Universe Today Podcast - podcast cover

Universe Today Podcast

Fraser Cainwww.patreon.com
Public feed with [Space Bites+], [Q&A+], [Interview+] and other episodes. Free for everyone.
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Episodes

[Q&A] Turning Starship into 9m Telescope, Lunar Gravitational Lens, Robotic Exploration | Q&A 190

In this week's questions and answers show, I explain how Starship will enable enormous space telescopes, if James Webb can look at Hubble, and if future astronomers will have any way of learning about the expansion of the Universe and the Big Bang. 00:00 Start 01:46 Could Starship be a telescope? 04:26 Can JWST see Hubble? 06:10 Will elliptical galaxies restart star formation? 08:00 Will future civilizations know about the Big Bang? 11:38 How will the Lunar Gateway change robotic space explorati...

Jul 05, 202234 min

[Space Bites] Mystery Rocket Crash Site Found, ISS Independence from Russia, Space Nuclear Power | Space Bites

NASA teases JWST images, Rocket Lab launches CAPSTONE, mystery rocket's crash site found on the Moon, how magnetars are created, ISS gets more independent from Russia and more. 00:00 Intro 00:32 NASA teases first JWST images Weekly Space Hangout with Lee Feinberg https://youtu.be/0pEmQ1zpKtI 03:44 NASA funds space nuclear reactor development https://www.universetoday.com/156461/nasa-funds-the-development-of-a-nuclear-reactor-on-the-moon-that-would-last-for-10-years/ 05:21 Rocket Lab launches CAP...

Jul 02, 202222 min

[Q&A] Medical Emergencies on the ISS, White Dwarf VS Red Dwarf, True Color of SLS | Q&A 189

In this week's Questions and Answers show, I explain how astronauts are trained to deal with medical emergencies if the Universe is expanding smoothly or chaotically, and what would survive longer, a white dwarf or a red dwarf? 00:00 Start 01:34 [Tatooine] What if there's a medical emergency on the ISS? 04:13 [Coruscant] Could we see before the Big Bang? 09:28 [Hoth] Are there stars below the Earth too? 12:22 [Naboo] Is there a way to see something moving faster than light? 15:00 [Kamino] Why is...

Jun 28, 202239 min

[Space Bites] China VS NASA, SpaceX Breaking Records, Repeating FRB Mystery

SLS finally got through WDR (almost), Falcon 9 are setting new reuse records, China is about to beat NASA to Mars with a sample return mission, Charon red spot explained and more. 00:00 Intro 00:29 New records for SpaceX 01:33 SLS goes through WDR (kinda) https://www.universetoday.com/156446/nasa-says-its-satisfied-with-rehearsal-for-sls-moon-rocket-launch/ 02:39 South Korea joins the space club https://www.universetoday.com/156405/south-korea-is-now-a-space-faring-nation-with-the-orbital-launch...

Jun 25, 202222 min

[Interview] Gaia Data Release 3 with Dr. Martin Barstow

Dr. Martin Barstow is is a Professor of Astrophysics and Space Science at the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Leicester and the former President of the Royal Astronomical Society. Dr. Barstow was part of the team who worked on the recent Gaia Data Release 3, which categorized almost 2 billion stars in the Milky Way. https://le.ac.uk/people/martin-barstow 🦄 Support us on Patreon 📰 EMAIL NEWSLETTER Read by 55,000 people every Friday. Written by Fraser. No ads. Subscribe ...

Jun 23, 202244 min

[Q&A] Can ISS Be Recycled, Artificial Meteor Storms, Can Hubble See JWST

In this week's questions and answers show, I explain why most quasars are very far away, consider what would happen if you brought Pluto into the inner Solar System, and deliver the heartbreaking news of why the ISS won't be recycled. 00:00 Start 01:25 [Tatooine] Can quasars appear anywhere in the Universe? 04:35 [Coruscant] What if you brought Pluto into the inner Solar System? 07:13 [Hoth] Why can't the ISS be recycled? 11:22 [Naboo] Why don't we see objects repeating in the Universe? 13:17 [K...

Jun 21, 202244 min

[Interview] Advanced Propulsion Systems with Dr. Sonny White

Dr. Sonny White is a physicist and mechanical engineer. He previously worked at NASA's Eagleworks Lab testing advanced propulsion systems, and developing ideas for faster-than-light travel. He's now working with Limitless Space, founded with the vision of advancing human space exploration beyond the Solar System by the end of the 21st century. https://www.limitlessspace.org/ 🦄 Support us on Patreon 📰 EMAIL NEWSLETTER Read by 55,000 people every Friday. Written by Fraser. No ads. Subscribe Free...

Jun 20, 20221 hr 8 min

[Space Bites] Starship Approved by FAA, Rogue Black Hole's Mass, Balancing Rock on Mars

FAA finally gave its approval to SpaceX for Starship launches from Boca Chica, Gaia released its third data drop, China stars continuous space presence, Perseverance finds another weird rock on Mars. 🚀 Discord Discussion Club https://discord.gg/bRxr4JTNqh 👽 Anton's video on Best Tourist Destination in Our Solar System https://youtu.be/IzCFSaQdgn8 00:00 Intro 00:25 FAA gives SpaceX permission to launch Starship https://www.universetoday.com/156312/starship-is-one-step-closer-to-flight/ 02:22 St...

Jun 20, 202234 min

[Interview] Self Sustaining Space Habitats with Annika Rollock

Annika Rollock is a Ph.D. student at the University of Colorado, Boulder. She is studying next generation space habitats and recently published a paper about how future space stations can remain self-sufficient, especially when support and communication from Earth are far away. https://www.annikarollock.com/ 🦄 Support us on Patreon 📰 EMAIL NEWSLETTER Read by 55,000 people every Friday. Written by Fraser. No ads. Subscribe Free: https://universetoday.com/newsletter 🎧 PODCASTS Universe Today: h...

Jun 15, 202246 min

843: How JWST Sees in Color, Where Is Dark Matter, Did Earth Life Come from Space | Q&A 187

In this week's questions and answers show, I explain how JWST and other telescopes see color, how images from observatories are released to the public, and how much of the sky can JWST see. Also, a bunch of non-Webb questions too. 00:00 Start 01:55 [Tatooine] How does JWST see color? 09:58 [Coruscant] How are astronomical images released to the public? 12:52 [Hoth] How does JWST handle spacedust? 14:48 [Naboo] How is JWST pointed? 16:39 [Kamino] Could dark matter be detected in specific parts of...

Jun 15, 202240 min

842: Liquid Mirror Telescope with Dr. Paul Hickson

Dr. Paul Hickson is a professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Hickson is overseeing a team that built a telescope out of liquid mercury in India. The International Liquid Mirror Telescope is 4 meters across and built on top of a 3,000-meter mountain in India. This will prove the technology and allow for larger and larger liquid mirror telescopes on Earth (and eventually in space). https://science.ubc.ca/news/indian-ubc-astronomers-celebrate-first-light-...

Jun 14, 202246 min

840: Searching for Technosignatures with Dr. Jacob Haqq-Misra

Dr. Jacob Haqq-Misra is a geologist and astrobiologist with the Blue Marble Space Institute of Science. He studies the conditions that allowed life to spread across the Earth and searches for similar environments across the Universe. In a recent paper, Dr. Haqq-Misra suggests methods that we could search for technologically advanced civilizations across the Universe. https://haqqmisra.net/ https://arxiv.org/pdf/2206.00030.pdf 🚀 OUR WEBSITE: ════════════════════════════════════ https://www.unive...

Jun 14, 202251 min

839: James Webb Mirror Damaged, Comet Interceptor Confirmed, NASA Investigates UFOs | Space Bites

JWST got damaged by a micrometeoroid but seems to be okay, NASA buys more Crew Dragon flights, Mars rovers see interesting stuff, ESA confirms a comet hunter, UFOs get official NASA investigations, all planets get into order in the night sky and more. Discord Discussion Club https://discord.gg/9vXZFCGKMg?event=983521001998549092 00:00 Intro 00:28 JWST’s mirror got hit and damaged by a micrometeorite https://www.universetoday.com/156219/jwst-was-recently-hit-by-a-surprisingly-large-micrometeoroid...

Jun 11, 202221 min

838: Using Pulsars to Navigate in Space with Dr. Zach Putnam

Dr. Zach Putnam is an assistant professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He's part of a team developing navigation techniques that use the signals from pulsars to always know your location, anywhere in the Solar System. https://aerospace.illinois.edu/directory/profile/zputnam 🚀 OUR WEBSITE: ════════════════════════════════════ https://www.universetoday.com/ 🚀 PODCAST LINKS: ════════════════════════════════════ RSS: https://universetoday.com/audio iTune...

Jun 11, 202254 min

837: Cosmology and Relativity with Dr. Leah Jenks

Einstein's Theory of General Relativity has been tried and tested many times, and so far, Einstein was right. But we know his theory must be incomplete, as it still doesn't integrate with quantum mechanics. Where are physicists searching next for the future of cosmology and relativity? Dr. Leah Jenks is a PhD recipient from Brown University, and will become a KICP Fellow at the University of Chicago. https://leahjenks.com 🚀 OUR WEBSITE: ════════════════════════════════════ https://www.universet...

Jun 08, 202243 min

836: Orbit Size Telescopes, Meteors Destroying Satellites, Artificial Gravity | Q&A 186

In this week's Questions and Answers show, I answer what it would take to build a telescope as big as the Earth's orbit around the Sun, why SgrA* seems to have been rolled over on its side, and how we know the age of stars. 00:00 Start 01:50 [Tatooine] Could we have a telescope the size of Earth's orbit? 08:11 [Coruscant] Why is SgrA* rolled over on its side? 09:53 [Hoth] How do we know the age of stars? 14:19 [Naboo] Could you have a collection of smaller mirrors working together? 17:19 [Kamino...

Jun 08, 202239 min

835: New NASA Spacesuits, JWST Color Images Announced, Another Starship Delay | Space Bites

NASA selects two suppliers for new spacesuits, James Webb reveals the date of first color images, JUICE moves closer to launch and a new kind of solar sail gets to next NIAC round. 00:00 Intro 00:32 First JWST images date revealed James Webb Video: https://youtu.be/tadR5fUatHo 02:01 NASA selects Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace for spacesuit contracts https://www.universetoday.com/156117/nasa-will-rent-future-spacesuits-from-longtime-supplier-and-newcomer/ 04:37 Planetary Defense Training 07:25...

Jun 03, 202228 min

834: What Will JWST Discover? Everything You Need To Know | The Big Q

James Webb is the most expensive and most advanced telescope in human history. Will it be worth its $10B price? What it will discover? How long will JWST last? Will it ever be serviced? All the answers are in this episode of The Big Q. 00:00 Intro 00:39 How JWST came together. 02:58 The telescope that ate astronomy. 04:36 Leading to launch. 06:08 Staying at the L2 Lagrange point. 07:09 Infrared spectrum observations. What will JWST see? 11:06 Potential targets for JWST. 15:12 What is Fraser most...

May 31, 202222 min

832: Jumping to Multicellular Life with Dr. William Ratcliff

How did life go from single-celled to multi-celled? Dr. William Ratcliff is an Associate Professor and Co-Director of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Quantitative Biosciences at the School of Biological Science at Georgia Tech. Dr. Ratcliff and his collaborators are working with single cells of yeast, watching them make the jump to become multi-cellular organisms. It turns out, life has done this many times in the past, and not just the jump that created the modern animals we know of today. https...

May 30, 20221 hr 11 min

831: Meteor Storm Update, Boeing Starliner Returns, Refueling Broken Satellites | Space Bites

Boeing finally completes a demo mission, scientists grow plants in lunar regolith, NASA will launch a mission to repair and refuel a satellite, space suits are leaking on the ISS again, and more. 00:00 Intro 00:27 Update on the meteor storm on May 31st https://www.universetoday.com/156008/update-on-the-potential-may-31st-tau-herculid-meteor-storm/ 03:31 Starliner OFT-2 went up to the ISS and back https://www.universetoday.com/156026/starliner-launches-successfully-but-two-of-its-thrusters-failed...

May 27, 202219 min

830: Who Will Get to Mars First, Black Hole Through Earth, Dinosaurs in Space | Q&A 185

In this week's Questions and Answers show, I explain what James Webb will see when it looks at SgrA*, why black holes happen to be facing towards us, and if asteroid strikes can hurl dinosaurs into space. 00:00 Start 00:59 [Tatooine] Will Webb look at SgrA*? 05:23 [Coruscant] Why are both black holes facing us? 07:16 [Hoth] Were dinosaurs hurled to space during an asteroid impact? 09:57 [Naboo] How do stars get bigger than red dwarfs? 12:36 [Kamino] Will there be new physics beyond Newton and Ei...

May 24, 202237 min

827: The Lunar Crater Radio Telescope with Dr. Ashish Goel

Dr. Ashish Goel is a Research Technologist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the Robotic Surface Mobility group. He has helped develop the plans to build a giant radio telescope inside a crater on the Moon, providing a pristine view to the Universe, using the Moon to block Earth's radio transmissions. https://www-robotics.jpl.nasa.gov/who-we-are/people/ashish_goel/ 🚀 OUR WEBSITE: ════════════════════════════════════ https://www.universetoday.com/ 🚀 PODCAST LINKS: ═══════════════════════...

May 20, 202244 min

828: Sending Humans to the Outer Solar System with Dr. Jonathan Jiang

Dr. Jonathan Jiang is the supervisor of the Aerosol and Cloud Group at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Dr. Jiang has contributed over 220 peer-reviewed papers in a variety of journals. Most recently, he collaborated on a paper that investigates the future of human space exploration beyond the Moon and Mars, even to the outer Solar System. https://science.jpl.nasa.gov/people/jjiang/ 🚀 OUR WEBSITE: ════════════════════════════════════ https://www.universetoday.com/ 🚀 PODCAST LINKS: ═══════════...

May 20, 202257 min

826: Beaming Power in Space with Dr. Stephen Sweeney

Professor Stephen Sweeney works in the department of physics at the University of Surrey. He specializes in photonics, using lasers and photovoltaics for new types of communication, remote power transmission, and other concepts in space exploration. https://www.surrey.ac.uk/people/stephen-sweeney 🚀 OUR WEBSITE: ════════════════════════════════════ https://www.universetoday.com/ 🚀 PODCAST LINKS: ════════════════════════════════════ RSS: https://universetoday.com/audio iTunes: https://universeto...

May 20, 202259 min

829: HUGE Upcoming Meteor Storm?, Starliner Success, Nova in Real Time | Space Bites

In this week's News Bites segment, I talk about the successful launch of the Boeing CST-100 Starliner, how astronomers watch a nova unfold in real time, the (not) door way on Mars, and the chance to see the greatest meteor storm in a generation. 00:00 Intro 00:41 Boeing Starliner Successful Test Launch 03:49 China Continues to Extend Its Plans for Space Programs https://www.universetoday.com/155927/china-has-a-new-human-lunar-space-program-with-plans-for-landers-orbiters-rovers-and-a-lunar-base/...

May 20, 202221 min

825: Going Back to Venus with Michael Amato

Michael Amato is an engineer at NASA and has been a member of the team behind NASA's DAVINCI spacecraft which will be launching to Venus in 2029. The spacecraft will be exploring the atmosphere of Venus with more clarity and detail than has ever been seen before, giving us a better sense about how the world became so different from Earth. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2022/amato-helped-keep-davinci-probe-on-track 🚀 OUR WEBSITE: ════════════════════════════════════ https://www.universetod...

May 18, 202258 min

824: Cynicism VS Wisdom, How Big Do Black Holes Grow, Sky on Mars | Q&A 184

In this week's episode, I talk about how close to the Sun Parker Solar Probe can get, what is the smallest possible star that's turned into a red giant, why do I think aliens will need to adhere to the laws of physics, and more. Oh, and why am I so cynical? 00:00 Start 01:17 [Tatooine] Will Parker Solar Probe fly low enough to dodge prominences? 03:32 [Coruscant] What is the smallest mass star to have turned into a red giant? 06:23 [Hoth] Why do we think aliens have to adhere to the laws of phys...

May 16, 202235 min

823: Milky Way's Supermassive Black Hole by EHT, Russia's ISS Bluff, Ingenuity's Problems | Space Bites

We finally have the SgrA* supermassive black hole image by the Event Horizon Telescope, China announces their plans to launch a space telescope, and Russia threatens to leave the ISS. 00:00 Intro 00:20 Milky Way's Supermassive Black Hole https://www.universetoday.com/155874/this-is-it-meet-the-supermassive-black-hole-at-the-heart-of-the-milky-way/ 03:48 China will launch a space telescope https://www.universetoday.com/155825/china-announces-its-new-flagship-space-telescope-mission/ 05:57 Another...

May 15, 202220 min
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