The central topic of the discussion is the science of habit formation and cessation, exploring the biological mechanisms, particularly neuroscience and psychology, that underpin these processes. Key concepts introduced include neuroplasticity, the role of dopamine in motivation and reward, and Huberman's coined term "limbic friction," which describes the effort needed to overcome inertia or anxiety when starting a habit. The host outlines practical tools for listeners, such as a 21-day habit adoption program chunked into two-day units, leveraging three distinct "phases" of the day for scheduling different types of habits, and using task-bracketing and reward prediction error to accelerate learning. Finally, the text explains the neural basis for breaking habits through long-term depression and suggests immediately following an unwanted behaviour with a positive, easily executable one to disrupt the established neural circuits.

Join host Neil deGrasse Tyson, personal astrophysicist, alongside co-hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice, for a special edition of StarTalk featuring celebrities and musicians asking their most curious cosmic questions.

In this episode, we dive into the inquiries that prove that deep “geek curiosity” is retained even by successful individuals in entertainment.

Questions & Cosmic Concepts Covered:

• Kevin Hart (Actor/Comedian): Is space capable of removing wrinkles from unironed dress pants? We explore the physics of steaming and how being close to a star might produce sweat that acts as a natural steam source.

• Tommy James (Musician/Singer-songwriter): Can drinking 8 O'Clock Coffee at 9:00 create a singularity? This discussion leads us to time zones and how the world contains 24 time zones.

• Nikki Glazer (Comedian/Actress): This two-part query asks: Is it 100% proven there is alien life? And is love real?.

◦ We establish that alien life is highly likely because the common ingredients for life on Earth (Hydrogen, Oxygen, Carbon, Nitrogen) are also the most common elements in the universe. However, NDT notes that just because the ingredients are in the supermarket, it doesn't mean the cake has been made.

◦ We use the "cup of water" analogy (scooping a cup of ocean water and concluding the ocean has no whales) to illustrate why we lack evidence, not existence, of extraterrestrial intelligence.

◦ Regarding love, NDT explains that while it may be described cynically as a chemical reaction, there is enough evidence in the conduct of our species to proceed without denying its reality. We also discuss whether other species, such as tortoises and roaches, exhibit joy and love.

• Jack White (Pop Icon): Is gold actually rare in the universe and on the planet we live on?. We find that gold is “rare but common”. Gold is extremely dense and sinks during planetary formation. We explore how gold and heavy metals are concentrated in metallic asteroids—which NDT calls "pre-sifted" material—and note that there is more gold in the ocean than has ever been mined on Earth.

• Cam Johnson (NBA Player): Can humans feel the change in spin speed between the equator (where rotation is thousands of miles per hour) and the poles (where rotation is slower)?. The answer is no, humans do not feel it, but the effect creates the Coriolis effect, which causes storms in the Northern Hemisphere to circulate counterclockwise.

Keep looking up.

Join us as we dive into the 36-page treatise on mathematics and physics sent to me by Terrence Howard eight years ago, which he referenced during a recent interview. This video addresses his attempt to reinvent mathematics and physics and details the comprehensive critical analysis I provided at the time.

A Peer Review of the Claims: Out of respect for the energy Howard invested, I spent time reading every line of the document and offered a thorough, informed critique, which is known in the field as a peer review. The purpose of this analysis is to alert the author to elements of their ideas that may be wrong, misguided, or illogical.

Key Concepts and Critiques:

• False Confidence and Expertise: We explore the concept of the Dunning-Kruger effect, the phenomenon where insufficient knowledge of a subject leads to an over-assessment of one's own expertise. Becoming an expert requires years of study, not just armchair theorizing.

• Fundamental Flaws: The treatise included ambitious statements, such as the opening thesis surrounding 1×1=2, which I demonstrated to be objectively false using examples involving numbers between zero and one, or by noting that the square root of 64 (which is 8) is smaller than 64 but larger than 64 squared (which is 4096).

• The Reality of Light: The document made incorrect claims regarding objective reality, such as the assertion that a light meter placed in front of a candle and a mirror would show twice the intensity of light. I clarify that a light meter will always read less than twice the actual value because no mirror is 100% reflective, and the mirrored image is farther away from the viewer than the source itself.

• Science vs. Belief: The video addresses the assertion that individuals like Nikola Tesla, Walter Russell, and John Keeley were persecuted. I emphasize that while Tesla's work in electromagnetism is duly recognized (with a unit named after him), much of his other work was impractical or violated known laws of physics. We note that to be a genius is often to be misunderstood, but being misunderstood does not equate to being a genius.

• Reproducibility and Truth: True science hinges on the reproducibility of results. Ideas, even "crazy but true" ones, must be supported by compelling arguments, experiments, and observations, and must pass through the rigorous system of peer-review journals, which has been the most effective means of establishing objective truth since around 1600.

Conclusion: While the document contained beautiful illustrations derived from his reasoning, science requires ideas to be put through the "ringer" of rigorous testing and evidence. This response aims to be candid and blunt out of respect, focusing on objective reality rather than feelings. Keep looking up.