Playing with Science

By StarTalk Playing with Science & Gary O’Reilly, Chuck Nice, Neil deGrasse Tyson

What's Playing with Science about?

The weekly podcast where geeks & jocks collide. Hosts Gary O’Reilly & Chuck Nice welcome athletes, experts & resident astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. Remember: Playing with fire gets you burned, “Playing with Science” gets you learned.

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Playing with Science episodes:

08.14.2019
Building an MVP Machine
Move over Moneyball, something new is coming. Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly explore the world of data-driven player development that’s re-shaping baseball today. Featuring Ben Lindbergh and Travis Sawchik, authors of The MVP Machine, and astrophysicist and baseball sleuth Meredith...
07.31.2019
A Conversation with Mario Andretti and Neil deGrasse Tyson
“If everything seems under control then you’re just not going fast enough.” Hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice hit the fast lane with legendary driver Mario Andretti and our resident astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson to explore Mario’s extraordinary career. NOTE: StarTalk+...
07.17.2019
The Science of SailGP
Hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice investigate the science-filled, data-driven world of SailGP yacht racing alongside Team USA member Hans Henken and Team USA performance analyst Phil Crain. Don’t miss an episode of Playing with Science. Please subscribe to our channels...
07.03.2019
Plant-Powered Athletes and Plant-Based Diets
Hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice explore the world of plant-powered athletes and plant-based diets with former German strongman competitor Patrik Baboumian, heavyweight boxer Cam F. Awesome, and vegan nutrition and fitness coach Karina Inkster. Don’t miss an episode of Playing...
06.19.2019
Sneakerheads and Sneaker Design
Sneakerheads Unite – Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly explore the world of sneakerheads and the science of sneaker design with legendary designer D’Wayne Edwards, designer/creator Federico Maccapani aka @Mbroidered, and sneaker fashionista Ezra Wine. Don’t miss an episode of Playing with...
06.05.2019
Inside Sports Betting
Place your bets! Hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice explore the ins, outs, ups, and downs of sports betting with sports writer Brett Smiley, statistics expert David Beaudoin, and Todd Fuhrman, FS1 contributor and host of the Bet the Board...
05.22.2019
Gender Inequality in Sports, with Heather O’Reilly
Hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice investigate the systemic gender bias and discrimination happening in professional sports with World Cup winner and former USWNT soccer star Heather O’Reilly, and economist Andrew Zimbalist, PhD. Don’t miss an episode of Playing with Science....
05.08.2019
Golf Tech and Astrophotography, with Jimmy Walker and Neil Tyson
Golf technology and astrophotography – these worlds collide as hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice sit down with professional golfer and astrophotographer Jimmy Walker, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Matt Plumb, former Global Product Line Manager for Nike Golf Clubs. Don’t miss...
04.24.2019
The Science of Thoroughbred Racing
What does it take to win the Kentucky Derby? Hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice explore thoroughbred genetics and the ins and outs of horse racing with Dr. Stephen Harrison from Thoroughbred Genetics and former champion steeplechase jockey Sean Clancy. Don’t...
04.10.2019
Women’s Boxing, with World Champion Alicia Ashley
What does it take to be World Champion? How can women’s boxing gain more popularity? Can you be a fighter and a trainer? Hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly step into the ring with World Champion Alicia Ashley, astrophysicist and...
03.27.2019
Breaking Down Baseball Barriers, with Meredith Wills and Justine Siegal
Hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice investigate “HomerGate” with baseball data scientist and astrophysicist Meredith Wills, and find out what it takes to be a groundbreaker in sports from Justine Siegal, the first female coach in the MLB. Don’t miss an...
03.13.2019
NASCAR vs Formula 1
NASCAR or Formula 1? Which one do you choose? Our hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly sit down with science communicator Diandra Leslie-Pelecky, PhD, to try and determine who takes the checkered flag. Don’t miss an episode of Playing with Science....
02.27.2019
Wrestling with Physics, with Neil deGrasse Tyson
What’s the best wrestling move? Can you wrestle in zero gravity? Hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice hit the mats as we sit down with astrophysicist and wrestling expert Neil deGrasse Tyson to answer fan-submitted questions about the science of...
02.20.2019
Ironman Triathlon, with Mark Allen
Swim… Bike… Run… Science! Hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice enter the world of endurance as we explore Ironman Triathlons alongside Mark Allen, voted ESPN’s Greatest Endurance Athlete of All Time, and exercise scientist Samuele Marcora. Don’t miss an episode of...
02.06.2019
Esports, with NicoThePico
We dive into the expanding world of Esports as hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly get the science behind the screen from Nicholas "NicoThePico" Korsgård, head coach of “League of Legends” pro team PostFinance Helix, and neuroscientist Heather Berlin. PhD. Don’t...
01.30.2019
SEASON PREMIERE: 2019 Big Game Special, with Neil deGrasse Tyson
Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly kick off Season 4 of Playing with Science covering the science and spectacle of the Big Game. Featuring Neil deGrasse Tyson, sports physicist John Eric Goff, sports economist Victor Matheson, and former NY Giants WR...
12.12.2018
Sports Injuries and Recovery
Hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice investigate the world of sports injuries and the future of recovery science alongside New York Mets and New York Rangers physician Dr. Joshua Dines and sports psychologist Dr. Jim Taylor. Don’t miss an episode of...
12.05.2018
Moneyball 2.0 – Soccer Edition
Hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice enter the world of big-data analytics and its rising influence on the game of soccer on the world stage alongside Dan Altman from North Yard Analytics and Howard Hamilton from Soccermetrics. Don’t miss an episode...
11.28.2018
Ultra-Running, with Ann Trason & Dr. Ultra
Do you have what it takes to run 50,100, or 200 miles? Hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly explore ultra-running and ultramarathons with runner Ann Trason and Shawn Bearden, a.k.a. Dr. Ultra. Don’t miss an episode of Playing with Science. Please...
11.21.2018
Tiger vs Phil – 18 Holes, $9 Mil
Tiger Woods. Phil Mickelson. 18 Holes. 9 million dollars. Hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly sit down with neuroscientist Heather Berlin and sports physicist John Eric Goff to breakdown the science, both physical and mental, behind this epic match-up of...
11.14.2018
Extreme Flying – Red Bull Air Race, with Kirby Chambliss
Hop in, buckle up, and earn your wings alongside hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice as they explore Red Bull Air Racing with Technical Director Jim “Jimbo” Reed, and pilot and 2-time World Champion Kirby Chambliss. Don’t miss an episode of...
11.07.2018
The Sweet Science of Boxing, with Sugar Ray Leonard
Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. Hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice enter the ring with legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard and neurologist and ringside physician Dr. Anthony Alessi as we investigate the sweet, sweet science of boxing....
10.31.2018
Mental Health in Sports, with Royce White
Hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly explore the state of mental health in sports, with former NBA player and mental health advocate Royce White, neuroscientist Heather Berlin, and the co-founder of Canada’s first Centre for Mental Health and Sport, Krista...
10.24.2018
Ask a Sports Engineer, with David James
Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice answer your questions and investigate the collision of sports, technology, and engineering alongside David James, sports engineer and Director of The Center for Sports Engineering Research at Sheffield Hallam University. Don’t miss an episode of Playing...
10.17.2018
Juiced Balls, Broken Bats & Record Breakers, with Shawn Green
With the MLB Playoffs in full swing and the World Series next week – Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly explore the science of baseball with physicist Alan Nathan, James Sherwood, Director at the Baseball Research Center, and baseball great Shawn...
10.10.2018
Gender in Sports, with Joanna Harper
Hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly sit down with neuroscientist Heather Berlin and Joanna Harper, medical physicist and transgender endurance athlete, to investigate the complexities of gender and its role in sports. Don’t miss an episode of Playing with Science. Please...
10.03.2018
Conquering Mountains, with Vanessa O’Brien
Explore the world of mountaineering as hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly take a mental expedition to the world’s highest peaks alongside world-record breaking mountain climber Vanessa O’Brien and mountain guide and physician Alan Oram, D.O. Don’t miss an episode of...
09.26.2018
Cosmic Queries: Sports Physics Trivia, with Charles Liu
Football on Mars, tricky cricket physics, curving curling rocks, and more – Hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice sit down with astrophysicist Charles Liu to answer fan-submitted Cosmic Queries that span across the sporting world. Don’t miss an episode of Playing...
09.19.2018
Golf’s 2018 Ryder Cup: Physics & Psychology at the Albatros
Are you ready for the 2018 Ryder Cup? Hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly prepare for golf’s most exciting, and most intense, tournament alongside sports physicist John Eric Goff and performance psychologist Gregg Steinberg. Don’t miss an episode of Playing with...
09.12.2018
Protecting Your Dome: Concussions & Helmet Technology
Discover more about the latest in concussion research and helmet technology with hosts Gary O’Reilly, Chuck Nice, Dr. Samuel Browd, Co-Founder of VICIS, Richard Brandt, PhD, CEO of Sports Science, and Dr. Roger Härtl, neurosurgeon for the New York Giants. Don’t...
09.05.2018
The Tennis Brain: Strategy, Analytics, Mental Game
Hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly investigate tennis brain and the strategy, analytics, and neuroscience that make it work alongside tennis strategy analyst Craig O’Shannessy, sport psychologist Leslie Sherlin, and professional tennis coach Sarah Stone. Don’t miss an episode of Playing...
08.29.2018
The Psychology of Extreme Sports (Repeat)
Go to the extremes with hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly as they investigate the psychology of the extreme sports athlete with adventure journalist Jim Clash, neuroscientist Heather Berlin, and extreme sport psychologist Eric Brymer. Don’t miss an episode of Playing...
08.22.2018
Planet NASCAR, with Neil deGrasse Tyson (Repeat)
Is Planet NASCAR governed by the same laws of physics as the rest of Planet Earth? Get ready to roar down the track - left turns only - as hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice re-visit Planet NASCAR alongside our...
08.15.2018
Physics on Wheels, with Dr. Skateboard & Othello Clark (Repeat)
Ollies, half-pipes, and Chuck’s skateboarding youth – Rediscover the physics of skateboarding with Gary O’Reilly, Chuck Nice, 2x US Master’s Champion Bill Robertson, PhD, aka Dr. Skateboard, and former pro skateboarder and snowboarder Othello Clark. Don’t miss an episode of Playing...
08.08.2018
Surf’s Up – The Big Waves (Repeat)
Grab your board, apply your sunscreen, and get ready to find the perfect wave – re-visit the science of big wave surfing featuring Chuck Nice, Gary O’Reilly, NASA oceanographer Bill Patzert and pro surfer and the first female Big Wave...
08.01.2018
The Electrifying World of Formula E
Race down the track with hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice as they explore the electrifying world of Formula E alongside DS Virgin Racing driver Sam Bird, adventure journalist Jim Clash, and Williams Advanced Engineering Technical Director Paul McNamara. Batteries...
07.25.2018
The Physics of the Tour de France (Repeat)
Aerodynamics, Newton’s Laws, drafting, power to weight ratio, nutrition, technology and more! Get smarter about the Tour de France with hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly and their guests Lance Armstrong, Neil deGrasse Tyson and sports physicist John Eric Goff. Don’t...
07.18.2018
Swimming Science and USRPT
Hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice dive into the deep end as we explore swimming science and Ultra Short Race Pace Training alongside some of the sport’s insiders – Dr. John Mullen, Dr. Brent Rushall, and coach Peter Andrew. Don’t miss...
07.11.2018
Rugby – Physics and Grit, with Todd Clever
Scrums, lineouts, and spin passes – Hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice take to the turf as we explore the science and grit of rugby alongside Todd Clever, former USA Rugby captain, and Trevor Lipscombe, author of “The Physics of...
07.04.2018
MLB Greatness and Trout 5 Design, with Mike Trout
Hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice find out more about the new Trout 5 baseball cleats, data-driven baseball, and how to be baseball’s best player from MLB superstar Mike Trout and Mike Ekstrom, former MLB player and Nike Product Line...
06.27.2018
Cosmic Queries: FIFA World Cup Edition
Have you caught the World Cup fever? We’ve got it bad! Hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice sit down with physics professor John Eric Goff and answer your fan-submitted Cosmic Queries on the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the football...
06.25.2018
Playing with Science SoundBite: How to Run American Ninja Warrior’s Warped Wall
Is there a more scientific way to run the Warped Wall in American Ninja Warrior? Perhaps, but it’s counterintuitive, as Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly find out from ANW hosts Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbaja-Biamila and Ninja Drew Drechsel. If...
06.23.2018
Playing with Science SoundBite: Who’s Winning American Ninja Warrior: The Geeks, or the Jocks?
Who’s winning American Ninja Warrior, the geeks or the jocks? Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly talk with ANW hosts Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbaja-Biamila about the evolution of ANW athletes in relation to the obstacle course. You’ll hear how, as...
06.20.2018
Hole-istic Golf, with Craig Davies and Sean Foley
The U.S. Open may be over but we’re still on course. Hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice chat with Dr. Craig Davies and golf coach Sean Foley about taking the hole-istic approach to golf and the secrets that make the...
06.13.2018
Extended Classic: Planet Soccer, with Neil deGrasse Tyson
Re-visit Planet Soccer as we gear up for the 2018 FIFA World Cup with Chuck Nice, Gary O’Reilly, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and former NY Cosmos assistant coach and MLS All-Star Alecko Eskandarian. Now extended with physicist John Eric Goff telling...
06.06.2018
Motorsports – Physics & Technology, with Will Buxton & Mario Andretti
Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly race down the track, hairpin through the corner, and kick it into high gear as we explore the science-filled spectacle of auto racing with F1 journalist Will Buxton, physics professor Richard Bower, adventure journalist Jim...
05.30.2018
Motorcycle Racing: Physics on Two Wheels
We kick it into top gear as hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice explore the physics of motorcycle racing, riding, and assembly alongside adventure journalist Jim Clash and physics professor and motorcycle aficionado Charles Falco. Don’t miss an episode of Playing...
05.27.2018
Playing with Science SoundBite: Monaco Grand Prix
Three, two, one...Lights out! F1 journalist Will Buxton gets us ready for the #MonacoGrandPrix by celebrating the 30th anniversary of Ayrton Senna's 1988 record-breaking lap in qualifying and giving us the low-down on what makes Monaco the best race on...
05.23.2018
American Ninja Warrior: Science, Skills, and Strategy
Enter the wild, high-flying world of American Ninja Warrior with hosts Gary O’Reilly, Chuck Nice, ANW hosts Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, Ninjas Drew Drechsel, Najee Richardson, and Joe Moravsky, and executive producer Anthony Storm. Don’t miss an episode of Playing...
05.16.2018
Baseball Physics Mashup, with Ron Darling, Geoff Blum, and J.P. Arencibia
Home runs, World Series winners, pitching physics, and more – enjoy our baseball mashup featuring hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly, astrophysicists Neil deGrasse Tyson and Charles Liu, physicist Alan Nathan, Holden Kushner, and former MLB greats Ron Darling Jr., Geoff...

What's Playing with Science about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Playing with Science episodes:

Building an MVP Machine

A Conversation with Mario Andretti and Neil deGrasse Tyson

The Science of SailGP

Plant-Powered Athletes and Plant-Based Diets

Sneakerheads and Sneaker Design

Inside Sports Betting

Gender Inequality in Sports, with Heather O’Reilly

Golf Tech and Astrophotography, with Jimmy Walker and Neil Tyson

The Science of Thoroughbred Racing

Women’s Boxing, with World Champion Alicia Ashley

Breaking Down Baseball Barriers, with Meredith Wills and Justine Siegal

NASCAR vs Formula 1

Wrestling with Physics, with Neil deGrasse Tyson

Ironman Triathlon, with Mark Allen

Esports, with NicoThePico

SEASON PREMIERE: 2019 Big Game Special, with Neil deGrasse Tyson

Sports Injuries and Recovery

Moneyball 2.0 – Soccer Edition

Ultra-Running, with Ann Trason & Dr. Ultra

Tiger vs Phil – 18 Holes, $9 Mil

Extreme Flying – Red Bull Air Race, with Kirby Chambliss

The Sweet Science of Boxing, with Sugar Ray Leonard

Mental Health in Sports, with Royce White

Ask a Sports Engineer, with David James

Juiced Balls, Broken Bats & Record Breakers, with Shawn Green

Gender in Sports, with Joanna Harper

Conquering Mountains, with Vanessa O’Brien

Cosmic Queries: Sports Physics Trivia, with Charles Liu

Golf’s 2018 Ryder Cup: Physics & Psychology at the Albatros

Protecting Your Dome: Concussions & Helmet Technology

The Tennis Brain: Strategy, Analytics, Mental Game

The Psychology of Extreme Sports (Repeat)

Planet NASCAR, with Neil deGrasse Tyson (Repeat)

Physics on Wheels, with Dr. Skateboard & Othello Clark (Repeat)

Surf’s Up – The Big Waves (Repeat)

The Electrifying World of Formula E

The Physics of the Tour de France (Repeat)

Swimming Science and USRPT

Rugby – Physics and Grit, with Todd Clever

MLB Greatness and Trout 5 Design, with Mike Trout

Cosmic Queries: FIFA World Cup Edition

Playing with Science SoundBite: How to Run American Ninja Warrior’s Warped Wall

Playing with Science SoundBite: Who’s Winning American Ninja Warrior: The Geeks, or the Jocks?

Hole-istic Golf, with Craig Davies and Sean Foley

Extended Classic: Planet Soccer, with Neil deGrasse Tyson

Motorsports – Physics & Technology, with Will Buxton & Mario Andretti

Motorcycle Racing: Physics on Two Wheels

Playing with Science SoundBite: Monaco Grand Prix

American Ninja Warrior: Science, Skills, and Strategy

Baseball Physics Mashup, with Ron Darling, Geoff Blum, and J.P. Arencibia