March 23, 2017 8:37 pm

This Friday, Neil Tyson Breaks Down the Science of Defense, with Ash Carter

It’s time to bring out the big guns on StarTalk Radio.

On this week’s StarTalk Radio podcast, Neil Tyson interviews Ash Carter, the 25^th U.S. Secretary of Defense. They’re talking about the future role of science and technology in the Armed Forces, with in-studio guest Michael Horowitz, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania and an expert on military innovation, and comic co-host Leighann Lord, previously recorded in the Hall of the Universe in the American Museum of Natural History, in conjunction with the National Geographic Channel,

You’ll hear about Ash’s early inspirations, how they shaped his path to become a scientist, where he studied physics and quantum chromodynamics, and how they influenced his time as Secretary of Defense. Ash also explains why the United States continues to have the best military in the world, and it may not be for reasons you might think.

Discover the cutting-edge technology in which the United States is investing to help our defenses stay strong during the technological age. Explore the possibilities of future warfare where man and artificial intelligence are working together on the battlefield…(no one mentions “Skynet”, but don’t think I’m not thinking about it).

Strategist and author P.W. Singer stops in to ponder what World War Three might look like if it happened in the distant future. Neil wonders why there isn’t a “Space Force” to go along with the other branches of the Armed Forces, and Mona Chalabi stops by to help us wrap our heads around the defense budget for the United States. (Well, everybody but Neil, because as he points out, an astrophysicist doesn’t have a problem thinking in big numbers.)

I always enjoy when Chuck Nice is out on the streets and this time he’s talking to “compassionate warmongers” about their favorite weapons of the future. Also, in this week’s “Nye in the City,” Bill visits the U.S.S. Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum to offer his thoughts on commercial technology that originated in the military.

All that, plus, fan-submitted Cosmic Queries and some parting thoughts from Neil that you won’t want to miss!

If you want to know how science makes us safer and stronger, join us tomorrow night for Science and Technology in the Military, with Ash Carter at 7pm EDT right here on our website, as well as on iTunes Podcasts, Google Play Music, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and TuneIn. And if you’re an All-Access subscriber, you can listen to this episode ad-free at 7pm, too, along with Neil deGrasse Tyson’s extended interview with Ash Carter.

That’s it for now. Keep Looking Up!
–Ian Mullen