logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2021
55m 30s

BOO! The Science of Scary with Mathias C...

NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON
About this episode

Why do we like being scared? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice explore the haunting effects of horror and recreational fear with horror scholar and author, Mathias Clasen, and neuroscientist, Heather Berlin, PhD. 

NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free.

Thanks to our Patrons Jessica Giancola, Jeff States, seth 06, Matthew Ritter, Kelvin Goliday, Kenny PK, and Kaya for supporting us this week.

Photo Credit: Esparta, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Up next
Oct 7
Things You Thought You Knew – Quantum Cat
What happens when you fall into a black hole? Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice give us the step-by-step on spaghettification, explain Schrodinger's cat, and explore quantum tunnelling… Or do they? NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: h ... Show More
46m 35s
Oct 3
The Anxious Generation with Jonathan Haidt
Is social media rewiring childhood and fueling a mental health crisis? Neil deGrasse Tyson, Chuck Nice, and Gary O’Reilly explore the costs of growing up online and how to take back childhood with social psychologist and author of The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt.NOTE: Star ... Show More
1h 7m
Sep 30
The New Space Race with Jeff Thornburg
What will the future of space look like? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice explore the engineering challenges and scientific questions shaping the next era of aerospace with aerospace engineer Jeff Thornburg.NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode ... Show More
1h 7m
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2023
Ep 35: Why do we enjoy playing with fear?
This is Episode 35 of PsychCrunch, the podcast of the British Psychological Society’s Research Digest, sponsored by Routledge Psychology. From haunted houses to scary movies, many of us find a thrill in a good scare. But… isn’t that a bit counter-intuitive? In this episode, we as ... Show More
19m 40s
Sep 2019
Episode 91: The Science of Fear Solo Morbid
It's Alaina's science corner time again! With Ash on a quick vacation and new baby Morbid finally here, our schedules have been crazy. So what better time for another solo science adventure with Alaina. Tonight, we discuss the science of fear. Why do some people love frightening ... Show More
50m 19s
Aug 2020
What If We Had to Evacuate Earth? - Guest: Bill Nye
Sign up for the Great Courses Plus today and enjoy the first month for free: https://bit.ly/podcast-great-courses-plus We know the history of this planet and asteroids isn't good...just ask the dinosaurs. So, what if we were faced with the same situation now? How much time would ... Show More
34m 10s
Oct 2020
What If We Were on Lockdown for the Entire Winter? - with Dr. Norman E. Rosenthal
Get 20% Off + Free Shipping with promo code WHATIF20 at www.manscaped.com Have you ever experienced seasonal affective disorder or S.A.D.? For those that have and do, the winter months can be a challenging time. Now, add a lockdown with extended periods of isolation for some and ... Show More
48m 33s
Jan 2022
Do Spider Exoskeletons Go Out Of Style? with Dr. Maydianne Andrade
As the itsy bitsy spider crawls up the water spout, it dawns on her: her exoskeleton doesn’t fit. Is it a fashion emergency—or her moment to shine? This week, Dr. Maydianne Andrade joins Jonathan to share the ins and outs of spider growth, behavior, and reproduction.    Dr. Maydi ... Show More
1h 9m
Feb 2018
Why Does It Hurt So Bad? with Professor Catherine Cahill
Catherine Cahill is an opioid neuropharmacologist and a professor in UCLA’s Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Studies, specializing in chronic pain. In honor of Valentine’s Day, Jonathan asks Professor Cahill why we experience pain, what makes chronic pain so different a ... Show More
37m 22s
Apr 2020
Do We Understand How The Holocaust Happened? with Professor Pascale R. Bos (Part One)
Professor Pascale R. Bos joins Jonathan to discuss the Holocaust and WW2. In part one of our first ever two-part episode, Jonathan and Professor Bos discuss how the term Holocaust came to be, the alarming statistics reflecting a surprising number of people who’ve never heard of t ... Show More
45m 36s
Apr 2020
What Happened After WW2? with Professor Pascale R. Bos (Part Two)
Professor Pascale R. Bos joins Jonathan to discuss the Holocaust and WW2. In part two of their conversation, Jonathan and Dr. Bos explore how the US became involved in the war, the Berlin Wall, and why it's so important to learn from history. Pascale R. Bos is an Associate Profes ... Show More
42m 12s
Sep 2020
What If We Blew Up an Asteroid? - Guest: Bill Nye
Sign up for the Great Courses Plus today and enjoy the first month for free: https://bit.ly/podcast-great-courses-plus Not like we don't have enough things on our mind...but in case you don't, "What If we blew up an asteroid?". Assuming we'd be considering this, it'd be safe to s ... Show More
39m 18s
Nov 2020
436: Stuart Ritchie | The Science Fictions Undermining Facts
Stuart Ritchie (@StuartJRitchie) is a lecturer in the Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre at King’s College London and author of Intelligence: All That Matters and Science Fictions: How Fraud, Bias, Negligence, and Hype Undermine the Search for Truth. What We Disc ... Show More
1h 10m
Listen to millions of songs and podcasts on Anghami