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StarTalk Radio

Things You Thought You Knew – Quantum Cat

07 Oct 2025

Description

What happens when you fall into a black hole? Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice give us the step-by-step on spaghettification, explain Schrodinger's cat, and explore quantum tunnelling… Or do they? NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/things-you-thought-you-knew-quantum-cat/Thanks to our Patrons Peter Nguyen, Noah Narh, Oliver Anderson, Oleksandr, TULAKAR JHA, Marziee, Carmen, Erica Trebesch, Joan Cotkin, Steve, Kevin, renee porter, Knatrueall Phliights, Jacque Walker, ThatOofcaGuy, Ian Ulsh, Robert Vest, Oslo Johnson, Colin T, Patricia Brennan, Mac Lamken, Josh, Derek Holiday, ShieldsGaming18, Adam Gotch, Mike Starnes, Ryan, AnJ, William Rosati, Chris Ose, Becker the Brewer, Jennings.Bass, LAZU, Alissa Wilson, Logical Haus, Dave Blair, Brad, Kaleo Hubert, soogun shongwe, Caleb Pelletier, Toby Murray, McGrumps the Curmudgeon, Joshua, Knutte Söderberg, Albert Dávid, Jim Prescott, John Wooters, Chris Raines, neoghaleon, Roy Roddey, PJ, TC, Micheal Bartmess, Arwa, Hasemano, Brian Thompson, Stetson, Goerc Goerc, Dennis Shields, Spike, Ian Hebert, Kasheia Williams, Tess, Aren Moy, Robert, LittleBoBliue, Paul, Rick Hanes, Donivan Porterfield, Tony Smith, Penny B, Brett R, Nicholas Falvey, and Stymie Sulik for supporting us this week. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of StarTalk Radio ad-free and a whole week early.Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Audio
Transcription

Full Episode

0.031 - 39.049 Neil deGrasse Tyson

Coming up on StarTalk, it's another Things You Thought You Knew episode. This time, we bring to you a few fan favorites. Death by Black Hole, Schrodinger's Cat, and Quantum Tunneling. Don't want to miss it. Welcome to StarTalk. Your place in the universe where science and pop culture collide. StarTalk begins right now. I want to describe what it's like to die as you fall into a black hole.

0

39.333 - 53.674 Chuck Nice

Now, are we recounting a personal experience here? Perhaps that could be the reason for the delay in discussing this. Are you sure you're ready for this after this harrowing experience?

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53.694 - 65.451 Neil deGrasse Tyson

One of the highest compliments I ever got was I was giving a tour of the newly built Hayden Planetarium, newly renovated, to Seinfeld, okay, who lived across the street, so he was a neighbor.

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65.472 - 67.855 Chuck Nice

What's the deal with the lights?

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67.835 - 90.504 Neil deGrasse Tyson

All right, so I described the Big Bang to him in the first few moments in exquisite detail, and he says, It sounds like you were there. I thought, man, that's a high compliment. I'd never forget that. That's pretty funny. I'm about to describe death by black hole, and no, I will alert you in advance, I was not there.

90.865 - 91.265 Chuck Nice

Okay.

91.586 - 111.294 Neil deGrasse Tyson

But we know the physics of it, and that's just as good. Okay. All right. So a black hole, so you're standing here on Earth. Okay. I am, by the way, sitting. You're sitting on Earth. And your feet are closer to the center of the Earth than the top of your head is.

111.896 - 112.217 Chuck Nice

OK.

113.3 - 114.042 Neil deGrasse Tyson

Do we agree?

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