In this episode of Science Brew, we sit down with Dr. Travis Court, UNC Asheville’s newest lecturer in Astronomy and a researcher specializing in Type Ia supernova remnants. Together, we explore what happens when stars explode, how these cosmic blasts help us measure distances across the universe, and why they revealed that the cosmos is expanding faster than expected. Dr. Travis also explains how supernovae forge the heavy elements that make life possible — including the atoms in our own bodies — and why Asheville is a great place to study the cosmos now that UNCA offers both Astronomy and Physics majors workinghand-in-hand.

Learn about the astronomy program at UNC Asheville:

https://new.unca.edu/academics/programs/astronomy/

What is a supernova Type 1a?

https://science.nasa.gov/mission/roman-space-telescope/type-ia-supernovae/

Follow the Physics & Astronomy Department at UNCA!

https://www.instagram.com/uncaphysastro/

https://www.facebook.com/uncaphys/

Follow the news about our local Lookout Observatory inAsheville:

https://www.instagram.com/lookoutobservatory/

https://www.facebook.com/LookoutObservatory/