The Cosmic Companion - Astronomy, Space, Technology Advancing Humanity

This week on The Cosmic Companion, we look at the future of cities in space. We will discuss how the urban areas many of us live in today will lead to cities of the future, placed in orbit around Earth, on the surfaces of the Moon and Mars, and beyond.  Later on in the show, we will be talking with Joe Yogerst. We’ll discuss his new book from National Geographic, 100 Cities 5000 Ideas , as well as...

Welcome back to The Cosmic Companion! This week, we kick off a new series, Why Explore Space? As we discuss how space travel and exploration are essential to help monitor and cure the effects of global climate change.  Later on in the show, we are going to be talking with Alan Gratz. His new book, Two Degrees, is a young adult novel exploring the effects of catastrophic climate change around the w...

Hello everyone! My apologies for being a day late - but this one is worth it! (You might say… IT ROCKS!) This week on The Cosmic Companion, we explore one of the most-interesting asteroids known, Ryugu.  The Hayabusa2 spacecraft recently collected samples from this mysterious object, bringing fragments of the rocky body to Earth in December 2020.  Ryugu could help researchers uncover the mysteries...

Happy Halloween! For our Spppooooky Halloween episode of The Cosmic Companion, we’re going to look at Death in Space !  Nearly 600 people have launched into space since Yuri Gagarin’s first journey beyond our planetary birthplace.  During that time, 19 people, so far, have perished during training or flights. 14 of these were accounted for by the pair of space shuttle tragedies.  But, beyond accid...

This week on The Cosmic Companion, we look at lil' baby planets, discussing the birth of solar systems. Later in the episode, we will be joined by University of Arizona astrophysicist Feng Long. She has recently developed a new means of finding young exoplanets as they form in clouds of gas and dust. But first, let's learn a little bit about how planets and solar systems form around the Cosmos. Pl...

This week on The Cosmic Companion, we examine what the oddities of life here on Earth can teach us about life on other worlds.  Later in the show, we will welcome Stephanie Drimmer from National Geographic back to the show. Her new book, 5,000 Awesome Facts (About Animals) is filled with amazing facts about animals around the world. We will discuss her new work, as well as play a game exploring wh...

Hello everyone! This week on The Cosmic Companion, we journey just 40 light years from our home, examining the TRAPPIST-1 family of planets, one of the most interesting families of worlds yet discovered by astronomers.  Solar systems all begin with a star, don’t they? I mean, it’s as good of a place to start as any, in’t? The stellar furnace at the center of this family of worlds is a cool, red st...

We talk about how the human body reacts to space travel, with astronaut and physician Dave Williams and science writer Elizabeth Howell, authors of Why am I Taller? Hello everyone! This week on The Cosmic Companion , we look at some of the effects space travel has on the human body and examine some of the ways we can help protect human travelers to the Moon and beyond. Later in the show, we will t...

We look at the future of food in the final frontier, talking with Lenore Newman and Evan Fraser, authors of Dinner on Mars! This week on The Cosmic Companion , we look at The Future of Food in Space . We will discuss how people have answered - and continue to refine - the challenges of eating in habitations away from our home world. Later in the show, we will talk with Lenore Newman and Evan Frase...

The Moons of Jupiter have upended history and science for hundreds of years. We look in on these planetary troublemakers with Stephen Kane of UC Riverside. This week on The Cosmic Companion , we examine The Mischievous Moons of Jupiter! Journey with me, discovering some of the many ways the moons of Jupiter have upended history, science, and our ideas of our place in the Universe. Later in the sho...

Is Earth one of the weirdest planets we have ever seen? Heck, yes! And we talk about what makes our planet so weird with Kathryn Williams from Nat Geo Kids! This week on The Cosmic Companion, we’ll look at Earth: What a Weird Planet , exploring some of the odd facts which make our world such an odd place. Later in the show, we’ll be talking with Kathryn Williams, editor of Weird but True! World 20...

This week on The Cosmic Companion , we’ll be Exploring Ocean Floors from Earth out to distant stars. Later in the show, we’re going to be talking with Catherine Musemeche, author of Lethal Tides , a new biography, telling the story of pioneering oceanographer Mary Sears. Earth is an ocean world, with water covering roughly three-quarters of the surface of our planet.  Despite the abundance of ocea...

This week on The Cosmic Companion, we discuss how artificial intelligence opens a Universe of understanding the Cosmos. We'll be talking with astrophysicist Dr. Yosuke Kobayashi of the University of Arizona. For centuries, the human mind was the only way we had to interpret images and data from telescopes. The idea of artificial intelligence goes back to at least the days of the science-ficti...

Amateur astronomy is entering a new golden age — armchair astronomy. Here is a look at how you can see the Cosmos without leaving home.  This week on The Cosmic Companion , we look at doing Astronomy from Home . We’ll be talking with Alex Curry, one of the co-founders of Telescope Live. We will discuss amateur astronomy in the modern age — from the comforts of home. There was a time, not long ago,...

We dedicate this episode to the memory of Nichelle Nichols. Her portrayal of Lieutenant Uhura on Star Trek inspired millions. Welcome back to The Cosmic Companion. This week, we talk about the future of space exploration, as we build the first human habitations beyond the confines of Earth. Later in the show, we will talk with Martynas Fedotovas and Nika Chinchaladze, about their work developing a...

Welcome back to The Cosmic Companion. This week, we look at the future of the human race. We’re going to be talking with Stephanie Drimmer from National Geographic.  We will be discussing how our species will change over the coming years, as we get an inside look at her new book from National Geographic, Ultimate Book of the Future . Millions of years ago, a few foolhardy, um brave, ancestors of t...

Hello everyone! Jupiter is far larger than Saturn, yet it is Saturn which has the remarkable system of rings. Why isn’t the ring system of Jupiter even larger than that of its smaller planetary brethren? Astrophysicist Stephen Kane at UC Riverside has an explanation. click below for the video version of this episode: This is Why Jupiter Can’t Have Nice Rings NEXT WEEK: We look at The Future of Eve...

Hello everyone! The Cosmic Companion is back with a full-length episode after three weeks away! We’ve missed you so much! THIS WEEK: We kick off a new series: Extinction from Space: Asteroids ! We are delighted to be joined by renowned paleontologist Nizar Ibrahim from National Geographic! We talk about these infamous creatures, extinctions, and why we may still be living in an age of dinosaurs. T...

Hello all! There are still 213 days left until Valentine’s Day, but that doesn’t mean we don’t all need some love! Astronomers at the CHIME radio telescope find an unusual radio heartbeat, in a distant galaxy billions of light years away. A Heartbeat from Space with Heartbeat McAllister Full episodes of The Cosmic Companion return this Tuesday! Join us on Tuesday, 19 July when we look at Extinctio...

Hello everyone! The skies of the Northern Hemisphere will show off the Moon and Saturn, huddled together close on the east-southeast horizon this weekend! Here’s everything you need to know about viewing this event. Listen to the podcast here or watch the video version of the show! Clear skies! James VIP subscribers get an original star chart showing this cosmic cuddle! Not a VIP subscriber yet? C...

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Hello everyone! NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory saw a solar eclipse on 29 June, a sight unseen by observers on Earth. Here’s what’s happening! Listen to the podcast and then watch it on video - the eclipse is MUCH prettier with video ! :) We hope you enjoyed the view! The Cosmic Companion will be on vacation for the next week, returning on 12 July with a special look at the first full-color imag...

The Moon has seen its share of booster rockets and other debris raining down on its surface. A recent crash, however, has an uncertain origin - and now we have the photos! Here is the newest installment of The Cosmic Companion for everyone! Enjoy! Enjoy the podcast here on Substack, or watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ! Thanks for subscribing to this newsletter! Clear skies! Jame...

Mercury introduces new pictures of Mercury from the Bepi-Colombo spacecraft speeding past the speedy world! Hi everyone! The Bepi-Colombo Spacecraft just flew past Mercury for the second time! Here are some images! Listen to the podcast intro here on Substack, and watch the video on YouTube ! Image credits: ESA/BepiColombo/MTMEnjoy! Thanks for being a subscriber!- James This is a public episode. I...

Hello everyone! Here is a sneak preview of our upcoming episode - Extinction from Space: Asteroid! with world-renowned paleontologist Nizar Ibrahim from National Geographic. Listen to the podcast here or watch the video on YouTube . Join us on the 19 July for the full interview! Clear skies! James This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus...