Miles Ahead

In the final chapter of this three-part series, Miles O'Brien and aviation historian Ric Gillespie examine the physical evidence suggesting that the lost French aircraft L'Oiseau Blanc may lie beneath a remote pond in Newfoundland. From chemically analyzed engine fragments to newly understood magnetic anomalies, the case for Gull Pond comes into focus—along with a clear path forward to finally sol...

Did the first transatlantic flight nearly happen two weeks before Lindbergh? In Part 2 of this special Miles Ahead series, Miles O'Brien follows the trail of eyewitnesses in Newfoundland who reported seeing a white aircraft on May 9, 1927 — the day after French aviators Charles Nungesser and François Coli vanished while attempting to fly nonstop from Paris to New York. Sworn affidavits, eyewitness...

Miles Ahead: The Hunt for the White Bird is a three-part investigative podcast exploring one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in aviation history: the disappearance of French aviators Charles Nungesser and François Coli during their 1927 attempt to fly nonstop from Paris to New York. Hosted by Miles O'Brien and featuring aviation historian Ric Gillespie, the series traces the evidence suggesting...

Rocket Lab founder Peter Beck is often mentioned alongside billionaire space entrepreneurs — but his motivations are strikingly different. In this episode of  Miles Ahead , Miles O'Brien speaks with Beck about building a multigenerational space company, the discipline required to survive in commercial space, and why the most important impact may come long after a founder is gone. The conversation...

In this conversation, Guillermo Sohnlein, co-founder of Ocean Gate, shares his journey from military service to entrepreneurship in the marine and space exploration sectors. He discusses the founding of Ocean Gate with Stockton Rush, the challenges of deep-sea exploration, and the tragic implosion of the Titan submersible during a Titanic expedition. Sohnlein reflects on the media coverage surroun...

Journalist Miles O'Brien sits down with legendary climate activist and author Bill McKibben to talk about his new book Here Comes the Sun. They discuss the rapid rise of renewables, China's stunning lead in solar, America's political roadblocks, and why McKibben — yes, the man who once wrote The End of Nature — now dares to feel hopeful. The two also explore how the surge in AI and data-center dem...

In this episode of  Miles to Go , Miles O'Brien speaks with climate scientist Michael Mann and vaccine researcher Peter Hotez — two scientists who have endured personal attacks, threats, and political smears for standing up for evidence-based truth. Their new book, Science Under Siege , exposes the powerful alliance of plutocrats, petrostates, propagandists, and politicians working to dismantle tr...

NASA wants to land a nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030. Is this the real deal—or another paper plan? Miles O'Brien talks with Bhavya Lal (RAND, former NASA) and Keith Cowing (NASA Watch) about why space needs nukes and how we get there. 🎧 Plus: meltdown myths, mission politics, and Bhavya's 3-tier roadmap from her report for Idaho National Lab. Read it here: https://inl.gov/content/uploads/2023...

In this episode of Miles to Go, I'm joined by veteran airline captain and aviation analyst Les Abend to examine the deadly midair collision near Reagan National Airport in January 2025 that claimed 67 lives. We dissect the findings from the recent NTSB hearing, detailing how a Black Hawk helicopter flying with night vision goggles, a regional jet on a challenging approach, and an overwhelmed air t...

When Air India Flight 171 fell from the sky just seconds after takeoff, killing all aboard and many on the ground, investigators were baffled. The Boeing 787 was mechanically sound. The weather posed no threat. The pilots were sober and experienced. So what went wrong? In this episode of Miles to Go , veteran aviation journalist Miles O'Brien is joined by retired American Airlines captain Les Aben...

In this wide-ranging conversation, astronaut Leroy Chiao joins Miles to talk candidly about what it's really like to live and work in space — and inside NASA. From Cold War suspicion to Russian cooperation, and from toilet paper certification to Starliner delays, it's a journey full of humor, frustration, and hard-earned insight. Chiao also shares why he almost flew a year-long mission (spoiler: a...

In this special edition of Miles to Go , I sit down with longtime friend and aviation expert Lars Perkins to analyze the NTSB's latest findings on the midair collision over the Potomac River . We discuss the altimeter discrepancy , the challenges of visual flight rules (VFR) , and whether night vision goggles (NVGs) may have hindered rather than helped the helicopter crew. We also explore systemic...

A tragic mid-air collision near Washington Reagan Airport has put a spotlight on the dangers of D.C.'s complex airspace. In this episode, veteran pilot Harold Coghlan joins Miles O'Brien to break down what happened, the risks of military and civilian aviation operating so closely, and what needs to change to prevent future disasters. 🔍 Key Topics Discussed: ✅ The unique dangers of flying in Wash...

This episode of Miles To Go features Jared Isaacman, serial entrepreneur, space explorer, and nominee for NASA Administrator. From founding Shift4 Payments to commanding groundbreaking space missions like Inspiration4 and Polaris Dawn, Isaacman shares his extraordinary journey. We discuss his aviation roots, his leadership style, and the challenges and opportunities ahead as he prepares to lead NA...

In this conversation, Miles O'Brien and J. Alex Halderman discuss the critical issues surrounding election security, focusing on the importance of trust, the vulnerabilities of local voting systems, and the impact of cybersecurity threats. They explore the implications of razor-thin margins in elections, the challenges of public discourse on election integrity, and the political dynamics that infl...

In this episode of  Miles to Go , we delve into the invisible world of methane leaks with environmental advocate Melissa Ostroff. Armed with a thermal imaging camera, Melissa tracks methane emissions from century-old oil wells in Pennsylvania's Allegheny National Forest to the streets of Philadelphia. Methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, is responsible for 30% of global warming, yet it often escape...

Today is Election Day—at long last. I am exhausted, and I suspect many of you feel the same way. I am in Georgia to cover this important day in history for the PBS News Hour. I'm sure you know by now Georgia is one of the seven swing States where the actual decision will be made on who is our next president. Despite no evidence to support the notion, Donald Trump and his allies have repeatedly que...

In this three part miniseries, Miles O'Brien and Lars Perkins - along with several special guests - investigate the bizarre circumstances that led to one of the most fatal plane crashes of all time. This is the story of Japan Air Lines Flight 123.

In this three part miniseries, Miles O'Brien and Lars Perkins - along with several special guests - investigate the bizarre circumstances that led to one of the most fatal plane crashes of all time. This is the story of Japan Air Lines Flight 123.

In this three part miniseries, Miles O'Brien and Lars Perkins - along with several special guests - investigate the bizarre circumstances that led to one of the most fatal plane crashes of all time. This is the story of Japan Air Lines Flight 123.

Miles to Go returns after a long hiatus. In this "black box" special, Miles O'Brien talks with two pilots to try and understand why the 737 plummeted to the ground so suddenly and precipitously. Was it deliberate?

Marvin Minsky is often regarded as the father of modern AI, but when Miles visited him in 2010, Minsky wasn't a proud father. In fact, Minsky was disappointed with the lack of progress in the field and had reservations about its future. Unfortunately, Minsky is no longer with us and can't answer our questions about machine learning and new robots, but his answers from this interview in many ways s...

How did our early solar system form? What are the origins of life? How likely are we to get hit by a dangerous asteroid? A daring NASA mission called OSIRIS-REx hopes to find the answers to these big questions at an asteroid named Bennu. This week, the spacecraft arrives at its destination. To learn more, Miles sits down with members of the OSIRIS-REx team on this episode of Miles To Go .

Jupiter has many moons, but none are quite like Europa: it has a thick crust of ice and a huge amount of liquid saltwater underneath its surface. In fact, many believe it's the best place in the Solar System that we could find other lifeforms. To dive deeper into the mysteries of this icy world–and how we plan on exploring it–Miles sits down with Kevin Peter Hand , Deputy Project Scientist of NASA...

Hurricane Florence was a perfect example of how climate change supercharges extreme weather events. But climate change also affects us in other more subtle, interconnected, and difficult to manage ways. Thankfully, people like June Blotnick, Executive Director of environmental advocacy group Clean Air Carolina, are working on the ground to help communities battle climate change. Miles sits down wi...