Katy Perry & More Set for New Season of Nat Geo's STARTALK WITH NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON

National Geographic announced that the 20-episode fourth season of the weekly, hourlong science-driven talk show series STARTALK WITH NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON will premiere this October. The series also just picked up its third Emmy(R) nomination for Outstanding Informational Series or Special.

StarTalk, which is recorded in front of a live studio audience at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, is derived from Tyson's popular radio show and podcast of the same name - the first and only space-based popular commercial radio show. Watch a trailer for the new season below:

Each episode features an intimate interview between Tyson and a guest from pop culture, politics, sports or news, in which they discuss how Science and technology have affected their lives and careers. Past seasons have featured guests such as Bill Clinton, Seth MacFarlane, Whoopi Goldberg and Buzz Aldrin. The impressive guest roster has included eight Emmy(R) award winners, five Academy Award(R) winners, four former astronauts, three Grammy(R) Award winners, two former U.S. presidents, an Olympic gold medalist and a Noble Prize winner.

This season will feature new illuminating interviews with:

· Alan Alda (actor)

· Arati Prabhakar (technologist, U.S. Department of Defense)

· James Cameron (three-time Academy Award(R)-winning director)

· Jane Goodall (primatologist)

· Janelle Monáe (singer; actress, "Hidden Figures"), Ted Melfi (director, "Hidden Figures") and Margot Lee Shetterly (author, "Hidden Figures")

· Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (former basketball player)

· Katie Couric (journalist)

· Katy Perry (Grammy(R)-nominated pop star)

· Kevin Smith (filmmaker)

· Lance Armstrong (cyclist)

· Mae Jemison (astronaut)

· Nainoa Thompson (celestial navigatior)

· Salman Rushdie (author)

· Sam Harris (neuroscientist)

· Sylvia Earle (oceanographer) and Fabien Cousteau (conservationist)

In addition to the centerpiece interview, STARTALK episodes feature 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. This season's comedian co-hosts include Chuck Nice, Scott Adsit, Godfrey, Eugene Mirman, Sasheer Zamata and Maeve Higgins. Occasionally, 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. For Curved Light Productions, executive producers are Neil deGrasse Tyson and Helen Matsos. For National Geographic Studios, executive producers are Brian Lovett and Drew Pulley, and executive vice president of production and development is Jeff Hasler. For National Geographic, executive producer is Betsy Forhan, vice president of production is Kevin Tao Mohs and president of original programming and production is Tim Pastore.

Image courtesy of Nat Geo