• The American astrophysicist has chosen Portugal for the European premiere of the live edition of his acclaimed science programme, which blends science, popular culture and humour. 

• 15 October at 8 p.m., Sala Tejo, MEO Arena, with a capacity of 1,800. 

What do the Portuguese navigators who steered by the stars have in common with the scientists now searching for signs of life beyond Earth? It is from this very link between the history of ocean exploration and the exploration of the Universe that Neil deGrasse Tyson brings StarTalk Live! to Portugal for the first time: the live edition of the renowned science programme which, for more than a decade, has brought scientific knowledge closer to a wide audience through popular culture and humour. 

The show will take place on 15 October at 8 p.m. at the Sala Tejo of the MEO Arena in Lisbon, marking the European premiere of StarTalk Live! Neil deGrasse Tyson will be joined by comedian Chuck Nice, his StarTalk co-host, and by Portuguese scientists Zita Martins and Marta Cortesão, for an evening devoted to science, space exploration and the great question that continues to challenge humanity: are we alone in the Universe? 

Drawing on Portugal’s legacy of celestial navigation and the nautical astrolabe, the show will build a bridge between the way in which, for centuries, the Portuguese harnessed their knowledge of the heavens to explore the planet and the way in which contemporary science draws on that very same knowledge in search of answers about the origin of life and the possibility of life on other worlds. 

It is precisely this ability to turn great scientific questions into accessible, timely conversations that speak directly to the public that lies at the heart of StarTalk. Created and hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson, the programme explores science, astronomy and technology through dialogue with scientists, cultural figures and comedians. Since 2009, the podcast has been cultivating a community of millions of people eager to understand the Universe without drawing a line between knowledge, curiosity and entertainment. 

Portugal as a meeting point between exploration and science 

StarTalk’s stop in Lisbon forms part of a broader programme running from 13 to 16 October, which seeks to place Portugal at the centre of an international conversation on science, exploration and space. 

The choice of Portugal for the format’s European premiere carries particular significance, given the country’s historical ties to navigation and its evolving role in space research and exploration. The programme is run in partnership with Turismo de Portugal (Visit Portugal) and the Portuguese Space Agency, with TAP Air Portugal as its official airline. 

Beyond the show on 15 October, the programme will feature further initiatives with the StarTalk team, including a podcast recording and a book signing at Livraria Bertrand in Chiado, recognised as the oldest operating bookshop in the world. 

An astrophysicist, author and science communicator, Neil deGrasse Tyson has become one of the most recognised figures in science communication in the United States, precisely owing to his ability to address complex subjects in accessible language and to relate them to issues of contemporary culture. He holds a PhD in Astrophysics from Columbia University and studied Physics at Harvard. 

His current engagement with the question of extraterrestrial life is likewise particularly pertinent. In 2026, he published Take Me to Your Leader: Perspectives on Your First Alien Encounter, a book in which, drawing on science and popular culture, he explores what a first contact with extraterrestrial life might look like and what physics allows us to say about such a possibility. 

More recently, he also published Lost in Space: 5,000 Facts for Navigating the Universe, a journey through our current understanding of the Universe, from the exploration of the Solar System to the most distant galaxies. 

Tickets available at MEO Blueticket. 

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