The Fabric of Spacetime with Neil deGrasse Tyson - Cosmic Queries

Is it time to rethink string theory? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice explore a mix of questions about the fundamental properties of the universe, particles, the speed of light and more!
Could we someday observe particles without smashing them? We take a question from a particle pacifist as well as discover why clouds stay up. Is everything actually floating? We discuss the mystery of electrons: how small are they really? We explore JWST and ponder the problem of primordial galaxies. What does this discovery change about our understanding of the universe?
Is space an emergent property of the universe and not fundamental? Find out how quantum entanglement may weave the fabric of spacetime and why it may be time to rethink string theory. We discuss time dilation while traveling to Mars, what to do when you have an untestable hypothesis, and how Einstein tested the equivalence principle.
Why are photons always moving at the speed of light? What is time like at the speed of light? Learn about the solar neutrino problem and how neutrinos decay. We also explore the dimensionality of parallel lines and how they can, in fact, intersect. All that and more on a another Grab Bag Cosmic Queries!
Thanks to our Patrons Jagan, Stephen Abraham, Dalton Gordon, Brent C, Alexander Miller, t K, and Bob Morrison for supporting us this week.
NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free.
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/
Get the NEW Cosmic Queries book (5/5 ⭐s on Amazon!): amzn.to/3dYIEQF
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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
00:00 - Grab Bag Time
00:45 - Could We Observe Particles Intact Without Particle Accelerators?
3:50 - If Gravity Pulls Everything Down, How Do Clouds Stay Up?
09:54 - Is “Particle” a Placeholder Name?
12:50 - Could JWSTs Primordial Galaxies be a Window Into Another Universe?
18:35 - Why Do We Think Space Is Emergent and Not Fundamental?
24:55 - Time Dilation & Traveling to Mars
28:54 - If String Theory is so Unprovable, Why Are We Still Trying to Prove It?
37:32 - If a Photon is a Particle, Can't it Just Sit Still? Why is it Always Moving at the Speed of Light?
42:37 - Parallel Lines in the Fourth Dimension

[@StarTalk]

What are your thoughts on string theory? Is it still worth trying to prove it, or should we refocus our efforts on other scientific questions?

[@popbigdaddy9422]

Why not do everything at once?

[@genericusername5909]

Some of the surreal suggestions from string theory kind of upset me. Like calculating the pattern on Russell’s teapot and debating who is right with a captive audience

[@MorallyResponsible]

Consciousness can only be experienced. For example, if you had a tooth pain. Million Scientists with their Test tube(Deduction/induction via empiricism) can tell you there is no evidence of tooth pain. You will reject their scientific method because you are having direct experience of this pain. I have direct experience of existence. All i know with certainty is my experience ("Cogito Ergo Sum"). I know with certainty that this existence can only come from pre-existing Self-Sufficient/Perfect Existence(Allah the most Exalted).You have a direct proof of Allah(one/indivisible/self-sufficient/All-loving/unique) with every waking moment through direct experience of life. Once liberalism is replaced by the law of Quran/Sunnah all of the "strings" will come together in harmony/peace/justice and most importantly mercy.

[@MizanHIT]

this lapses

[@michaelstary3463]

isn't everything just energy vibrating at at its own specific frequency? Everything must have a specific wave form... which makes that object unique. Sound (frequency) passing through a glass sphere filled with water will create light at the center of the sphere. The ingredients are a perfect sphere, water (waves) and sound. (frequency) achieving light speed could just be a matter of finding the correct frequency... and vibrating in one spot at that specific frequency.

[@williamdeangellodavis2224]

Never take chuck off the show😭I’m begging you guys 🙏🏾🌼

[@MrMitchbow]

He’s the everyman competing at the Olympics for reference

[@Kojdo-AdwoaXaquayza-xd3sg]

What if chucks wants to go out and do other stuff? It'd be sad but sometimes it happens. And it'd happen not because chuck hates this but sometimes people just wanna go out and do something new.

[@joseimpact]

startalk literally makes my day better instantly

[@petercorcoran2702]

Mee. Too. !

[@jdonehew]

Agree.

[@GizzyDillespee]

For me, it takes a few moments for it to kick in. But I'm much denser than air

[@adrieldelgado4523]

Same man

[@davidsasse40]

Not instantly, at the speed of light and sound!

[@GEEK-3]

Neil and Chuck are National Treasures, please never stop making these videos

[@nicolau2]

This is a Cosmic* treasure

[@gorillafacewastaken]

Ey, don't forget Chuck

[@GEEK-3]

@@gorillafacewastaken updated it brother, thanks for the correction

[@gorillafacewastaken]

@@GEEK-3 Perfect👍

[@StarTalk]

If you insist!

[@alexaales7937]

i really like the fact that Neil considers himself my personal astro physicist. thank you for that, Neil, you've got the job any day of my life! much love from Germany!

[@lemongavine]

Great comment!

[@alexaales7937]

@Conon the Binarian⚧ danke für den tip, werde ich machen 🙂

[@duanemorgan8065]

Somedays I have to rewatch the shows at least three times to grasp most of what Neil was saying, God bless you Chuck don’t know how you keep up with Neil so easily

[@Sinner119]

right! some people make fun of chuck but I know damn well I wouldn't be able to keep up! I know what I know and that's public health/polotics, not astro physics lol

[@timhyatt9185]

check is there to be our "everyman" point of view.... (he's also my favorite co-host by far!!) I'd love to have both of them sitting around a campfire or quiet bar table sharing a drink, and ask them about what fascinates them in science...

[@user-tc1fw5ms5s]

Me: New episode of ST - YES!! Cosmic Query Edition - YES!! My cohost Chuck Nice - YES!!!!!!! Its a guaranteed banger

[@dawnhansen7886]

100 % Agree ❕️

[@crewrangergaming9582]

the moment Chuck figures out Neutrinos don't travel at the speed of light. Damn man!! Love his energy and enthusiasm.

[@nathanrussell2158]

I’m sure I could watch this all day and forget to sleep.

[@rangerCG]

Thanks for answering my question about particles guys!!! That's an amazing answer! My wife and I were listening to the show in the car and when Chuck read my name, which we weren't expecting at all, we were just listening to an episode of Startalk, we looked at each other and freaked out😂😂😂

[@MonicaRanger]

This is true.☺💋

[@rangerCG]

@@MonicaRanger😘😉😉

[@DrDeuteron]

1) timestamp? 2) get a room already!

[@tylerlormand5644]

awe sit down that wasnt you

[@chrisnel813]

Love this show, love his teaching style, whereas if every teacher possessed his ability to engage i would be a lifetime willing learner.

[@morbidmanmusic]

Law of averages says most teachers do. ..

[@maniacslap1623]

I would definitely advocate for these videos in the classroom. These two together really make it easy to engage.

[@vikineo]

This series needs like a billion views. Extremely interesting

[@TheFlyingstop]

My brain hurts. I'll have to watch it again and again and again ….. No gain without any pain. Thanks guys loving it.

[@mujigikabugi3927]

Who is here that has realized that Lord Chuck could be taking some lessons/classes in Theoretical physics or experimental physics? Damn, the guy is so sharp nowadays and knowledgeable. Indeed birds that flock together stay together. Kudos Chuck,,,

[@MondoLeStraka]

This is one of the best episodes of StarTalk.

[@masonkeener4778]

When I have nothing I still have startalk. It’s a breath of fresh air to see people thinking outside of the boundaries of thought that it feels like we were meant to be trapped in. My brain only feels free during these times. Between thinking about work and my small family this is a light for me and I will be forever great full

[@PandasEatBamboo]

My dog passed away today. This was the best 48 minutes I've spent today. Thank you guys for what yall do.

[@Gordon_L]

Sorry to hear that . Unfortunately it happens , dogs , other pets , people . Grief is the price of love , as hard as grief is to endure , it's better than a life without love . The grief will fade , the love will endure in memory . Be kind to yourself .

[@PandasEatBamboo]

@@Gordon_L Thank you for the kind words, I really needed them. Hope you're having a great day.

[@Gordon_L]

@@PandasEatBamboo You're welcome my friend , all the best 🙂

[@LEDewey_MD]

What an AWESOME episode of StarTalk!! You guys covered everything from String Theory, General Relativity along with the Equivalence Principle, geometry of space-time, why orbits are elipses (and not circles), science of neutrinos and their differences from electrons, evolution of the Universe...(did I miss anything?) You can all go home now having solved all of physics! :D

[@glentorn5362]

I always check in with Neil for mind-blowing updates. 💥

[@billbaker9623]

Thank you gentlemen for another educational and entertaining episode. Chuck, the Cajun chef to whom you refer is probably Justin Wilson. He was indeed on PBS back in the days when dinosaurs walked the earth (I know because I too was there) and was also entertaining and educational in all manner of food.

[@shanoukgaming6763]

Yes he's definitely talking about Justin Williams I garunnnnnteee.

[@rileyshelton2850]

One cup of wine and as the cup overflows make that one cup heaping.

[@billbaker9623]

@@shanoukgaming6763

[@B3R34L]

Love these explainers. I learned so much

[@bentleestarr1575]

Two of the funniest and intelligent men I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching. Keep up the good work.

[@joehebert789]

Wow. What a great episode. I loved these topics.

[@PrestonSmithsMusic]

That was great, thanks guys! Keep up the fantastic work! I LOVED those questions. The answers were amazing, well delivered, and I appreciate Doctor Chuck's childlike wonder on many of those! Cheers!

[@skeller61]

Great episode! One thing you could also say about clouds are that they are made up of very small particles of water, each of which is buoyant enough to follow air currents. However, when these collect together they form drops of rain or snowflakes that are ‘heavy’ enough to be affected by gravity and fall. In cumulonimbus clouds, sometimes the updraft of air is so severe that hail that is falling is sent back up to gain size. That’s why you occasionally hear of ‘softball’ sized hail. The forces in thunderstorms are amazing.

[@Maxrepfitgm]

You didn't finish...

[@comparedtowhat2638]

This is an amazing and wonderful session. That took some real stamina for both of them.

[@user-qr8ff8rw8k]

I appreciate all the help time and attention you've both given us as viewers, seriously 😣 without limits for thought. Ty

[@KetogenicGuitars]

Incredible episode! It is much more impactful played at 0.75 speed when you have time to let personal ponder to emerge.

[@surfmarine3118]

Chuck's deftly tuned wit always enhances Neal's style of delivery. More evidence for the hypothesis that learning new information seems to be more easily achieved while one is in a good mood.

[@furrybear7853]

Times are hard for me right now but wish I was a patron member this channel is by far my favourite! Still fantastic we get most of it free but theres 2 questions I have that I simply cant find any remote answer that comes even close to satisfaction, maybe there isnt any but I know for should if NDT didnt want to even make an attempt! ❤

[@Ali-lm7uw]

Try asking gpt 4

[@furrybear7853]

@@Ali-lm7uw How much does that cost to use, I'm pretty sure it's not free and CBT3 fails miserably to answer both questions satisfactory!?

[@pjganguly]

The best thing to start a day with!! Meditative, contemplative and so much fun even for the science layman with a curious mind!! Thanks team Startalk!!

[@StarTalk]

You're welcome!

[@tmrogers87]

23:13 bro we need a whole episode on this. And get Chuck a blunt. It’ll be your best video!

[@gonegahgah]

22:00 minutes in, and doing other stuff at the same time, and I've heard enough of this, thank you.

[@420Khatz]

I love seeing this wholesome, fun, black energy in the context of an educational science video- as well as how you treated each and every question as being just as valid as the next, always entertaining everyone's wonder and curiosity. I laughed a lot and really enjoyed this- you guys rock!

[@orilion1820]

What is "black" energy 🤔

[@420Khatz]

@@orilion1820 that energy that tends to arise when black people are in their element, having a great time. I don't know what else to call it but it's not a vibe anyone else but black people can authentically bring- not at all to say that other cultures don't have their own very specific awesome vibes as well. I'm just saying, I love to see it in this context especially when the field is often so dominated by white men with a very serious approach.

[@briseboy]

An imaginary phenomenon, as a smile tends to light up neurons & minds.

[@scholarshipsnmiy7692]

I LOVE you guys!! I understood so much more with this episode🙌🏼🙌🏼✨✨

[@user-tw6my8eb1i]

I'm so happy I'm part of a generation that can just turn on thoer phone n search unlimited information..I wished throughout school I had this but having access now keeps me learning something new every single day or several things a day.im excited always to listen to yall n I'm not stuck begging a teacher or getting to a library..which took away so much time that I can now spend wide eyed ears open n soaking this all in.thank you GOD n thank u Neil n others for sharing so much knowledge..we couldn't ask or want 4 more.its the best!

[@broadcastingbritain]

Love learning for a few hours a day from this guy

[@BM-su7kc]

After 5 years of star talk, Chuck finally had his PHD in physics.

[@nefertariali6378]

lmao!! so true

[@jasonlaine8449]

I think he's a very long way off. He's idiotic. I guess he makes some people feel smart. He tries too hard with his jokes

[@linyenchin6773]

24:09 No, Chuck, you don't mean "sentient" aka "having senses," you mean *Sapient* aka "having sense of self."

[@alternavent]

I never get tired of this stuff.

[@belkyhernandez8281]

Wow....Impressed by Chuck's understanding of neutrinos and the relationship to the speed of light.

[@RupertReynolds1962]

Archimedes gave us a good theory of buoyancy back in 200-and-something BCE, it seems to me. A very clever and productive human, he was. It seems to me we should be teaching the sciences in schools with historic scientific discoveries such as his, partly because we've had over 2,200 years if scientific observations to show some way in which he was wrong, and that's a good sign of a very successful theory :-)

[@Ramennoodles008]

Hi Neil love your videos And they help me learn astronomy

[@richkroberts]

Very enjoyable session today Neil snd Chuck. Great stuff!

[@nmw_nerk]

Virtual particles linked by wormholes that weave the fabric of space and time blew my mind. And also the beginning of the universe still existing within the 4th dimension of time, the time arcs on the surface of the balloon. Losing sleep on this gumbo for sure.

[@LycterWarlock]

Every time Neil talks about how quantum entanglement works, it sounds like its just travelling through a fourth dimensional pathway we have yet to learn to observe.

[@progresssonsgaming]

Watching these videos have really helped me because i would wonder a lot of these questions but wouldn’t know who or where to go for some explanation. I’m not sure if i can 100% agree upon all these answers but I sure can relate and just keep learning

[@BeamMonsterZeus]

Chuck deserves to live on this program full-time - I don't care if he can't pronounce names more complex than Mark and Chris, his humor fits perfectly.

[@siroswaldfortitude5346]

Particles have rights!

[@Interloper12]

The whole neutrino oscillation discussion gets me thinking about the whole possibility that the universe keeps pulling a veil over our eyes to hide the truth from us... big galaxies in the early universe, neutrinos that change so we can't measure the original flavor, the inability to localize electrons. I feel like it's all connected to some elaborately woven conspiracy conjured up by the universe itself.

[@DaddyHensei]

It’s the cosmic joke. It’ll give us the build up but not the punch line.

[@NotTheEx]

The mysteries of God's creation that flesh can neither reveal nor receive.

[@affordablewebsiterescue]

This is one of the best science sessions I've ever heard! Funny too!!!!

[@ameliaburton3426]

I love his Great Courses videos

[@IWasAlwaysNeverAnywhere]

i learned by no mans sky that its actually faster to rise above the atmosphere to travel somewhere than to travel through it. so it would take longer to fly a jet along the surface of the earth than it would if you went some distance into the sky and then back down again. thats what the game taught me at least idk if thats reality :)

[@ar_badical]

Neil, what happens if you operate a "particular smasher" (LOL) in zero gravity?

[@vickieysacoff4249]

That information on neutrinos is so cool! Neil always explains things in such an understandable way. 😊

[@MeelaudBoozary]

Chuck and Neil are the perfect combo

[@Alfiy_Wolf]

String theory can’t be real if it was all the strings would have snapped carrying humanities issues

[@VishamaKannaa]

Is it an american thing to use "of" instead of have? It looks so wrong

[@J040PL7]

​@@VishamaKannaa I've seen road man in London using that too 😂

[@ginnyjollykidd]

It is wrong. It is "Would have." The pronunciation gets in the way of the meaning. The pronunciation is a contraction: "would've" It is pronounced the same as "would of." That is how we end up with incorrect words. An English teacher these days would probably bury their face in their hands, roll their eyes skyward, and sigh helplessly at the fact that their students refuse to learn any semblance of standard grammar, syntax, spelling, and style.

[@johnowens8992]

Weve never had less

[@linyenchin6773]

Humanity's issues not "humanities issues." The nonsense term "humanities" is a woman(aka vague and useless) term similar to amenities in it being a worthless word for " useful items in a place or situation you are in" but more worthless as it is a super vague reference to "the state of affairs" in cultivating all the avenues of curiosity and general experience that is typical in the human existence. Intellectual males are just females in the bodies of men, they adore obnoxious vagueness and inventing useless terns to reflect their fragments~tangents of retardation or "perspective." So called "humanities" is just one such worthless perspective.

[@sunny_senpai]

perhaps the best ep yet, all great questions

[@raymack9201]

You guys are awesome and so great to watch and listen to.

[@GreenAppelPie]

Dayum what an excellent episode. Great questions, more of these please

[@ohheyitskevinc]

11:41 - the great courses are really good. Have a couple on Audible, which are sometimes a little odd as I believe they’re videos originally, but still a great listen

[@blueskies7357]

This episode is amazing! So empty space could be like a field that's powering up everything inside the universe?

[@user-bb4wj7lq3t]

Neil, I’m glad you live in my iPad and teach me things while I’m at work.

[@NickHaus683]

Neil!!!!!! I need a breakthrough from you and this channel.

[@DaellusKnights]

Grab Bag Edition is perhaps my absolute favoritest version of this show 😻 not just for the content but also hearing the thoughts and curiosities of people abroad 😺 (and let's be honest... that's when Chuck's at his Chuckiest!) 😹

[@angrybeluga1697]

Love this channel! I once had a cosmology teacher like this once and it was great.

[@raymondreyes5850]

Awesome episode ❤

[@blancavazquez1305]

Justin Wilson was the PBS chef...thank you Chuck for the memories! Grab bag...Gumbo...either way these are so much fun!

[@marks8437]

This is a great episode! So many tantalizing topics to tickle my brain, sprinkled with humor that made me rewind multiple times!

[@Wis_Dom]

37:06 The guy you were referring too is Justin Wilson. The show was called " Louisiana Cookin' " on PBS. My mother and I loved watching his program back in the day and hearing his stories. I hardly knew what he was saying (other than, "I guarONtee"), but my southern mother understood his every word. 🤣

[@munchkinmatt1670]

This was a WONDERFUL talk!!

[@ekothesilent9456]

This was the best show in a long time!!!

[@anewman]

The lecture series Niel is talking about on the Great Courses is his Inexplicable Universe series. So good I bought the whole series on amazon prime!

[@RichardSmith-pb8qk]

Love Startalk. Thank you so much!

[@navigatore2099]

What a wisdom... Thank you.

[@BenjySparky]

Neil and Chuck y'all rock! Peace

[@andrefoisy7310]

I wish these went Longer

[@Ruy_O]

What a great episode! Thank you!! All the best from Mexico

[@artswri]

One of the best of some great videos, coolest of cool. And Lord Nice is at his erudite best (!)

[@lennysaturn]

this was an awesome episode

[@EJKelly]

What a great way to learn new stuff..avid fan.

[@juliam7056]

You guys are the BEST !!!

[@IWasAlwaysNeverAnywhere]

so. i think my idea about the double slit experiment is actually correct. when you do the double slit experiment and cause the interference pattern to emerge the photon is actually slowing down through time but in space it becomes unstable and can appear in a random location. it fell beneath the electromagnetic spectrum and all we are left with is evidence the waves which the photon was once surfing on before the experiment "broke down" maybe this is how you explain vaccum energy? idk some random thoughts for ya

[@Multiverse2112ACT]

Awesome as always! May I suggest that your team add the persons name at the bottom of the screen so that just in case, on the off chance that Chuck mispronounce it, that it will be displayed to compliment the questioner.

[@thamereramya8109]

Good questions Better answers Best time

[@detectivehowardb7]

Yes the electron bit was nice I'm right there with you Chuck, amazing! thanks Neil

[@peronkop]

But is it True? Pretty sure I learned a relative size of the electron to the nucleus. Why did that change?

[@garystewart3110]

@StarTalk I bet you were like you were how you and Bill were Making fun of Rodney in that Stargate Atlantis episode you did. That was super awesome! One of my favorite episodes of that series. : )

[@cinbro3080]

Here we go!!! I Love this stuff and my kids do too. Thank you so much.

[@quickshoeracer]

This is my favorite StarTalk to date! Dunning-kruger for flat-earthers, revaluations about electrons and Niel saying “I didn’t know that”! 🤯 Intelligence is knowing what you know and knowing what you don’t know and these guys display that to wonderful effect

[@filipmilovanovic8942]

@Walker Fowland & @Niel - The answer is roughly YES! In 4-dimensional spacetime, gravity causes geodesics to get closer and sometimes intersect (on a sphere, they must intersect because they have nowhere else to go, but there's more room in 4D space for them to miss each other). Gravitating bodies just follow geodesics

[@Allishaalr]

Fascinating

[@chrisbamford2196]

Hi guyes. As per the things I have been talking about for 40 years. Yes, space time can have bubbles which, if the energy density arround them is sufficient. can form resonant vortices which make particles. stable, due to the resonance in space time, consistant with protons, electrons and neutrons, etc. Consistent with the quantization of spacetime. As per the idea i have put forth for the last 40 years. Thanks guys. this has been a lot of fun listening to you.

[@detectivehowardb7]

out of the bushes for that one. Thanks guys I enjoyed that.

[@marcusm8009]

Can't wait for quantum entanglement communications.

[@das_it_mane]

Just a few years ago this stuff was absolutely bonkers to me and now I actually understand when listening

[@troymosher4877]

Chuck is back! He's growing on me.

[@KatoOnTheTrack1]

@38:01, his response made my day because I came to the same conclusion as he did…I’m learning something 😂😂. Actually learned that from Brian Greene’s book.

[@michaelcorman4859]

For anyone wondering the chef Chuck was referring to with the cajun accent was the late Justin Wilson. Look him up you will love his show if you like cooking, I guaraaanteee.

[@patlemay8006]

I'm Aabout to start watcing this series because this is FASCINATING. My first observation, yes I think we should rethink string theory. definitely!

[@patlemay8006]

Chuck :)) lol Dr.Tyson 's explaninations are always so simple and easy to understand

[@patlemay8006]

density is a B52 shot :))

[@eternaldisorder8429]

For the last 2 years I've listened to star talk every night in bed, thankyou Neil and Chuck for the knowledge and the laughs!!