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Universe Today Podcast

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

[Interview] Early Dark Energy and Other Possible Solutions for The Crisis in Cosmology

The so-called Crisis in Cosmology didn't go anywhere. Different methods are giving different values for the Hubble Constant creating one of the most interesting mysteries in Astronomy. What possible solutions do we have? Discussing them with Dr Sunny Vagnozzi. πŸ“„ Seven hints that early-time new physics alone is not sufficient to solve the Hubble tension Sunny Vagnozzi https://arxiv.org/abs/2308.16628 More interviews: πŸ‘‰ A Big Problem with Modern Science Communication https://youtu.be/zGV6mZuULj8...

Nov 13, 2023β€’54 min

[Space Bites] INCREDIBLE Discovery From Lucy // Most Powerful Ion Engine // Slime Mold Universe

Lucy made an incredible discovery. One of the strangest exoplanetary systems ever seen. Understanding the Universe with slime mold. And the most powerful ion engine passes the test. πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1198440-universe-today-book-club 00:00 Intro 00:15 Dinkinesh's contact binary moon https://www.universetoday.com/164152/what-wow-that-new-asteroid-image-from-lucy-just-got-even-more-inte...

Nov 10, 2023β€’20 min

[Interview] The LIFE Telescope. Next Gen Planet Hunter

You asked for it, so it's here. A big interview about a proposed mission called LIFE that could help us revolutionise planet hunting. My guest is Dr Daniel Angerhausen from EHT Zurich. More interviews: πŸ‘‰ Weird Gap in Exoplanet Sizes https://youtu.be/MuH2BlHdAyw πŸ‘‰ JWST as a Planet Hunter https://youtu.be/6b377MO20uE πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1198440-universe-today-book-club 00:00 Intro 01:2...

Nov 09, 2023β€’49 min

[Q&A] Things to See Before You Die, Reigniting A Dead Star, Types of Black Holes

How do we know that Psyche is a metal asteroid? Did primordial gravitational waves stretch when inflation happened? When do we finally get more Trappist-1 data from JWST? Can a dead star possibly reignite? πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1198440-universe-today-book-club 00:00 Start 00:53 [Andoria] Why is the Ice Cube Observatory at the South Pole? 05:49 [Vulcan] Can a dead star reignite? 09:51 [Ri...

Nov 07, 2023β€’44 min

[Space Bites] Ancient Planet Inside Earth // HUGE Exoplanet Discovery // Cannibal Betelgeuse

A new system found with 7 Earth and Super-Earth Sized planet, the remains of another planet inside the Earth, and it’s time to replace your wallpaper again with this new image of the Crab Nebula from JWST. πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1198440-universe-today-book-club 00:00 Intro 00:18 Sun-like star system with 7 planets https://www.nasa.gov/general/scorching-seven-planet-system-revealed-by-new-...

Nov 03, 2023β€’18 min

[Interview] Did Venus Have Plate Tectonics?

Plate tectonics might be the key to why Venus had become the hell it is right now. Some think that it just never had it. But recent studies suggest that Venus did have plate tectonics at the same time Earth did. Why is it important? Figuring it out with Dr Matt Weller. πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1198440-universe-today-book-club 00:00 Intro 01:23 How bad Venus really is 04:44 Plate tectonics 1...

Oct 31, 2023β€’38 min

[Q&A] AI Pilots for Space Missions, A New Big Bang, Falsifiable Dark Matter

Could another Big Bang happen in our existing Universe? Is dark matter theory falsifiable? Should we allow AI to control spacecraft? How many things can you put in a Lagrange point? Answering all these questions and more in this week's Q&A. πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1198440-universe-today-book-club 00:00 Start 01:50 [Andoria] Should we put satellites on a supersynchronous orbit? 06:23 [V...

Oct 31, 2023β€’41 min

[Interview] Event Horizon Telescope. But 10 Times Better

We got two images of supermassive black hole with the Event Horizon Telescope. But can we make it better? How can we take the telescope to the next level and resolve a photon ring of a black hole? Finding out with Ben Hudson, System Engineer from KISPE Space. πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1198440-universe-today-book-club 00:00 Intro 01:50 What is a photon ring 04:56 Structure around black holes ...

Oct 30, 2023β€’56 min

[Space Bites] Three Stars Disappeared // So Much JWST News // Io's Global Magma Ocean

Three stars mysteriously vanished. So much JWST new. Hundreds of volcanoes on Io. Starship is ready to fly again. πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1198440-universe-today-book-club 00:00 Intro 01:53 Three Stars Vanished https://www.universetoday.com/163820/in-1952-a-group-of-three-stars-vanished-astronomers-still-cant-find-them/ 04:34 Fomalhaut's companions http://arxiv.org/abs/2310.15028 06:28 Jupi...

Oct 27, 2023β€’23 min

[Interview] You Don't Understand The Fermi Paradox

Are we alone in the Universe? How can we approach this question with a real scientific perspective? What would life even look like if it existed somewhere? Answering all these questions and more with Dr Adam Frank. πŸ“• Adam Frank's book 'Little Book of Aliens' https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-little-book-of-aliens-adam-frank πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1198440-universe-today-book-club...

Oct 26, 2023β€’55 min

[Q&A] How Dark Does Space Get, Mining Psyche, Danger from Rogue Planets

Can you reconstruct an image that was gravitationally lensed? How dark can outer space become? Will we ever be able to mine an asteroid? Answering all these questions and much more in this week's Q&A. πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1198440-universe-today-book-club 00:00 Start 01:27 [Andoria] How dark can space be? 05:42 [Vulcan] Can you reconstruct gravitationally lensed images? 09:58 [Risa] ...

Oct 24, 2023β€’39 min

[Interview] Can Life Exist Around Red Dwarf Stars?

Red Dwarfs will be the longest living stars in the Universe. Many of them have planetary systems, like the famous Trappist-1. But there is a big problem, as red dwarfs can emit mega-flares which could render planets uninhabitable. Finding out, if there is any hope for finding life and how can we study red dwarfs better with Dr Ward Howard. πŸ‘‰ Ward Howard's website: https://www.wardshowardastronomer.com/ πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club...

Oct 23, 2023β€’52 min

Deadly Supercontinent // Pluto Super-volcano // Most Powerful Solar Storm

See the latest solar eclipse from space. A future supercontinent will wipe out the mammals. Juno makes a close flyby of Io. A planet with clouds made of sand. πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1198440-universe-today-book-club 00:00 Intro 00:13 Eclipse from space https://www.universetoday.com/163767/nasa-mission-had-the-perfect-view-for-the-recent-solar-eclipse/ 03:30 Deadly supercontinent https://ww...

Oct 20, 2023β€’25 min

[Interview] Can Dark Matter Be Explained by Dark Photons

Dark matter is one of the most exciting mysteries in Astronomy. We can see its effects but we don't know what exactly it is. One of the proposed solutions is dark photons. What are they and what do we need to find them? Finding the answers with Nicholas Hunt-Smith. πŸ‘‰ Global QCD analysis and dark photons: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/JHEP09(2023)096 πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/119...

Oct 19, 2023β€’46 min

[Q&A] Predicting Supernovae, The Truth About Binary Stars, Creating a Pet Black Hole

How can we know that a star is about to go supernova? Can we create a pet black hole in our Solar System? What if all our star data is just wrong? How common are red dwarf binaries? Answering all these questions and more in this week's Q&A. πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1198440-universe-today-book-club 00:00 Start 01:21 [Andoria] How can we know how soon will a star go supernova? 07:14 [Vulc...

Oct 17, 2023β€’43 min

[Interview] Faster Than Light, Quantum Communication, Astronomy Pic Of The Day

Which things can go faster than light and what does it mean for Physics. Can quantum entanglement provide interstellar communication. Why NASA didn't believe in websites during the early internet era. How should scientists approach controversial ideas. Answering all these questions with Dr Robert Nemiroff. More interviews to watch: πŸ‘‰ Advanced Propulsion Systems with Dr. Sonny White https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDURVz31N1k&t=1s πŸ‘‰ Interstellar Travel Without Breaking Physics with Andrew H...

Oct 16, 2023β€’1 hr 13 min

[Space Bites] JWST Galaxies Take Another Turn // Ice Giants Collide // Psyche Launch

Astronomers see ice giants colliding. We peek into the OSIRIS-REx sample collector. Even more evidence that the Big Bang hasn’t been overturned. πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1198440-universe-today-book-club 00:00 Intro 00:17 Two ice giants collide https://www.universetoday.com/163615/astronomers-see-the-afterglow-where-two-ice-giant-planets-collided/ 01:58 OSIRIS-REx samples opened https://www....

Oct 13, 2023β€’23 min

[Interview] How Nancy Grace Roman's Coronagraph Will Revolutionise Planet Hunting

Nancy Grace Roman Telescope will launch in 2027. It will have a best-in-class coronagraph that should revolutionise exoplanet astronomy. How exactly will it work? Finding out with Dr Vanessa Bailey from NASA JPL. More interviews to watch: πŸ‘‰ Coronagraphs with Dr. Lucie Leboulleux https://youtu.be/sLK1W0EGu8A πŸ‘‰ Future Telescopes with Lee Feinberg https://youtu.be/eXchT7mtEao πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/g...

Oct 12, 2023β€’58 min

[Q&A] Discovering Exomoons, Gravitational Lenses for JWST and Hubble, Jupiter's Core Mass

How can neutrinos arrive faster than light? How did OSIRIS-REx get samples of an asteroid? Can we extract energy from gravitational waves? When will we be able to discover our first exomoon of an exoplanet? How can we measure the mass of Jupiter's core? Answering all these questions and more in this week's Q&A show. πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1198440-universe-today-book-club 00:00 Start 0...

Oct 10, 2023β€’43 min

[Interview] The Mysterious Gap In Exoplanet Population

Exoplanets are great. There are hycean worlds, super-dense iron planets, super light planets, ones with potential biosignatures and much more. Catching up on all the latest discoveries with Dr Jessie Christiansen. πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1198440-universe-today-book-club 00:00 Intro 00:52 Latest exoplanet discoveries 10:40 The Gap 14:49 Iron planets and super light ones 19:33 Surprising exo...

Oct 09, 2023β€’43 min

[Space Bites] Two Supernovae Hit Earth // Rogue Planets in Orion Nebula // A Star That Disappeared

A mind-bending JWST image of the Orion Nebula, filled with rogue planets. Seeing the cosmic web. An explanation for a massive star that just disappeared. πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1198440-universe-today-book-club 00:00 Intro 00:14 Orion Nebula is Full of Rogue Planets https://www.universetoday.com/163479/incredible-new-images-of-the-orion-nebula-from-jwst/ 04:19 Old Stars Don't Have Hot Jupi...

Oct 06, 2023β€’22 min

[Interview] Non-Trivial Problem of Communication with Interstellar Probes

If we want to send an interstellar probe to the nearest stars, getting there isn't the only problem. We explore non-trivial problems like getting the signal back from the probes, communicating within the swarm, choosing which data to send back and much more with Marshall Eubanks. πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1198440-universe-today-book-club 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:29 Megaprojects in the Solar Syst...

Oct 05, 2023β€’1 hr 8 min

[Q&A] The Limit of JWST, Solving Dark Matter, Lifetime of SLS

Is our galaxy's black hole still consuming stars? When will we finally figure out dark matter? Can James Webb last until it exhausts its fuel and not break before that? How should we name exoworlds? Answering all these questions and more in this week's Q&A show. πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1198440-universe-today-book-club 00:00 Start 00:51 [Andoria] Why are we so close to the Big Bang? 04:...

Oct 04, 2023β€’49 min

[Interview] We Really Need a Far-Infrared Space Interferometer. Here's Why

JWST has shown us what the modern infrared telescope is capable of. But it's not far-infrared. There are no space telescopes operating in that spectrum at the moment. But why? And what would we be able to see if we had one? Let's find out with Dr David Leisawitz, Chief at NASA Science Proposal Support Office. πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1198440-universe-today-book-club 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:08 ...

Oct 01, 2023β€’1 hr 7 min

[Space Bites] James Webb Proves The Big Bang // Asteroid Samples from OSIRIS-REx // Chandrayaan-3 Lost

OSIRIS-REx delivers its asteroid samples back to Earth. India is losing hope to contact its lunar mission. James Webb is finally seeing baby galaxies coming together in the early Universe. πŸš€ Watching OSIRIS-REx Launch: https://youtu.be/XpQ_MbwNdQA πŸ’‘ Interviews Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbJ42wpShvmnK1xmCRad_8bn0uOcmLiIE 😍 1 Year of JWST Special: https://youtu.be/nbDQEo0uA0Q πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: htt...

Sep 29, 2023β€’24 min

[Interview] The Future of Exoplanet Research

What's the best way to use telescope time to search for exoplanets? How many will we be able to find in a best-case scenario? What future missions will help us with that? Answering all these questions and more with Dr Ben Hord from NASA Goddard. πŸ‘‰ Identification of the Top TESS Objects of Interest for Atmospheric Characterisation of Transiting Exoplanets with JWST https://arxiv.org/pdf/2308.09617.pdf 🐦 Ben Hord on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/benhord πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon...

Sep 27, 2023β€’52 min

[Q&A] Rogue Planets with Liquid Oceans, Post JWST Telescope Size, Non-EM Space Communication

How big will the successor of James Webb and Hubble be regarding Starship faring? Can we communicate using something else from radio waves? How can a rogue planet have a liquid ocean? Could aliens look similar to creatures on Earth? How can we detect plate tectonics on exoplanets? Answering all these questions and more in this week's Q&A with Fraser. πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1198440-uni...

Sep 26, 2023β€’43 min

[Secret Bonus] Universe Today's Shareholders Meeting

This is a sneak peek into our monthly Patreon-exclusive podcast we call Shareholders Meeting. Patreon is the reason we don't have ads and sponsor integrations in our podcast and YouTube videos. So, if you want to help us keep it this way and get additional perks, like a cool exclusive podcast in addition to all our other content – join our Patreon. πŸ‘‰ Full episode on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/shareholders-5-89644670 πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“° EMAI...

Sep 23, 2023β€’23 min

[Space Bites] JWST CO2 Discovery on Europa // Fullmetal Exoplanet // Lunar Starship Engine Test

James Webb detects carbon dioxide on the surface of Europa. A full metal exoplanet. Searching for tiny dyson spheres. And learning how black holes eat so quickly. πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1198440-universe-today-book-club 00:00 Intro 00:15 Fullmetal exoplanet https://www.universetoday.com/163291/this-exoplanet-is-probably-a-solid-ball-of-metal/ 02:29 JWST sees CO2 on Europa https://www.nasa....

Sep 22, 2023β€’25 min

[Space Bites] So Much James Webb News // NASA's UAPs Report // Closest Black Hole to Earth

Have astronomers found the first signs of life on an exoplanet? So much James Webb news. The closest black hole to Earth. NASA gives its report on UAPs. 😍 1 Year of JWST Special: https://youtu.be/nbDQEo0uA0Q 😱 JWST image quiz: https://youtu.be/96POynVOcWc πŸ¦„ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday πŸ“š Suggest books in the book club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1198440-universe-today-book-club 00:00 Intro 00:15 Hycean World Found by JWST https://www.universetoday.com/16...

Sep 15, 2023β€’24 min
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