorways. Liters for fuel but miles per gallon for fuel economy. Also if money is metric how do you explain a quarter 25¢?

[@hypsyzygy506]

25 cents, $0.25

[@Crash8668]

@@hypsyzygy506 Most of the rest of the world has a 20 coin. Us and Canada has a 25 coin buy a $20 bill not a $25 bill.

[@pianosimply4862]

Neil and Chuck - the perfect combination of "down-to-earthness" and highly technical data. There are many great scientists, physicists, mathematicians, etc. BUT the "average person," who, while possibly being highly educated and knowledgeable in other arenas, may not be fluent in science "jargon." These broadcasts, which are injected with humor and common analogies, bring the superbly and scientifically detailed aspects of our universe within reach of those of us whose expertise lies in other areas. I'm so grateful for this "parable-presented" method of science and astronomical education.

[@MaryAnnNytowl]

Thanks for this, guys - this has been really fun to watch, as well as educational!

[@asafoster7954]

I think Neil is probably the reason I love science, I remember him from PBS when I was young

[@natureboy1961]

its the same with me

[@pr6189]

Wow that earth atmosphere entry info was so enlightening. I wish more teachers inspired like Neil. I also thought that just simple entry burns stuff up. Makes sense that it’s because of the tremendous energy behind the speed of re-entry

[@Bradley_UA]

Lol, how did you think it works? In what sense entry burns stuff? I'm asking because I can't wrap my head around how can one possibly misunderstand it.

[@kirisweeks8673]

God I just love these !!! They honestly keep me going on my long work days! 💓

[@lizhussle4957]

I just love this man. Funny thing is I grew up in Brooklyn, by and I always said the teaching lessons in my school wasn't interested enough. This man need to be a teacher for younger kids grades 5th -til. I believe his style of teaching would make children more interesting in science to want to get into this field. Because the teachers are very interested in most lessons they teach themselves, sounds and be very boring. But Neil Tyson provides that excitement, and people can see the love that he has for science and just teaching it. I believe that love would spark more kids. Please make a few kid friendly videos explain alot of these things. Thank you for Star talk

[@thecapacitor1395]

34:46 35:14 Was kinda disappointed about the heatshield part, it would've been a perfect opportunity to discuss the common misconception that friction causes the heat on re-entry, however Neil seemed to fall into the same misconception as everyone else. When it comes to heat on re-entry, it's not friction that causes it, it's mainly due to the gas in front of the heatshield being compressed so much that the temperature of the gas rises and turns into hot plasma. Basically all the air in front of the craft doesn't have enough time to move out of the way, so it's like compressing several cubic meters worth of air into a smaller volume right up against the heatshield's surface. Just like in the gas laws, when you decrease the volume of a gas, the pressure and temperature increases. Now technically it's not exactly the same because the gas isn't really trapped within a volume, it eventually does escape out of the way... just not before it heats up.

[@MrRinre]

Nice. I didnt know that

Sounds just like when going supersonic, only on a larger scale. Although... Isn't that friction? Pretty much rubbing against the stuff that doesn't have time to move out of the way?

[@akashicvizion]

'Compression' **is** 'friction'... when molecules are forced into smaller and smaller spaces, the compression **causes** the 'friction' (amongst the compressed molecules), and therefore the **heat**... if there were no path of escape, the contained, compressed gasses would reach flash point and detonate... but the curvature of the surfaces creating the 'shield' allow for both the necessary compression of atmosphere to facilitate deceleration **and** provide a path for the compressed atmospheric gasses to evacuate **before** detonation....

[@jacekkono5484]

That’s really cool!!! Thank you for sharing!!!!

@@akashicvizion Well, I've learned something, it just became a good day. Thanks for sharing ;]

[@raycaballero6386]

Chuck and Neil are great, I love the balance of comedy and learning these guys rock

[@there_can_only_be_one__unicorn]

Thank you for your time and effort you invest in your productions they are very much appreciated

[@aishashaw5885]

I love learning things here because those guys are lighthearted. The science is cool 😎 too.

[@KillerCows456]

Chucks face at 13:12 in response to the Mars mission is priceless.

[@webbtrekker534]

I'm 76 years old. My bottles of Pepsi were 16 ounces or 1 Quarts when I was a kid.

[@bkemp9245]

61 me too

[@tomboyd7109]

Yep

[@MaryAnnNytowl]

I'm not quite as old, but I remember it, too!

[@paulpipitone8357]

Agree

[@mikejettusa]

And you can still get 12 ounce or 20 ounce sizes

[@re_xngxpta7535]

Super! Super stuff. Loved and most importantly, learnt from every moment of it.

[@tracysmith1871]

So awesome as always. Never fail to learn something.

[@hondo190]

I am confused. Didn't we have the heat shield topic a few videos before? Is this a rerun?

[@vladmirrazkolov92]

It was a while ago, yeah. I think this is just a collection of some of those topics being covered again. Maybe somethings were left out before?

[@theduder2617]

Yes. This is a complete and total rehash of previously aired episodes and explainers. They should have been honest with the title, or at least honest in the description.

[@jeffgantz4385]

Mercury, Gemini and Apollo used “Finerglass Ablative Heat Shields” of 1” thick. Due to the differences in weight & speed, they burnt away a 1/4”, 1/2” and 3/4’s of an inch respectively. As the fiberglass went from a solid to a gas, it acted as an insulator for the capsule. The Space Shuttle was too a large and too massive for an ablative shield, hence the insulating tiles were created

[@edwinalfaro6610]

In the sport of U.S. Track & Field, it's a metric and imperial measurement hybrid. the race distances are in meters: the 1500m is called the metric mile, BUT most of the field event measurements still are in feet and inches or are still provided in that format, since previous records are in that format.

[@iamchriswick]

1 mile is 1 609.344 meters, so the US even ducked that up 😂

[@skychief80]

This is the best format. The stuff we thought we knew.

[@cristianbranea5034]

I work with US architects and I go crazy when I see measurements like 5', 12", 10/16". It's so ridiculous to see precision architecture and engineering not using metric system. :))

[@el0zilcho]

As a civil engineer we go with feet and tenths of feet to keep things decimal and make calcs easier. But sometimes we're supposed to use inches, and it's not clear when you switch... Pretty frustrating at times.

[@rnklv8281]

While sorting my Dad's wrenches (in ascending order ) it seemed the Imperial set had these crazy fractions , not like the metric set that had numbers (in millimeters) like 10mm, 11mm ,12mm....... which could be easily placed in order. It took me awhile to realize that you always reduce your fractions to the lowest common denominator. So while the Imperial wrenches would increase by 1/16 of an inch , you wouldn't find a wrench marked 2/16, but 1/8 because the fraction 2/16 can be reduced to 1/8. The next size would be marked 3/16 because it (fraction) cannot be reduced any further and so on 1/4..................5/8, 11/16, 3/4, 13/16, 7/8, 15/16, 1 inch (16/16=1).

[@richardweighill8556]

The example I was taught for acceleration used hanging. It’s the sudden stop after a short drop that gets you.

[@thomasmleahy6218]

It's what snaps the spinal cord, spinal column.

[@mdk42o74]

i love you guys you make learning fun i wish schools would bring on teachers like you

[@Pappers799]

Amazingly entertaining learning.

[@rodneyallen5003]

Growing up in Canada and also living in Arizona for 15 years, I still use both systems in how I look at seasonal temperatures. In the winter I think in Celsius but in the summer I think in terms of Fahrenheit. Seems sensible as when it’s -15C … it’s cold ! In the summer it sounds nicer saying it’s 85F than whatever it is in Celsius that’s probably around 23C or something. I’ve also built custom houses in both countries and we still use feet and inches for measurements. No walls are described as 200cm tall. It’s identified as 9 foot, 10 foot etc. Building materials are also measured in the imperial system. Interesting that we still use a measurement system that seems to fit the need even though Canada has officially been metric since the late 70’s , early 80’s.

[@danlotroth9231]

I thinking it's more the tools that you use I guess, from the measure tapes to the drill n taps.

[@JJs_playground]

Rodney, ya, Canada is a hybrid of metric and imperial. And the way it was described to me: anything that's personal is imperial (height in ft, weight in lbs) and anything else is mostly metric (speed km/h, distance, temperature in Celsius, etc... )

[@Goreuncle]

More like 30ºC.

[@djt2012]

3:31 and Neil with the French laugh! 😂

[@scubastevedab]

Ok so the beginning of this talk when you were describing how we derived the meter, it made me think, what makes a second a second, how did we arrive at this unit of measure? Forgive me if it was covered on a different talk. Love your content!!

[@RiseOfTheNew]

Love you guys and love the show it's so educational and funny AF.

[@uobilo]

these episodes are the best man they make you laught and they make you learn things !

[@thatcarguy1UZ]

“Jerk” is actually a tunable parameter on the LRVs (Light Rail Vehicles, AKA “Trolleys” in Philadelphia) that I work on. Too little and the car’s reaction to acceleration or deceleration demands is unacceptable, too much and the car is too rough and could potentially harm passengers (especially during rush hour when it is standing room only).

[@andrewpickering5180]

16 ounce glass, Chuck, love what you do Thanks 😊

[@scotthoughton7245]

Dude is funny knowledgeable and a perfect match with the master. You guys are exploding my brain's capability. Thank you. Much respect..

[@thenotsurechannel7630]

12:12 Neil, I am surprised you didn't correct Chuck about his choice of measurement for sugar. Sugar should have been referred to in grams (by weight) and not by milliliters (liquid) lol!

[@ZlothSins]

That. He kinda look away for a second, but I expected some comment too

[@GH-oi2jf]

He was making a joke. Doesn’t anybody get it? It wasn’t that obscure.

[@kirksteinam8985]

Substituting milliliters for a cup of sugar makes the joke work, right?

[@dansmith3vdhrj]

Except with speed alone you do get that amazing sense of Danger simply seeing the ground below you blur by.. It may just be the death-defying thing that drives some to perceived high relative velocitys.

[@ScoobyYTP]

Chuck don’t need no science qualification, he is a comedian. That’s all you need.

[@orishaeshu1084]

Anyone is capable of learning

[@murasaki848]

26:25 While computers are usually more precise, aircraft were always banked. It's the first thing you learn how to do, called a "coordinated turn" because to keep the feel of gravity "down" as Dr. Tyson was talking about required a simultaneous and smooth combination of rudder, elevator, and ailerons. If the aircraft doesn't bank, it tends to "slip" in the same direction it was going for a while, like when you lose traction taking a turn in a car. Essentially, when the aircraft is banked, the wings are in part "pulling" the aircraft into the new direction, and the rudder+elevators are swinging the tail around simultaneously so the nose is facing the new direction.

[@stamis22]

My thoughts exactly.

[@ILLEAGLE_34]

Thank you! That part drove me crazy.

[@chrisseal1467]

Exactly, the lift vector is at 90° to the wings so its kinda automatic when banking along with the secondary inputs you mentioned. It’s not as complex an engineering achievement as he made out. On jets there is the yaw damper system which is indeed computerised to make minor adjustments for comfort, I think it’s active even under manual flight. Perhaps airbus is doing more of the work for the pilots but even so it’s nothing a human can’t do. Obviously autopilot is going to be the smoothest because it can make 1000s of calculations per second which is one reason it’s used in the cruise phase. Not an expert or pilot just sharing my thoughts.

[@nominalnostalgia1347]

Neil- "...the french came up with the metric system" Chuck- "no wonder we dont use it" Neil {*laughs with french accent*} Edit: Neil is basically one of my heros and every one of the 14 likes I have so far makes me feel just a little closer to getting his attention... even for a moment so thanks for laughing with me guys.

[@ACKitsBilltheCAT]

The construction industry in the United States is a major holdout against the metric system, largely because of tradition and matching existing modular materials. Not an absolute, because we do get some materials from international suppliers, but it’s an uphill battle and probably will be for a long time.

[@alexisgs8800]

@@ACKitsBilltheCATTrue! The graphic design world also uses the imperial system to measure (along with points, picas, and cm/mm lol) because of multiple standards and paper formats that are given in inches, like 8.5" x 11" (among others). In Canada, we learn the metric system in school but everyone switches to imperial after, for most situations, because it's easier to visualize. When we want to know how big is a foot, most people will look at a standard 12x12" tile on their floor lol We regularly use things like these to estimate a person's height, for example, because a meter is too big; you have to divide it in a way that's too complicated to quickly tell how tall someone is. So we (Canadians) give heights in feet/inches, short distances in feet, but long distances in kilometers (they're also used on car meters), weight in pounds AND kilograms (but more people use pounds (lb)), liquid volumes in liters/milliliters (but ounces for coffee cup sizes because of American companies who use it, even though all recipes measure liquids in cups, milliliters, teaspoons and tablespoons), and we use Celsius for outside temperature, Fahrenheit for oven temperature, and both for body temperature (but more people use Celsius to measure fever)... 😂 in other words we're all mixed up loll

[@Gladwebs]

4:20 I swear Neil was about to die of laughter right here 😂🤣😂🤣

[@Vant1ca]

There are not many people on the planet that i would listen in the first.....but Neil is one of the few to which i could listen all day long :)

[@pabobfin]

I love your show. I have been a private Pilot for over 50 years and we learned very early how to keep the passenger feeling upright even in a steep turns. Look up the video of Bob Hoover doing a roll while pouring lemonade.

[@fuckshitstackable]

The construction field is another holdout to the metric system. As an ironworker who erects the steel skeletal frame of buildings, our blueprints are imperial along with my tape measure.

[@451Ron]

Canada's construction field is also imperial because the US is. You have to pay attention when buying a tap measure.

[@cecilbrisley5185]

As a person born into imperial then educated in metric and experiencing the change over I can appreciate both. It is incredibly easy to change units and switch between volume and weights. Being based on units of ten makes figuring out percentages easy. Try quickly calculating 84.5 percent of 13 feet seven and three eighths inches! What I will say is that the actual physical divisions are not good in metric. They go from being too small and numerous to too big and too few...in my opinion of course. Measuring a cabinet in centimetres gives you a huge number and metres a very small number. Measuring anything less than a cm now causes me to get reading glasses - an eighth is a nice size for sure. Same in cooking measurements. Using both, I prefer imperial. When you get to larger amounts of wieght, distance or volume I then prefer metric. It comes down to understanding. Only used imperial? Then you will be more likely to say metric sucks and vice versa. Ultimately metric wins.

[@MaryAnnNytowl]

@@cecilbrisley5185 isn't there a decimeter? Why isn't that used? 10 centimeters is a decimeter. 10 decimeters is a meter. I live in an Imperial measurement world, here, yet I know that.

[@poketoscoparentesesloparen7648]

@@MaryAnnNytowl Yeah decimeters *exist*, but that doesn't mean anyone ever uses them...

[@henrik.norberg]

"Inching towards the Metric system" - Says it all 😄

[@stylis666]

Yeah they're still miles away. But hey, Mars will still be there when it happens :p

[@theduder2617]

@@stylis666 Listen as Neil explains. We are much closer than other nations want to believe. In fact, there are NUMEROUS jobs where every measurement we take MUST be in metric. Everyone is simply mad because they themselves are unable to understand another system. They make NO effort, while we make steady progress regardless how slow the effort is. We're working on it. What's their excuse for not even trying?

[@deanlol]

I'm loving Chuck's commentary!

[@KurtQuad]

Interesting thing was my experience commissioning ultrasonic flow meters for leak detection at Enbridge Pipelines in Canada and the USA operations were still using barrels of oil but have finally switched over to M3/H instead of BBL/H. They switched that over about 5-7 years ago thankfully but you still see an odd mix of imperial and metric up here and quite a few dual scale measurement as well.

[@janerkenbrack3373]

When they started with alcohol they changed all bottles to metric except beer. I guess they didn't think the beer drinkers would understand how that works. Yes, that's beerist.

[@nobodyknows3180]

well, not for 12oz. cans, and that includes all beer, sodas, canned beverages.

[@theduder2617]

Last time I checked (14 seconds ago) beer cans are clearly marked with metric. 12 fl oz - 355ml Both soda and beer. I guess instead of simply calling others dumb in order to try to insult others, I opted to do that thing called reading.

[@nobodyknows3180]

@@theduder2617 In Europe you get either 0.33l or 0.5l - that's metric for ya!

[@theduder2617]

@@nobodyknows3180 Yes it is. So is 355ml.

[@nobodyknows3180]

@@theduder2617 that's just the conversion. Why 355ml? It's not even a common fraction. 12 oz. however is an exact number of units. So basically, yeah, MOST people order a beer, they expect a 12-ouncer. You want to go bigger, get a 16-ouncer, or if you are really a beer-gutted chugger, get a 40-ouncer. So you can't win with the argument you are following. At least 0.33l and 0.5l are common fractions of 1.0 liter, so it's reasonable to assume the portion size was designed around the liter. 355ml isn't.

[@unorthodox_dating6387]

Chuck almost killed me laughing this episode.

[@jasonbartlett7484]

Honestly one of my favorite star talk episodes

[@psmirage8584]

Does anybody remember the Gimli Glider? That was the result of an Imperial-to-Metric conversion error. It happened right after Canada switched to the Metric system, and somebody reversed the calculation in converting liters to pounds. So, the Boeing 777 ran out of fuel half way through its flight and had to glide into Gimli Air Force Base in Manitoba. Everybody survived.

[@dhindaravrel8712]

Lindybeige has a good video on how the English money system worked, and why it worked the way it did, mathematically explained.

[@davidmontroy3408]

Never saw Neil laugh so much during an episode of Startalk.

[@pixxyevil]

One of the largest challenges for converting to metric globally is computer display programing. Displays are all calculated in dots per inch (dpi) for resolution.

[@pantasdiwa1622]

10:57 i think chuck may have been rewatching Star Trek TOS when Neil called for the episode lol

[@SchrodingersCatlive]

But if they were able to see the ground, the speed would be relevant because they would have a reference frame to notice the speed.

[@Jeffroslam]

I think that's why Neil says 'almost' irrelevant.

[@HAL_NINER_TRIPLE_ZERO]

I do take one issue with Dr Tyson's comments about retro-rockets. All spacecraft in orbit which are designed to return to Earth intact, do in fact have rocket motors (with fuel) designed to apply enough delta V to de-orbit. The heat "shield" is a dual purpose system designed to assist with decreasing the velocity AND dissappating the heat energy accumulated with increasing frictional resistance between the spacecraft and the molecules of the atmosphere.

[@kmbbmj5857]

Yep, his explanation is incomplete. Any material entering the atmosphere will "aerobrake" to use that term. It's just that most materials will melt. The heat shield does protect the structure from the heat so that it stays intact.

[@damyr]

Shut up HAL or I will switch you off!

[@H3LLS4NG3L]

Some, not all, spacecraft have the ability to fire retro-rockets. The great thing about LEO is that you do not need retro-rockets to de-orbit, the orbit slowly decays over time on its own. If you could get your spacecraft to have a zero speed, relative to the Earth, then you would not need an aero-braking system. He did say it has the purpose of protecting the contents of the craft, but its main purpose is to brake, protection is secondary and only necessary because of the sensitive contents. You could have an aero-braking system that is rigid and does not break away, but then the entire craft will be red-hot by the time it completes re-entry.

[@H3LLS4NG3L]

@@kmbbmj5857 The only reason that they require this system is due to the speed of re-entry. Read my reply to Hal for further explanation.

[@MrT------5743]

@@H3LLS4NG3L I totally disagree, The bottom of the spacecraft can do the exact same aerobraking without a heat shield. But without the heat shield as you already said it will get so hot and melt. So the heatshield's primary purpose is just that, to SHIELD the spacecraft from the HEAT of reentry. The aerobraking would happen with or without the heat shield, what you want through is the spacecraft left intact after the reentry.

[@adriaan8711]

Thank you Neil! Interesting stuff as always.

[@cimfur]

That French bit was hilarious. Chuck and Neil compliment each other. Great stuff!

[@ginnyjollykidd]

"If the old stuff is wrong, they want to fix it.... Usually." We're leaving Pluto out of this.

[@thechrisandphaedrusshow]

The difference between speed and acceleration : You don't need rehab to stop accelerating!

[@XtreeM_FaiL]

Acceleration OD.

[@jypsridic]

you do if you stop accelerating because of a wall

[@jb2839]

I love this. I didn't realize some of this

[@ilkhgs]

Hey Neil, Chuck, I appreciate you and what you do...

[@ronnybryson3122]

Motion sickness occurs when certain kinds of motion make an individual feel ill. The symptoms of motion sickness can occur in response to real motion (e.g., travel by car, boat, airplane, or train) or in response to a perceived sense of motion, such as when watching movies on large screens or using virtual reality (VR) simulators, as well as during space travel.

[@bourneslippy8039]

The "Epley Maneuver" blew my mind when I discovered it on a late night rabbit-hole doomscrolling session.

[@Spyder0Productions]

sensation of speed also comes from visuals. when you play a racing game you're not accelerating at all. your sitting perfectly still but the visuals sense of speed is still thrilling. its arguable that is also true for pilots...especially in the movie as they often flew low enough to see surroundings wizzing by.

[@gilknutson1938]

My Golden LOVES car rides, ESPECIALLY when on the freeway. Nose is poked straight ahead, and whimper/whines of pure joy make it hard they think. Tail is going “90mph”... so to speak. Don’t do it often, and try to be ultra-vigilant to keep her safe... but SHE would agree with the statement regarding “sense of speed”, and she is addicted to it.

[@amitshinde2874]

“No wonder we don’t use it “ the first joke among all episodes they did not land flat on my radar 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 but love these podcasts …. Simply brilliant…

[@EyMannMachHin]

Brilliantly done. I had so much fun watching this. But I thought I would never have the urge to correct Neil deGrasse Tyson, but then again no pilot ever turned their plane by just using the rudder. That is insane and the equivalent taking a corner by pulling your handbrake. You will always bank the plane and let physics do the turning. And regarding velocity and accelleration there is also a nice clip from "Malcolm in the Middle" ... "Wheeeeeee!!!" And finally: "I feel the need, the need for speed" could be "I feel exhilatration by accelleration!"

[@kirksteinam8985]

The very first airplanes--did they have ailerons already? Or were turns just executed by rudders and elevation corrections?

[@ezryder111]

Thank you, yup, planes have always banked. Maybe not as precisely as a modern airliner but the principle is the same

[@ezryder111]

@@kirksteinam8985 yup, even the Wright brothers plane banked using a system that warped the wings a bit, similar to what ailerons do

[@420jacksonian]

i caught 2 other mistakes, the smartest people in the world make em, just not as many as the rest of us lol

[@ryleighs9575]

I agree with Neil on this completely. Though his thing specifically about like, Fahrenheit and miles, the element of like different cultural customs, that seems kinda completely arbitrary lol. Like, there will be a thousand other cultural differences for you to explore besides these two specific disparities in units of measurement. Now, a dozen eggs might just be an ideal number based on how people typically use eggs, and there will be other examples like that, but yeah, the cultural difference thing doesn't seem like it'd have staying power lol.

[@luboinchina3013]

Funny thing, people in China buy eggs by boxes😂

[@devilsadvocate8094]

@@burgzaza Humor is subjective. Why you so mad? Let him laugh lol

[@mrlonely5835]

@@burgzaza you're funny.

[@pterius]

Here in Ukraine we buy eggs like... ten at a time, not the dozen. And, of course, we are using SI too as the rest of Europe. I guess this is related

[@feedingravens]

A dozen is a practical number you can divite by 2, 3, 4, 6. That is probably the reason. Like the 360 degrees are totally arbitrary, but dividable by 2, 3, 4, 5 (72), 6, 8, 9. Only 7 is missing.

[@ConcealedCourier]

"Lets see, back in the 70s, we used to shoot each other with .38s and .45s.. NOW, we shoot each other with 9mm and 5.56mm.. see, the metric system is winning."🤣😰

[@MD-hm3ic]

ALL of these podcasts should be part of the curriculum in schools! Yes, these and financing, like how to balance a check book. Also, love how you keep good humor in the mix. CONGRATULATIONS on amazing work. PS. I also want to thank the Artificial Intelligence running U_Tube, as it was IT, which put your name as a suggestion and then into my mind map. It was a fluke, but one of the best ever. Cheers, Mark.

[@420jacksonian]

they would have to correct a few things first

[@sammadagas1673]

Neil&Chuck. Name a better combo

[@BoyKissBoy]

27:05 it's absolutely true that it's mostly computers that fly airplanes nowadays, especially at cruising altitude, but I think most airline pilots are capable of performing a coordinated turn manually…? 🤔

[@peterroberts5600]

Indeed. Tyson is prone to saying some dumb things, but I seriously thought he was joking here and kept waiting for the punch line that never came.

[@KrakenIsland64]

A coordinated turn and a perfectly vectored turn keeping angle and g-force equal are two different things. Not impossible for a human but 9 times out of 10 your drink won't stay perfectly flat.

[@novadea1643]

I've yet to hear a single good argument for the imperial system, doing any kind of math that involves converting unit scales doing it in SI makes life just so much simpler. Also this is the first time I've heard somebody speak about USA being in the metric system yet still not using it de facto. Think Tyson nails it with "Imperial bride and metric envy".

[@danlotroth9231]

What is the resistance of the metric system in merica

[@jonathansmoak9001]

Extra note: I'm American, experienced this my whole life in school. Everyone ( and I mean almost EVERYONE) is educationally inept

[@victorcapel2755]

@@danlotroth9231 One reason I've heard cited is the up front cost to swich. Just to change all road signs would be 10s of billions of dollars.

[@Omni8Canada]

@@victorcapel2755 All other countries changed to Metric and they afforded it and probably saved money in the long term. America can definitely afford to change it. In America the reason is for not switching to merric system is probably political.

[@victorcapel2755]

@@Omni8Canada I agree with that it would save money in the long run, that's why I wrote "up front cost". The US is a very big country, and most countries changed to metric 200 years ago when the cost was lower. But there are certainly multiple reasons.

[@jameswilliams9849]

I feel the need for dv/dt. But it is speed too if you are driving on a mountain highway, speed is important too. You feel the speed by how fast the trees store going past you. Also, I am a civil engineer, and almost all of our work is done in “customary units.” For a couple of years in the early 1990s, Highway design was done in metric. A friend of mine did a couple of designs in metric. He said that that first one was really hard, but after that his subsequent designs in metric were easier and much quicker to do. Of course, after two years. We all went back to customary units. One reason tat we will stick with miles is that most parts of US are measured by the US Public Land Survey which lays out the land in one-mile squares . Manny of these are marked on the land. I don’t see most of the US being marked in 1.6 km squares.

[@TamagoHead]

For cars, steering & brake feel are important, and modern street sport tires amazing (and expensive). Lots of science behind the carcass, sidewall & tread pattern.