Universe Today Podcast

We know that stars start with a cloud of gas and then turn into a glowing ball. But how exactly does this process happen? How do stars turn on? Astronomers have been using JWST to find out. Guest: Adam Rubinstein

Can there be Dark Energy detectors? When will Sgr A start shrinking? Should the Prime Directive apply to Mars? Can we bring a proper observatory in space? Answering all these questions and more in this week's Q&A show.

Starship takes its fifth test flight, Europa Clipper launches successfully, China’s science plans from now until 2050, and Jupiter’s jiggly Great Red Spot.

What's the best way to do science communication? Will Jupiter expand when the Sun dies? How would aliens experience their environment? Can New Horizons get new targets in future? Answering all these questions and more in this week's Overtime Q&A.

SpaceX caught Super Heavy with Mechazilla. Starship survived re-entry and did a precise landing in the ocean. How did they do that? What does it mean for SpaceX? What to expect from IFT-6 now?

A new spacecraft is going to look at the aftermath from the DART mission, the Milky Way is part of a much, much larger structure, an early galaxy that’s similar to the Milky Way, and Starship test flight five could be just around the corner.

How old is the Universe? Why do no missions go to Mars' ice poles? What does X-37B actually do? Why not abandon the SLS? Can Starship solve the problems Starlinks create? Answering all these questions and more in this week's Q&A.

Planets at Bernard’s Star, Chinese lunar spacesuits, Voyager 2 Has to power down one of its instruments, and a comet seen from space.

What are the limits for the telescopes of the future? Can you play disk golf on Mars or the Moon? Will all galaxies eventually fade away? When will we launch Voyagers v2.0? Answering all these questions and more in this week's Q&A.

Those aren’t Dyson Spheres they’re hotDOGs, the best gravitational lens in the Universe, new Starlinks are really bright in the radio, and SpaceX recovers its SuperHeavy.

Are we alone in the Universe? Probably, one of the most important questions one can ask. So, how are we currently trying to answer it and what happens when we finally do?

What happens if astronauts throw stuff from orbit? Can we travel through a black hole? What is our Sun's place in the Milky Way? How can human spaceflight become profitable? Answering all these questions and more in this week's Q&A show.

Could we repair missions like JWST and Gaia? Polaris Dawn returns to Earth, did Earth once have rings? and a peanut-shaped asteroid just drifted past Earth.

This is an unusual interview for my channel. It's mostly about AI, our current developments and the threats it poses to us.

What's the maximum speed you can get from a gravity assist? Can we have a double gravitational lens? What do you need to do to a phone to sent it to space? Answering all these questions and more in this week's Q&A show.

Polaris Dawn launches and completes the first private spacewalk, the surface of a giant star is resolved with incredible detail, Starliner comes home empty, and amazing new images of Mercury from BepiColumbo.

Stars oscillate. Even the Sun does. And we can learn a lot about them by studying those oscillations. How is it done and what can we learn? Finding out in this interview. Guest: Dr. Marc Hon

What would it take to bring the Voyagers back to Earth? When will we see a true deep field by Webb? Why is Europa Clipper solar-powered? Why do black holes rotate? Answering all these questions and more in this week's Q&A show.

Another asteroid hit exactly where astronomers predicted, a monster asteroid rolled Ganymede over onto its side, strange sounds coming from Starliner, and China announces when it’ll try to grab a piece of Mars.

Interferometers are a great tool for getting incredible resolution without building giant mirrors. Why don't all telescopes use it? What projects should we expect and what could we get from them? What are the challenges? Finding out in this interview! Guest: Dr. Gerard van Belle

Could entangled electrons be used for FTL communications? Will Starship enable better satellites? Could we detect radiation on another world? Are there alternative explanations for black holes? Answering all these questions and more in this week's Overtime Q&A.

Is Betelgeuse a binary star? Starliner is coming home empty. New Glenn is on schedule to launch NASA’s next mission to Mars. NASA’s solar sail unfurls.

Why does the Sun have an 11-year cycle? Would I rather have a Venus mission or a Jovian moon mission? Do black holes attract other black holes? Can Chinese astronomers use Hubble/Webb? Answering all these questions and more in this week's Overtime Q&A.

The DART mission is going to create a meteor shower on Earth, an explanation for the Wow! Signal, big problems with New Glenn, and JUICE completes a flyby of both the Earth and Moon.

Have I ever messed up a recording? Are there plans for new space stations? Is there a limit to the size of an orbital rocket? Will humanity survive the next mass extinction event? Answering all these questions and more in this week's Overtime Q&A.