The Silicon Valley Astronomy Lectures Podcasts

In 2004, Craig Venter and Daniel Cohen suggested that if the 20th Century was the century of physics, the 21st Century will be the century of biology on our planet. Jill Tarter believes that their idea will be extended beyond the surface of our world and that we may soon have the first opportunity to study biology that developed on other worlds. She talks about her vision of the future of understanding life on Earth and beyond our planet. And she discusses projects that are underway and are planned to learn more about the possibility of intelligent life among the stars. Recorded October 11, 2017.

On August 21, 2017, there will be a rare eclipse of the Sun visible throughout the U.S. and North America. Andrew Fraknoi, Foothill College, describes how eclipses work and when and where the eclipse of 2017 will be best visible. Recorded May 24, 2017.

By measuring the rapid orbits of the stars near the center of our galaxy, Dr. Andrea Ghez and her colleagues have moved the case for a supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way from a possibility to a certainty. Recorded January 25, 2017.

Prof. Cominsky presents an introduction to LIGO, to gravitational waves and how they were detected, and to the kinds of black holes that “make waves.” Recorded November 2, 2016.

Seth Shostak takes a look at Star Wars and other science fiction films from the point of view of a skeptical scientist, tells stories about the movies he has been asked to advise, and muses about aliens from space. Recorded October 12, 2017.

What is the possibility of other intelligent life in the universe and how might we detect signals from alien civilizations? Dr. Werthimer describes current and future projects searching for such signals, including the new $100-million Breakthrough Prize Foundation Listen project. He shows how new technologies are revolutionizing the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence (SETI). He also discusses the SETI@home project, which analyzes data from the world's largest radio telescope using desktop computers and cell phones from millions of volunteers. Recorded March 15, 2017.

Decades after we last set foot on the Moon, and several years after the Space Shuttle was retired, space activity is finally leaving the doldrums. Permanent bases on the Moon and Mars are now within reach, and a new Space Race is brewing, with Asian countries ascendant. Dr. Impey reviews the history and landmarks of the international space program, gives a snapshot of the current situation, and plots the trajectory of the future of space travel. Recorded Feb. 15, 2017.

Dr. Stephen Kane (San Francisco State University) describes what the idea of a Habitable Zone means and shows examples of planets that lie in their star’s Habitable Zone (even if the star is not like our Sun.) Recorded May 11, 2016.

Dr. Tom Abel (Stanford University) takes us on an illustrated journey through the early stages of the universe, using the latest computer animations of how the first stars formed and died, and how stars built up the first galaxies. Recorded April 6, 2016.

Dr. Jeff Moore from NASA Ames Research Center shows the latest photos of Pluto and Charon and fills us in on the current thinking among the New Horizons team members about Pluto and the unexplored frontier that lies beyond. Recorded March 2, 2016.