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Science of Survival with Neil deGrasse Tyson & Dr. Teimojin Tan – Cosmic Queries

2023-06-09 Science & Technology
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Description

Can science help you survive in the Arctic? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly learn about what happens to the body during starvation and harsh conditions from someone who’s been there with survival doctor, veteran, and contestant on Season 9 of Alone, Dr. Teimojin Tan. We discover Arctic warfare and what it takes to survive in the wild. What will kill you first in a survival scenario? We rank the things you need to survive and explore the importance of companionship. Teimojin tells us about his experience living alone in the Arctic for 63 days and what methods he used to avoid drop shock. What is the hardest mental aspect of surviving alone? Learn the stages of what the body goes through during starvation. What is it like to be a doctor and knowing exactly what's happening inside your body as it's happening? We discuss ketosis, the body’s metabolic rate in the Arctic, and what happens when your fat stores deplete. How do you prevent sickness in the wild? How would we deal with isolation and intense environments in space travel? What are best practices for designing a shelter for extreme cold? We discuss fluid dynamics and how best to retain heat. Can humans survive on drinking their own urine? Learn why that’s not such a good idea in a survival situation. We explore the law of the end of the world, the realities of self-amputation, primitive methods for staving off infection, and even more… Get the NEW Cosmic Queries book (5/5 ⭐s on Amazon!): https://amzn.to/3dYIEQF 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 00:00 - Intro to Survival 7:00 - Death Sequence Ranked: Our Needs to Survive 10:30 - Experience on Alone 14:43 - Coping with Confinement 20:40 - Hallucination, Mentality, & Genghis Khan 24:32 - Stages of Starvation & Ketosis 30:35 - Preventing Sickness in the Wild 34:09 - Applying Survival to Space Travel 41:15 - Best Practices for Designing Shelter 43:51 - Is Drinking Urine Ever a Good Idea? 45:33 - Hallucinations at Altitude 48:48 - Apocalypse Preparation 50:35 - Staving Off Infection & Survival Medicine 54:28 - Can You Cut Off Your Own Limb?

Top Comments (10)

@StarTalk 2023-06-28

How long do you think you could survive alone in the wilderness?

19 17 replies
@johnandrews6872 2023-06-10

Working at a Max security prison for 13 years, watched as we released Max prisoners that spent years in solitary confinement, with no more than a small amount of money , a bus ticket and some new clothes, and folks wondered why they were back in less than a month. It had to be terrifying to leave your home for years getting meals, some minor counseling, and then sent out to fend for yourself.

69 11 replies
@Tree-thingz 2023-06-10

This was an engaging discussion. 🕺 Practicing gratitude and asking for what you need makes for a great daily practice.

20
@GoldSticker 2023-06-09

I can't help but think that this has to do with the celebrations of the solstice and how people will travel such great distances just to gather together in huge numbers to celebrate something they agree on.

16
@worshipingIAM 2023-06-10

absolutely one of my favorite episodes so far!

15
@THEBIGGEST95 2023-06-09

It’s a difference in choosing to be alone rather than forced to be alone . I can choose all day to stay to self but if something catastrophic happens and I see I’m a lone survivor that may mess with me a bit .

9
@iBenChosen 2023-06-16

I only watch episodes if chuck is there. Neil and chuck the best combo fr

7 1 replies
@SoylentGreenBaby 2023-06-09

This was such a good episode

19 1 replies
@bredemeijer9648 2023-08-20

Chuck is such a great question asker. Perfect together with Neil. Not only for comedic relief.

3
@Itachiuchiha014 2025-11-21

This was so much deeper and interesting, than it seemed…wow

0

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