Universe Today Podcast

Latest Episodes:

[Q&A+] Moons Q&A Special Jan 27, 2026

Show notes

How would a rover for an icy moon look like? Which moon should we replace the Moon with? Why put a telescope on the Moon? And what's the probability of Artemis II launching this February? All this and more in this week's Q&A.

Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fLMnLaR1wlo

Here's a link to the full, unedited livestream: https://youtube.com/live/ojaiPqDdsXU?feature=share

[Space Bites+] Comet Interceptor Accelerated // Artemis II SLS Rollout // Nuclear Lunar Race Jan 23, 2026

Show notes

Artemis II rolls out to the launch pad, Europe’s comet interceptor mission could fly a little earlier, NASA is racing to build a nuclear reactor for the Moon, and in Space Bites+, bacteriaphages evolved in space learn to kill bacteria in new ways.

Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube https://youtu.be/o9kb5caf7vw

00:00 Intro
00:19 Comet Interceptor Accelerated https://spacenews.com/esas-comet-interceptor-mission-moves-up-launch/
02:11 Artemis II Rollout https://www.universetoday.com/articles/nasa-enters-final-preparations-for-artemis-ii-mission
04:14 Chang'e-6 Samples https://www.universetoday.com/articles/analysis-of-change-6-samples-addresses-mysteries-about-the-far-side-of-the-moon
05:50 Moon Reactor Race https://www.universetoday.com/articles/the-2030-race-for-a-moon-reactor
08:08 Vote results https://www.youtube.com/@frasercain/posts
08:31 Potential Ocean Habitability of Enceladus https://www.universetoday.com/articles/enceladus-plumes-may-hold-a-clear-clue-to-ocean-habitability
10:33 Helix Nebula https://www.universetoday.com/articles/gazing-into-the-eye-of-sauron-with-the-jwst
11:48 Lupus-3 https://www.universetoday.com/articles/hunting-for-t-tauri-stars-in-a-dark-cloud
12:43 Galaxy Evolution https://www.yorku.ca/news/2025/12/18/canadian-astronomers-use-webb-to-uncover-milky-ways-turbulent-youth-through-galactic-twins/
14:50 More space news
17:00 My new smart telescope

[Q&A+] When Did Dark Matter Appear, Excitement About TRAPPIST-1, Contributing to Astronomy Jan 22, 2026

Show notes

Which space object would I want to see with my own eyes? Can you meaningfully contribute to science without an Astronomy degree? Has dark matter always been around? And in Q&A+, my weird relationship with Venus as a planet.

BONUS QUESTION STARTS AT 17:39

Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube:

Here's a link to the full, unedited livestream: https://youtube.com/live/SiGmJkeCPl8?feature=share

[Interview+] We Were Wrong About Europa’s Sub-Surface Ocean Jan 22, 2026

Show notes

Europa is considered one of the most promising places in the solar system to look for extraterrestrial life. But new studies suggest that we were wrong. That the sub-surface ocean is most probably uninhabitable and lifeless. Why is it so and what does it mean for future missions and search for life? Finding out in this interview.

BONUS PART STARTS AT 43:02

🟣 Guest: Dr. Paul Byrne
https://bsky.app/profile/theplanetaryguy.bsky.social

📜 Europa May Be Lifeless and Unihabitable After All https://www.universetoday.com/articles/europa-may-be-lifeless-and-unihabitable-after-all

Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Sj3JwQde-b8

00:00 Intro
00:57 Why life could exist on Europa
10:48 Details of the research
17:57 Potential conditions for life
23:52 Crushing hopes
30:21 What it means for other sub-surface ocean worlds
36:30 The emotional response
43:02 Venus updates
56:32 Current obsessions
01:02:35 Final thoughts

[Q&A+] AI Writing Science Papers, Private Space Science, Targets for ELT Jan 21, 2026

Show notes

Has AI already written any good science papers? Which are the primary targets for the Extremely Large Telescope? Which is scarier, finding aliens or not finding them? And in Q&A+, what happens if you keep feeding a black hole forever?

BONUS QUESTION STARTS AT 16:54

Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/55VE01fptAM

Here's a link to the full, unedited livestream: https://youtube.com/live/SiGmJkeCPl8?feature=share

[Interview+] Building LISA, Humanity's Biggest Telescope Jan 19, 2026

Show notes

Gravitational waves revolutionised Astronomy. But LIGO, VIRGO and KAGRA only operate in one spectrum. To detect longer waves we need bigger telescopes. Much bigger. Ones that don't fit on Earth. That is where LISA comes in, which will be humanity's biggest telescope.

🟣 Guest: Dr. Stefano Vitale

Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/AUS8A9J3d5g

00:00 Intro
02:43 The evolution of gravitational wave search
05:33 Proving the concept with LISA Pathfinder
15:34 What will LISA see?
31:09 What are the next steps for LISA?
43:17 What happens after LISA?
50:02 Current obsessions
51:43 Final Thoughts

[Space Bites+] Crazy-Spinning Asteroid // NASA’s Budget is Back // Medical Evacuation from ISS Jan 16, 2026

Show notes

Rubin spots a rapidly spinning asteroid, Congress restores NASA’s funding, Crew 11 is back on Earth for a medical emergency, the Pandora Space Telescope launches. And in Space Bites+, two new exoplanets around a red dwarf could help push the habitable zone out.

Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube https://youtu.be/ZBlzQWyhf84

🌶️ Add to The Pile of Spice https://www.patreon.com/posts/pile-of-spice-147346705

00:00 Intro
00:15 Rubin Discovers A Record-Breaking Asteroid https://www.universetoday.com/articles/rubin-observatory-spots-fastest-spinning-asteroid-ever
02:15 NASA Budget Is Safe For Another Year https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/01/nasas-science-budget-wont-be-a-train-wreck-after-all/
04:57 First Ever Medical Evacuation from The ISS https://www.universetoday.com/articles/nasa-to-return-spacex-crew-ahead-of-schedule https://www.universetoday.com/articles/follow-spacexs-returning-crew-11-mission-wednesday-night
07:04 Pandora Launched https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96Ee8Z-sbSU
09:09 Vote Results https://www.youtube.com/@frasercain/posts
09:38 A Supernova That Shouldn’t Exist https://www.universetoday.com/articles/a-supernova-that-shouldnt-exist
11:43 Solving the Mystery of Blue Flashes https://www.universetoday.com/articles/solving-the-mystery-of-blue-flashes
14:06 Cool Space Images https://www.universetoday.com/articles/young-stellar-objects-are-prominent-in-a-new-hubble-image https://www.universetoday.com/articles/when-baby-stars-throw-tantrums
16:54 BONUS STORY
19:03 AI as the Great Filter https://www.patreon.com/posts/147346705

[Q&A+] Chances for Finding Life at Europa, Humans VS Kessler Syndrome, Earth as a Rogue Planet Jan 15, 2026

Show notes

Does Europa Clipper have realistic chances to find traces of life at Jupiter? Can humans stop the Kessler syndrome? How long would Earth survive if it was thrown away from the Solar System? And in Q&A+, what's the current situation with RTG nuclear fuel?

BONUS QUESTION STARTS AT 14:11

Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GJGctXIYZ-w

Here's a link to the full, unedited livestream: https://youtube.com/live/yUqB8vkD4cE

[Q&A+] Flat Planet, 3I/ATLAS vs Jupiter, Next Gen Space Stations Jan 14, 2026

Show notes

Would we even notice if 3I/ATLAS smashed into Jupiter? What are the plans for next gen space stations? Is it okay that most succesful space corporations are run by billionaires? And in Q&A+, what the hell is a Thorne–Żytkow object?

BONUS QUESTION STARTS AT 17:04

Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZHdlHSv-OgQ

Here's a link to the full, unedited livestream: https://youtube.com/live/yUqB8vkD4cE

[Space Bites+] Weird Starless Galaxy // Private Space Telescope // Betelbuddy's Wake Jan 09, 2026

Show notes

A galaxy without stars, the wake of Betelgeuse’s companion star, a privately-funded Hubble class telescope, and could there be exomoons at TRAPPIST-1? And on Space Bites+, seeing an event horizon in 3D.

Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ilHG9OvMdmo

🌶️ Add to The Pile of Spice https://www.patreon.com/posts/pile-of-spice-147346705

👉 Vote for the best story here: https://www.youtube.com/@frasercain/posts

00:00 Intro
00:17 A galaxy with no stars https://www.universetoday.com/articles/the-galaxy-that-never-was
02:08 Hubble detects the wake of Bettelbuddy https://science.nasa.gov/missions/hubble/nasa-hubble-helps-detect-wake-of-betelgeuses-elusive-companion-star/
04:31 JWST finds new objects astonomers can't explain https://www.universetoday.com/articles/as-puzzling-as-a-platypus-the-jwst-finds-some-hard-to-categorize-objects
06:25 Private initiative for a Hubble replacement https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/01/eric-schmidt-will-massively-invest-in-private-telescopes-including-hubble-replacement/
08:48 Problems for potential life on Europa https://www.universetoday.com/articles/europa-may-be-lifeless-and-unihabitable-after-all
10:52 Rare lensed supernova https://www.universetoday.com/articles/astronomers-discover-a-bright-supernova-using-gravitational-lensing-for-the-first-time
12:36 Vote results
13:12 A mathematical solution for lunar dust problem https://www.universetoday.com/articles/the-sticky-problem-of-lunar-dust-gets-a-mathematical-solution
15:28 Potential for exomoons in TRAPPIST-1 system https://www.universetoday.com/articles/could-trappist-1s-seven-worlds-host-moons
17:02 Decades-long supernova timelapse https://www.universetoday.com/articles/nasa-releases-the-long-awaited-video-of-keplers-supernova-remnant
18:16 BONUS STORY
19:57 Pile of Spice https://www.patreon.com/posts/pile-of-spice-147346705

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