How An Astrophysicist Cuts an Onion

Geometrically, why are onions better than potatoes? Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice break down Cartesian coordinates, spherical geometry, and why onions make you cry. Learn about coordinates on a square, a sphere, and a cylinder. We talk about the geometry of potato chips versus french fries. Plus, why does Neil feel moved to cut an onion in the office? Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: Onions 00:34 - Cartesian Coordinates on Shapes 2:46 - Cutting Potatoes 4:56 - Cutting Onions 6:58 - Why Onions Make You Cry 7:25 - On a Spherical Plane Check out our second channel, @StarTalkPlus Get the NEW StarTalk book, 'To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery' on Amazon: Support us on Patreon: FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to StarTalk: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: About StarTalk: Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up! #StarTalk #NeildeGrasseTyson