Episodes

  • This Week in Astronomy: The Fate of Milky Way, The Biggest Map of The Universe and A New Eye on the Universe

    This Week in Astronomy: The Fate of Milky Way, The Biggest Map of The Universe and A New Eye on the Universe
    Jun 11 2025
    This episode explores the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of our universe. First, we delve into the surprising new research challenging the long-held belief of an inevitable head-on collision between the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies, revealing a more uncertain cosmic dance. Then, we journey to the far reaches of space with the release of COSMOS-Web, the largest map of the universe ever created using the James Webb Space Telescope, which is already upending our understanding of early galaxy formation. Finally, we look to the near future with the imminent unveiling of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory's first images, an astronomical marvel poised to revolutionize our understanding of dark energy, dark matter, and the transient universe, all while navigating the growing challenge of light pollution.
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    19 mins
  • This Week in Astronomy; The Watlz Among the Stars, Following Gravitational Waves and Missing Black Holes

    This Week in Astronomy; The Watlz Among the Stars, Following Gravitational Waves and Missing Black Holes
    Jun 4 2025
    The Waltz Among the Stars To honor Johann Strauss II’s 200th birthday, the European Space Agency broadcast his iconic waltz The Blue Danube into space, transforming a musical symbol of cosmic elegance into a literal interstellar message. Performed live by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and transmitted via satellite, the waltz now travels through the universe—chasing Voyager 1—offering a poetic gesture of unity, imagination, and the hope of one day touching the infinite.

    Following a Gravitational Wave from Beginning to End For the first time, scientists have simulated the complete journey of a gravitational wave as it interacts with a black hole, from "past infinity" to "future infinity." Using a custom-built program called COFFEE, they revealed how black holes absorb and reflect gravitational waves, creating complex ripple patterns and a signature "ringing." The research deepens our understanding of space-time and supports future work with detectors like LIGO.

    New Clues Reveal Missing Black Holes Researchers have uncovered compelling evidence for intermediate-mass black holes—long-theorized but rarely observed—by reanalyzing gravitational wave data from LIGO and Virgo. These findings, bolstered by AI and upcoming missions like LISA, offer new insights into black hole evolution and the early universe. With plans to one day listen for cosmic signals from the moon, scientists are entering a transformative era in black hole discovery.
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    14 mins
  • This week in Astronomy: Doubt Cast on Alien Life Hints, Primordial Black Holes and Moon’s Lost Magnetism

    This week in Astronomy: Doubt Cast on Alien Life Hints, Primordial Black Holes and Moon’s Lost Magnetism
    May 28 2025
    This Week in Astronomy: New skepticism surrounds the potential biosignatures detected on exoplanet K2-18b, as revised analyses question the strength and interpretation of the chemical evidence. Meanwhile, theorists explore the idea that primordial black holes—stabilized by a “memory burden” effect—could be the true nature of dark matter, with future gravitational wave observatories poised to test this. Separately, new findings suggest that a massive ancient impact may have triggered the Moon’s now-lost magnetic field.
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    20 mins
  • This Week in Astronomy: Martian Slopes Likeky Caused by Dust, Moon's Uneven Interior and Evolving Dark Matter

    This Week in Astronomy: Martian Slopes Likeky Caused by Dust, Moon's Uneven Interior and Evolving Dark Matter
    May 21 2025
    In this week, we'll be covering:

    Martian Slope Streaks Likely Caused by Dust, Not Water;
    Moon's Uneven Interior Explains Nearside-Farside Differences,
    Evolving Dark Matter May Help Solve the Hubble Tension.
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    13 mins
  • This Week in Astronomy: Venus Crust, Hidden Rogue Planets and LUGO Mission

    This Week in Astronomy: Venus Crust, Hidden Rogue Planets and LUGO Mission
    May 14 2025
    In this week, we'll be covering:

    Venus Crust May Be Active Without Plate Tectonics;
    Roman Telescope Set to Uncover Hidden Rogue Planets;
    Uncovering the Moon's Hidden History with LUGO.
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    18 mins
  • This Week in Astronomy: NASA's SPHEREx, Tracking Objects Through Sound and Blazing Light From Cosmic Darkness

    This Week in Astronomy: NASA's SPHEREx, Tracking Objects Through Sound and Blazing Light From Cosmic Darkness
    May 7 2025
    In this week, we'll be covering:

    NASA's SPHEREx Begins Mapping the Invisible Universe;
    Tracking Space Objects Through Sound;
    Blazing Light from Cosmic Darkness.
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    18 mins
  • This Week in Astronomy: New Horizons Map, Hidden Hydrogen Cloud Near Earth and Black Hole Dissonance Mystery

    This Week in Astronomy: New Horizons Map, Hidden Hydrogen Cloud Near Earth and Black Hole Dissonance Mystery
    Apr 30 2025
    In this week, we'll be covering:

    New Horizons Unveils First Lyman-Alpha Map of the Galaxy;
    Eos: A Hidden Giant Hydrogen Cloud Near Earth;
    Black Hole Dissonance Mystery Solved.
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    15 mins
  • Mars Special: Beneath planet's surface, Ancient Rainfall and CHAMPS Mission

    Mars Special: Beneath planet's surface, Ancient Rainfall and CHAMPS Mission
    Apr 23 2025
    In this week, we'll be covering:

    Beneath the Surface of Mars;
    When Mars Had Rain;
    CHAMPS: Delivering Small Payloads to Mars.
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    16 mins