The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett
The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

Neil deGrasse Tyson On Aliens, Simulation Theory, and What Happens Inside A Black Hole

July 9, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Neil deGrasse Tyson on Aliens, Black Holes, and Whether We're Living in a Simulation

In a wide-ranging conversation, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson told Steven Bartlett that the most pressing question people ask him about the universe is "Are we alone?" — a question heavily influenced by pop culture. But Tyson's answers go far beyond a simple yes or no, touching on the nature of intelligence, the physics of black holes, the geopolitics of space exploration, and whether we should feel small or large when we look up at the stars.

The Alien Question: Probability, Whistleblowers, and Humanoid Bias

Tyson is clear that he believes intelligent life almost certainly exists elsewhere in the universe. "I don't see why there wouldn't be, given the size of the universe and the age of the universe and the ingredients of the universe," he says. He points out that life on Earth got underway within about 100 million years of when it first could have — roughly 5% of Earth's timeline — suggesting that the transition from organic molecules to self-replicating life is not especially difficult. With our catalog of exoplanets now exceeding 6,000 (a number that was zero when Tyson was a child), and with hundreds of billions of stars in the Milky Way alone and at least that many galaxies in the observable universe, the probability seems high.

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (01:00) **Are We Alone? The Most Pressing Question** - Neil identifies the public's top question: are we alone, and have we been visited?
  • 2 (09:00) **Cosmic Scale and Human Significance** - Neil reframes the feeling of being "small" in the universe into a feeling of being "large" and connected.
  • 3 (17:36) **Neil's View on Religion and Agnosticism** - He explains his nuanced position, rejecting the "atheist" label and defining his agnosticism.
  • 4 (22:05) **The Big Bang, Dark Energy, and Dark Matter** - Neil explains the origin of the universe and the mysterious forces driving it.
  • 5 (28:00) **The Alien Question: Whistleblowers and Probability** - Neil addresses the recent whistleblower testimonies and the statistical likelihood of alien life.
  • 6 (38:48) **What Happens Inside a Black Hole** - Neil explains the physics of black holes, from escape velocity to spaghettification.
  • 7 (49:26) **Intelligence, Civilization, and the Fermi Paradox** - Neil discusses the definition of intelligence and why we haven't been visited.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Neil deGrasse Tyson Steven Bartlett

Show Notes

No.1 Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson returns to reveal what the government whistleblowers are actually telling us, why aliens almost certainly exist, why Mars can't save humanity from disaster, and whether science has left any room for God!


Neil deGrasse Tyson is America's most famous astrophysicist and Director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York City. He hosts the StarTalk podcast and is the author of over 20 books, including his latest, 'Take Me To Your Leader'.


He explains: 

◼️ Why the scale of the universe makes it nearly impossible for us to be alone

◼️ Why it would be easier to fix Earth than escape it, and why Mars won't save us

◼️ What actually happens to your body if you fall into a black hole

◼️ Why human creativity is your most powerful protection against AI

◼️ How every atom in your body was forged inside a dying star

Chapters

  • 00:00:00 Intro
  • 00:02:19 Why Are Humans So Fascinated by the Universe?
  • 00:07:30 How Small Are We in the Universe?
  • 00:16:19 How Understanding the Universe Can Change Your View of Religion
  • 00:20:53 How Did the Big Bang Actually Happen?
  • 00:23:38 What Existed Before the Big Bang?
  • 00:24:39 The Craziest Theories About How the Universe Began
  • 00:26:49 Did Obama Reveal Something About Aliens?
  • 00:29:03 Why Intelligent Alien Life Could Exist
  • 00:33:21 What Might We Never Know About the Universe?
  • 00:35:19 Is Infinity Actually Possible?
  • 00:37:03 How Do Black Holes Actually Work?
  • 00:46:00 Ads
  • 00:48:19 Why Aliens Might Communicate With Other Earth Creatures First
  • 00:52:07 How Far Could Humans Travel Across the Universe?
  • 00:53:54 What Happens as Nations Add More Satellites to Orbit?
  • 00:59:58 Who Makes the Laws in Space?
  • 01:00:31 Why Is Everyone Racing Back to the Moon?
  • 01:02:54 What Happens If China Gets to the Moon First?
  • 01:03:27 What Valuable Resources Are Hidden on the Moon?
  • 01:04:44 Could the Moon Become a Tourist Destination?
  • 01:05:15 Ads
  • 01:06:17 Is Any of the UFO Footage Actually Compelling?
  • 01:08:06 Would Humanity Be Ready to Meet Actual Aliens?
  • 01:10:29 Why Do Alien Sightings Follow the Same Archetypes?
  • 01:12:14 Why Do People o
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