Seeing Earth From Space with Jordan Klepper & Nicole Stott - Cosmic Queries

What do you learn from going to space? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and guest co-host, comedian Jordan Klepper, answer patron questions about living in space with engineer and NASA astronaut, Nicole Stott. What’s the Overview Effect?
Do we have all we need to send humans to Mars already? If not, what are the things we haven’t figured out? We explore the plane of the solar system versus the plane of the galaxy. Can a human safely feel gravitational waves? Is there a scientific reason for the shape of The Enterprise? Neil explains why he wants things to look cool and how he envisions the future. Will we evolve past a need for design?
Next, we talk to Nicole Stott and she tells us all about going to space, astronaut hobbies, and why we should be living like space station crewmates on earth. Is it difficult to paint a watercolor in space? We discuss Nicole’s Space for Art Foundation and how she finds inspiration and power in the cosmos. Should we send more artists to space? What about satirical comedians? What does it feel like to look back on earth from space? Do you need different types of art materials in zero G? Nicole breaks down how she had to modify her painting for space and other lifestyle adjustments.
We discuss the progress of female engineers within NASA and advice for any young women trying to become an astronaut or engineer. What goes on in the body when it goes into space and comes back to earth? Find out what it feels like to feel gravity again. Discover how art can help make science more accessible for the blind, and what programs exist to educate using the different senses. What part of space travel could be made better? We discuss air pressure and strange habits that you pick up from being in space. All that plus, find out about Jordan’s close- and super real- friendship with Buzz Aldrin.
Thanks to our Patrons Elisa, terrell robinson, Adorak, Leo Azir Ra, Aaron Isaacson, Ian Konkle, and Josh Laurente & Emily McCadden for supporting us this week.
NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free
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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

[@sarinahart]

I’ve never seen Jordan Klepper as a guest host. He was my favorite so far

[@DraperJake]

Neil has spoken extensively about humans having a very primal connection to the stars, and this episode got into the emerging accomodations needed for blind astronomers. If someone without sight can feel the pull of the stars enough to get into this career then I have no idea what other proof we need to confirm our natural desire to understand space.

[@peggywoods4327]

I'm so happy to see Klepper here! Having seen his other work I know he needed the break to be among (rational) thinking folks

[@MemphiStig]

i worry about the health of someone who spends so much time exposed to such raw stupidity, but i thank him for his sacrifice.

[@erikhendrickson59]

Lol so true. I did a little sort of experiment where I watched ONLY Fox News for a week every night, and the end of that seven days I was starting to question things like vaccine efficacy. And this was as someone going into it knowing ahead of time that I was watching propaganda.

[@prodip170000]

Ni///

[@brandontankersley8107]

​@@erikhendrickson59 That's how brainwashing works. Drill the lies in every moment of the day. Mix in smidgen of factual information presented falsely and you have the Trump voter base.

[@oceanblue2386]

Neil just hearing you guys laugh on this show makes me laugh every night when I'm going to bed. That's very good for our mental health. Your show does many good things for many people besides just Science Education. ❤️. ❤️. ❤️

[@justinmawi3745]

I love Klepper... More Klepper & Chuck

[@1206mattdillon]

Having both would be hilarious!

[@peppeddu]

I always thought the Enterprise had that shape to make efficient use of the space inside, not for aerodynamic reasons, besides, the warp engines had to be far away from the rest of the ship and the space dock had to be kept separate for safety reasons. Gene Roddenberry understood the need for good looking ships and rationality as well.

[@denisenj7648]

Neil once said that we went to the moon and discovered earth. We sent men to the moon and saw our planet as one whole, no map lines, and precious and fragile, and started the green movements and earth day etc., and realized we need to take care of our home.

[@robertgraybeard3750]

Denise NJ - there is an excellent KZbin video kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXmwepmFmsilotE *_The Overview Effect_*

[@cwcordes]

Bill Shatner (Capt Kirk) became the poster child for Overview Effect this week . Great StarTalk!! Thanks for the overview.

[@KeljuIvan]

In Star Trek, there's also an example of the functional spaceship: the Borg Cube! It's just a big cube with no wings, thin sections or other useless vulnerabilities.

[@bobd2659]

@@gamegenetix96 Specifically seen were the landing pods that Voyager had on its underbelly. The Enterprise on the other hand didn't do so well trying to land..."Which is why you never put a woman in charge" - Marina Sirtis.

[@willie417]

@@bobd2659 I couldn't help it😀 the Enterprise is very large, Intrepid-class vessel capable of holding 200 crew members U.S.S. Voyager Intrepid Class NCC-74656 Dimensions : Length : 343 m Beam : 133 m Height : 66 m Decks : 15 Mass : 700,000 metric tons Crew : 141 U.S.S. Enterprise Galaxy Class NCC-1701-D Dimensions : Length: 642,5 meters Width: 467,0 meters Height: 137,5 meters Mass: 397805 metric tons Number of decks: 42 Crew (standard): 1012 Crew (maximum): 5000

[@Squeedow]

@@bobd2659 Booo!!! lol

[@isaackitone]

But Voyager was also captained by a woman. Captain Katherine Janeway.

[@MikeG-nz8gt]

Love some Star Talk! Keep them coming.

[@epicswirl]

*As an engineer I’m glad that you’re boosting my ego today Neil!*

[@nHans]

Yup! He has acknowledged our work in past videos as well. Also, he's one of very few scientists who *doesn't* say that engineering is applied science.

[@lemongavine]

We need more engineers!

[@barbaralachance5836]

I agree ☺️ today I'm happier to be an engineer!!

[@nHans]

​@C. V. _"Engineering literally is applied science"_ - whoa, let me stop you right there! I literally said it's not, and neither does Neil. Why then would you want to stir up unnecessary controversy? Engineering most definitely is *_not_* applied science. It's an independent and a highly rewarding profession-and it predates science by several millennia. Engineering *_uses_* science. It also uses modern management, finance, economics, market research, law, insurance, math, computing and other fields. If you're not an engineer, it's not surprising that you're repeating that discredited myth. It originated with frustrated physics professors. See, they teach to both science and engineering majors. The engineers go on to have successful careers, but the science grads stay on, hoping to land research or teaching positions for pitiful stipends. All the while, the professors' own grant applications keep getting rejected over and over. It's a 'sour grapes' kinda thing. 🙄 Don't get me wrong. We're happy to help-among others-all those sub-specialties of physics that you listed. But that's not our focus. Just take a look around. Everything that's 'man-made' is an *_engineered_* product. You're living in an engineered world. You're welcome! 👍 _"Scientists discover the world that exists; Engineers create the world that never was."_ - Theodore von Kármán, aerospace engineer.

[@oahc1052]

Great show! Love the questions and the answers. I just want to comment on the difference between pressurization of a space station vs an airplane. The main reason why we don't pressurize airplanes to sea level pressures is that airplanes go through cycles of pressurization and depressurization constantly, which puts wear and tear on the fuselage, resulting in metal fatigue and other stresses. A space station is at constant pressure (ideally) and therefor suffers less of these stresses. I'm sure you could pressurize an airplane to sea level and it would handle that just fine, but it would greatly reduce the amount of pressurization cycles that it could handle before basically ripping apart. A fun fact, since Neil himself mentioned the new Boeing 787. It has larger windows because the skin of the fuselage is made from composites that are stronger than aluminium and also not very susceptible to fatigue stress. Because of this the cabin of the 787 is also pressurized to a much lower altitude.

[@gpwgpw555]

I had to look it up. Commercial Aircraft are pressurized to 6000 ft. Non-pressurized aircraft can go to 10,000 to 15,000 feet without supplemental oxygen. I Wanted to fly from Oregon to Texas. I have heart disease and was concerned about flying. I drove to the top of Mt Hood to see what it was like. I did not make the trip.

[@pavellambracht5823]

Why would they make them go through the pressure cycles? What is the reason?

[@oahc1052]

@@pavellambracht5823 The pressure cycle is simply the change in pressure over the course of a flight. They start at ground at some atmospheric pressure, then they go up to an altitude where the pressure is lower, to then land on the ground again where the pressure is higher again. These changes in pressure makes the skin of the fuselage expand and contract back and forth, and it makes the material bend and stretch by an ever so tiny amount, getting progressively weaker over time. So airplanes are rated at how many of these cycles they can fly before they need to be inspected for cracks.

[@gpwgpw555]

@@pavellambracht5823 If you don't pressurize a high-flying plan, all the people on the plan would die without supplemental oxygen.

[@pavellambracht5823]

@@gpwgpw555 so when people say the pressurized plane, does it mean it is basically pumped with oxygen?

[@geneabrego9759]

"another reason why PLUTO HAD IT COMING!" I almost spat out my drink when he made that comment

[@martinwettig8212]

Jordan Klepper! I really enjoy the variety of awesome people on Star Talk, it's brilliant!

[@bastmode882]

The name for patreon members is just "Patrons" 😂😂 intro has me dying.

[@brandonsteinbach4208]

I can't get enough of cosmic queries.

[@humanbeing-_-_-]

Nicole Stott is one of my heroes. So excited y’all had her on! 🤩😁

[@seantlewis376]

This is one of the best Cosmic Queries I have watched. Nicole Stott is a wonderful guest.

[@blessedveteran]

I love Chuck, but Jordan definitely is a great person to be alongside Neil ❤ Thank you for this!

[@ignorasmus]

@22:21 - WoooW! That actually teared me up ! That was so, so, so beautiful just to hear about, close eyes and try to imagine...

[@jeremiahbachmann3901]

Michigan is proud of Jordan Klepper. We make 'em good here.

[@dwcramer92]

I was not aware he was from Michigan, that's pretty cool!

[@amandamoushabek3955]

Loved this! One of my favorites! I always love hearing astronauts talk about being in space

[@Squeedow]

Klepper is whip-smart!!! Love this guy!

[@migalotto1283]

Neil inspired me to learn more about science...He's mind is unremarkable

[@AP-tr4nd]

remarkable*

[@ironmantis778]

Oop!

[@jex-the-notebook-guy1002]

so you were inspired by a liar

[@redoktober526]

A wise man once said, "Earth without art is eh". ✌🏼

[@hufflebuffben]

I appreciate the love for design! Design has a huge impact on our lives, history, and culture as a whole. Design evolves with us, and the ones who successfully challenge the norm raise the bar.

[@paigecfrancis]

Clicked on this as soon as I saw Klepper. Genius 🔥

[@CaliforniaBushman]

Finally had viral tweet yesterday. Very proud people think it's a good Onion Headline; 'Texas has car keys taken away for record third time in one week'

[@deansheets]

Thank you for spreading knowledge and truths.

[@bryanwilkens]

It would be amazing for Neil to talk to Shatner.

[@peggywoods4327]

I second that! I bet Neil (and the rest of us) would listen to what he had to say (as opposed to how blasé he was treated by Besos)

[@JJs_playground]

I third that

[@codyadkins3061]

I fourth it

[@oldschoolman1444]

@@peggywoods4327 I know, could Bozo been more careless.

[@cfranco714]

Our atmosphere is “thin blue line” that I support!

[@GRimRenji]

He will probably never see this but Doctor Tyson is an incredible man and an even better scientist. I wish I could thank him for helping me out, now I have more ambition and desire to achieve more then I have for many years. I now no longer let what happened in past define what I can achieve. Hope one day I can meet him would be insane.

[@NineAtoms1]

It's that time of day!

[@deenulazarus5454]

@jordanklepper would be great with prep school students... His ability to humour people in their own wierd thoughts is unparalleled

[@Doug7RM]

I want Neil’s consciousness transferred into a cyborg so we can have him for ever

[@rbee6507]

Jordan, what a talent. Glad to see him on the show. P.S. We still have a long way to go on Air Travel...All of those creature comfort improvements may just seem like cheaping out on material/build costs, but the operating/fuel costs is an even greater issue and largely uncontrollable. It is literally the difference between stable infrastructure and insolvency, despite the large dollar figures generated by Boeing/Airbus/Airlines.

[@PatRNBSN]

I'm glad he brought up the importance of boys seeing women doing this work. I volunteer with a literacy project, and one time we gave a team of 4 students (2 boys and 2 girls) the specifics of a project, and had them design and implement the project. I was surprised and encouraged to see the girls designed the project and guided the boys in implementing it. I feel that many changes will come through the younger generation when they become adults.

[@gooneybird808]

That was a beautiful description of looking at earth.

[@Eneov]

This was a crown jewel in the star talk series

[@gothsauceproductions5243]

I love that colorful space suit behind her it’s something I would totally invest in if Mars is ever terraformed in my life time & I’m part of it & need a cool suit to wear to express my individuality. Very dope.

[@asarogers4742]

@StarTalk I'm visually impeared and I just got back from my 4th year at SCIVIS (space camp interested visually impeared students) and it makes me so happy it came up here, it's like I got a shout out!! Thank you so much, abd it would mean a lot if I could get a heart or a response

[@ncebamankayi522]

You had to go for Pluto!😅

[@EmpyreanLightASMR]

I listened to Michael Collins's book "Carrying the Torch" this summer and he was saying the same thing, even back in the 60s, he believed they should be sending poets and philosophers to space to really get a perspective of the whole thing.

[@masdavis236]

"Cranked out a covid baby" is the actual scientific word for having a child 🖤

[@FR-ce2tk]

Lived in Phoenix for the previous 11 yrs and I can assure that yes Phoenix is approximately 1/4 mile away from the surface of the sun. Brutal.

[@Q_QQ_Q]

Lol

[@danlhendl]

I thought I was corkscrewing around the fabric of space and time. it’s good to confirm that

[@jaxdragon1723]

but it was a C- answer on the Q:) plane of our solar system to the plane of our galaxy. he only explained half of ... i wish he had given more thought to the question,before answering ... i love Neil ....

[@solidspirit2365]

Good Stuff Brothers and Sisters

[@juliewood823]

Wow ! Loved the ending of this post THANKS so much

[@julieouellette7810]

Two of my favorite people to watch 🙂

[@stephanienirenberg7426]

I Love Chuck Nice with all my heart but Jordon Klepper kills it every time. I adore him.

[@funman4tw1]

can water or another liquid actually be the force fields we imagined in films and stories?

[@michellesanctuary9089]

Dear Mister *Neil deGrasse Tyson* , i just want you to know that we love you so much 🧡

[@Immortalstone91]

Ha! Being from Phoenix I can say that the description of our location to the sun is hella accurate!

[@Fonzzz002]

"I love a design that says 'yeah, I wanna be in that'. "

[@jmoney9494]

Giggity giggity

[@ryanworkman3032]

I'd like to see as a guest on StarTalk Neil's fellow astrophysicist and KZbinr Dr Becky Smethest.

[@Abs0lutZr0]

I haven't seen this and I'm already geeked

[@joseimpact]

no cap

[@guillermonassercibils6538]

Klepper you are my hero

[@guillermonassercibils6538]

Once we realize that design just make thins more expensive, we will learn that "the future" is cheaper, and it's science too

[@jf2369af]

I can't wait for the first rat rod spaceship

[@Sir.Craze-]

It's so strange to me that people need to go to space to grasp that we are the smallest most insagnificant speck that houses every single thing that's important to you. What she said.

[@robertgraybeard3750]

For the first question, one of the other things engineers have to worry about is physiological deterioration because of zero g. The simplest solution would be go to Mars with a fleet of ships, in pairs, tethered together and rotating about a common center of gravity. The centrifugal force will provide artificial gravity. A tether of about 1.8 kilometers and 1 RPM will provide 1 g.

[@liawalker9966]

Klepper on Star Talk 😍😍😍😍

[@mftraw1099]

30 seconds in and I'm smiling

[@carlatteniese2]

Wow! Nicole (my friend on social media!) was at ILC Dover! Neil--yes, more artists in space!

Jordan Klepper The Best.

[@TechNextLetsGo]

I felt the same way seeing a total solar eclipse for the first time. You can see pictures and videos but it just doesn't compare to seeing it in person.

[@juliewood823]

Wow MY peloton in space !!! Awesome 😘

[@ourunstablemind]

Chapters on the timeline would be great 🙏

[@tersamuno9898]

I thot it was Kuemper. Just teasing. You guys made my day. When we figure out our own infrastructure and repair , imagine the challenges in an alien circumstance.

[@celsopinheiro]

Good you finally brought the famous astronomer Klepper!

[@nickglass12]

Excellent! Love Nicole!

[@michaelstoliker971]

This makes my brain happy...Cave paintings in Space.

[@simateix6262]

Great episode. As always :)

[@TanksForTheMemories]

always sad when Chuck isn't here but Jordan is funny

[@younghan3573]

I haven't been to space, but i already want to tell the politicians that message!!!! Especially in California

[@SettaXY]

Wow at the space suit. I want one

[@usmcrn4418]

The very clever Jordan Klelleper!

[@frankiecuellar]

11:50 good answer Neil!👍👍👍

[@jonharmon2653]

Off topic but....I love that wood accent around Neil's staircase

[@RickySTT]

Humbled, but feeling significant. That's exactly how I felt seeing a total solar eclipse.

[@youropinionmeansnothing2825]

I get sad when I don't see Mr.Chuck

[@Bellywasher86]

The enterprise can land on planets tho, so being aerodynamic would be a must...no? considering the speed they leave planets at

[@Bellywasher86]

@@GarretGrayCamera maybe thats what I was thinking of but I know the enterprise did enter an atmosphere in at least one episode

[@MrT------5743]

@@Bellywasher86 Yes when the saucer section of Enterprise D crashed on Veridian 3 it did land.

[@Bellywasher86]

@@GarretGrayCamera yes thats the one I was thinking of, when they go back to 60s👍

[@louisrobitaille5810]

I think Veritasium made a video about detecting gravity waves and we have detected one with that perpendicular method in the past. Iirc, it's a 1km T 1km lasers and they measure the time it takes for the lasers to travel down the "tunnels".

[@themrtimmyboy]

Jordan Klepper, great! Very funny!

[@livingart2576]

On Occasion the starship Enterprise landed on the surface of exo-planets, therefore aerodynamics would come into play. Just saying 😊

[@nashonator8544]

Humans and AI will work together to help us humans to be able to experience space travel in space.

[@ariannanorris-landry4428]

I was born and raised in Phoenix and as soon as I could I went to Alaska. Though I must say it's getting a little warm in Alaska these days.

[@jacklcooper3216]

Truth is a good motivator Neil

[@anthonycraig274]

Jordan is witty. Actually its the people who he interviews that are ******, thats hilarious.

[@loomasshido4509]

"When you leave the protective magnetig blancket" Thanks God.

[@tempusfugit9009]

we all feel you Jordan.

[@5pints991]

I never touched him!

[@1971khaos]

Edith Bunker called herself a "kleeper" when she thought she was a Kleptomaniac🤣🤣🤣

[@seafodder6129]

"Space only" vehicles would probably be Borg cubes. Or high-rise building shaped if you wanted to go with something at least a tiny bit aesthetically pleasing...

[@Bradgilliswhammyman]

Water is also extermely heavy. To launch a ship covered in a water jacket would add 20 additional tons or so of mass to launch.

[@muzeumkaasznikowa7156]

We may also use hydrogen but... mixed with oxygen is explosive. Won't be easy :)

[@MrT------5743]

Water or at least the components of water (hydrogen and oxygen) are needed anyway for human survival. It is already being launched. Funny you throw out the amount of '20 additional tons', but don't even specify the thing being launched. So the amount is wildly wrong. It could be way less or way more depending on the thing being launched (Dragon, Apollo, space shuttle, Blue Origin etc). But in either case, those materials are already being launched. Neil was just trying to say it could be used as shielding and not just in a round tank.

[@c.youngberg9511]

As far as understanding why we don't feel gravitational waves, you can compare it to how a Butterfly doesn't feel Air motion because it's body is matched with it's motion. We shift and flux with gravitational waves in the same way Butterflies shift and flux with air movements. Gravitationally wave-wise, we're neutrally buoyant with the other material around us, so Gravitational waves pass over/through us and all material around us at the same rate so we don't perceive them. Same thing with Butterflies and air movements. They're nearly perfectly neutrally buoyant to air movements, so regardless of outside, larger influences, they are simply shifted and moved the same as the air around them, so sudden changes are minimal to their perspective... same as us with Gravitational waves.

[@MrT------5743]

I see where you were going with your analogy, but butterflies do feel air motion. The also use the air for movement which means they are pushing off the air. In wind, the butterfly has so compensate to get where it is going. Maybe a better comparison would be jelly fish in water. Since it's body is closer to the density of the water that surrounds it. But the same problems with water movement and the jelly fish's own movement still come into play. I think since gravitational waves cause such a small effect that we can barely detect them at all no analogy would be sufficient. Maybe the thing would need to be really small in something really big. Like microbial life in the middle of the ocean (not the surface). They would have no reference of movement and would probably not notice any waves.

[@jex-the-notebook-guy1002]

gravity comes from gravitas which means weight

[@thatwastheory3744]

I've missed Jordan so much Great to see him back! very well composed :D

[@unnamedchannel1237]

I think Neil missed something in the spaceship question. The reason it looks aero dynamic is to help deflect projectiles if the shields go down eg small rocks etc

[@philipberthiaume2314]

Okay I got a comment about the starship Enterprise: yes there's no atmosphere in space and therefore sleek design really is not very relevant... HOWEVER, the starship does fly through atmosphere, we've seen several examples of it flying in the Earth atmosphere and other planets including the original series from the 1960s. So yes it does fly in atmosphere and would benefit from an aerodynamic shape.

[@steve-o6413]

Also beside flying through the atmosphere they have also landed on other Planets, and the Ship was equipped with landing struts that were retractable. But mostly used a shuttlecraft...

[@MrT------5743]

@@steve-o6413 Voyager landed and the defiant could land but they are smaller ships. They never showed any version of the Enterprise (A,B,C,D etc) land, other than when the saucer section of D crashed landed.

[@drakegeralds699]

Shoutout Mr. I'm doing my own investigations Irwin

[@r.a.monigold9789]

Does Jordan Klepper ever see his great grand cousin, Gerard Kuiper very often? And did "Gerry's" belt ever get that much needed buckle? So many questions. Soooo much science! Thank you all for sharing. And your kind laughter - as if.