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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
