Universe Today Podcast

In this week's questions show, I explain why Dyson Spheres (and Swarms) should actually be pretty easy to detect across the Universe. If it's possible to service the Hubble Space Telescope with a Falcon 9, and will computers take jobs away from astronomers.

My guest today is Professor Lee Cronin from the University of Glasgow. Dr. Cronin investigates the chemistry of life and has developed methods that could help us detect it on other worlds - even life as we don't know it.

In this week's questions show, I explain what would happen if scientists discovered an existential threat to humanity. Would they let us know, or keep it secret to avoid a panic? Could we detect a Breakthrough Starshot fleet coming our way? And how well does China communicate its space exploration to the public?

In this week's questions and answer show, I explain how all the dust in space forms, could life be Von Neumann probes, why do people think black holes lead to another universe, and more...

In this week's Q&A, I try to imagine what might happen if a microscopic black hole passed through the Earth. How long will James Webb take to become operational, and what will be the Plan B for James Webb if it fails?

In this week's episode, I talk about the various ways we measure the age of the Universe. What's next for OSIRIS-REx? And what are the next frontiers for gravitational wave astronomy?

I'm pleased to welcome back Dr. Casey Handmer, a software systems architect at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In addition to his work at NASA, Casey has a fascinating blog where he considers the future of human and robotic space exploration:

In this week's questions show, I consider what the night sky might look like if you could stand at the center of the Milky Way where the stars are denser. Do all stars have Oort clouds? And could Starship really send humans to Mars for the price of a house?

My guest is Dr. Michael H. Hecht, a research scientist and associate director at MIT's Haystack Observatory. Hecht is also the principal investigator for the Mars Oxygen ISRU Experiment onboard Perseverance:

My guest is Dr. Ken Olum, a research professor at Tufts University. His primary research is into cosmic strings, and how they could be detectable through techniques like gravitational waves.

In this week's questions show, I explain why we'd be able to recognize aliens, even if they were vastly more technologically advanced than us. Why I don't do any promotional ads on my videos, and if we have any examples of energy turning into matter.

In this special interview, I was fortunate to speak with Dr. Ronald Mallet, an emeritus professor at UConn. In addition to a lifetime's work in cosmology and astrophysics, Mallet has been trying to work out how our understanding of Einstein's theories of General Relativity might lead to a practical form of time travel.

It's time for another interview with me on someone else's podcast. This time it's with Demystifying Science, where we talked about how the lessons of space exploration can help us learn more about conservation and sustainability here on Earth. https://demystifyingscience.com/

My guest is Dr. Rebecca K. Leane, an astroparticle physicist with the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. The work involves innovative ways to detect dark matter.

My guest is Dr. Jessie Christiansen, an astrophysicist with NASA's Exoplanet Science Institute. Jessie will give us an update on TESS and the 2,200 planets it's discovered so far.

In this week's questions show, I explain whether or not gravity is infinite, will we need to cure cancer to go to space? Will SpaceX help Artemis' chances for landing humans on Mars in 2024, and more...