Summary
The podcast episode titled "Cosmic Queries – Back to School Edition with Neil deGrasse Tyson" features the hosts answering questions from their Tick Tock and Twitter followers on various topics related to science and space. One question asks about the scientific evidence for what happens before or after death, to which the hosts explain that based on neuroscience, when a person dies, all neurosynaptic phenomena cease, and they enter a state of non-existence, similar to the state before they were born. Another question asks about the order of appearance of water, trees, and dinosaurs, with the hosts explaining that water was present from the beginning of things in space, followed by trees and then dinosaurs. They also mention the formation of coal and oil due to trees falling and accumulating without decomposing.
The hosts also touch on the topic of living on or in the Earth, explaining that before 1968, people would draw Earth without clouds, and it was only after the Apollo 8 mission that we began to see the atmosphere as an essential part of Earth's identity. They also discuss time machines and quantum physics, explaining the latter as the theory of the small that describes atoms, molecules, and subatomic particles. Additionally, the hosts explain the reason why people see themselves inverted in mirrors, stating that it is due to the curvature of the mirror and the reflection process.
In the podcast episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson answers various questions from listeners on topics such as time travel paradoxes, nuclear energy, Vagabond Stars, and the possibility of regular Big Bang events in the Multiverse. He explains the concepts in a simple and understandable way, using humor and analogies to make it engaging. Tyson also talks about the theoretical concept of white holes and their relationship with black holes. The episode ends with a reminder to keep looking up at the stars, encouraging listeners to continue exploring and learning about the mysteries of the universe.
