Elliot Severn’s photo of Sasha Cohen and Neil deGrasse Tyson demonstrate spins onstage at BAM, while host Chuck Nice looks on.
Elliot Severn’s photo of Sasha Cohen and Neil deGrasse Tyson demonstrate spins onstage at BAM, while host Chuck Nice looks on.

StarTalk at BAM – Science Is Everywhere (Part 2)

Sasha Cohen and Neil deGrasse Tyson demonstrate spins at BAM, while host Chuck Nice looks on. Credit: Elliot Severn.
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About This Episode

On this episode of StarTalk Radio, we wrap up our StarTalk at BAM – Science is Everywhere presentation. Back in March, the StarTalk Podcast Network presented StarTalk Radio, StarTalk All-Stars, and Playing with Science at the Brooklyn Academy of Music which turned into a night to remember. We pick up this episode where Part 1 left off with our continuation of StarTalk All-Stars featuring host Heather Berlin, co-host Chuck Nice, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and theoretical physicist and author Brian Greene as they explore the brain. In Part 2, the main point of discussion is time. You’ll explore if time is an illusion, and if so, what that means for the human experience. You’ll find out how your perception of time changes when you’re in different “states.” Heather explains how she can alter a person’s perception of time through neuroscientific experiments. After that, we say goodbye to Brian Greene, Chuck takes the hosting seat and we move right into Playing with Science. (Our other PWS co-host, Gary O’Reilly, was unfortunately grounded in London during the time of this show.) But the show must go on, and Chuck welcomed special guest, Olympic silver medalist figure skater Sasha Cohen on stage with Neil and Heather. Sasha and Neil break down the physics of figure skating and you’ll discover if Sasha is aware of the physics while she’s skating. We discuss muscle memory, or procedural memory, and why being too self-aware can cause problems. All that, plus, Neil reminisces about his time as a rink guard, you’ll learn why figure skaters don’t get dizzy, and Neil gives Sasha tips on how to pull off a quint – 5 spins in the air – however, his tips might not necessarily be “legal.” 

NOTE: All-Access subscribers can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: StarTalk at BAM – Science is Everywhere (Part 2).

In This Episode

  • Host

    Heather Berlin

    Heather Berlin
    All-Stars host, Neuroscientist, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at The Icahn School Of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY
  • Host

    Chuck Nice

    Chuck Nice
    Comedian
  • Guest

    Neil deGrasse Tyson

    Neil deGrasse Tyson
    Astrophysicist
  • Guest

    Brian Greene

    Brian Greene
    Professor of Physics and Mathematics, Columbia University
  • Guest

    Sasha Cohen

    Sasha Cohen
    Olympic silver medalist & 3x World Championship medalist

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