Are We Smart Enough to Understand the Universe? Could Humans be Alien Pets? Neil deGrasse Tyson on Simulation Theory, Why Your God is too Small and How Science Will Guide Us into the Future

Feb 3, 2026

Neil deGrasse Tyson, renowned astrophysicist and director of the Hayden Planetarium, gives a lively tour of big cosmic questions. He tackles simulation theory, the idea humans might be an alien “zoo,” the limits of human intelligence, the missing 95% of reality, and why modern spirituality struggles with the scale of the cosmos. Short, provocative, and full of curiosity.

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INSIGHT

Knowledge Grows, So Does Ignorance

Science expands knowledge but also expands what we don't know at the edges of understanding.
Neil deGrasse Tyson warns we may not be neurologically smart enough to fully solve some cosmic mysteries.

ANECDOTE

Voice Coaching Transformed His Delivery

Neil described getting a voice coach for Cosmos to learn how to read a script naturally.
The coach taught him to make scripted planet lists sound off-the-cuff, which transformed his on-camera delivery.

INSIGHT

God Of The Gaps Keeps Receding

Science replaces supernatural explanations by providing testable accounts for phenomena once attributed to gods.
Tyson cautions that defining God as 'what science hasn't explained' makes God an ever-receding concept.

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Neil deGrasse Tyson: Why Your God Is Too Small & The Truth About Alien “Pets”

What if humanity is just a 1% DNA shift away from being an alien science project?

In this earth-shattering episode of Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown, world-renowned astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson (Director of the Hayden Planetarium and host of StarTalk) joins us to deconstruct the greatest mysteries of existence. From simulation theory and the multiverse to near-death experiences (NDEs) and the Atheist vs. Spiritual debate, Neil goes unfiltered on why our current understanding of reality might be fundamentally limited by our own biology. Are we smart enough to understand the universe? We might be smarter after this conversation.

In this episode, Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson breaks down:

- The Big Bang Theory Reunion: Neil shares behind-the-scenes stories from his cameos, his “beef” with Raj Koothrappali, and what it was like seeing “his people” represented on a hit sitcom

- Alien “Zoo Hypothesis”: Why advanced civilizations might view humans as “toddlers” or keep us in a galactic aquarium

- Simulation Theory: Why it is mathematically difficult to argue against the idea that we live in a computer-generated reality

- “Small God” Problem: Why Neil believes modern religion doesn’t account for the true scale of the cosmos

- 95% of Reality is Missing: Understanding the dark matter and dark energy mysteries that drive the universe

- Can We Explain the Soul? Why physics is actually “easier” to solve than the human mind, body, and spirit

- Limits of Intelligence: Neil’s fear that humans may not be “neurologically smart enough” to ever truly figure out the universe

- NDEs & Psychedelics: A scientific look at what happens to the brain during mystical encounters

- Quantum Physics & The Multiverse: Why parallel universes with different laws of physics are scientifically plausible and where we fit in the “Many-Worlds” theory

- Spirituality vs. Science: Why Neil refuses to deny anyone’s spiritual experiences, even while offering a different scientific explanation for them

- The Ultimate Mysteries: Specific questions about the cosmos that Neil deGrasse Tyson most wants to solve before he dies

Are we alone? Are we simulated? Or are we just too small to see the truth? Watch this masterclass in the cosmic perspective and decide for yourself.

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JUST VISITING THIS PLANET: Further Scientific Adventures of Merlin from Omniscia: https://neildegrassetyson.com/books/2025-10-just-visiting-this-planet/

COSMOS CONFIDENTIAL: Neil & Bill's Excellent Bromance: https://a.co/d/5gSkRso

Merlin's Tour of the Universe, Revised and Updated for the Twenty-First Century: https://www.blackstonepublishing.com/products/book-ea8l?_pos=1&_psq=merlin&_ss=e&_v=1.0

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