Spacepod

A question from Renny, age 4. Dr. Jessie Christensen answers. For more on Dr. Christensen's work, see episodes 42 and 102.

Dr. Sabine Stanley answers. For more about planetary insides, check out her book, "What's Hidden Inside Planets". 

Do you know a kid with a space question? Upload it at listentospacepod.com and I'll do my best to get an answer!

Dr. Michael Busch answers. Do you know a kid with a space question? Upload it at listentospacepod.com and I'll do my best to get an answer!

Dr. Jeremy Kubica talks about his work on the LINCC Frameworks project, and how he brings together astronomers and computer scientists to create software tools. He shares advice for students and talks about his books, which explain computing concepts in fun and accessible ways.

Dr. Pascal Lee tells the story of how he and his collaborators found a new volcano on Mars. He tells us about the "convergence of lines of evidence" that led to this discovery. He also explains why this site may be a good place to look for life.

Astrophysicist Tina Ibsen tells us about the northern lights. She talks about her research and gives tips on how to observe the lights. She tells us how Denmark is a space nation and shares her thoughts about the future of space exploration. We also talk about RumSnak, the space podcast she co-hosts with Anders Høeg Nissen.

Dr. Carrie Holt talks about how she's getting ready for the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. She explains how astronomers are using simulated and real data to prepare in advance of this new data.

Dr Tracy Becker tells us about solar system science using ultraviolet light. She explains how the color of a planet's northern lights depends on the planet's atmosphere. She also describes how scientists repurposed the New Horizons spacecraft to measure how empty space is.

Professor Thomas Tauris explains what gravitational waves can tell us about colliding neutron stars. He corrects Carrie's misconception about how gravitational waves affect people. He also explains how the last 400 years of astronomy have been like watching a silent movie, but now with gravitational waves, we have a soundtrack. 

Dr. Jon Merrison talks about the Mars Simulation Laboratory. Here, scientists study what happens in low temperature, low pressure, windy environments.  He says visiting scientists often "come to our lab with some idea based on the conventional model and go away with data which makes no sense to them."

Dr. Morgan Cable returns to the show after nine years!  She tells us how she creates new minerals in her laboratory. She explains how this work helps shape NASA's Dragonfly mission. She encourages listeners to have confidence in their results.

Dr. Geronimo Villanueva tells us about solar system discoveries with JWST. He talks about several projects, including observing water plumes from Saturn's moon Europa and looking for rings around Mars. He shares what it feels like to use this incredible space telescope. 

Professor Bill McKinnon, 2023 recipient of the Kuiper Prize, reflects on his career as a planetary scientist. He tells us about a theory of his that was proven right, one that was proven wrong, and what he thinks might be proven wrong in the future.

Dr. Gareth Williams tells us about asteroid names. He explains the rules around naming asteroids and tells us how an asteroid name lead to a surprise trip to meet one of his heroes.

Dr. Brett Denevi talks to us about the planned Artemis missions to the moon's South Pole. There, astronauts will collect rocks and other samples. She describes how geologists are working with the astronauts to ensure that the best, most interesting samples are collected. These samples will create a legacy set that scientists will study for decades.

Loren Grush talks about her new book, "The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women in Space." She explains why Sally Ride was chosen to be the first American woman to go to space, and how the resulting attention was difficult for her. Loren also tells us how she researched and wrote the book during the pandemic.