Strange New Worlds: A Science & Star Trek Podcast

Guest: Em Dobberfuhl Mike's former Carnegie Science intern Em Dobberfuhl beams aboard to share how Project Hail Mary inspired them to pursue astrobiology. "Are we alone in the universe? Five times we thought we found extraterrestrial life" by Em Dobberfuhl: https://www.sequencermag.com/are-we-alone-in-the-universe-five-times-we-thought-we-found-extraterrestrial-life/ Learn more about the EPIIC int...

Mike speaks with Jason Kaufman and Bradley Browne on the Dice in Mind podcast about his paper "How to Chart a Moral Future for Space Exploration" (featured on Episode 200 of Strange New Worlds). How does an astrobiologist get inspired to write about space ethics? How did the paper originate and evolve into its published form? And what does recognizing many kinds of moral value in the universe mean...

On Episode 200 of Strange New Worlds, Mike Wong reads "How to Chart a Moral Future for Space Exploration," an article he published last year in the journal Nature with Chelsea Haramia, Emilie Lafleche, and Julia DeMarines. Read the paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-02070-3

Guest: Gabriel Santos Paleontologist and science communicator Gabriel Santos beams aboard to share how Cosplay for Science, an initiative he co-founded, brings science education to Comic-Cons and other pop culture conventions. Then, he and Mike discuss the paleontology of the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Distant Origin." Learn more about Cosplay for Science: https://www.cosplayforscience.com/

Guests: Kayla Smith & Prof. Patrick Anderson Astrobiology Kayla Smith and philosopher Patrick Anderson beam aboard to celebrate the diversity of scientific thought that goes into astrobiology, and how astrobiology can continue to grow by pulling on threads from outside of science too. They co-authored a paper called "Epistemic Pluralism & Astrobiology" with host Mike Wong. Kayla, Patrick, and Mike...

Guest: Dr. Katie Mack Cosmologist Katie Mack beams aboard to discuss how the universe will end. Using the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Chrysalis" as a launchpad, Katie and Mike go through various scenarios for the fate of everything: Will there be a "big crunch," a "big rip," or will it all simmer away into "heat death"? And is there anything we can do about it? "The End of Everything (Astr...

Guests: Joe Praska & Nicole Praska The hosts of Deep Space Love podcast, Joe & Nicole Praska, beam aboard to tell us about their "Antifascist Star Trek Watch List," a compilation of at least one episode from every major Star Trek series that contains themes of resistance to authoritarianism. "15 Episodes for Your Antifascist Star Trek Watch List" by Joe Praska: https://twincitiesgeek.com/2026/01/1...

Guest: Dr. Bob Hazen Mike is joined by his Carnegie Science colleague Dr. Bob Hazen. Together, they have written a new popular science book titled "Time's Second Arrow: Evolution, Order, and a New Law of Nature," which launches on February 10, 2026. This book describes how the marvelously complex constituents of our universe came to be. Evolution, they boldly propose, is a universal phenomenon—not...

Guest: Dr. Caleb Scharf Becoming a spacefaring civilization is a major transition in the story of life on Earth. Senior scientist for astrobiology at NASA Ames Dr. Caleb Scharf beams aboard to discuss the themes in his latest book, "The Giant Leap: Why Space Is the Next Frontier in the Evolution of Life," and what it all means for achieving a Star Trek future. "The Giant Leap: Why Space Is the Nex...

Guest: Dr. Kristina Šekrst Philosopher, linguist, and AI researcher Kristina Šekrst beams aboard to discuss the TNG episode "Darmok," where Picard and crew encounter the Tamarians, a species who only speak in metaphor. Why do we use metaphors? How would you lie in Tamarian? And can the universal translator ever exist? Follow us on Bluesky! Mike: https://bsky.app/profile/miquai.bsky.social Kristina...

Guest: Dr. Anirudh Prabhu Mike brings aboard Dr. Anirudh Prabhu to discuss an exciting new study of theirs that uses machine learning trained on organic chemical data to detect the "whispers" of life—including photosynthetic life—in ancient rocks. This exciting technique could one day be used to seek out new life on strange new worlds. Mike & Anirudh's paper, "Organic geochemical evidence for life...

Mike beams aboard Sean Carroll's Mindscape Podcast to talk about astrobiology, the origins of life, complexity, and the proposal for a "law of increasing functional information." Pre-order your copy of "Time's Second Arrow: Evolution, Order, and a New Law of Nature" by Robert M. Hazen & Michael L. Wong: https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324105480 Mike's 2023 paper "On the roles of function and select...

Guest: Prof. Jason Kaufman Professor Jason Kaufman beams aboard to chat about a trio of papers he wrote exploring the themes of human space exploration, sustainable futures, and our relationships to nature. "An Interplanetary Land Ethic" by Kaufman et al. (2022): https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/scc.2021.0068 "Artemis and an environmentally sustainable future beyond earth" by Kaufman et...

Guest: Bob Picardo Legendary Star Trek actor Bob Picardo beams aboard to talk about his decades-long work with The Planetary Society and his involvement in this October's Day of Action, where over 200 space advocates gathered in D.C. to speak to members of Congress about the importance of funding NASA science. Learn more about The Planetary Society: https://www.planetary.org/ Read about October's...

Mike reads his Noema Magazine essay "What Searching For Aliens Reveals About Ourselves." Read the essay: https://www.noemamag.com/what-searching-for-aliens-reveals-about-ourselves/ Watch Mike's Royal Astronomical Society of Canada talk that inspired the essay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bewJxOCdM5I

Mike beams aboard Deep Space Love—a podcast that explores love, in all its forms, throughout the final frontier—to discuss the relationship between D'Vanna Tendi and Samanthan Rutherford on Star Trek: Lower Decks. Check out more Deep Space Love: https://www.podpage.com/deep-space-love/ Follow us on Bluesky! Mike: https://bsky.app/profile/miquai.bsky.social Deep Space Love: https://bsky.app/profile...

Guest: Emilie Lafleche Astrobiologist Emilie Lafleche beams aboard to introduce us to the Habitable Worlds Observatory, a next-generation space-based telescope that will be designed specifically to seek out new life in the cosmos. Then, she and Mike discuss two collaborations at the intersection of science and society: principles of astrobioethics and the PortAL Linking Artists and Scientists (PAL...

Guest: Dr. Shi En Kim Science journalist Dr. Shi En Kim joins Mike to unpack his op-ed about how impending cuts to federal science funding will impact astrobiology—the search for life in the universe. "Federal Budget Cuts Would Sabotage NASA’s Plans to Find Alien Life" by Mike Wong: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/trumps-budget-cuts-would-sabotage-nasas-plans-to-find-alien-life/ Follow...

Guest: Dr. Una McCormack New York Times bestselling Star Trek author Dr. Una McCormack beams aboard to discuss the development of and themes within her latest Trek novel, "Strange New Worlds: Asylum." "Asylum" by Una McCormack: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Star-Trek-Strange-New-Worlds-Asylum/Una-McCormack/Star-Trek-Strange-New-Worlds/9781668051368 Follow us on Bluesky! Mike: https://bsky...

Guest: Prof. Lisa Kaltenegger Professor Lisa Kaltenegger, Director of the Carl Sagan Institute at Cornell University, beams aboard to talk about her book, Alien Earths, the search for life in the cosmos, what exoplanets teach us about our home world, and her love for Star Trek. Alien Earths: The New Science of Planet Hunting in the Cosmos, by Lisa Kaltenegger: https://us.macmillan.com/books/978125...

Guest: Thomas White Mike speaks to propulsion engineer Thomas White about their experience participating in The Planetary Society's 2025 Day of Action, where they met with six Congressional offices to lobby in support of space science at a critical time. Inspired to take action? Visit The Planetary Society's Action Center: https://www.planetary.org/action-center Follow us on Bluesky! Mike: https:/...

Guest: Dr. Shi En Kim Fungi are everywhere—from forests to deserts to cities to Star Trek! Science journalist Dr. Shi En Kim beams back aboard to talk about some of the latest developments in fungal research. "Can Fungi Save This Endangered Hawaiian Tree?" by Shi En Kim for Smithsonian Magazine: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/can-fungi-save-this-endangered-hawaiian-tree-180985171/ "...

In a few weeks, Professor Lisa Kaltenegger—the Director of the Carl Sagan Institute at Cornell University—will be a guest on Strange New Worlds to talk about the search for life in the universe. To prime us for that discussion, on this episode, Mike shares his review of Professor Kaltenegger's new book, "Alien Earths: The New Science of Planet Hunting in the Cosmos." Want to read Mike's review ins...

Guest: Dr. Erin Macdonald Star Trek science consultant Dr. Erin Macdonald returns to unpack the quantum mechanical themes in the mind-bending and universe-hopping fifth and final season of Star Trek: Lower Decks. Crowdfunding for Erin's short film "Long Away": https://seedandspark.com/fund/long-away?token=c03b8b5fafc2effbb976d3c5566c1bddbb1154cb4a8b856e4ccde26c259585c4#story Follow us on Bluesky!...

Guest: David Mack Award-winning Star Trek writer David Mack beams aboard to discuss his Star Trek: Picard novel Firewall, which tells the story of how Seven of Nine becomes a Fenris Ranger. More about Firewall: https://davidmack.pro/writing/firewall/ Follow us on Bluesky! Mike: https://bsky.app/profile/miquai.bsky.social David: https://bsky.app/profile/davidmack.bsky.social