What happens when you put Captain Kirk, a NASA astronaut, and Neil deGrasse Tyson on a ship to Antarctica? Recorded on board with William Shatner and Scott Kelly, this episode explores the thrill of discovery — from rough seas to deep space — and what it means to boldly go.
Feb 20
The Origins of Artificial Intelligence with Geoffrey Hinton
How did we go from digital computers to AI seemingly everywhere? Neil deGrasse Tyson, Chuck Nice, & Gary O’Reilly dive into the mechanics of thinking, how AI got its start, and what deep learning really means with cognitive and computer scientist, Nobel Laureate, and one of the a ... Show More
1h 31m
Jan 2021
"Space Oddity" and "Starman" by David Bowie
<p>Let the children lose it, let the children use it, and let all the children join in for Strong Songs year three!</p><p>Kirk kicks off the new year with a pair of classics by the great David Bowie: 1969's melancholy "Space Oddity" and 1972's triumphant "Starman." What goes up, ... Show More
53m 46s
Oct 2025
Chris Hadfield’s Fictional Universe Is Rooted in Real Space History
What happens when a real-life astronaut turns to fiction? In this episode, Chris Hadfield shares how decades of spaceflight and global diplomacy inspired his latest novel, Final Orbit, a cold war thriller packed with historical intrigue and technical precision. Host Rachel Feltma ... Show More
10m 52s
Jul 2020
"No One Knows" by Queens of the Stone Age
<p>It's time for a journey of the mind, as Kirk picks apart one of the best hard rock tunes of the early 2000s.</p><p>Queens of the Stone Age's "Songs for the Deaf" includes enough bangers that it was tough to pick a single song to focus on, but in the end, "No One Knows" won the ... Show More
55m 25s
Nov 2021
Part Two: How To Stretch Time
NOTE: this episode contains discussion around death which some people may find difficult. In Part Two we learn how to stretch time! We journey back to the beginning of life on earth, and forward into the far, far future, we learn from Brian Eno himself about why he invented ambie ... Show More
1h 5m
Feb 2025
Bugs Bunny Math, ft. Black Star (Encore)
“Art is a thing people forget they need until they need it” - yasiin beyFeaturing, in order of appearance: Questlove, Michelle Wolf, Niko Is, Narcy, Radio Rahim, Roc Marciano and Black Thought Contains audio clips featuring Prince and Chuck Berry and unreleased music from Black S ... Show More
29m 28s
Mar 2020
"Sinnerman" by Nina Simone
<p>Oh, sinner man, where you gonna run to? To the rock? To the river? To the sea? Well, wherever you run, you'll still be starring in a Strong Songs analysis of one of Nina Simone's greatest recordings.</p><p>Yes, it's time for Strong Songs' first-ever analysis of a live recordin ... Show More
55m 15s