StarTalk Radio: Cosmic Queries – Galactic Grab Bag – Blue Steel

Host: Neil deGrasse Tyson
Co-host: Chuck Nice
Date: January 16, 2026

Episode Overview

In this lively "Galactic Grab Bag" (formerly known as "Galactic Gumbo") edition of StarTalk Radio, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice tackle a diverse array of listener-submitted science questions. From lunar motions to the quirks of the periodic table, terraforming Mars to the fate of photons, this episode blends accessible explanations with trademark humor and pop culture references. The show highlights the fluidity between science and culture, navigating everything from astronomy fundamentals to the fun of movie cameos.

Highlights & Key Discussion Points

1. Galactic Grab Bag—What’s In a Name?

Timestamps: [01:11]–[01:55]

• The hosts reminisce over the segment’s former names, including "Cosmic Potpourri" and "Galactic Gumbo," before settling on "Grab Bag," likening it to the unpredictability of a holiday present exchange.

2. Moon’s Wobble and Libration

Timestamps: [03:28]–[08:02]

• Listener Question: What’s the Moon’s "wobble" and how does it affect Earth?
• Neil’s Deep Dive: Clarifies the interesting phenomenon is libration, not wobble; explains how the Moon’s elliptical orbit and tidal locking result in us seeing more than 50% of its surface over a "moonth."
• Quote:

  "When you look at time-lapse photos of the Moon, it is striking to behold. The Moon is like, turning a little to the left to you, a little to the right. So we can see more than 50% of its surface over the duration of a moonth." — Neil deGrasse Tyson [06:40]

• Fun Fact: "Moonth" is the etymological root of "month."

3. Pop Culture Sidebar: ‘Zoolander’ & The Blue Steel

Timestamps: [08:08]–[10:16]

• Chuck riffs on "Blue Steel” (a ‘Zoolander’ reference), sparking laughs about Neil’s cameo in “Zoolander 2” and his reputation for ending movie franchises.
• Quote:

  "I've been in four movie franchises, okay? And for three of them, there were no more movies made after." — Neil deGrasse Tyson [09:09]

  "So I was in Ice Age 5, okay, and the critic said it’s about time the series went extinct, like all the creatures in it." — Neil deGrasse Tyson [09:27]

4. Has Humanity Always Seen the Same Night Sky?

Timestamps: [10:32]–[13:26]

• Listener Question: Has the night sky changed for humans in the last ~150,000 years?
• Neil’s Response:
  • Stars are in motion and constellations would have looked different (notably, about half the night sky would be unrecognizable); the Big Dipper, for example, is a cluster whose shape would be completely different 75,000 years ago.
• Quote:

  "If you go back 75,000 years...you would not recognize most of the constellations of the night sky." — Neil deGrasse Tyson [12:39]

5. The Curious Case of Mercury (the Element) Being Liquid

Timestamps: [13:32]–[24:44]

• Listener Question: Why is mercury liquid at room temperature, when neighboring elements are solid?
• Neil’s Nuanced Take:
  • Explains the periodic table and role of quantum physics in elemental properties.
  • Admits there isn't a simple answer—melting point is not a chemical property; "being liquid is not the most different thing about an element."
  • Ambient temperature is arbitrary; different lab conditions in different countries led to different "liquid" vs "solid" classifications for some elements.
• Quote:

  "If you want to think of the periodic table as some deep fundamental truth about the universe, then you should not be distracting yourself about whether it's solid, liquid, or gas at your laboratory temperature, because the universe doesn't give a rat's ass about your laboratory temperature." — Neil deGrasse Tyson [23:17]

6. States of Matter in the Universe

Timestamps: [23:49]–[26:20]

• Discussing how water, methane, and other substances can be solid, liquid, or gas depending on environmental conditions—what we consider "normal" is only true under specific circumstances.
• Quote:

  "On Earth, that's gaseous, you go to Saturn's moon, Titan...it liquefies methane. And the water, it is so cold that the water has frozen so solid that it's basically the bedrock." — Neil deGrasse Tyson [24:49]

7. Terraforming Mars: What’s Holding Us Back?

Timestamps: [26:24]–[30:18]

• Listener Question: Can we actually terraform Mars with its dead core and lack of a magnetic field?
• Neil’s Take:
  • Living underground or shielding from the sun solves some UV and solar wind concerns.
  • Technological capacity (“geoengineering”) might even let us restart Mars’ magnetic field by stirring the core.
  • The real challenge isn’t blocking radiation—it’s creating a functional, sustainable biosphere.
• Quote:

  "If we have the power of geoengineering to turn Mars into an arable place, I don't see why we couldn't figure out some way to deflect the solar wind...engineers tend to solve problems when given the task." — Neil deGrasse Tyson [28:43]

8. Best Spots in the Solar System for Astronomy

Timestamps: [33:33]–[37:17]

• Listener Question: Are there better places than Earth for unobstructed astronomical observation?
• Key Points:
  • The Moon is a huge source of nighttime brightness; astronomers compete for "dark time."
  • Earth’s radio noise is also a challenge; proposals exist to build radio telescopes on the Moon's far side, shielded from Earth interference.
  • Notable mention of the James Webb Space Telescope's location—far from both Earth and the Moon for optimal conditions.

9. Voyager and the Edge of the Solar System

Timestamps: [37:17]–[39:02]

• Clarifies that the solar system’s “boundary” is defined by the influence of the Sun’s magnetic field and particle wind; Voyager left this region, which is well past Pluto.

10. Fairness in Telescope Time & The Power of Discretionary Observation

Timestamps: [39:11]–[42:48]

• Listener Question: Do senior scientists get priority for telescope observation time?
• Answer:
  • Access is granted based on the brilliance of the idea—not seniority. Research papers don’t list degrees, and even undergrads can get credit for major discoveries.
  • Telescope directors do have "director's discretionary time" for bold or risky projects—like the famous Hubble Deep Field image.
• Quote:

  "Your seniority has nothing to do with it. It's how brilliant is your idea." — Neil deGrasse Tyson [39:49]

11. Do Photons “Experience” Time and Can They Decay?

Timestamps: [42:52]–[45:37]

• Explains that because photons travel at light speed, time does not progress for them—hence, they don’t "know" to decay. If photons experienced time, they wouldn’t be massless photons anymore.
• Quote:

  "If you have no measure of time, then you cannot know to turn into anything else later in life, because there is no later." — Neil deGrasse Tyson [44:22]

  "So it means the photon that we detect here that was emitted in the early universe shortly after the Big Bang, as far as it's concerned, it's still the Big Bang." — Neil deGrasse Tyson [45:06]

12. Black Hole Shrinkage and Visibility

Timestamps: [45:41]–[49:16]

• Listener Question: As black holes lose mass (via Hawking radiation), can they get small enough that light escapes and we see what’s inside?
• Neil’s Deep Dive:
  • Any mass can be a black hole if compressed enough; if a black hole loses mass, it simply shrinks, staying a black hole until the theoretical end.
  • At the end of its life (theoretical Hawking evaporation), it might produce a burst of gamma rays—physicists search for this in cosmic data.
• Quote:

  "The original Hawking radiation paper prompted people to look for little bursts of gamma rays...which could signal black holes dying, having completely evaporated." — Neil deGrasse Tyson [49:10]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Chuck Nice, laughing about Neil’s movie curse:

  "Could you please be in Fast and the Furious? Please be in that...I just want the last scene to be you, like, cruising, like, 'Yo, what up? Keep looking up.' But not while you're driving.” [10:16]

• On the arbitrary nature of ‘room temperature’ in science:

  "The universe doesn't give a rat's ass about your laboratory temperature." — Neil deGrasse Tyson [23:17]

• Defining the scientific enterprise:

  "If you don't have a clock, there's no reason or understanding we possibly have for why you would change into another [particle]." — Neil deGrasse Tyson [44:53]

Final Thoughts & Tone

This episode is classic StarTalk: science-laden, quirkily humorous, and accessible. Neil and Chuck effortlessly mix deep dives into scientific nuances with pop culture tangents and self-deprecating laughs, all while celebrating curiosity, the scientific process, and the universality of wonder about the cosmos.

Segment Timestamps

• [01:11] – “Grab Bag” banter
• [03:28] – Moon’s libration explained
• [08:08] – “Zoolander 2,” Blue Steel, and movie franchise jinx
• [10:32] – Has the night sky changed for humans over millennia?
• [13:32] – Mercury’s liquid state & the periodic table
• [23:49] – Matter states in varying planetary conditions
• [26:24] – Terraforming Mars: science & engineering hurdles
• [33:33] – Where astronomers go for perfect night sky observations
• [37:17] – Voyager’s exit from the solar system
• [39:11] – Telescope time: fairness & the Hubble Deep Field
• [42:52] – Do photons experience time or decay?
• [45:41] – Black holes evaporating: can we see “inside”?
• [49:27] – Wrap up and reflections

Summary prepared for listeners who want a full, engaging yet structured recap—without having to press play.