NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL ANNOUNCES SEASON THREE OF EMMY(R)-NOMINATED SERIES "STARTALK," HOSTED BY NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON

SCIENCE-BASED TALK SHOW RETURNS FALL 2016, COUPLED WITH RELEASE OF FIRST-EVER STARTALK BOOK

StarTalk New Season Guests Include U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist Hope Solo, Actress and Neuroscientist Mayim Bialik and "The Walking Dead" Creator Robert Kirkman

(Pasadena, Calif. - Jan. 6, 2016) National Geographic Channel's Emmy(R)-nominated series StarTalk (#StarTalkTV), hosted by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson), returns in fall 2016 for a third season. The new season will coincide with the release of the first-ever StarTalk book, published by National Geographic Books. The book will take the greatest hits from the airwaves to the page to deliver an illustrated companion to the popular podcast and television series, featuring vivid photography, thought-provoking sidebars, enlightening facts and fun quotes from science and entertainment luminaries. For more information, visit our press room at foxflash.com and follow @NGC_PR on Twitter.

StarTalk, the hourlong, weekly science-driven talk show series, is derived from Tyson's popular podcast of the same name, the first and only space-based popular commercial radio show. Each television episode features an intimate interview with Tyson and a guest hewn from pop culture, politics or news, discussing how science and technology have affected their lives and careers. Season three guests will include U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, two-time Olympic gold medalist Hope Solo, actress and neuroscientist Mayim Bialik and "The Walking Dead" creator Robert Kirkman, to name a few. Past guests have included President Bill Clinton, President Jimmy Carter, Norman Lear, Christopher Nolan, George Takei, Susan Sarandon, Seth MacFarlane, David Byrne, Larry Wilmore, Arianna Huffington, David Crosby, Richard Dawkins, Biz Stone and more.

"Neil deGrasse Tyson is not only an incredibly accomplished astrophysicist, but also a very gifted communicator who blends pop culture and humor to make science accessible and fun, making him - and StarTalk - a great fit for National Geographic Channel," said National Geographic Channel Global CEO Courteney Monroe.

"Science surrounds us daily, infusing civilization in countless ways, and StarTalk's mission is to reveal that intersection," Tyson said. "Our guests are selected from all corners of pop culture, allowing us to explore how their lives and livelihoods have been touched by the moving frontier of science."

The show also features a panel of comedians and experts who analyze the conversation in front of a studio audience at the American Museum of Natural History's Rose Center for Earth and Space in New York City - where Tyson serves as the Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium. Regular comedian co-hosts include Eugene Mirman, Chuck Nice, Maeve Higgins and Leighann Lord. Each episode, Tyson calls on his friend Bill Nye the Science Guy to weigh in on the week's theme, while other influencers across pop culture and science join via live video.

StarTalk is produced by Curved Light Productions and National Geographic Studios for National Geographic Channels. For Curved Light Productions, executive producers are Neil deGrasse Tyson and Helen Matsos. For National Geographic Studios, executive producer is Brian Lovett and co-executive producer is Drew Pulley. For National Geographic Channels, executive producer is Char Serwa and president of original programming and production is Tim Pastore.