Startalk Radio

Extreme weather events dominate the news -- tornadoes, hurricanes, winter snowmageddons, floods. What is fantasy and what is reality in the cultural conversation about climate? Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.

Faster than a speeding bullet? More powerful than a locomotive? James Kakalios, physics professor and author of "The Physics of Superheroes" discusses the science behind the amazing powers of our favorite caped crusaders. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.

Neil, comedian co-host Leighann Lord, and Phil Plait, the "Bad Astronomer," discuss The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of science in the movies. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.

Learn about the evolution of paints, powders, perfumes and other potions as we discuss the artful science of cosmetics. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.

How do we know what we know? The brain is an amazing product of evolutionary engineering, but many influences can play with our perceptions. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.

Japan was recently hit by a triple punch: a powerful 9.0 magnitude earthquake generated a huge tsunami, which then critically damaged a nuclear power plant. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.

What ingredients provide "The Right Stuff" for an astronaut's dinner? From BBQ to ice cream, we feast on food fit for the stars. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.

Paleontologist Peter Ward explains how life's tendency toward self-destruction has led to massive extinction events in Earth's history. What does the past -- and the smell of rotten eggs -- have to teach us about the fate of humanity? Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.

Expert-in-everything John Hodgman addresses a range of topics, from the possibility of alien or robot invasion, to what lobsters have in common with Star Trek's Spock. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.

Take a tour of the solar system with Mars Exploration Rover scientist Steve Squyres and planetary scientist Heidi Hammel. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.

From Aristotle's misguided meanderings to modern open heart surgery. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.

In this episode, we highlight a few star moments from our constellation of past shows. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.

How are the universal laws of matter, energy and motion expressed on the football field? Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.

Have you ever seen mysterious lights in the sky, or glimpsed an alien spacecraft? This show provides a probing yet playful discussion about Unidentified Flying Objects. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.

When tasting the first sparkling champagne, Benedictine monk Dom Perignon supposedly said, "Come quickly, I am drinking the stars!" It's more likely the quote originates from a late 19th century advertisement, but the sentiment is universally appealing. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.

While cathedrals give people a place to contemplate Heaven from our place here on Earth, astronauts on the ISS can view Earth from "the heavens" above. This show highlights the many ways the ISS is like a modern-day cathedral. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.

For our holiday show, Neil and his comedian co-hosts discuss the constellations of the winter sky, the star of Bethlehem, and the physics of Santa. Seth MacFarlane and other special guests call in to comment on the science of the season. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.

Do sci-fi classics like Star Trek provide a glimpse into future trends and styles? Neil chats with stylist James Aguiar about the science fiction and facts of fashion. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.

Jon Stewart is the first guest of the new season. He and Neil discuss the Daily Show book, Earth: A Visitor's Guide to the Human Race. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.

Our season finale features the incomparable comedian Joan Rivers. In this episode, she provides color commentary for a Red Carpet parade of previous show topics, including space tourism, the anniversary of Apollo 11, and the search for alien life (both in space and in Hollywood!).NOTE: All-Access subscribers can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://www.startalkradio.net/all-access/whats-funny-space/ Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.