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Alcubierre Drives, Antimatter Multiverses & More! | Cosmic Queries #103

2026-01-20 Science & Technology
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StarTalk
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Description

Is time dilation just the data loading in a cosmic simulation? Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice answer grab bag questions about saving the Sun, generation spaceships, black hole slingshots, and more! We explore what it would be like to get extremely close to our Sun. When the core of the Sun runs out of hydrogen, is there anything we could do? If we send a generational ship to a habitable planet today, will it eventually be passed by a faster ship launched decades later? How would you factor advancements in technology into launch times? What does Neil picture when he pictures the Big Bang? How do you explain the Big Bang to a seven-year-old? Does traveling at near-light speed make you smaller? Neil even shares how his PhD data in Chile gave purpose to ancient photons. Plus, can you use a supermassive black hole to slingshot your way past the speed of light? Could a black hole be a graviton in a higher dimension? Does living in an expanding universe contradict the idea that we live inside a black hole? We discuss whether gravity could simply be the cosmic engine slowing down its frame rate to process complex information. From merging antimatter bubble universes to intercepting tachyons traveling backward through time, no stone is left unturned in this wide-ranging episode. Thanks to our Patrons Colbi Rohr, Designer Chrome, David Crawford, Faber Gabriel, Don, DJ, Ashur Isho, Steve, Logan Doherty, daveb, Alyssa, Dave Rossi, WILLIAM DEANGELLO DAVIS, Kurtis Tucker, BoatsG, Brian Kemmet, Linn Eaton, Benson Albert, Alan Corey, John Mehew, Merrill, Hamad Alhadyan, Brian Langford, eSpectator, Craig Muller, Betty Ford, Rizwaan Khan, Eric L Brown, Kevin James, 84chamelio, Dave Hildebrandt, Joseph Torre, Ryan Martin, Mike Coffield, Patrick Mercado, Alvaro Mendoza, Justin M, David Spiro, Jerry Cornett, Len B Smith, Alex Roe-Million, Ken Nelson, 80HD, Tom N., yna, Nanette Westhof, Benjamin William Blair, Andres de la Torre, Bridget Yacker, Mac Crollman, Byron Gregg, Jaquenta Jackie, Kevin Williams, Mettavore, Nathan Randall, TheNative Artificer, Mihir Daté, Keith, Thomas Bunner, Jack carter, Andrew, Jonathan Venancio, Dwayne Moquett, Krishna Vasudevan, Lexee, David M, KC Jones, Andrea P, Vincent Y., Juan Hernandez, Gremlin, Brian Masney, GillesS, Brett, Moises Zorrilla, Tek Adept, Rick Stacey, Angela Hayes, Kent, Smitty West, and You Mesh for supporting us this week. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: Grab Bag 01:00 - Being Close To Our Sun 11:23 - Generational Spaceship Leapfrog 15:43 - Picturing the Big Bang 17:48 - Do You Get Smaller The Faster You Get? 23:12 - Black Hole Slingshot 27:57 - Can We Be in a Black Hole if The Universe is Expanding? 29:56 - Accelerating a Warp Bubble 32:08 - Graviton From a Higher Dimension 35:19 - Merging Bubble Universes 38:03 - Bypassing Spaghettification 39:51 - Is Time Dialation Just a Drop in Frame Rate in a Videogame? 41:10 - Could You Go Faster Than Speed of Light in a Black Hole? 42:13 - Quantum Computer in a Black Hole 43:20 - Faster Than Speed of Light Travel Check out our second channel, @StarTalkPlus Get the NEW 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)

@JoshuaLewis-k2y 2026-01-21

I am completely honored to have my question answered by Chuck and Neil about the science behind the movie sunshine. The rotisserie chicken comment had me and my wife rolling😂😂. Thanks for every thing Neil, Chuck and everybody behind the scenes at StarTalk. Love this show❤

415 21 replies
@HesssJess 2026-01-20

The chemistry between them is contagious

256 11 replies
@Jakobjohannesras 2026-01-20

The only podcast in the world you listen to all the time and never get tired off ❤❤❤🎉

181 12 replies
@StarTalk 2026-01-20

Could time dilation be a clue that the universe processes information, like a giant cosmic computer?

146 62 replies
@jessemode8255 2026-01-20

You had me at space rotisseries.

131 5 replies
@AlphaMachina 2026-01-21

My week just wouldn't be complete without StarTalk.

37
@4Turner 2026-01-21

Star talk makes learning fun again

35
@Bdub423 2026-01-22

Bro idc what no one says chuck could basically be a science teacher or professor at this point.

32 7 replies
@bigmjolnir934 2026-02-11

The idea you talked about, about a slow ship to another star being passed due to advances in technology has been done. "Far Centaurus" is a science fiction short story by Canadian-American writer A. E. van Vogt, first published in Astounding Science Fiction in January 1944. The story involves the crew of a sleeper ship that arrives at Alpha Centauri after five centuries, only to find the planets there already settled by people who arrived in faster-than-light ships. The sleeper crew wasn't "rescued" because it was considered more respectful to allow them to finish their historic attempt.

18
@karlidomingo 2026-01-21

I always love saying “I have a personal astrophysicist” to people who don’t watch StarTalk just to watch their reactions.

7

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