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Things To Notice On Your Next Flight

2026-07-16 Science & Technology
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StarTalk
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Description

Could you get sucked out of a hole in the side of your airplane? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice break down all the scientific details to notice on your next flight, from wing shapes to why you shouldn’t jump during takeoff and landing. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: Airplanes Have Changed 00:20 - Where Gates Come From 01:07 - Fueling 02:12 - Tesselation 3:40 - Cabin Air Pressure 08:29 - Jumping During Takeoff 10:36 - The Shape of the Plane 13:42 - The Hole in the Side of the Plane Myth 15:15 - Landing is Tricky 19:48 - Shoutout to the Spruce Goose Check out our second channel, @StarTalkPlus Get the latest StarTalk book, 'To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery' on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3PL0NFn Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/startalkradio FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to StarTalk: Twitter: http://twitter.com/startalkradio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarTalk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startalk 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

Top Comments (10)

@StarTalk 2026-07-16

What's one thing about flying you've always wondered but never asked?"

87 92 replies
@pushinkeys 2026-07-17

That diddy joke deserves a laugh track at least 😂😂

351 7 replies
@Smallwitz 2026-07-16

Give Chuck his raise ✈️

243 2 replies
@AlejandroJonahRamirez 2026-07-16

Gets a little puffy not a little diddy 😂

463 12 replies
@Helm_3 2026-07-17

This video feels like when you ask someone about their favorite thing and they just talk and talk... And I absolutely love it! 😂😂

27
@Jarl_FAR 2026-07-16

Yall upload this as soon as I boarded my plane lmao

299 16 replies
@aneben7 2026-07-17

As a lifelong professional pilot, I was fact-checking your explanation and was initially quite impressed—you were doing well. However, I then encountered a point that didn’t hold up. A coordinated turn, in which the pilot feels pressed straight down into the seat and objects like a wine glass remain stable without sliding, does not require any computer assistance. I suggest reviewing the slip indicator (also known as the inclinometer or “ball”), a simple instrument that has been standard in aircraft since the earliest days of aviation. It consists of a slightly curved tube containing a ball, and pilots have been taught since the 1920s to keep that ball centered during turns. In turbulence, the effects are typically driven more by changes in wind speed and direction than by variations in the aircraft’s own airspeed. Overall, though, your explanation was solid.

101 19 replies
@Zozs-l8z 2026-07-16

Diddy joke was hands down the best part of this video

122 5 replies
@tray12234 2026-07-16

The way Neil just casually strolled past that Diddy line was insane.

41 3 replies
@Veritas_Amor 2026-07-17

Sharing a few "well, actually...." since I know you'd want to know- Cabin Alt - 8000 most. Some can do 6000 (787, A350). Fuel in Long Haulers, more carried in center tank than the wings down below next to your bags. Spoilers upon landing - puts more weight on wheels for brakes - spoiling the lift. Reversers - runway performance is always calculated without reverse. Since the 1960s, jetliners have hydraulic yaw dampers, for turn coordination and even a small plane pilot inputs a little rudder in a turn and, keeps your drink in your glass during a turn. 100% regarding flight control systems being smoother today. The 787 and 777 flight controls systems even reduce turbulence through small perfectly timed inputs. Fuel dumping - short haul single aisles don't have it and can usually land right after takeoff. Only long haulers (dual aisle) have fuel jettison plumbing for weight reduction for landing.

73 8 replies

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