Spacepod

Dr. Marja Seidel stops by the show to talk about galaxy evolution. She also talks about a unique outreach effort she co-founded, called Cielo y Tierra, that shares science with remote communities.

Dr. Andrew Benson talks about dark matter, the mysterious stuff that makes up most of the mass of the universe. Andrew explains how we can learn about dark matter, even though we don't yet know what it is.

Dr. Kevin Schlaufman tells us about exoplanets that orbit around their stars in an unusual manner. He also explains what his research says about the Earth's fate when our sun dies, billions of years from now.

Dr. Betts talks about LightSail, an exciting mission to test new technology from The Planetary Society. This is a special joint episode with The Orbital Mechanics podcast.

Dr. Cynthia Hunt talks about the Carnegie Observatories' astronomical glass plate collection. The Carnegie collection includes historic plates that recorded the moments astronomers made groundbreaking discoveries.

Director Dr. John Mulchaey stops by the show to talk about the history and future of the Carnegie Observatories; the place "where the universe was discovered". This episode is the first of a series on current research at Carnegie.

Dr. Matt Siegler talks about ice on the Moon, and what it can tell us about the Moon's past. He also tells us about an experiment that uses astronaut-collected lunar soil.

Project Manager Suzy Dodd tells us about the continuing missions of the Voyager spacecraft. These spacecraft are still collecting unique and valuable data, and Suzy explains how engineers hack the spacecraft to extend their lifespan.

Master of Disaster Mika McKinnon talks about how she injected real science into the sci-fi series "Stargate". We discuss how she balanced accuracy and entertainment, and how she influenced the way scientists were portrayed on that show.

Jan Chodas stops by the show to talk about her experience working on several pioneering NASA missions, including Galileo, Cassini, the Spirit and Opportunity rovers, and Juno. Note: this was recorded before Juno successfully entered into the orbit of Jupiter.