Universe Today Podcast

My guest today is Phil Torres, author, journalist and the founder of the X-Risks Institute. He tracks the ways the world could end. He's the author of Morality, Foresight and Human Florishing. An Introduction to Existential Risks Support Universe Today Podcast

In this week's QA, I answer if Opportunity could ever phone home, are there stars between galaxies, and who, exactly, is Chad? Featuring a special guest answer from Dr. Becky. Support Universe Today Podcast

This week I'm joined by Dr. Morgan Rehnberg. Morgan is a planetary scientist, scriptwriter for SciShow Space, and of course, one of the co-hosts of the Weekly Space Hangout. Support Universe Today Podcast

Today I wanted to look back at the history of the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. To take you through their creation, launch to Mars, the amazing discoveries they made, and of course, how they finally died. Support Universe Today Podcast

Dr. Kimberly Cartier is an exoplanet researcher, reporter for Eos Magazine and one of my co-hosts with the Weekly Space Hangout. Join us for a conversation about space, astronomy and the search for extrasolar planets. Support Universe Today Podcast

In this week's questions show, I explain why SLS is still happening, if we can rule out contamination when we finally find life, and wonder why China is sending spacecraft to the Moon. Support Universe Today Podcast

Today Fraser is joined by exoplanet researcher Dr. Jason Wright from Penn State University. In addition to the more traditional hunt for exoplanets, Jason is helping define the search for extraterrestrials using all the new techniques available to astronomers. Support Universe Today Podcast

In this week's QA, I wonder if there were other bombardments, how the Earth could have been oxygen rich, and why the asteroid belt isn't a planet. With a special guest answer from Tim Dodd, the Everyday Astronaut. Support Universe Today Podcast

Astronomers working with the NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory and ESA’s XMM-Newton have developed a technique to watch quasars and track the expansion of the Universe over the last 9 billion years. What they found is that the mysterious dark energy that’s currently accelerating the expansion of the Universe doesn’t appear to be a fixed amount. It’s changing, and appears to be increasing over time....

Today I hang out with astronomer Dean Regas, author with the Cincinnati Observatory and author of 100 Things to See in the Night Sky. Support Universe Today Podcast

Geologists think they’ve found the oldest Earth rock ever seen. And they found it in one of the last places you’d ever suspect, on the Moon. When the Apollo 14 astronauts returned their lunar samples back to Earth, they were carrying one rock that had formed on Earth 4 to 4.1 billion years ago, which was carved out of our planet during the time of intense bombardment and delivered to the Moon. Sup...

In this week's Questions Show, I wonder if there's a way ion engines can give us artificial gravity, if electromagnetic rail guns can launch space craft, and should we be worried about returning alien pathogens back to Earth? Support Universe Today Podcast

Today I hang out with astrophysicist Dr. Paul Sutter to talk about space and his new book, Your Place in the Universe. Support Universe Today Podcast

As astronomers find more and more planets around other stars, the big question we want to know is: are they habitable, could there be life there? Support Universe Today Podcast

In this week's QA, I answer if it's possible to come to a dead stop, will Mars be more habitable when the Sun expands as a red giant, is there a stellar mass black hole nearby, and more... Support Universe Today Podcast

In this week's live QA, I sit down with Isaac Arthur. He talks about the challenges of futurism, how he creates so much amazing content, and a new suggestion for the Prime Directive: Don't Be a Jerk. Support Universe Today Podcast

One of the big mysteries in astronomy is unfolding right before our eyes: fast radio bursts. And now a new Canadian radio telescope has come online, detecting many new bursts, including the second ever seen repeating. Support Universe Today Podcast

This week's Live QA was just me, no guest. Which gave us lots of time to get into your questions. We talked about photonic propulsion systems, the future of small rockets and whether space elevators will work better on the Moon or Mars. Support Universe Today Podcast

In this week's questions show, I wonder if we've already infected Mars with our Earth life, why we assume aliens build Dyson Spheres, and if you could link up 5 Hubble telescopes together. Support Universe Today Podcast

Are we alone in the Universe? It’s one of the most difficult and important questions that humanity can ask. As Arthur C. Clarke noted, it’s equally terrifying whether the answer is yes or no. Support Universe Today Podcast

In this week's questions show, I wonder what we'd do if we actually found life, if we can be ready for the next interstellar asteroid, why the Mars 2020 rover is going to help with sample return and more. Support Universe Today Podcast

This week I'm joined by sci-fi author and science writer John Michael Godier. We talk about the latest space news and what's happening with John's new Event Horizon Channel. Support Universe Today Podcast

The distances between stars are so vast, it’s hard to wrap your mind around it. Even our far flung Voyagers have barely reached interstellar space, and would take tens of thousands of years to get to even the nearest star. But scientists and engineers are considering what it would actually take to send a spacecraft to another star. It’s called Project Dragonfly, and would use existing or near futu...

In this week's questions show, I wonder if moons could be geostationary, if we could detect Hawking radiation, if SETI is pointless, and why I'm always talking to people like they're 11. as the Sun. In fact, this star is a virtual twin of the Sun and it’s actually pretty close. Well, astronomical speaking. Support Universe Today Podcast

Thanks to the hardworking Gaia spacecraft, astronomers think they’ve located a star that formed from the same solar nebula as the Sun. In fact, this star is a virtual twin of the Sun and it’s actually pretty close. Well, astronomical speaking. Support Universe Today Podcast