Ask a Spaceman! - podcast cover

Ask a Spaceman!

Paul M. Sutterwww.askaspaceman.com
You've got questions and astrophysicist Paul M. Sutter has answers - every episode you will come closer to complete knowledge of time and space!
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Episodes

AaS! 59: Do Black Holes Exist?

Do black holes exist, or are they merely theoretical constructs? What's the evidence? And what about the singularity, surely that doesn't happen, right? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology comin...

Jul 04, 201729 min

AaS! 58: Is Time Travel Possible?

Does everyone have the same clock? Can we skip forward into the future? What about the past? Why does it appear to be forbidden in our universe? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #As...

Jun 20, 201721 min

AaS! 57: What's the Matter With Dark Matter?

How is the bullet cluster the "smoking gun" for dark matter? Why aren't alternate theories of gravity satisfactory? Could dark matter just be a bunch of black holes? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and co...

Jun 06, 201734 min

AaS! 56: What Is the "Axis of Evil"?

Just how mediocre are we? I've heard there's an "axis of evil" in space - what's up with that? Is there anything special about our position within the universe? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmolo...

May 16, 201736 min

AaS! 55: Does Dark Energy Exist?

How do we measure the expansion history of the universe? Why are supernovae so dang useful? Come on, what's with this "dark energy" business? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskAS...

May 02, 201737 min

AaS! 54: What Happens When Galaxies Collide?

What happens during a galaxy merger event? Is dark matter involved? How do we use simulations to learn about these processes that last hundreds of millions of years? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and co...

Apr 18, 201738 min

AaS! 53: Why Is the Higgs Boson Important? (Part 2)

Part Two! What's the relationship between the Higgs Boson and mass? What does that even mean, and how do we go about detecting it? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman for...

Apr 04, 201731 min

AaS! 52: Why Is the Higgs Boson Important? (Part 1)

Part One! What does the Higgs Boson mean? What role does it play in the forces of nature? What makes it so special? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman for COMPLETE KNOWL...

Mar 21, 201738 min

AaS! 51: What Has New Horizons Learned About Pluto?

What has New Horizons taught us about Pluto so far? What's going on under the ice? Why does the "heart" of Pluto still beat? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman for COMPL...

Mar 07, 201750 min

AaS! 50: What's Up With Saturn's Rings?

How (and when) did the rings of Saturn form? How are we to understand the complex systems of rings and gaps? How do the moons influence their shape? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to...

Feb 21, 201740 min

AaS! 49: What Were the Most Clever Experiments of All Time?

What are the most clever physics and astronomy experiments of all time? What did we learn from them, and what made them so dang clever? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpacema...

Feb 07, 201745 min

AaS! 48: Why Are Kepler's Laws Important?

Why are Kepler's Laws important? What was Kepler trying to understand? What connection did Kepler think he was making? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman for COMPLETE KN...

Jan 17, 201736 min

AaS! 47: What's the Universe Made Of?

What's the universe made of? How is this connected to its age? What's the connection between dark matter and dark energy? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman for COMPLETE...

Jan 03, 201743 min

AaS! 46: How to Describe Astronomy to the Blind?

How can the night sky be described to someone who can't see it? What's it like to do astronomy? What kind of feelings come into play? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman ...

Dec 20, 201637 min

AaS! 45: Wormholes - Deal or No Deal?

Are wormholes real or what? How did we even start thinking of them? If we could build one, would it be possible to actually, you know, use it? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskA...

Dec 06, 201636 min

AaS! 44: How Does the Sun Get Spots?

How do sunspots work? What do magnetic fields have to do with it? Who was Zeeman and why was his splitting so important? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman for COMPLETE ...

Nov 15, 201636 min

AaS! 43: What's the Shape of the Universe?

What's the shape of the universe? What does it even mean for the universe to have a "shape"? If you traveled far enough, would you end up where you started? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology c...

Nov 01, 201633 min

AaS! 42: Where Do "Weird" Radio Signals Come From?

Where do "weird" radio signals come from? Is this the first time we thought something weird was happening in space? Why does it make the news so much? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming ...

Oct 18, 201633 min

AaS! 41: How Do (Regular) Novas Work?

How do regular non-super-novas work? What's the connection to white dwarves? Where do they happen and why should we care? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman for COMPLETE...

Oct 04, 201634 min

AaS! 40: Do Black Holes Die?

What's the deal with Hawking Radiation? Does it really mean what we think it means? How do black holes form in the first place? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman for CO...

Sep 20, 201641 min

AaS! 39: Is There Life on Europa?

What's going on under the ice of Europa? What keeps it so warm down there? Are the oceans pure or have the right chemistry for life? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman f...

Sep 06, 201642 min

AaS! 38: How Do We See Beyond the Visible?

How do we make observations beyond visible light? What exactly is a telescope? And what's up with NASA adding colors to images? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman for CO...

Aug 16, 201635 min

AaS! 37: What is the Cosmic Microwave Background (Part 2)?

Part 2 of What is the cosmic microwave background? What causes those bumps and wiggles? What does it tell us about the early universe, and the universe we have today? What does the universe have to do with a tuba? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, s...

Aug 02, 201647 min

AaS! 36: What is the Cosmic Microwave Background? (Part 1)

What is the cosmic microwave background? How was it discovered? What did it have to do with the great debate between Big Bang theory and the Steady State model? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmolo...

Jul 19, 201643 min

AaS! 35: What Are "Virtual Particles"?

What are virtual particles? What do they have to do with waving fields around? And why can't physicists use meaningful jargon words? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman f...

Jul 05, 201637 min

AaS! 34: What Is the Great Attractor?

What is the so-called Great Attractor? What's the Zone of Avoidance, and is it scary? What makes galaxies move in the first place? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman for...

Jun 21, 201639 min

AaS! 33: What If the Moon Disappeared?

What would happen if the moon disappeared tomorrow? What makes it so special in the first place? Does it really *do* anything useful? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman ...

Jun 07, 201630 min

AaS! 32: Where Do Nebulae Come From?

How are nebulae formed or created? Where do they go when they're done being nebulae? How is it linked to the formation of stars? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman on Twitter@Pau...

May 17, 201636 min

AaS! 31: How Can the Universe Expand Faster Than Light?

How can the universe expand faster than the speed of light? What does it mean for Special Relativity to be "local"? Is there a conflict between General and Special Relativity? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, and c...

May 03, 201635 min

AaS! 30: 2nd-Grade Question Bonanza!

It's a BONANZA, featuring a bunch of questions from second-graders! Including: Where's the edge of the universe? How many rings does Saturn have? Are there Martians? And so much more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: https://www.pmsutter.com/books Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpac...

Apr 19, 201627 min
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