StarTalk Radio: Cosmic Queries – Black Hole Information Paradox

Host: Neil deGrasse Tyson
Co-host: Chuck Nice
Airdate: January 27, 2026

Episode Overview

In this lively episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson teams up with comedian Chuck Nice for a “Cosmic Queries” session focused on black holes, the information paradox, and related astrophysical oddities. Listener questions ignite deep dives into black hole physics, entropy, time travel, villains and superheroes, cosmic hypothetical scenarios, and more. The duo blend science and pop culture with trademark humor, providing both clear explanations and plenty of laughs.

Main Topics and Key Insights

Black Hole Information Paradox Explained

[03:34–07:07]

• Listener Brian (Portugal) asks about the black hole information paradox.
• Chuck Nice and Neil deGrasse Tyson explain:
  • Classical view: Information falling into a black hole is lost to the universe, conflicting with quantum mechanics, which insists information must be conserved.
  • Hawking Radiation: Particle-antiparticle pairs form near the event horizon; one falls in, one escapes.
  • Recent theories suggest the particles escaping (Hawking radiation) encode the information about what fell in.
  • Key insight: “If you inventory the particles that are created out of the gravitational field, it is exactly the particles that the black hole ate...the preservation of information.” — Chuck Nice [06:00]
  • The evaporation of black holes slowly returns this information to the universe, apparently resolving the paradox.

What Is “Information” in Astrophysics?

[32:03–34:06]

• Listener Colin (Berkshires, MA): Wants clarity on what “information” means here.
• Neil: It’s not just the types of particles, but how they’re put together (structure and entropy count).
• Chuck: “A molecule would have more information than a particle would.” [32:44]
• The conversation acknowledges the complexity, referencing entropy and the role of the Sun in introducing energy and lowering entropy on Earth.
• Neil: “We’re not a closed system. There’s introduction of energy…from the Sun.” [33:25]
• Deeper details are deferred to physicist Jana Levin for future follow-up.

Time Travel Logistics (Back to the Future Deep-Dive)

[22:00–31:33]

• Listener William Heisenberg (“Wilhelm”): Wonders about the time mechanics in "Back to the Future" (BTTF)—shouldn’t spatial position be considered too?
• Neil: Points out that BTTF handles this cinematically by always moving in whole years, so the Earth is in the same position in its orbit. But more precise time jumps (e.g., 30 days) would strand you in space — “…any actual time travel machine ideally should also be a space travel machine.” [25:02]
• Chuck Nice details the “Twin Pines Mall/Lone Pine Mall” Easter egg as a nod to actual changes caused by time travel in the film.
• Quote: “You can’t out Back to the Future Neil on this one.” — Neil deGrasse Tyson [31:28]

The “Moon’s Moon” Hypothetical

[07:09–11:47]

• Listener SP (Arizona): Asks if the Moon could capture an asteroid to become a “moon of the moon.”
• Neil: Explains it’s nearly impossible; capturing requires a third body to take away energy. The Moon won’t acquire a moon this way.
• Chuck: “It is almost impossible to capture an object without consequences to another object.” [10:10]
• Fun speculation about what it would look like, but ultimately not plausible.

Superhero & Villain Identities

[11:55–19:35]

• Listener Kevotron: Asks what kind of villain/superhero Neil and Chuck would be in a comic.
• Chuck: Protector of the nerds, inspired by “Mighty Mouse” (“Here I come to save the day!” [16:01])
• Neil: Wants to be “Dr. Manhattan” from Watchmen (can be everywhere at once, omniscient, “He can go anywhere in the universe he wants.” [17:53])
• Chat about how fiction and “faction” (Neil’s word for nonfiction) shape perception.

Black Holes, Multiverses, and Wormholes

[43:41–44:57]

• Listener Remy (France): Asks if wormholes could bridge between universes, or escape black holes.
• Chuck: “Everything I know about wormholes tells me they can get you anywhere... In principle, you should be able to [travel between universes].” [44:10]
• Caution about different physics in each universe — your coin (or you) might disintegrate on the other side.
• Reference to "Rick and Morty" and its portal gun.

Universe Inside a Black Hole?

[42:16–43:38]

• Listener Tom (Sweden): Hypothetical; if the universe is inside a black hole, would everything converge instead of expand? Would we see spaghettification?
• Neil & Chuck: Spaghettification only occurs near the singularity; if our universe’s black hole is as large as the universe itself, spaghettification isn’t an issue for us.

How to Survive a Black Hole Collision with Earth

[45:17–46:28]

• Listener Kristoff (Belgium): If a black hole were heading toward our solar system, what could be done?
• Chuck: “In my day, what you would say is, kiss your ass goodbye.” [45:43]
• Only option: Attach enough rockets to Earth and move the planet—evacuation on a colossal scale.
• “You’re not. You can’t touch the black hole. You can’t nudge it out of the way.” [46:04]

Accretion Disks and Asteroids

[46:40–50:36]

• Listener Jeff (UK): Why does a black hole’s accretion disk expand when an object falls in?
• Neil: Accretion disc is the “holding pattern,” heats up as new material adds energy, expands as a result.
• Chuck: The bright, hot accretion disk is what we observe, not the black hole itself—jets emerge “up and down” from heated material failing to escape through the disk.
• Neil: “When you see light from a black hole, you’re not seeing any light from inside... you’re seeing the accretion disk.” [49:32–50:21]

Notable Quotes

• “Somehow knowledge of what the black hole ate...is communicated to the gravitational field.” [06:00]
  — Chuck Nice, on information preservation in Hawking radiation

• “Any actual time travel machine ideally should also be a space travel machine.” [25:02]
  — Neil deGrasse Tyson

• “Protector of the nerds. That’s cool. I’d be Dr. Manhattan.” [17:51]
  — Chuck Nice and Neil deGrasse Tyson, on superheroes

• “You can’t out Back to the Future Neil on this one.” [31:28]
  — Neil deGrasse Tyson, after an exhaustive BTTF Easter egg explanation

• “You’re not. You can’t touch the black hole. You can’t nudge it out of the way.” [46:04]
  — Chuck Nice, summarizing humanity’s inability to stave off a black hole

• “When you see light from a black hole, you’re not seeing any light from inside...you’re seeing the accretion disk.” [49:32]
  — Neil deGrasse Tyson

Memorable Moments & Humorous Asides

• Mighty Mouse and Dr. Manhattan: Chuck’s heartfelt nod to nerdy kids (“save the geeks who are being pummeled by the football quarterbacks” [16:10]) and Neil’s wanting “to be everywhere at once.”
• Back to the Future Super-Geekery: Neil’s detailed explanation of the “Twin Pines Mall” and subsequent continuity changes in the film — a flex for detail-oriented fandom.
• Clothes Shrinking in the Dryer: The age-old mysteries (Wool shrinking, sock disappearance, refrigerator light!) spark comedic riffs. [37:55–41:59]

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Time | Segment / Topic | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:34 | Black Hole Information Paradox Explained | | 07:09 | Moon’s Moon Hypothetical | | 11:55 | Superhero vs. Villain Dialogues | | 22:00 | Time Travel & Back to the Future Logic | | 32:03 | What Does “Information” Mean in Physics? | | 37:55 | Do Clothes Shrink in the Dryer? (And Other Mysteries) | | 42:16 | Could the Universe Be Inside a Black Hole? | | 43:41 | Wormholes, Black Holes, and the Multiverse | | 45:17 | Stopping a Black Hole Headed for Earth | | 46:40 | Accretion Disks and “Feeding” Black Holes | | 50:40 | Closing and Book Plug: “Just Visiting this Planet” |

Further Reading & Follow-up

• Referenced Experts:

  • Prof. Jana Levin (Black Hole Theorist)
  • Prof. Brian Greene (“The Elegant Universe”)

• Recommended Viewing/Reading:

  • "Back to the Future" film series (Continuity details abound)
  • “The Black Hole Blues” by Jana Levin
  • “The Elegant Universe” by Brian Greene
  • “Watchmen” (Graphic novel and film)

Summary by [YOUR PODCAST SUMMARIZER] – Bringing astrophysics down to Earth, one cosmic query at a time.