Things You Thought You Knew - Force, Heat, & Speed
Neil deGrasse Tyson, joined by comedian co-host Chuck, explores three commonly confused physics pairs: force versus pressure, heat versus temperature, and speed versus acceleration. Using everyday examples like gym spotting, walking on ice, kitchen knives, tornado damage, ocean warming, air conditioners, and sports cars, he shows how precise definitions change how we understand real-world phenomena. The conversation emphasizes how these distinctions explain everything from why houses explode in tornadoes to why Teslas feel so fast and why the ocean can store vast amounts of heat.
The Mystery of the Death Valley Germans
The hosts recount the disappearance of a German family in Death Valley National Park in July 1996, tracing their planned vacation, the discovery of their abandoned minivan, and the initial failed search efforts. They then follow retired civil engineer and desert explorer Tom Mahood's detailed reconstruction of the family's decisions and route, culminating in his 2009 discovery of their remains nine miles south of the van. The episode highlights how misleading maps, underestimated desert danger, and reasonable but tragic choices led to the deaths, while also exploring theories that circulated in the years when the case was cold.