StarTalk (podcast)

{{Short description|Podcast hosted by Neil DeGrasse Tyson}}

{{Infobox podcast

| title = StarTalk Radio

| image = StarTalk logo.png

| hosting = Neil deGrasse Tyson

| production = Curved Light Productions

| began = {{Start date|2009|06|01}}

| num_seasons = 16 ({{as of|2025|01|lc=y}})

| num_episodes = 922 ({{as of|2025|01|27|lc=y}})

| theme_music_composer = Roy Harter

| genre = Popular science, comedy

| adaptations = StarTalk (American talk show)

| website = {{URL|https://startalkradio.net/}}

}}

StarTalk is a podcast on science, comedy, and popular culture hosted by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice, with various other comic and celebrity co-hosts and frequent guests from the worlds of science and entertainment.{{cite web | title = About Us | work = StarTalk Radio Show with Neil deGrasse Tyson | publisher = Curved Light Productions | url = http://www.startalkradio.net/about-us/ }} Past co-hosts have included Colin Jost, Lynne Koplitz, Leighann Lord, Eugene Mirman, John Oliver, and Kristen Schaal.{{cite web | url=http://www.startalkradio.net/shows-archive/ | title=StarTalk Radio Show by Neil deGrasse Tyson }} Guests have included astronaut Buzz Aldrin, actor Morgan Freeman, George Takei, comedian Joan Rivers, Arianna Huffington, YouTuber Sam Denby, Richard Dawkins and writer Mary Roach. StarTalk has a segment called Cosmic Queries, in which listeners send in questions about the universe to be answered on the show.

In May 2014, Rolling Stone ranked StarTalk at number 13 on its list of "The 20 Best Comedy Podcasts Right Now".{{cite magazine | title = Listen Up: The 20 Best Comedy Podcasts Right Now | magazine = Rolling Stone | date = May 8, 2014 | url = https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/pictures/listen-up-the-20-best-comedy-podcasts-right-now-20140508/13-startalk-radio-0282329 }}

On February 29, 2016, it was announced that there would be a spinoff podcast, StarTalk All-Stars, whose rotating hosts will be former StarTalk guests. In addition, the regular StarTalk comedy co-hosts will appear.[http://www.startalkradio.net/breaking-news-startalk-radio-announces-new-spin-off-show-startalk-all-stars/ BREAKING NEWS: StarTalk Radio Announces New Spin-Off Show: StarTalk All-Stars]

Starting on February 1, 2017, a second spinoff, Playing with Science, was launched to discuss the science of sports. It is hosted by Gary O'Reilly and frequent StarTalk co-host Chuck Nice.[https://www.startalkradio.net/show/welcome-playing-science/ Welcome to Playing with Science]

StarTalk is partially funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation.{{cite web | title = Project Details: StarTalk Radio Show | work = Informal Science | publisher = National Science Foundation | url = http://informalscience.org/projects/ic-000-000-000-108/StarTalk_Radio_Show}}

As an homage to Jack Horkheimer, an astronomer who hosted the weekly television show Star Gazers on PBS, Tyson frequently ends his podcast with Horkheimer's trademark sign-off "Keep looking up!"{{cite web|last1=Tyson|first1=Neil deGrasse|title=Reddit AMA 11 June 2015|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Art/comments/39fthj/i_am_neil_degrasse_tyson_an_astrophysicist_but_i/|website=Reddit|date=11 June 2015 |accessdate=13 April 2018}}