The sun, moon, and SPACETIME CONTINUUM? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice break down space and time and other cosmic things you thought you knew.
Find out about Einstein's special theory of relativity and our four dimensions. Neil and Chuck make lunch plans as they navigate space and time. What critiques does Neil have of The Terminator and Back to the Future? What are some unintended complications of time travel? Discover the concept of worldlines, getting unstuck from time in Slaughterhouse 5, and how time travel is just a changing of dimensions.
Next, Chuck carefully avoids making any moon jokes as we break down myths about the moon. Why does the moon look bigger on the horizon? Is it actually a trick of the eye? You’ll learn an easy trick to undo this illusion. What’s a honey moon? We break down different moons including the creepiest, and also Chuck’s favorite: the blood moon.
How big is the sun? We wrap our heads around the scale of our universe and the role of the sun on our planet. If the sun were magically plucked from its spot, how long would it take for us to realize it? How do sunspots work? What about solar flares? We break down the mechanics of the sun’s interior, the merry-go-round effect, and the flipping of the sun's poles. All that, plus, what are fishes’ experiences with the sun?
Thanks to our Patrons Ian Konkle, Panda Man, Manuel zamarripa jr, Priscilla & Kyle, It’s all e=mc2 no vectors, Jesse Bunch, Dog Thereisno, Francisco Cunningham, and Steven Severin 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/
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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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0:00 - Part 1: Relativity and the 4th Dimension
01:09 - Grounding the concept of a 'Space-time Continuum'
05:31 - Time travel in 'The Terminator'
07:23 - Time travel in 'Back to the Future'
09:43 - What is a "World Line"?
15:24 - Part 2: Moon Myths
16:02 - The moon on horizon illusion
20:13 - How to undo the large moon illusion
21:36 - Explaining the 'honey' moon
24:13 - Explaining the 'blood' moon
30:43 - Part 3: The Sun
33:00 - How far away is the Sun?
35:03 - The scale of the Sun
37:23 - What are Sunspots?
41:14 - How are solar flares created?
44:28 - Closing notes