Ep. 707: What Goes Into Sample Return Missions for the Moon and Mars?

Ep. 707: What Goes Into Sample Return Missions for the Moon and Mars?

We’ve sent robots to other worlds, but the amount of science we can deploy to another planet can’t compare with the vast science labs we have on Earth. That’s why more and more missions are for a sample return, bringing pieces of alien worlds back to Earth, were we study them with proper equipment.

Ep. 706: China’s Space Program

Ep. 706: China’s Space Program

We’re so familiar with NASA’s exploration efforts in space, but you might be surprised to learn that China launches almost as many rockets as the US. They’ve got their own space exploration program that could soon bring humans to the surface of the Moon. Let’s give a brief overview of China’s space exploration plans.

Ep. 705: Water Worlds – Looking for Life Beyond Earth

Ep. 705: Water Worlds – Looking for Life Beyond Earth

Wherever we find liquid water on Earth, we find life, so it makes sense to search for water across the Universe, and hopefully we can find evidence of life. But what about worlds which are completely covered in water, oceans hundreds of kilometers deep. Can there be too much water?

Ep. 704: NASA’s Juno Releases New Images

Ep. 704: NASA’s Juno Releases New Images

NASA’s Juno spacecraft has completed dozens of flybys of Jupiter, seeing the planet from many angles and delivering some of the most beautiful images we’ve ever seen of the Jovian world. Now it’s focusing in on Io, sending home images of the tiny volcanic world from just 1,500 km away. And the best is yet to come.

Ep. 692 – Mission Roll Call Part 1: Orbiting Earth

Ep. 692 – Mission Roll Call Part 1: Orbiting Earth

It’s time for another series. This time we’re going to look at the missions that are currently in place across the Solar System. Today we’ll start with the key missions here on Earth, studying the planet from above and looking out into the Universe.

Ep. 691: Jupiter’s Changing Red Spot

Ep. 691: Jupiter’s Changing Red Spot

Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is one of its most iconic features, first seen hundreds of years ago. Although it’s certainly long-lasting, it’s been changing in size over the last few decades, shrinking and changing in color. Is it fading away? And what can the changes tell us about storms on giant planets?

Ep. 690: Climate on Mars – From Ice Caps to Dust Storms

Ep. 690: Climate on Mars – From Ice Caps to Dust Storms

We’ve looked at Earth’s changing climate, now let’s see what it’s like for another world: Mars. Much looks familiar, but some of it is totally alien, from ice caps of frozen carbon dioxide to planetary dust storms that can obscure the entire world from view.

Ep. 689: Our Warming World – 20 Years of Climate Science

Ep. 689: Our Warming World – 20 Years of Climate Science

It’s official! June and July were the warmest we’ve seen since records began over a century ago. Fires are rampant across Canada, and we’re seeing record droughts around the world. Today, we’re going to look at 20 years of climate science, how well does reality match up with the predictions.

Ep. 686: Ice in the Shadows

Ep. 686: Ice in the Shadows

The permanently shadowed craters on the Moon are the focus of so much research. That’s because they seem to contain vast reserves of water ice. Water we could use for oxygen, propellant and so much more, but also, to help us understand where the Earth’s water came from.

Ep. 676: Other Things with Rings

Ep. 676: Other Things with Rings

We’ve spent a lot of time gushing about Saturn’s rings, but there are other places with ring systems. And not just Jupiter and the ice giants, but asteroids, dwarf planets, centaurs and even exoplanets. Today we’ll gush about them.

Ep. 675: Exotic Forms of Ice

Ep. 675: Exotic Forms of Ice

Ice is ice, right? You know, what you get when water freezes. Well, maybe here on Earth. But across the Universe, water can be squeezed together at different temperatures and pressures, leading to very different structures. Today we’ll talk about the different forms that ice can take.

Ep. 674: Asteroid Early Warning Systems

Ep. 674: Asteroid Early Warning Systems

The asteroid apocalypse is one of those existential crises that keep astronomers up at night. But the DART mission showed us that we can push an asteroid off its trajectory if we have enough warning. Today we’ll talk about how humanity is building early warning systems to give us time to respond to a dangerous asteroid.

Ep. 666: Solar System References to the Underworld

Ep. 666: Solar System References to the Underworld

Well, we did it. We made it to episode 666, an auspicious number to be sure. What can we do to celebrate this accomplishment? An episode all about things in the Universe that have been named after mythological people and places in the underworld?

Ep. 661: Looking Back on the Missions That Ended

Ep. 661: Looking Back on the Missions That Ended

It’s always sad to say goodbye, but when we send our robotic emissaries out into the cosmos, it’s just a matter of time before they shut down. Today we’re going to say goodbye to a few missions which have reached the end of their lives. But they were very good robots.

Ep. 656: Smashing Asteroids for Science!

Ep. 656: Smashing Asteroids for Science!

This week we saw the incredible image of DART smashing into asteroid Dimorphos. Beyond avenging the dinosaurs, what can we learn scientifically from this and other asteroid/comet impact missions?

Ep. 654: Side Effects of Clean Energy

Ep. 654: Side Effects of Clean Energy

To battle climate change, we’ll need to rapidly move to carbon-free sources of energy. But this technology isn’t a free lunch. They require metals, generate waste and deplete the environment. What’s the best way to balance this shift?

Ep. 653: Climate Change: Looking at the Variables

Ep. 653: Climate Change: Looking at the Variables

Climate change is on our minds these days, with increasing wildfires, droughts and floods. What are the variables that play into a planet’s changing climate, and what can this teach us about the search for habitable planets across the Milky Way?

Ep. 644: Is Earth… Normal?

Ep. 644: Is Earth… Normal?

Now that we’ve discovered thousands of exoplanets, we’re learning more and more about what kinds of planetary systems there are out there across the Universe. Are planets like Earth unique or totally rare?

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