Episodes

  • [Space Bites] Potential City-Killer Asteroid // Largest Structure in The Universe // Moon Canyons

    [Space Bites] Potential City-Killer Asteroid // Largest Structure in The Universe // Moon Canyons
    Feb 7 2025
    A new asteroid with a 1% chance of hitting Earth in 2032, the European Space Agency is building a Lunar Lander platform, the largest structure in the Universe has been discovered, and how far away could we detect ourselves? 🦄 Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday 00:00 Intro 00:19 Asteroid can hit Earth in 2032 https://www.universetoday.com/170717/an-asteroid-has-a-1-chance-of-impacting-earth-in-2032/ 02:27 ESA's lunar lander https://www.universetoday.com/170745/esa-is-building-its-own-lunar-lander/ 03:39 Moon's geological activity https://www.universetoday.com/170694/evidence-of-recent-geological-activity-on-the-moon/ 05:17 Moon canyons https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-55675-z 07:01 How far can we detect ourselves https://www.universetoday.com/170747/how-far-away-could-we-detect-ourselves/ 09:45 Vote results https://www.youtube.com/@frasercain/community 10:25 Largest structure in the Universe https://www.universetoday.com/170765/astronomers-find-the-largest-structure-in-the-universe-and-name-it-quipu/ 12:44 Signs of a SMBH in the Large Magellanic Cloud https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.00102 14:00 Three great images 16:15 Even more space news 17:42 Interviews 📺 VIDEO VERSION https://youtu.be/Nforc1j1Dl4 📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter 🎧 PODCASTS Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/ Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/ 📩 CONTACT FRASER frasercain@gmail.com ⚖️ LICENSE Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
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    18 mins
  • [NIAC 2025] Using Metamaterials to Build A Starshade in Space

    [NIAC 2025] Using Metamaterials to Build A Starshade in Space
    Feb 5 2025
    We all want to see potentially habitable exoplanets around Sun-like stars. But to do that you need a starshade. Something to cover the star and reveal the faint planets around it. What can we build these structures from to make them rigid and strong enough? Finding out in this interview. 🟣 Guest: Christine Gregg Dynamically Stable Large Space Structures via Architected Metamaterials https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/stmd/niac/dynamically-stable-large-space-structures-via-architected-metamaterials/ 🦄 Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday 00:00 Intro 02:05 Meta-materials 06:12 NIAC award 14:11 In-space assembly 27:04 More interviews 📺 VIDEO VERSION https://youtu.be/exiT7BsJhH0 📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter 🎧 PODCASTS Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/ Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/ 📩 CONTACT FRASER frasercain@gmail.com ⚖️ LICENSE Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
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    28 mins
  • [Q&A] Shape of Craters, Max Size for a Telescope, Atmospheres of Black Holes

    [Q&A] Shape of Craters, Max Size for a Telescope, Atmospheres of Black Holes
    Feb 4 2025
    Why are most craters circular, no matter which angle the meteor falls? Is there a size limit for a telescope before diminishing returns take place? Can black holes have atmospheres? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show. 👉 Watch the extended Overtime Q&A: https://www.patreon.com/universetoday 00:00 Start 00:24 How big can a telescope get? 05:12 Does an optical telescope on the Moon make any sense? 08:13 Can black holes have atmospheres? 11:05 Why are craters circular not elliptical? 12:41 Will Starship refuel in orbit in 2025? 12:52 Is there evidence for primordial black holes? 📺 VIDEO VERSION https://youtu.be/MaKWptXAxC8 📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter 🎧 PODCASTS Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/ Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/ 📩 CONTACT FRASER frasercain@gmail.com ⚖️ LICENSE Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
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    21 mins
  • [NIAC 2025] NASA Just Funded This Project. Assembling Large Structures in Space

    [NIAC 2025] NASA Just Funded This Project. Assembling Large Structures in Space
    Feb 3 2025
    Space Docks are everywhere in science fiction. It's the most logical way to build big constructions in space. So, NASA funded a futuristic project that studies the possibility of assembling structures in space. 🦄 Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday 🚀 NIAC 2024 playlist (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbJ42wpShvmn__xOxSjc9zn8AEeaL831-) 🚀 NIAC 2023 playlist (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbJ42wpShvmmM_Ft5DzAbrwzXHB8ED0rf) 🟣 Guest: Dr Vojtech Holub https://thinkorbital.com/ 🚀 NIAC award, Construction Assembly Destination: https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/stmd/niac/construction-assembly-destination/ 00:00 Intro 01:26 Welding in space experiment 08:03 The NIAC award 27:39 Current obsessions 30:01 Final thoughts and more interviews 📺 VIDEO VERSION https://youtu.be/3BHNz68krNM 📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter 🎧 PODCASTS Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/ Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/ 📩 CONTACT FRASER frasercain@gmail.com ⚖️ LICENSE Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
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    31 mins
  • [NIAC 2025] NASA’s First Step To A Cloud City on Venus

    [NIAC 2025] NASA’s First Step To A Cloud City on Venus
    Feb 2 2025
    The MOXIE experiment on the Perseverance rover showed that creating oxygen on other planets is possible. Now, we can apply the same logic to Venus. This could allow the creation of constantly floating balloons, leading to cloud cities in the future. 🦄 Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday 00:00 Intro 02:03 MOXIE experiment on Perseverance 08:17 Exploring Venus with Electrolysis 22:18 Protecting the balloon 25:10 Efficiency 34:23 More interviews 📺 VIDEO VERSION https://youtu.be/IYD5DIVgDGo 📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter 🎧 PODCASTS Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/ Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/ 📩 CONTACT FRASER frasercain@gmail.com ⚖️ LICENSE Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
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    35 mins
  • [Interview] Here's Why We Need A Venus Exploration Program

    [Interview] Here's Why We Need A Venus Exploration Program
    Feb 1 2025
    Venus is closer than Mars. It's more Earth-like. We can bring back samples from it. But it's chronically underexlored. This is why we need a Venus Exploration Program! 👉 Watch the bonus part about Mars Sample Return: https://www.patreon.com/universetoday 🟣 Guest: Dr Paul Byrne https://arxiv.org/pdf/2412.06830 00:00 Intro 01:35 Current state of Venus exploration 08:08 Venus Exploration Program 16:41 Technological advancements 23:32 Venus Sample Return 27:05 Why Venus at all 38:36 Big scientific question 57:07 Current obsessions 📺 VIDEO VERSION https://youtu.be/qshaDSStFPY 📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter 🎧 PODCASTS Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/ Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/ 📩 CONTACT FRASER frasercain@gmail.com ⚖️ LICENSE Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • [Space Bites] Building Blocks of Life // Giant Volcanic Activity of Io // Bacteria Outside the ISS

    [Space Bites] Building Blocks of Life // Giant Volcanic Activity of Io // Bacteria Outside the ISS
    Jan 31 2025
    The building blocks of life have been found in asteroid samples, the most volcanic activity ever seen on Io, astronauts are searching for bacteria on the outside of the space station, and Ingenuity found surprisingly fast wind speeds on Mars. 🚀 Watch our videos with no ads: https://www.patreon.com/c/universetoday/posts 👉 TRAPPIST-1 Interview https://youtu.be/B8H4EnbKkgU?si=yx3T0c04AC2fRg8c 00:00 Intro 00:19 Building blocks for life in OSIRIS-REx samples https://www.universetoday.com/170693/the-building-blocks-for-life-found-in-asteroid-bennu-samples/ 03:08 First launch for an asteroid mining company https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/01/astroforge-selects-target-for-high-risk-seat-of-the-pants-asteroid-mission/ 05:47 Record-breaking volcanic activity on Io https://www.universetoday.com/170655/juno-sees-a-massive-hotspot-of-volcanic-activity-on-io/ 07:08 2 planets 1 star https://www.universetoday.com/170673/massive-gas-giant-planets-locked-in-a-gravitational-struggle/ 08:39 Microbes outside the ISS https://www.universetoday.com/170658/astronauts-are-going-to-check-if-there-are-microbes-on-the-outside-of-the-station/ 10:31 Vote results https://www.youtube.com/@frasercain/community 11:04 Ingenuity and wind speeds https://www.universetoday.com/170619/ingenuity-measured-windspeeds-on-mars-during-its-flights/ 12:43 M87 changing over time https://www.universetoday.com/170642/watching-the-changing-m87-black-hole-event-horizon/ 14:45 Predicting solar flares with AI https://www.universetoday.com/170687/machine-learning-could-have-predicted-the-powerful-solar-storms-in-2024/ 17:02 More space news 17:42 Flood of interviews 📺 VIDEO VERSION https://youtu.be/heXfIiyl0GU 📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter 🎧 PODCASTS Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/ Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/ 📩 CONTACT FRASER frasercain@gmail.com ⚖️ LICENSE Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
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    20 mins
  • [Q&A] Biggest Possible Crowbar, Sun Illusion, Measuring Temperature on the Moon

    [Q&A] Biggest Possible Crowbar, Sun Illusion, Measuring Temperature on the Moon
    Jan 30 2025
    How big can a space crowbar be? Why does the Sun look bigger near the horizon? How do we measure temperature on the Moon? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show. 👉 Watch the extended Overtime Q&A: https://patreon.com/universetoday 00:00 Start 00:23 How do we measure temperature on the Moon or in space? 03:51 Can you see more of the Milky Way in the Southern Hemisphere? 06:07 What is metallic hydrogen? 10:16 Is the Sun bigger near the horizon? 12:45 What's Gaia's role in the distance ladder? 15:45 How big can a crowbar be in space? 📺 VIDEO VERSION https://youtu.be/aMrsKgJPnxA 📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter 🎧 PODCASTS Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/ Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/ 📩 CONTACT FRASER frasercain@gmail.com ⚖️ LICENSE Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
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    20 mins