Spacepod

226: The intersection of computer science and astronomy with Dr. Kubica Mar 02, 2025

Dr. Jeremy Kubica talks about his work on the LINCC Frameworks project, and how he brings together astronomers and computer scientists to create software tools. He shares advice for students and talks about his books, which explain computing concepts in fun and accessible ways.

225: A newly discovered Martian volcano with Dr. Lee Dec 22, 2024

Dr. Pascal Lee tells the story of how he and his collaborators found a new volcano on Mars. He tells us about the "convergence of lines of evidence" that led to this discovery. He also explains why this site may be a good place to look for life.

224: Aurora borealis with Tina Ibsen Oct 30, 2024

Astrophysicist Tina Ibsen tells us about the northern lights. She talks about her research and gives tips on how to observe the lights. She tells us how Denmark is a space nation and shares her thoughts about the future of space exploration. We also talk about RumSnak, the space podcast she co-hosts with Anders Høeg Nissen.

223: Preparing for something we haven't seen yet with Dr. Holt Oct 13, 2024

Dr. Carrie Holt talks about how she's getting ready for the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. She explains how astronomers are using simulated and real data to prepare in advance of this new data.

Bonus: RumSnak Oct 02, 2024

Carrie chats with Anders and Tina on the beautifully produced Danish space podcast, RumSnak. The show starts with space news in Danish before the mostly English interview, which starts 24 minutes in. Find RumSnak on your favorite podcatcher, or online at www.rumsnak.dk.

222: Measuring the emptiness of space with Dr. Becker Aug 04, 2024

Dr Tracy Becker tells us about solar system science using ultraviolet light. She explains how the color of a planet's northern lights depends on the planet's atmosphere. She also describes how scientists repurposed the New Horizons spacecraft to measure how empty space is.

221: The queens of heaven with Prof. Tauris Jun 23, 2024

Professor Thomas Tauris explains what gravitational waves can tell us about colliding neutron stars. He corrects Carrie's misconception about how gravitational waves affect people. He also explains how the last 400 years of astronomy have been like watching a silent movie, but now with gravitational waves, we have a soundtrack.

220: Walking on the roof of hell with Prof. Stanley May 19, 2024

Prof. Sabine Stanley, author of "What's Hidden Inside Planets," tells us how the interior of Earth helps make this planet a nice place to live. She tells us that the Earth's mantle is actually solid rock, not liquid rock. She also explains what the Earth's interior and birthday balloons have in common.

Spacepod listeners can get a 30% discount on "What's Hidden Inside Planets" with the code HPLAN if you order through Hopkins Press at press.jhu.edu. (This code is shared as a courtesy, Spacepod does not receive compensation if you order a book.)

219: Breaking the models with Dr. Merrison Apr 22, 2024

Dr. Jon Merrison talks about the Mars Simulation Laboratory. Here, scientists study what happens in low temperature, low pressure, windy environments. He says visiting scientists often "come to our lab with some idea based on the conventional model and go away with data which makes no sense to them."

218: Anything we try is new with Dr. Cable Mar 24, 2024

Dr. Morgan Cable returns to the show after nine years! She tells us how she creates new minerals in her laboratory. She explains how this work helps shape NASA's Dragonfly mission. She encourages listeners to have confidence in their results.

217: A beautiful experience with Dr. Villanueva Feb 19, 2024

Dr. Geronimo Villanueva tells us about solar system discoveries with JWST. He talks about several projects, including observing water plumes from Saturn's moon Europa and looking for rings around Mars. He shares what it feels like to use this incredible space telescope.

Bonus: Carrie's research update Jan 21, 2024

I was sick for a few weeks this month and had to delay the scheduled interview. In the meantime, I've got a bonus episode for you. In this episode I talk about FindPOTATOs, which is software written by Nicole Tan and me, Carrie Nugent, to find asteroids and comets. I share some challenges we faced and how we overcame them. We hope that findPOTATOs can help astronomers find more asteroids, comets, and trans-Neptunian objects in their images of the sky!

216: Right and wrong theories in planetary science with Prof. McKinnon Dec 24, 2023

Professor Bill McKinnon, 2023 recipient of the Kuiper Prize, reflects on his career as a planetary scientist. He tells us about a theory of his that was proven right, one that was proven wrong, and what he thinks might be proven wrong in the future.

215: Naming asteroids with Dr. Williams Nov 19, 2023

Dr. Gareth Williams tells us about asteroid names. He explains the rules around naming asteroids and tells us how an asteroid name lead to a surprise trip to meet one of his heroes.

214: Astronauts on the moon with Dr. Denevi Oct 27, 2023

Dr. Brett Denevi talks to us about the planned Artemis missions to the moon's South Pole. There, astronauts will collect rocks and other samples. She describes how geologists are working with the astronauts to ensure that the best, most interesting samples are collected. These samples will create a legacy set that scientists will study for decades.

213: The Six with Loren Grush Sep 12, 2023

Loren Grush talks about her new book, "The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women in Space." She explains why Sally Ride was chosen to be the first American woman to go to space, and how the resulting attention was difficult for her. Loren also tells us how she researched and wrote the book during the pandemic.

212: A scientific legacy with Dr. Blaney Aug 20, 2023

We hear from Dr. Diana Blaney, the principal investigator of the mapping imaging spectrometer on Europa Clipper. Europa Clipper will travel to Jupiter to see if its moon Europa is habitable. She describes how they tested the spectrometer in special rooms to make sure it will work at Europa.

211: The Sparkler Galaxy with Prof. Mowla Aug 06, 2023

Professor Lamiya Mowla tells us about an exciting JWST discovery. She describes gravitational lensing as "nature's magnifying glass." She also explains why she likes calling telescopes time machines. We discuss pretty and shiny things, and why prettiness might indicate something is scientifically interesting.

Bonus episode: The upcoming American total solar eclipse Jul 24, 2023

A quick bonus episode about the April 8th, 2024 total solar eclipse in Mexico, the US, and Canada! I talk about the difference between a partial and total solar eclipse, and share some tips in case you want to travel to see it.

210: Wonders of the Night Sky with Prof. Prinja Jun 27, 2023

Professor Raman Prinja talks about his new book, "Wonders of the Night Sky." He tells us how we are lucky to live on a planet with a transparent atmosphere. He also shares stargazing tips for city dwellers as well as long-haul truck drivers.

The book is available at Simon and Schuster's website.

Note: I received a free copy of the book.

209: Mission to the largest moon in the solar system with Dr. Witasse May 21, 2023

Dr. Olivier Witasse tells us about the Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer, or JUICE mission, which is currently traveling through space. JUICE will conduct 34 flybys of Jupiter's moons before orbiting Ganymede. Ganyemede may have significant liquid water, and perhaps the elements needed for life.

208: Cosmic tug of war with Dr. Plazas Malagón Apr 23, 2023

Dr. Andrés Plazas Malagón tells us about a field of astronomy called cosmology. He explains that either our universe is mostly made of mysterious stuff called dark energy, or the laws of physics are wrong. He also explains the difference between dark matter and dark energy.

207: One of the stranger surfaces in the solar system with Dr. Cartwright Mar 26, 2023

Dr. Richard Cartwright tells us about the moons of Uranus and explains why we should visit Uranus with an orbiting spacecraft. This mission would take decades to design, build, and travel to the planet. He also shares what he thinks about Uranus jokes.

206: Every asteroid observation ever taken with Dr. Veres Feb 19, 2023

Dr. Peter Veres talks about asteroids, comets, and meteors. He describes how the Minor Planet Center keeps track of observations and orbits. This data is publicly available, and non-scientists make valuable contributions. He also tells us about the AMOS meteor network, and how meteors connect to asteroids and comets.

205: The moon's right to exist with Dr. Prem Jan 22, 2023

Dr. Parvathy Prem tells us about lunar ice. She says, "the moon records the history of our solar system neighborhood in a way that the Earth doesn't." Her simulations show that rocket landings can change lunar ice. We discuss different perspectives on the moon, and how those perspectives might change how we explore.

204: Light Pollution with Kelly Beatty Dec 25, 2022

Kelly Beatty shares easy things we can do to reduce light pollution. He tells us how artificial night light can harm humans, birds, and insects. He shares the five principles of good lighting, and explains how addressing light pollution can save money.

203: 11 hours and 23 minutes with Dr. Chabot Nov 28, 2022

Dr. Nancy Chabot returns to the show to talk about the DART mission, which changed the orbit of an asteroid moon. This was the first demonstration of asteroid deflection technology. She explains how the mission worked, what scientists are discovering, and why a small nudge is all you need when it comes to moving an asteroid out of Earth's way.

202: Making atmospheres with Prof. Telus Oct 23, 2022

Professor Myriam Telus shares how she studies atmospheres using meteorites. These experiments can teach us about exoplanet atmospheres and planet formation. She says science feels like a playground, with so much to explore.

201: International space law with Cordula Panosch Sep 18, 2022

International space law expert Cordula Panosch explains what is and is not legal when it comes to deflecting an Earth-bound asteroid. Although much depends on the individual circumstances, she explains how existing laws govern what countries can and cannot do when it comes to outer space.

200: Pluto is a planet, and so is its moon with Dr. Runyon Aug 21, 2022

Dr. Kirby Runyon shares his definition of "planet"-- a round celestial body that was never a star. Using this definition, there are over 150 planets orbiting our sun. He explains why the word planet matters, and why little planets might be the most common planets in our universe.

199: Why can't we find Planet Nine with Prof. Lawler Jul 24, 2022

Professor Lawler discusses why planet nine might not exist. She explains why reporting not finding something is as important as reporting a discovery. She tells us how satellite internet is getting in the way of astronomical observations.

198: Dragonfly with Dr. Turtle Jun 19, 2022

Dr. Zibi Turtle is the Principal Investigator of NASA's Dragonfly mission. She tells us what it is like to design and build an octocopter that will roam the surface of Saturn's moon Titan. She also tells us about Titan's exciting chemistry.

197: A massive asteroid hit at tremendous speed with Prof. Richardson May 22, 2022

Professor Derek Richardson gives us an update on the DART mission, which is headed towards tiny asteroid moon Dimorphos. If all goes well this fall, DART will crash into Dimorphos at four miles per second! This experiment will be a test of asteroid deflection technology.

196: Spinning universe with Dr. Cheng Apr 17, 2022

Dr. Jon Cheng tells us about his fluid flow experiments. These experiments investigate fundamental physics. They can be applied to the movement of the Earth's core as well as things like liquid batteries. Is electro-vortex flow the coolest phrase said on the show yet? Listen and decide!

195: Dark and quiet skies with Dr. Rawls Mar 20, 2022

Dr. Meredith Rawls talks about the unintended consequences of artificial satellite constellations. Satellites change the night sky, impacting the people and animals that rely on it. Hundreds of thousands of these satellites may be launched, which could create more orbital debris and endanger future space missions. She explains how people are coming together to help fix this problem.

194: Exoplanet next door with Prof Whitten Feb 20, 2022

Prof Jenny Whitten tells us about VERITAS, a NASA mission that will orbit Venus. She explains how scientists will use radar to learn about the surface, and how they picked exactly which radar band to use. She also talks about how VERITAS will shed light on Venus' evolution, the history of water on the planet, and its geologic processes.

193: Orbital parking spots with Larissa Markwardt Jan 23, 2022

Larissa Markwardt talks about Trojan asteroids-- asteroids that orbit the sun a little before or after planets. She describes the special technique she uses to find these asteroids, and why not finding any is an interesting result.

192: Craters on Titan with Prof. Neish Dec 21, 2021

Professor Catherine Neish explains why there's so few craters on Saturn's moon Titan. She explains why Titan's craters may contain the organic molecules needed for life, and how the Dragonfly mission will test that hypothesis.

191: Back to Venus with Dr. Getty Nov 22, 2021

Dr. Stephanie Getty tells us about DAVINCI, which will go to Venus. DAVINCI will scan the planet during three flybys, and will deploy a probe. She explains how engineers will protect the probe's instruments from Venus' harsh environment, and how you can't build a spacecraft without meetings and emails.

190: Millions of observations with Dr. Spoto Oct 24, 2021

Dr. Federica Spoto tells us how she found millions of high-precision observations of comets and asteroids. She explains how these observations let her turn back time and study the history of the main belt of asteroids in our solar system.

189: Long Range Planning with Prof. Barmby Sep 19, 2021

Professor Barmby tells us how a group of astronomers created the Canadian Astronomy Long Range Plan. This plan outlines the priorities of Canadian astronomers for the next decade. It covers telescopes, computing resources, diversity and inclusion in astronomy, and the need to consider the environmental consequences of astronomy.

188: Failing is the most important part of science with Tyler Linder Aug 22, 2021

Planetary defense researcher Tyler Linder talks about the benefits of using automated telescopes. He tells us the difference between an automated and a robotic telescope, and explains that inexpensive telescope time lets students learn, experiment, and fail. He describes the work he does with students, and why it is important to him.

187: You doubt your own existence with Prof. Méndez Jul 25, 2021

Prof. Abel Méndez tells us about his Planetary Habitability Lab. He talks about the chances of discovering extraterrestrial life, explaining that we are "alone by isolation and distance." He also tells us about his team's Visible Paleo-Earth project, as well as the proposed plans to rebuild the Arecibo Radio Telescope.

186: What's more powerful than a dinosaur with Dr. Noviello Jun 20, 2021

Dr. Jessica Noviello tells us a story about the power of interdisciplinary science: the time geologists, physicists, archeologists, chemists, paleontologists, and petroleum engineers all came together to solve a big mystery. This story focuses on a layer of clay that divides the "dinosaur part of time" from the "non dinosaur part of time."

185: Solar system snapshots with Kevin Gill May 23, 2021

Kevin Gill explains how he transforms raw spacecraft images into stunning planet photos. He describes how he turns black and white images from the Juno spacecraft into full color mosaics of Jupiter. He also tells us about his experiences with the "King of Cameras" on Cassini.

184: Samples are forever with Prof. Snead Apr 18, 2021

Prof. Christopher Snead tells us how he is preparing a very clean laboratory. In this lab, scientists will store and study Hayabusa-2 mission asteroid samples. The samples will be photographed and manipulated without ever touching Earth's atmosphere.

183: The solar wind with Dr. Jian Mar 21, 2021

Dr. Lan Jian talks to us about the solar wind, which is ionized gas from the sun. It transfers energy from the sun to the planets, and can impact astronauts and technology. She shares her research, which includes interpreting data from spacecraft and computer modeling.

182: Radar polarization with Dr. Hickson Feb 21, 2021

Dr. Dylan Hickson talks about how he studies the surfaces of asteroids using reflected radio waves. By comparing the reflections to mathematical models and data from Earth, he tries to determine if an asteroid's surface is blocky, dusty, or both.

181: Young Stellar Objects with Dr. Smith Jan 24, 2021

Dr. Rachel Smith tells us about her research into young stellar objects. These new stars are surrounded by a cloud of dust that may eventually become planets. Dr. Smith also explains why she thinks it is important to physically travel to telescopes when she makes her observations.

180: Space Advocacy with Casey Dreier Dec 20, 2020

Casey Dreier, Chief Advocate of the Planetary Society, stops by to chat about space policy. He explains why human spaceflight is such a challenge, and talks about how scientists decide which planet to explore. He also explains how individual citizens from around the world can influence space policy.

179: Not just a telescope with Dr. Virkki Dec 03, 2020

Dr. Anne Virkki talks about the Arecibo Radio Telescope, which recently sustained severe damage. She talks about the discoveries made at the telescope and explains that it could be rebuilt, if there was enough public support.

Bonus episode: Voting Oct 28, 2020

A quick bonus episode for my American listeners. Voting is the keystone of our democracy, and your voice deserves to be heard. This episode goes over some common voting questions. For more, see www.ballotpedia.org.

178: Light reverberations from supermassive black holes with Dr. Gorjian Oct 25, 2020

Dr. Varoujan Gorjian returns to the show! He explains what supermassive black holes are and how they work. He also tells us about an elegant technique that astronomers use to determine the size of the debris cloud around black holes.

177: Preventable disasters with Prof. Nugent Sep 20, 2020

The tables are turned! Regular host Professor Carrie Nugent talks about her research with guest host Anthropology Professor Caitrin Lynch. We discuss near-Earth asteroids, and how Prof. Nugent is building open-source asteroid hunting software with a team of students.

176: Getting curious with Dr. Fraeman Aug 23, 2020

Dr. Abby Fraeman returns to the show to talk about NASA's Curiosity rover. For the past eight years, Curiosity has been exploring Gale Crater on Mars. Dr. Fraeman talks about a discovery she made on the Vera Rubin Ridge, and we discuss how the Curiosity scientists and engineers have kept the rover running during the coronavirus pandemic.

175: Three lunar water mysteries with Prof. Ehlmann Jul 19, 2020

Prof. Bethany Ehlmann returns to the show to talk about the mission she's leading, Lunar Trailblazer. This low-cost mission will hitch a ride to the moon using the extra space in a large rocket. Once there, it will help scientists learn more about water on the moon.

174: How NASA funding works with Dr. Throop Jun 21, 2020

Many of the discoveries you've heard about on this show were funded by NASA. But how do scientists get money from NASA? Dr. Henry Throop returns to the show to explain how NASA program officers evaluate scientific proposals. This episode was recorded in September 2019.

173: Last alert system with Dr. Denneau May 24, 2020

Dr. Larry Denneau talks about the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, or ATLAS. He talks about how asteroid detection is a data processing problem. Every night ATLAS handles about a quarter terabyte of data. He describes how they find a few asteroids among a billion other sources, and tells us about a unique discovery by the program. This episode was recorded in June 2019, which explains the restaurant noises and the talk of air travel.

172: The whole world to a microbe with Prof. Levy Apr 26, 2020

Prof Joe Levy talks about his research in the dry valleys of Antarctica. These valleys are dry, irradiated, salty, and cold, which makes them similar to parts of Mars. He explains why planetary scientists get excited about naturally occurring perchlorate. He also describes the changes he's witnessed over several field seasons. This episode was recorded in February 2020, before social distancing measures were recommended.

171: Astronauts on starship Earth with Dr. Gifford Mar 30, 2020

Dr. Sheyna Gifford describes the experience of being a simulated Martian astronaut, as part of the HI-SEAS experiment. She talks about the experiment and gives us all tips for staying mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy while living in a confined space with limited contact with the outside world.

170: Searching for outer solar system objects with Dr. Schwamb Mar 15, 2020

Dr. Meg Schwamb tells us about the Outer Solar System Origins Survey (OSSOS). She explains why she doesn't just want to find these distant objects, she wants to figure out what they are made of. We also discuss recent interstellar visitors to our solar system.

169: The flattest structures in the solar system with Dr. Tiscareno Feb 16, 2020

Dr. Matthew Tiscareno tells us about Saturn's rings. He describes how scientists measured their mass, and how the rings got their colors. He also explains why scientists are currently debating the age of the rings.

168: Meteorite strength with Prof. Cotto Figueroa Jan 12, 2020

Professor Desireé Cotto Figueroa tells us about her research into the strength of meteorites. This research helps scientists understand the hazards from asteroids, and also will help engineers design asteroid-visiting spacecraft.

167: Far out with Dr. Sheppard Dec 29, 2019

Dr. Scott Sheppard tells us about the two most distant objects ever observed in the solar system. He describes the clever techniques he and his collaborators used to spot these objects, and explains why he is searching for an undiscovered planet.

166: Why we went to the moon with Lillian Cunningham Dec 15, 2019

Lillian Cunningham talks about her podcast Moonrise. Moonrise explores why the United States decided to send humans to the moon. She talks about the surprising power of science fiction in shaping policy, and she comments on what might motivate nations to send humans to other planets in the future.

165: Exploring Titan with Dr. Soderblom Dec 01, 2019

Dr. Jason Soderblom tells us about Titan, one of the largest moons in the solar system. He explains some of its geologic features, including dunes, probable cryovolcanos, and featureless plains that scientists nicknamed "the blandlands." He also tells us about Dragonfly, a new NASA mission that will explore Titan's surface.

164: Postcards to the cosmos with Dr. Bannister Nov 17, 2019

Dr. Michele Bannister talks about interstellar objects, including the recent discovery of 2I Borisov. Astronomers are observing this object with every available telescope to answer key questions, such as: what is Borisov made of? Is it like comets from our own solar system, or is it "really weird and different"? Dr. Bannister fills us in on the latest results. This episode was recorded on November 13th, 2019.

163: Modeling millions of asteroids with Dr. Dotson Nov 03, 2019

Dr. Jessie Dotson talks about her asteroid risk assessment research. She describes how she and her team create comprehensive models of asteroid impacts. Their research shows that the consequences of an impact depends on asteroid size and where it hits on Earth.

162: Charon's surprises with Dr. Beyer Oct 20, 2019

Dr. Ross Beyer talks about Pluto's companion, Charon. He describes how he derived a theory explaining how Charon's "wonky" plains formed. He compares being a planetary geologist with a crime scene investigator, and tells us the story about how Charon got its name.

161: Dusty mysteries with Prof. Hartzell Oct 06, 2019

Prof. Christine Hartzell tells us about the bizarre ways dust and rock behave on asteroids. She explains, "asteroids are complicated because our intuition fails." Tools like shovels become useless, forcing spacecraft designers to innovate.

160: Going back in time with Dr. Bottke Sep 22, 2019

Dr. Bill Bottke stops by the show to talk about ancient craters on the Moon and Earth. He tells us about how you can figure out crater ages by looking at the nearby rocks, and how that led him and his colleagues to figure out that the impact rate on Earth changes with time.

159: Constellations and coordinates with Dr. Rich Sep 08, 2019

Dr. Jeff Rich returns to the show to talk about the night sky. He explains how astronomers used constellations to communicate. He also tells us that anyone can invent their own constellation. In a time when people can create "universes inside a computer," we talk about ways to go outside and experience the cosmos.

158: Planetary Defense Mission with Dr. Ernst Aug 25, 2019

Dr. Carolyn Ernst tells us about DRACO, a camera on the DART mission. DRACO will take critical images in the final seconds of the mission. Dr. Ernst talks about how heritage is important in spaceflight and explains how DRACO is designed to endure harsh conditions.

157: Modeling impacts with Dr. Boslough Aug 11, 2019

Dr. Mark Boslough describes what happens when an asteroid enters Earth's atmosphere. He tell the story of how he learned of the historic 2013 Chelyabinsk impact. He also shares what it was like to see the effects of the Shoemaker-Levy 9 Jupiter impact.

156: Measuring a collision with Dr. Thomas Jul 28, 2019

Professor Cristina Thomas talks about NASA's first planetary defense mission: DART. DART is a spacecraft that will impact a tiny asteroid moon. She explains why ground-based telescope observations are key to the mission's success.

155: Interstellar visitor with Dr. Knight Jul 14, 2019

Dr. Matthew Knight tells us about a discovery that excited astronomers all around the world. 'Oumuamua is the first minor planet from outside our solar system that we have found. Dr. Knight describes what it was like to observe this speedy object, and explains how it compares to local asteroids and comets.

154: High speed impacts with Dr. Daly Jun 30, 2019

Dr. Terik Daly talks about his experiments, where things hit other things at tens of thousands of miles per hour. These experiments create pressures greater than that at the center of the Earth, and temperatures hotter than the surface of the sun. Dr Daly tells us what it is like to design and witness these experiments, and how he uses them to learn about the solar system.

153: Stories behind the science with Sarah Kaplan Jun 16, 2019

Sarah Kaplan of the Washington Post talks about science reporting. Reporters often tackle topics that are outside their expertise. Sarah explains the methods she uses to get at the truth. She also shares where she would send a billion dollar spacecraft, and tells the story of how a small bird caused a big newsroom debate.

152: Mysterious iron meteorites with Dr. Chabot Jun 02, 2019

Dr. Nancy Chabot returns to the show to talk about iron meteorites. Iron meteorites, she explains, are cores of small planets that you can hold in your hand. She describes her laboratory experiments which use furnaces, glass tubes, and tiny hammers.

151: Game-changing asteroid images with Dr. Marsset May 19, 2019

Dr. Michael Marsset and his collaborators use the world's biggest telescopes to image asteroids. They combine those images with other data to get shapes of asteroids. These results are comparable with spacecraft images, but are much less expensive. Dr. Marsset talks about new discoveries they have made using this technique.

150: Undersea grippers and in-space assembly with Dr. Backus May 05, 2019

Dr Spencer Backus talks about his work at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He explains the complexities of trying to design hands for robots. An example of a robot hand is the undersea gripper he worked on, which looks like "an angry starfish." He also talks about the benefits and challenges of in-space assembly of spacecraft.

149: Ballooning on Venus with Dr. Izraelevitz Apr 21, 2019

Dr. Jacob Izraelevitz describes how engineers might design a balloon to explore Venus. This work is in the early stages, what NASA refers to as a "Mission Concept." He also explains the challenges of Venusian exploration.

148: Solving an Apollo mystery with Dr. Curren Apr 07, 2019

When taking a sample of the Moon's surface, the Apollo astronauts discovered a sharp transition from powdery soil to harder rock. This transition was entirely unexpected, and remained unexplained for decades. Dr. Ivy Curren talks about an experiment she designed to explain this phenomena. She also tells us about a type of lunar dust formation that scientists call "fairy castle structures."

147: Searching for extraterrestrial life with Dr. Seager Mar 24, 2019

Dr. Seager explains how she and other astronomers are looking for extraterrestrial life. We discuss the Drake and Seager equations. We also talk about how astronomers might be able to detect life by measuring chemicals in distant planet atmospheres. This episode is related to the March 2019 National Geographic cover story, "We are not alone."

146: Our place the universe with Dr. Lanz Mar 10, 2019

Dr. Alicia Lanz talks about the history of astronomical instrumentation, starting with the first telescope. She describes some bizarre historical telescopes and shares a surprisingly inspirational story about bubbles in glass.

145: Backyard Worlds with Prof. Allers Feb 24, 2019

Professor Katelyn Allers talks about how you can discover small cold stars! She is a member of the Backyard Worlds project, which is a collaboration between astronomers and citizen scientists. This project searches for brown dwarfs, which are some of the closest objects to our solar system.

144: Deflecting asteroids with Brent Barbee Feb 10, 2019

Brent Barbee returns to the show to talk about deflecting asteroids. He explains how an asteroid might react to an impact, and also talks about the proposed DART mission, which would change the orbit of a small asteroid moon.

143: Telescope robots with Dr. Ramirez Jan 27, 2019

Dr. Solange Ramirez returns to the show to talk about her new position as Project Manager of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey V. Amount other things, the project will study over six million stars and how black holes change over time. These millions of measurements will be made using a robotic telescope system that is currently being built.

142: The biggest clock with Rob Seaman Jan 13, 2019

Rob Seaman of the Catalina Sky Survey talks about time, and why you need to know the time to discover asteroids and comets. He explains how he installed a highly accurate clock, and makes the case that "natural time" is better than "cold, heartless atomic time."

141: Eyes on the back of your head with Dr. Tholen Dec 30, 2018

Dr. Dave Tholen talks about near-Earth asteroids. He explains why they can be difficult to observe, and how he manages to spot them anyway. He also tells the story of a particularly famous asteroid that he discovered, and sets the record straight about its name.

140: A brand new telescope with Dr. Kartaltepe Dec 16, 2018

The James Webb Space Telescope hasn't launched yet, but scientists already have plans to use it. Dr. Kartaltepe talks about how she'll use it to study galaxies. She's interested in the first galaxies that ever formed, as well as galaxies at a wide range of distances from Earth.

139: The missing mantle problem with Dr. DeMeo Dec 02, 2018

Urey Prize winner Dr. Francesca DeMeo stops by the show to talk about her asteroid research. She explains what a differentiated asteroid is, and tells us about her asteroid classification system. She also shares a new result, and explains how it may change the way we think about solar system formation.

138: Transiting Exoplanets with Dr. Payne Nov 18, 2018

Dr. Matthew Payne talks about his exoplanet research, which involves looking for periodic dimming in stars. We discuss the Kepler and TESS space telescopes, and he explains why he's so interested in measuring the masses of exoplanets.

137: Documenting rapid change with Dr. Carey Nov 04, 2018

Dr. Joanna Carey talks about her research on our home planet, Earth. She explains how the climate change we're experiencing is ten times faster than any in geologic history. We also discuss why small changes in carbon emissions today will make a huge difference to the future climate, and things everyday people can do to mitigate the damage.

136: Would sailboats work on Titan? With Dr. Soto Oct 21, 2018

Dr. Alejandro Soto returns to the show to talk about how lakes on Titan and on Earth influence the nearby atmosphere. He talks about how lakes create breezes that allow for sailing on Earth, and how the situation changes on Titan.

135: Linking asteroid observations with Dr. Holman Oct 07, 2018

Dr. Matt Holman, head of the Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, stops by to talk asteroids. The Minor Planet Center handles about a hundred thousand asteroid observations a night, from observatories all around the world. He talks about the difficulties in linking asteroid observations, and the discovery of the first interstellar asteroid, 'Oumuamua.

134: Spinning stars with Dr. Rebull Sep 23, 2018

Dr. Luisa Rebull returns to the show to describe new research with the Kepler space telescope. Her ingenious study takes advantage of Kepler's strengths, and has produced results that stump theorists. Dr. Rebull explains why this data has given her "a whole new appreciation for post office workers."

133: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Mercury with Dr. Padovan Sep 09, 2018

Dr. Sebastiano Padovan talks about the planet closest to the sun, Mercury. He compares the evolution of planets to movies, and says that understanding a planet's history from its current state is like trying to figure out the plot of an entire movie from a single snapshot. He also explains why Mercury is "a favorite" of scientists who do computational modeling.

132: Introducing people to the reach of infinity with Tim Thompson Aug 26, 2018

Tim Thompson, former JPL scientist and member of the Mt. Wilson Institute Board of Trustees, talks about the Mt. Wilson Observatory. He explains why he doesn't operate the Mt. Wilson telescopes himself, and tells us why astronomers hate the twinkling of the stars. This episode was recorded on location, and Tim talks about the many public events offered at Mt. Wilson.

131: Inside the red planet with Dr. Daubar Aug 12, 2018

Dr. Ingrid Daubar returns to the show to tell us about the InSight mission to Mars. InSight carries a seismometer and a self-hammering heat probe, and will explore the interior of the planet. She tells us what it was like to be at InSight's launch, and explains how the mission's landing site was selected.

130: Quantum entanglement with Dr. Ghose Jul 29, 2018

Dr. Shohini Ghose talks about quantum entanglement, which she describes as an "amazing, weird handshake across space and time." She tells us about quantum information science, which finds useful applications for the weird quantum qualities of particles.

129: A new type of galaxy with Dr. Mutlu-Pakdil Jul 15, 2018

Dr. Burçin Mutlu-Pakdil talks about her amazing discovery-- a galaxy with both an inner and outer ring. The existence of such a galaxy had not been predicted before she discovered it, and there's no theory yet that can explain how such an unusual object was created.

128: Sleeping on a Glacier with Dr. Koppes Jul 01, 2018

Dr. Michele Koppes returns to the show to talk about her experiences studying glaciers in the field. She describes what a glacier sounds like at night, and why a good glaciologist is generally handy with a soldering iron.

127: Black hole pairs with Dr. McGurk Jun 17, 2018

Dr. Rosalie McGurk talks about her quest to find pairs of black holes. She explains how she used several different telescopes to solve this problem, narrowing the list of potential candidates from hundreds of thousands to about twenty.

126: Supercities of the Universe with Dr. Connor Jun 03, 2018

Dr. Tom Connor stops by the show to talk about massive galaxy clusters and the CLASH project. We talk about naturally occurring gravitational "telescopes" that allow us to see even farther into space, and Dr. Connor makes some fun analogies to cupcakes and crime bosses.

125: Oceans, oceans everywhere with Dr. Keane May 20, 2018

Dr. James Tuttle Keane discusses why Pluto probably has a huge underground ocean. To make this discovery, he used images of Pluto taken by the New Horizons spacecraft, computer simulations, and good old-fashioned pen and paper.

124: Searching Antarctica for meteorites with Dr. Cohen May 06, 2018

Dr. Barbara Cohen returns to the show to talk about meteorite collecting in Antarctica. These trips, which involve weeks of camping on the ice, provide invaluable scientific samples. She talks about what it's like to search for the rocks that "don't belong" in the frozen desert.

123: Our favorite planet's future with Dr. Marvel Apr 22, 2018

To celebrate Earth Day, Dr. Kate Marvel talks about models of Earth's climate. She compares many models to learn more about the way our climate works, and how it might change in the future. She also offers advice for those of us who may feel overwhelmed by climate change.

122: How to make a comet with Dr. Michel Apr 08, 2018

Dr. Patrick Michel talks about comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko, which was visited by the Rosetta spacecraft. This comet's shape was puzzling. It looked like it had survived a collision, but how could a fragile icy comet survive a high-energy impact? A new study by Dr. Michel and his team sheds light on this mystery.

121: Solar storms with Dr. Janvier Mar 25, 2018

Dr. Miho Janvier talks about her work studying solar storms, and tells us about the ways these storms have impacted humans in the past. She explains why they are challenging to model and says why she's interested in "garbage" data from planetary missions.

120: Archeology for everyone with Chase Childs Mar 11, 2018

Chase Childs tells us about satellite remote sensing. He explains how near-infrared images can expose underground structures, and why plant health is of surprising interest to archeologists. He also talks about GlobalXplorer, and some of the site's power users who have painstakingly mapped Peru.

119: Archeology from space with Dr. Parcak Feb 25, 2018

Dr. Sarah Parcak explains how she uses satellite images to locate archeological sites, and how it's her job to be a detective, piecing together clues to uncover the past. She also talks about GlobalXplorer, a non-profit that lets everyone be a space archeologist.

118: The stuff between the stars with Dr. Rich Feb 11, 2018

Dr. Jeff Rich returns to the show to talk about the interstellar medium— all the rocks, dust, and particles that exist between the stars. After some beer, we end up talking about black holes and how Jeff studies nearby galaxies to learn about the early universe.

117: Guardians of (a very small part of) the galaxy with Dr. Fast Jan 28, 2018

Dr. Kelly Fast tells us about the Planetary Defense Coordination Office, which finds asteroids before they find us. She talks about a recent exercise involving the tiny asteroid 2012 TC4, where asteroid hunters across the world coordinated to observe this object on a recent fly-by. We also talk about ‘Oumuamua, the first interstellar asteroid ever discovered.

116: Extraterrestrial Seismology with Dr. Panning Jan 14, 2018

Dr. Mark Panning tells us all about “earthquakes” on other worlds. He talks about the InSight mission to Mars, which carries a seismometer to detect Marsquakes. He also explains how a seismometer on Europa could teach us about the interior of that icy moon.

115: Detector detective with Mario Cabrera Dec 31, 2017

Mario Cabrera tells us about the specialized detectors used in professional telescopes. He talks about how he’s helping to develop new detectors that don’t require coolant and provide more science for less money. He talks about the ways a detector is tested, and how he’s walked through miles of waist-deep snow (both ways!) in the name of science.

114: The densest stuff in the universe slamming together at the speed of light with Dr. Kanner Dec 17, 2017

Dr. Jonah Kanner talks about LIGO’s spectacular detection of two neutron stars merging together. This merger was not only detected by gravitational wave detectors in the US and Europe, it was also seen by many telescopes across the world and in space. This new discovery will help unlock many longstanding mysteries in astronomy and fundamental particle physics.

113: Belt and suspenders spacecraft with Julie Webster Dec 03, 2017

Cassini’s spacecraft operations team manager, Julie Webster, stops by the show to reflect on Cassini. We chat about the time Cassini dove through Titan’s atmosphere, how Julie monitored thousands of channels of telemetry at once, and how she’s happy that she doesn’t have to spend her time thinking through worst-case scenarios (or “awfulizing”) now that the spacecraft is no more.

112: Cassini Family with Dr. Cable Nov 19, 2017

Dr Morgan Cable returns to the show to chat about the end of the Cassini Mission. We find solace in the fact that there’s still a tiny bit of Cassini in orbit around Saturn. Dr. Cable also describes Cassini’s discovery of hydrogen, “the easiest food for a microbe to digest,” in Enceladus’ plumes.

111: Dust hazard with Dr. Throop Nov 05, 2017

Sagan Prize winner Dr. Henry Throop tells us how scientists look for micron-sized dust that’s millions of miles away to protect the New Horizons spacecraft. This search involves computer modeling, occultation observations, and plenty of teamwork.

110: 492 roughly hexagonal mirrors with Dr. Liu Oct 22, 2017

Dr. Fengchuan Liu talks to us about an international project, the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). He describes the telescope, it's many mirrors, and how he helps manage such a complex project.

109: To attack that darkness once again with Dr. Hunt Oct 08, 2017

Dr. Cindy Hunt returns to the show to talk about the upcoming 100th anniversary of the 100 inch Hooker Telescope on Mount Wilson. She explains why this telescope looks like a battleship and tells us how it “completely upended our understanding of the universe”. Also: poetry!

108: End of mission blues with Dr. Storrie-Lombardi Sep 24, 2017

Dr. Lisa Storrie-Lombardi returns to the show to discuss NuSTAR, Spitzer, and what it feels like to end a mission you’ve been working on for decades. Cassini’s Grand Finale has us reflecting on the upcoming demise of the Spitzer Space Telescope.

107: Loose rocks and soft bots with Dr. McMahon Sep 10, 2017

Professor Jay McMahon stops by the show to explain the YORP effect and how it changes asteroid spins and shapes. He also describes his NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts (NIAC) project that is investigating the use of soft robots to explore rubble-pile asteroids.

106: Sample the mantle with Dr. Peterson Aug 27, 2017

Dr. Mary Peterson tells us about basaltic glasses from the Galápagos Islands, and why they might have originated deep within the Earth’s mantle. She also describes her lab work, which involves cool lab coats, security badges, and meticulous sorting of samples.

105: Tectonic fabric with Dr. Donnellan Aug 13, 2017

Dr. Andrea Donnellan stops by the show to talk about GeoGateway, a website that combines different datasets to help geologists. She explains how rocks move like silly putty, and recounts the time a lone cloud masqueraded as tectonic motion. Bonus music at the end is “Glorious Dawn” by Colorpulse. Hear more rad science tunes at www.symphonyofscience.com.

104: Occultation vacation with Dr. Kramer Jul 30, 2017

Dr. Emily Kramer stops by the show to try some tea and talk about her trip to South Africa to observe the next New Horizons target, 2014 MU69. She was one of several astronomers and planetary scientists who flew to other countries to watch this object pass in front of a star in the hopes of measuring its diameter.

103: Meteor showers and “broom stars” with Dr. Ye Jul 16, 2017

Dr. Quan-Zhi Ye tries an unusual frappuccino and explains how meteor showers are related to comets. He tells the story of how he became interested in comets and asteroids, and fills us in on some of his recent research.

102: A thrilling tale of discovery with Dr. Christiansen Jul 02, 2017

Dr. Jessie Christiansen returns to the show to talk about newly discovered exoplanets! She explains why this planetary system was devilishly difficult to observe with ground-based telescopes, and how one of the planets poses a puzzle.

101: The best geologist on Mars with Dr. Francis Jun 18, 2017

Dr. Raymond Francis talks about a rock-vaporizing laser and the software that controls it. He describes how he and colleagues programmed a computer to make choices like a geologist would, allowing the Curiosity rover to do more science on Mars.

100: The gauntlet is thrown- explain the ammonia! with Dr. Ehlmann Jun 04, 2017

Dr. Bethany Ehlmann returns to talk about Ceres. She tells us what certain types of silicates have in common with phyllo dough, and explains how traces of ammonia on Ceres hint at unusual history for this dwarf planet.

99: Photons from exoplanets with Dr. Meshkat May 28, 2017

Dr. Tiffany Meshkat describes direct imaging of exoplanets, which astronomers have used to discover enormous, young planets. She also talks about WFIRST, a mission under development that would be able to find and characterize exoplanets.

98: A place on Earth as dry as Mars with Dr. Azua-Bustos May 21, 2017

Dr. Armando Azua-Bustos talks about how he discovered the driest place on Earth— a region in the Atacama Desert not far from where he grew up. He explains how he collects and studies microbial life that live in these extremely dry regions.

97: If a glacier falls in a fjord… with Dr. Koppes May 14, 2017

Dr. Michele Koppes stops by to talk about her glacier research on planet Earth. She describes how a melting glacier triggered a staggeringly large landslide in 2015, and how glaciers can match even humans in their ability to transform the landscape.

96: Vega, dust, and a giant inflatable bumblebee with Dr. Ciardi May 07, 2017

Dr. David Ciardi talks about Vega, a bright star that’s “been a part of human lore forever.” Dr. Ciardi and his colleagues discovered that Vega has a nearby ring of dust, implying the presence of planets. He also describes an encounter with a giant inflatable bumblebee at Palomar Observatory.

95: Asteroid hunting software with John Dailey Apr 30, 2017

John Dailey explains how he uses his software engineering skills to discover asteroids at IPAC/Caltech. He helps solve problems inherent to working with astronomical data, such as the challenge of reading in and out huge volumes of data from hard drives.

94: Seven hundred new craters on Mars with Dr. Daubar Apr 23, 2017

Dr. Ingrid Daubar stops by to talk about HiRISE, a camera on a Mars-orbiting spacecraft that takes amazing images of the Martian surface. She explains how she uses these images to search for fresh craters, and how you (yes you!) suggest areas of the planet for this camera to image. (Correction to episode: Mars’ atmosphere is 0.6% that of Earth, not 6%)

93: Companionable Jupiters with Marta Bryan Apr 16, 2017

Marta Bryan shares her new results on exoplanets! She explains how she tested a theory of hot jupiter formation, and how she figured out that planet rotation rates are likely set early on in the planet’s lifetime.

92: When there’s dust there’s planets with Dr. Patel Apr 09, 2017

Dr. Rahul Patel describes his search for undiscovered disks of dust around other stars. He explains how looking for fainter and fainter debris disks may bring us closer to discovering a planetary system similar to our own.

91: Tectonic hazard on Phobos with Dr. Curren Apr 02, 2017

Dr. Ivy Curren talks about Mars’ moon Phobos, and how grooves on its surface indicate that the interior may be fractured. This small, mysterious moon is covered in faults, making it a dicey place for future missions to land.

90: The universe is full of water with Dr. Paladini Mar 26, 2017

Dr Roberta Paladini talks about the space-based Herschel Space Observatory, which was the largest infrared telescope ever launched. It looked at the sky in the far infrared, and discovered an abundance of water in star-forming regions.

89: Underwater Flying Objects with Prof. Thompson Mar 19, 2017

Dr. Andy Thompson explains how he uses robotic ocean gliders to learn about our planet. He tells us how ocean water interacts with the atmosphere, and how parcels of water can preserve information about that interaction for thousands of years.

Bonus episode: I wrote a book! Mar 14, 2017

As part of the 2016 TED Fellows class, I got to meet cool people and I got to talk about asteroids. My TED talk is now online on www.TED.com (check it out!) and the companion book, “Asteroid Hunters”, by me, is now available in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and India. There’s also e-book and audiobook versions. This bonus episode contains an excerpt from “Asteroid Hunters”.

88: Designing earthquake alarms with Dr. Burkett Mar 12, 2017

Dr. Erin Burkett tells us what prairie dog research has to do with an earthquake early alarm system. She also talks about how to motivate people to prepare for earthquakes, and emphasizes the importance of storytelling in science communication.

87: Visions of interstellar travel with Dr. Hurt Mar 05, 2017

Dr. Robert Hurt returns to the show to talk about artistic depictions of interstellar travel. We discuss the images of the seven-planet TRAPPIST-1 system he and Tim Pyle created— images that graced the cover of Nature and the front page of the New York Times. We also talk about Star Trek: The Next Generation, and what that TV show got right (and wrong) about the visuals of cruising through outer space.

86: Celestial cinematography with Dr. Kasliwal Feb 26, 2017

Professor Mansi Kasliwal talks about the GROWTH project, which uses international teamwork to watch astronomical events around the clock. An individual observer is thwarted by sunrise, but together, an international team can continuously monitor supernovae, neutron stars, and asteroids over 24 hours.

85: Risk, hazard, and threat: the importance of language with Dr. Billings Feb 19, 2017

Dr Linda Billings talks about the importance of clear communication across the expert/non-expert boundary. She describes the difference between the words “risk”, “hazard” and “threat,” as applied to near-Earth objects and gives advice to scientists who want to communicate their research accurately.

84: Saturn’s siren song with Dr. Burton Feb 12, 2017

Dr. Marcia Burton stops by the show to talk about radio waves from Saturn, as measured by the Cassini Spacecraft. We listen to some audio clips, and she explains why it is so difficult to measure the length of Saturn’s day.

83: Why we archive with Dr. Rebull Feb 05, 2017

Dr. Luisa Rebull explains why it is vital to archive astronomical images. NASA archives, such as the ones at IPAC, are accessible everyone on Earth at no cost. Luisa also describes how you can take a tour through archived data via the Dustier, Messier, Messier Marathon.

82: Searching the sky for asteroids with Eric Christensen Jan 29, 2017

Eric Christensen, head of the Catalina Sky Survey, talks about how he and his team hunt asteroids and comets. He explains how astronomers can distinguish between individual asteroids and how new upgrades will let the survey discover more asteroids than ever before.

81: The era of precision astronomy with Dr. Rich Jan 22, 2017

Dr Jeff Rich stops by the show to talk about variable stars. Some variable stars change brightness dramatically over several hours, and certain types can be used to measure distances. Jeff also explains what it’s like to propose for, and get, time on the Hubble Space Telescope.

80: Places where people can have adventures with Br. Consolmagno Jan 15, 2017

Brother Guy Consolmagno shares a Coke and talks about the Vatican Observatory, a discovery that got him in trouble with the Voyager team, and why being next to a dairy farm was convenient when he wanted to measure the properties of meteorites.

79: LIGO’s high quality (factor) fibers with Dr. Robertson Jan 08, 2017

Dr. Norna Robertson shares a drink from her home country and talks about a specific part of LIGO. She explains that LIGO’s eighty-pound mirrors are suspended by four, incredibly thin, silica fibers that were developed just for this project.

78: Signals traveling through the fabric of spacetime with Dr. Kanner (Part 2) Jan 01, 2017

Dr. Kanner explains how gravitational waves could teach us about the big bang, and how we might be on the cusp of discovering new phenomena that are so unusual, theorists haven’t even predicted their existence.

77: Signals traveling through the fabric of spacetime with Dr. Kanner (Part 1) Dec 25, 2016

Dr. Kanner talks about gravitational waves, which were detected for the first time by LIGO last year. He explains how studying neutron stars with gravitational waves can tell us how everyday elements like gold came to be.

76: Mars’ teenage robot with Dr. Fraeman Dec 18, 2016

Dr. Abby Fraeman returns to the show to talk about Opportunity, the rover that won’t quit. Along with its sister rover, Spirit, Opportunity has discovered Mars rocks that could have only formed in the presence of water.

75: Looking for trouble with Eric Rice Dec 11, 2016

Eric Rice talks about systems engineering and we drink what turns out to be the most disgusting beverage yet. He talks about what it is like to control a spacecraft, and explains why predicting what can go wrong with a spacecraft is a lot simpler than predicting what can go wrong at a wedding.

74: Asteroid families with Dr. Masiero Dec 04, 2016

Dr. Joe Masiero returns to the podcast to talk about asteroid families, which are groups of asteroids that astronomers think are fragments from ancient collisions. He describes how he identifies these families, and how this work can help us understand how the solar system used to be millions of years ago.

73: Earthquake early warning systems with Dr. Weiser Nov 27, 2016

Dr Debbie Weiser explains the importance of building an early warning system in the US before a major earthquake hits. Even a few seconds warning is enough to stop elevators, pause surgery, and give peace of mind to everyday folks experiencing aftershocks. To support this program, contact the California Governor’s office or your congressional representatives.

72: Perturbing the Earth with Dr. Weiser Nov 20, 2016

Dr. Debbie Weiser talks about human-made earthquakes on my favorite planet, Earth. She explains how seismologists try to distinguish between natural earthquakes and those caused by human activity, and why the earliest seismometers in California were installed by astronomers.

71: Rovers on an asteroid with Dr. Takir Nov 13, 2016

Dr. Driss Takir stops by the show. He explains how he looks for water that’s molecularly bound up in the rocks on asteroids. He also tells us about the Hayabusa-2 mission, which will put rovers on the the surface of asteroid Ryugu.

70: Every crater tells a story with Dr. Scully Nov 06, 2016

Dr Jennifer Scully talks about the geology of Ceres and Vesta, two large asteroids in the main belt that have been visited by NASA’s DAWN mission. She’s talks about the experience of getting to know each and every crater, and why the first images from Ceres surprised some people.

69: Pinging passing asteroids with Dr. Naidu Oct 30, 2016

Dr. Shantanu Naidu tells us about planetary radar. Using large telescopes in California and Puerto Rico, he bounces radio waves off of asteroids and “listens” for the return signal. With this technique, he’s discovered moons on several asteroids.

68: Building a new instrument with Dr Hosseini Oct 23, 2016

Dr. Sona Hosseini talks about spectroscopy, a technique that allows scientists to determine what celestial bodies are made of. She’s developing new spectrometer that will allow her to look at an entire planet, or comet, all at once.

67: The most ambitious measurement ever made, with Dr. Reitze (Part 2) Oct 16, 2016

Dr. Dave Reitze, the Executive Director of LIGO, talks about how each source of noise at LIGO must be meticulously accounted for— from wolves howling, to tidal flexing of the Earth’s surface, to the motion of the atoms in the observatory’s mirrors.

66: The most ambitious measurement ever made, with Dr. Reitze (Part 1) Oct 09, 2016

Dr. Dave Reitze, the Executive Director of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) talks about the extraordinary detection of gravitational waves earlier this year, and the incredible engineering that made it possible.

65: Black holes don’t suck with Dr. Gorjian Oct 02, 2016

Dr. Varoujan Gorjian thoroughly debunks a misconception he hates— the idea that black holes suck. Find out what would happen to the Earth if our Sun was suddenly replaced with a black hole of the same mass, and why is is so challenging to send a probe to Mercury.

64: Hubble’s Tuning Fork with Dr. Seidel Sep 25, 2016

Dr. Marja Seidel stops by the show to talk about galaxy evolution. She also talks about a unique outreach effort she co-founded, called Cielo y Tierra, that shares science with remote communities.

63: Deciphering dark matter with Dr. Benson Sep 18, 2016

Dr. Andrew Benson talks about dark matter, the mysterious stuff that makes up most of the mass of the universe. Andrew explains how we can learn about dark matter, even though we don’t yet know what it is.

62: Exoplanets and the fate of Earth with Dr. Schlaufman Sep 11, 2016

Dr. Kevin Schlaufman tells us about exoplanets that orbit around their stars in an unusual manner. He also explains what his research says about the Earth’s fate when our sun dies, billions of years from now.

61: Catching a photonic breeze with Dr. Betts Sep 04, 2016

Dr. Betts talks about LightSail, an exciting mission to test new technology from The Planetary Society. This is a special joint episode with The Orbital Mechanics podcast.

60: Data you can see, touch, and lick with Dr. Hunt Aug 28, 2016

Dr. Cynthia Hunt talks about the Carnegie Observatories’ astronomical glass plate collection. The Carnegie collection includes historic plates that recorded the moments astronomers made groundbreaking discoveries.

59: Where the universe was discovered with Dr. Mulchaey Aug 21, 2016

Director Dr. John Mulchaey stops by the show to talk about the history and future of the Carnegie Observatories; the place “where the universe was discovered”. This episode is the first of a series on current research at Carnegie.

58: The case of the missing Moon ice with Dr. Siegler Aug 14, 2016

Dr. Matt Siegler talks about ice on the Moon, and what it can tell us about the Moon’s past. He also tells us about an experiment that uses astronaut-collected lunar soil.

57: Voyaging to the edge of the Solar System with Suzy Dodd Aug 07, 2016

Project Manager Suzy Dodd tells us about the continuing missions of the Voyager spacecraft. These spacecraft are still collecting unique and valuable data, and Suzy explains how engineers hack the spacecraft to extend their lifespan.

56: Fiction Science with Mika McKinnon Jul 31, 2016

Master of Disaster Mika McKinnon talks about how she injected real science into the sci-fi series “Stargate”. We discuss how she balanced accuracy and entertainment, and how she influenced the way scientists were portrayed on that show.

55: Space is a team effort with Jan Chodas Jul 24, 2016

Jan Chodas stops by the show to talk about her experience working on several pioneering NASA missions, including Galileo, Cassini, the Spirit and Opportunity rovers, and Juno. Note: this was recorded before Juno successfully entered into the orbit of Jupiter.

54: The granite planet with Dr. Economos Jul 17, 2016

Professor Rita Economos talks about her research into magma on Earth. She recounts some of the adventures she’s had searching for rocks, and explains why Earth’s volcanoes appear to be unique in the solar system.

53: How big? How far? How fast? with Dr. Beaton Jul 10, 2016

Dr. Rachael Beaton and I try “Grass Jelly Drink” and talk about one of the major fundamental constants of the universe; the Hubble Constant. She explains what it is and why she and her colleagues are trying to measure it better than it ever has been measured before.

52: Eternal sunshine of the Galactic Center with Dr. Ramirez Jul 03, 2016

Dr. Solange Ramirez visits the show to talk galaxies, supermassive black holes, and the gravity that ties them together.

51: When Mars was the “Pink Planet” with Dr. Smith Jun 26, 2016

Dr. Issac Smith visits the show to talk about one of Mars’ past ice ages; a time when most of the planet was covered in ice. He talks about how he made this discovery by looking at the layers of ice deposited on the planet’s North pole.

50: Ganymede and Iapetus with Dr. Singer Jun 19, 2016

Returning guest Dr. Kelsi Singer talks about two of the icy moons of our solar system, Ganymede and Iapetus. She talks about the types of craters we see on their surfaces, and what they can teach us about the moons themselves.

49: Every known object in the Solar System with Jon Giorgini Jun 12, 2016

Jon talks about JPL’s Horizons, an amazing, publicly available system that keeps track of every known object in the solar system. Planets, moons, asteroids, spacecraft, you name it: over 715,000 in total. We discuss how this system is used by engineers, scientists, lawyers, art fans, and marine biologists.

48: Threading an asteroid through the eye of a keyhole with Dr. Chodas Jun 05, 2016

This week’s guest is Dr Paul Chodas, who directs JPL’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies. He explains how predicting where an asteroid is going can get complicated when the asteroid gets close to a planet. He also talks about an app that lets you explore how a hypothetical asteroid could be deflected.

47: Punching an asteroid with Dr. Walsh May 29, 2016

Dr. Kevin Walsh visits the show to talk about a new NASA mission that will launch later this year: OSIRIS REx! This spacecraft will visit an asteroid, grab a bit of surface material, and return the material to Earth for further study. Dr. Walsh talks about the mission and explains how you can help scientists pick the best place on the asteroid for the spacecraft to grab a sample.

46: Spacecraft no bigger than a breadbox with Dr. Asphaug May 22, 2016

Professor Erik Asphaug stops by the show to discuss AOSAT-1, a tiny spacecraft that will contain experiments to study the surface of asteroids. AOSAT-1 will rotate once every minute, creating a force inside that exactly mimics gravity on an asteroid. We discuss how AOSAT-1, a cubesat, is being designed and built, and how it may launched from the space station in a “cubesat cannon”.

45: A glimpse of the Pluto system with Dr. Ennico Smith May 15, 2016

Dr. Kimberly Ennico Smith, New Horizons deputy project scientist, stops by the show to talk about the new data currently being transmitted to Earth, what it’s like to work on this mission, and the violent past of Pluto’s moon Charon.

44: Atmospheres in our solar system with Dr. Soto May 08, 2016

Dr. Alejandro Soto visits the show to talk about the different atmospheres found on planets and moons in our solar system. We talk about wind on Mars, the opening scene of The Martian, Pluto’s thin atmosphere, and what it is like on Saturn’s moon Titan.

43: The Ice Giants with Dr. Soderlund May 01, 2016

Dr. Krista Soderlund talks about the ice giants, Uranus and Neptune. She tells us about their unusual rings and moons, and how studying them can teach us about exoplanets.

42: Finding exoplanets with Dr. Christiansen Apr 24, 2016

Dr. Christiansen stops by the show to talk about exoplanets and the Kepler Space Telescope. We share an Australian beverage and she explains how astronomers look for exoplanets, and how the discovery of “hot Jupiters” was a huge surprise to astronomers.

41: The last of the “great observatories” with Dr. Storrie-Lombardi Apr 17, 2016

Dr. Lisa Storrie-Lombardi talks about the Spitzer Space Telescope. She tells us how Spitzer made the first observation of light from a planet outside our solar system. She also describes how engineers are constantly innovating, letting Spitzer make better and more sensitive observations.

40: Keeping an eye on asteroids with Dr. Yeomans Apr 10, 2016

Dr. Don Yeomans, head of JPL’s Near-Earth Object office until his recent retirement, describes how the field of asteroid discovery has changed over the decades. He recalls when early data indicated that asteroid Apophis had a small chance of hitting the Earth (spoiler alert: today, with more data, we know that Apophis will not hit the Earth).

39: A day in the life of a Mars rover with Dr. Litchtenberg Apr 03, 2016

Dr. Kimberly Litchtenburg explains what it is like to explore Mars with the Curiosity rover. It involves daily discussions with scientists, careful programming, and sometimes, fantastic discoveries, like the discovery of a stream bed that once had enough

38: Mysterious icy travelers with Dr. Fernández Mar 27, 2016

Professor Yan Fernández tells us about several baffling comets, including one comet that has a nearly circular path around the sun. He also talks about comet Hale Bopp, which we’ve got to study now, because it won’t return to our part of the solar system until 7000 AD.

37: Exploring Pluto with Dr. Singer Mar 20, 2016

Dr. Kelsi Singer and I drink an unusual beverage while she shares some of the incredible discoveries that she and the New Horizons team are making. We also discuss a contentious issue— should Pluto be called a planet?

36: Using artwork to explain the Universe with Dr. Hurt Mar 13, 2016

Dr. Robert Hurt stops by the podcast to talk about his job making visuals to explain complicated astronomical concepts. We chat about multiverses, gravitational waves, and Cameron Diaz’s love for NASA.

35: Geology at a distance with Dr. Rivkin Mar 06, 2016

Dr Andy Rivkin and I drink gin and tonics, and Andy explains what spectroscopy is and what it can teach us about minerals on asteroids. He also describes what it’s like to use some of the world’s most powerful telescopes.

34: Keeping track of asteroids with Dr. Sphar Feb 28, 2016

Dr. Tim Sphar, CEO of NEO Sciences and former director of the Minor Planet Center, stops by the show to talk about how asteroids are cataloged and monitored. He also talks about his experience the day tiny asteroid 2008 TC3 impacted Earth.

33: Why do we look for water when we look for life? With Dr. Cable Feb 21, 2016

Dr Cable returns to the show to talk about why scientists often assume that water is needed to sustain life. She explains why most life, like us, likely is carbon-based, and talks about where she’d look for lifeforms beyond our planet.

32: How to build a planet with Dr. Kretke Feb 14, 2016

Dr. Katherine Kretke investigates how planets are formed with computer models. Her new research had a surprising result— that pebbles play a key role in forming terrestrial planets like Earth and Mars.

31: If we could put Mars in a bottle… with Paulo Younse Feb 07, 2016

Paulo Younse has spent over 5 years studying hermetic seals for tubes. But these aren’t just any tubes— there the tubes that will travel to Mars and carry rocks back to Earth. He describes the challenges of designing the perfect tubes for this ambitious venture.

30: Space weathering with Dr. Kaluna Jan 31, 2016

Dr. Heather Kaluna talks about space weathering, which changes the surfaces of the moon, asteroids, and Mercury. She studies space weathering in a laboratory, where she can reproduce hundreds of millions of years of weathering in just forty minutes.

29: Keeping the James Webb Space Telescope cool with Dr. Stone Jan 24, 2016

The James Webb Space Telescope is the biggest astronomy project in the world right now. It’s an amazingly complex robot, and some of its sensors need to be kept cool. Dr Kris Stone talks about the cooling system, and how it will be tested during the longest continuous test ever conducted at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

28: Building experiments for the International Space Station with Dr. White Jan 17, 2016

Dr. Lauren White talks about designing and building instruments for the International Space Station (ISS). She shares a secret about designing instruments for the outside of the space station, and also talks about being the first American to command a laser on the ISS.

27: Searching Iceland’s lava fields for life on Mars with Dr. Cable Jan 10, 2016

Dr Morgan Cable comes back on the podcast to tell us about how she and a team of scientists searched a fresh lava field in Iceland to look for signs of life. They pretended to see the landscape like a rover would, so that the lessons they learned in Icela

26: Old, volatile, and gassy: Why comets would make unpleasant but interesting dinner guests with Dr. Bauer Jan 03, 2016

Dr. James "Gerbs" Bauer talks about comets, the icy dirtballs (or dirty iceballs) that orbit the Sun. We talk about the ancient Egyptian term for comets, why you probably shouldn't eat a comet, and an exciting new discovery made by the NEOWISE team.

25: Why couldn't New Horizons orbit Pluto? Dec 27, 2015

The New Horizons mission revealed Pluto's jaw-dropping vistas and geophysical mysteries. One listener wanted to know why the spacecraft didn't go into orbit around Pluto. Tom Spilker, interplanetary travel expert, tells us the answer.

24: Engineering the Galileo Probe, Pt 2. Dec 20, 2015

In part 2, engineers who worked on the Galileo probe discuss what it was like when the probe entered Jupiter's atmosphere. This episode includes a bonus story about Pioneer Venus.

23: Engineering the Galileo Probe, Pt 1. Dec 13, 2015

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the successful deployment of a probe into Jupiter's atmosphere, this episode is a series of interviews with the engineers who worked on this challenging, historic mission.

22: Merging galaxies with Dr. Privon Dec 06, 2015

Dr. George Privon talks about what galaxies are and what happens when two galaxies merge.

21: The fascinating, hidden world of isotopes in water with Dr. Dan Petrizzo Nov 29, 2015

Dr. Dan Petrizzo explains what isotopes are, and what isotopes in water can tell scientists about ancient climates. He also explains how he made Mars rocks in the lab.

20: Tuning in to comet radio stations with Prof. Lovell Nov 22, 2015

Professor Amy Lovell talks about listening in on radio waves coming from comets, as well as the particular challenges of using the world's biggest radio telescopes.

19: Where to land on Mars, and where to look for Martian microbes with Prof. Ehlmann Nov 15, 2015

Professor Bethany Ehlmann discusses how to pick a landing site for NASA's next Mars rover, Mars 2020. Over a particularly good beer, we also cover looking for life on Mars, and she answers the thorny question: why look for life on Mars, which has little

18: Pluto’s big mystery with Dr. Buratti Nov 08, 2015

Dr Bonnie Buratti talks about Pluto's big mystery: What is the source of energy that is causing all the active geology seen by New Horizons?

17: Landslides on Mars with Dr. Watkins Nov 01, 2015

Dr. Jessica Watkins talks about enormous landslides on Mars that are millions of years old.

16: The strange surfaces of asteroids with Dr. Busch Oct 25, 2015

Dr. Michael Busch talks about the strange, low gravity surfaces of asteroids, and the challenges a visiting astronaut might face.

15: Finding Europa in our Antarctic backyard with Dr. Schmidt Oct 18, 2015

Dr. Britney Schmidt tells us about how she can learn about they icy, watery moon Europa by exploring giant Antarctic ice shelves with submarines.

14: We are all made of star stuff... or are we? With Dr. Rich Oct 11, 2015

Dr Jeff Rich talks about where elements come from, and the famous phrase, "We are all made of star stuff".

13: Cassini explores Saturn and its moons with Dr. Spilker Oct 04, 2015

Dr. Linda Spilker discusses the Cassini Spacecraft; what it looks like, what it has discovered, and plans for the conclusion of the mission.

12: Exploring planets from your living room with Emily Lakdawalla Sep 27, 2015

Emily Lakdawalla talks about UnmannedSpaceflight.com, a place where everyday people explore the solar system by processing images from robotic spacecraft.

11: How many asteroids are out there? With Dr. Mainzer Sep 20, 2015

Dr. Amy Mainzer discusses how she and her team calculated how many asteroids are out in space, waiting to be discovered.

10: Craters on the moon with Dr. Cohen Sep 13, 2015

Dr. Barbara Cohen discusses craters on our moon, and how they will be explored by a new NASA mission called Lunar Flashlight.

9: NASA high jinks with Dr. Paddack Sep 06, 2015

Dr Paddack, one of the discoverers of the YORP effect, tells some funny stories from his time at NASA.

8: Accessible asteroids with Brent Barbee Aug 30, 2015

Brent Barbee discusses how he figures out which asteroids astronauts could fly to, and the fun of solving problems using computers.

7: Exploring Mercury with Dr. Chabot Aug 23, 2015

Dr. Nancy Chabot tells us about the MESSENGER mission, which explored the closest planet to the sun.

6: Hubble sees a collision with Rob Landis Aug 16, 2015

Rob Landis talks about operating the Hubble Space Telescope, and the time he had a front-row seat to a dramatic interplanetary collision.

5: The coldest stars with Dr. Kirkpatrick Aug 09, 2015

Dr. Kirkpatrick talks about stars so cold you could touch them without getting burned.

4: LADEE explores the moon with Dr. Noble Aug 02, 2015

Dr. Sarah Noble talks about the LADEE mission and an epiphany she had in graduate school.

3: The moons of Mars with Dr. Fraeman Aug 02, 2015

Dr. Abby Fraeman talks about Phobos and Deimos, the mysterious moons of Mars.

2: Polarized light with Dr. Masiero Aug 02, 2015

Dr. Joseph Masiero talks about the "secret" property of light, and how astronomers use it to learn about exoplanets and asteroids.

1: Titan's Lakes with Dr. Cable Aug 02, 2015

On this week's episode, Dr. Morgan Cable of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory talks about Saturn's moon Titan, and how she creates mini Titan lakes in her laboratory.

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