Universe Today Podcast

By Fraser Cain

Space news, interviews, Q&As, and exclusive content from Universe Today.

Audio versions of Fraser Cain YouTube channel.... more

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How many episodes does Universe Today Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 1,380 episodes available.

Universe Today Podcast episodes:

June 05, 2025[Q&A] Getting Stuck on a Planet, Dangerous Supernovae, Expansionistic Aliens
How big does a planet has to be to make it impossible to fly a rocket from it? Why are aliens always portrayed expansionistic? Can a supernova make us all go extinct? And in our extended Q&A+ edition, is terraforming Mars necessary for finding life there? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show.
🎁 [Q&A+] Same video. No YT ads. BONUS question, totally free :
https://www.patreon.com/universetoday
🚀 [Overtime] Even more Q&As
https://www.patreon.com/universetoday
00:00 Start
00:30 [knallpistol] How can stars in globular clusters be so close yet so far?
03:28 [Mister Ikkus] Why everyone imagines aliens to be expansionistic?
05:28 [Matthew Reuter] What's the limit on a planet's mass to get stuck on one?
07:51 [James Valley] Can a supernovae take us out?
08:50 [Paige Potter] When we colonize other places, will Earth become a concept rather than a place?
10:50 [Vicente Hdez] What have been the keys to staying constantly active in astronomy communication?
14:56 [Pete Harris] What to see in the Southern Hemisphere's night sky?
📺 VIDEO VERSION
https://youtu.be/19phg5eP4Rs
📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter
No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter
🎧 PODCASTS
Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/
Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/
📩 CONTACT FRASER
[email protected]
⚖️ LICENSE
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Support Universe Today Podcast
...more
20min
June 04, 2025[Interview] All You Need to Know About Type 1a Supernovae
What's the difference between a nova and a supernova? What's the mechanism behind their explosions? What instruments are used to observe them at the moment? Finding out in this interview.
😍 [Interview+] Same video. No YT ads.
https://www.patreon.com/universetoday
🟣 Guest: Cameron Pfeffer
https://www.cameronpfeffer.space/
🟣 Dr. Chris Ashall’s supernova research group
https://chrisashall.com/my-group/
https://csp.obs.carnegiescience.edu/
00:00 Intro
01:30 What is a Type-1a supernova
07:55 Observations with JWST
15:03 Current state of supernova research
24:37 Survey telescopes
36:04 Current obsessions
40:12 Final thoughts
📺 VIDEO VERSION
https://youtu.be/CKZyAug7hIg
📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter
No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter
🎧 PODCASTS
Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/
Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/
📩 CONTACT FRASER
[email protected]
⚖️ LICENSE
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Support Universe Today Podcast
...more
43min
June 03, 2025[Q&A] Replenishing Lost Atmosphere, Copy of Earth, Betelgeuse Supernova
How much of our atmosphere is lost to space and should we be actively replenishing it? Is there an exact copy of Earth out there hiding in the Universe? Can we use the Sun to send messages? And in our extended Q&A+ version, how the advancements in AI will change astronomy? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A.
🎁 [Q&A+] Same video. No YT ads. BONUS question, totally free :
https://www.patreon.com/universetoday
🚀 [Overtime] Even more Q&As
https://www.patreon.com/universetoday
00:00 Start
00:30 [Naveed] Can we use the Sun to send messages?
03:49 [jeff miller] Can we replace the atmosphere we're loosing to space?
04:40 [Ghostdog4] When will Betelgeuse finally become a supernova?
06:35 [[PMG] Corey] How is JWST changing our understanding of cosmology?
10:38 [gtziavelis] Is there a copy of Earth somewehre out there in the Universe?
13:59 [Lance Haring] Do black holes poop dark matter?
📺 VIDEO VERSION
https://youtu.be/HEoZBSRPCVM
📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter
No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter
🎧 PODCASTS
Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/
Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/
📩 CONTACT FRASER
[email protected]
⚖️ LICENSE
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Support Universe Today Podcast
...more
18min
June 02, 2025[Interview] Punching NanoHoles in Light Sails Can Bring Us Closer to Alpha Centauri
Launching Breakthrough Starshot light sail probes to Alpha Centauri requires a lot of new tech, including the actual light sails. How do you make the optimal material to maximize the size with minimising mass? Finding out in this interview.
😍 [Interview+] Same video. No YT ads.
https://www.patreon.com/universetoday
🟣 Guest: Lucas Norder
https://www.tudelft.nl/en/staff/l.norder/
📜 Pentagonal photonic crystal mirrors: scalable lightsails with enhanced acceleration via neural topology optimization
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-57749-y
00:00 Intro
02:11 Current state of tech
04:58 Nano-holes in reflective material
11:08 Manufacturing techniques
14:23 Practical applications
20:58 Possible prototypes
25:57 Current obsessions
30:21 Final thoughts
📺 VIDEO VERSION
https://youtu.be/iHLm9oHMsyM
📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter
No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter
🎧 PODCASTS
Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/
Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/
📩 CONTACT FRASER
[email protected]
⚖️ LICENSE
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Support Universe Today Podcast
...more
33min
May 30, 2025[Space Bites] Mysterious Object Discovered // Starship Explodes Again // China's Asteroid Sample Return
China’s asteroid sample return mission launches, searching for a companion star for Betelgeuse, the 9th flight test wraps up for Starship and Superheavy, and Webb takes its longest exposure yet. And in SpaceBites+, is Venus hiding deadly asteroids.
🚀 [Space Bites+] No ADS. BONUS Story. For FREE:
https://www.patreon.com/universetoday
👉 Vote for the best story here:
https://www.youtube.com/@frasercain/community
00:00 Intro
00:30 Mystery object discovered
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/strange-object-is-releasing-regular-blasts-of-both-x-rays-and-radio-waves
02:46 Searching for Bettel-Buddy
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/the-search-is-on-for-betel-buddy
05:07 China's asteroid sample return mission launched
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/chinas-tianwen-2-is-off-to-collect-an-asteroid-sample
06:40 China's reusable rocket test
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-05-29/Chinese-commercial-rocket-completes-vertical-sea-recovery-test-1DMefpHW0qQ/p.html
07:50 Starship IFT-9
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/after-awesome-launch-starship-spins-out-of-control
09:58 Vote results
https://www.youtube.com/@frasercain/community
10:34 Black holes but in colour
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/the-event-horizon-telescopes-next-feat-multi-color-pictures-of-black-holes
12:44 New discoveries about M87 SMBH
https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.17035
15:00 Webb's longest exposure
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/the-webb-captures-faint-galaxies-from-the-universes-ancient-past
16:21 More space news
17:31 [Space Bites+] bonus story
17:46 Some people just don't understand interviews
📺 VIDEO VERSION
https://youtu.be/c_RvcTNbVs4
📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter
No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter
🎧 PODCASTS
Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/
Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/
📩 CONTACT FRASER
[email protected]
⚖️ LICENSE
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Support Universe Today Podcast
...more
22min
May 30, 2025[Q&A] De-Radioactivating Van Allen Belts, Super Gravity Assists, Algorithms and Clickbait
Can we make the Van Allen belts safe to fly through? Why not get a super gravity assist from the Sun? Can we predict the next supernova in the Milky Way? And in our extended Q&A+ version, what's going on with the ocean rocks producing electricity at the bottom? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show.
🦄 Support us on Patreon:
https://patreon.com/universetoday
00:00 Start
00:30 [Marcus Mark] Can we drain the Van Allen belts from radioactive particles?
01:17 [Sean] Can we get a super gravity assist from the Sun?
02:38 [Midatlanticriverrat] Are discoveries from JWST a turning point in our understanding of astronomy?
04:07 [Abdullah Hussain] When will we see the next supernova in the Milky Way?
05:06 [Jason Darkholm] What does discovering water ice around another star mean for astrobiology?
06:55 [Leigh Taylor] What am I the most excited about?
07:43 [emynsilque] What is the max possible wavelength of light?
08:40 [pewterhacker] Can journalistic integrity survive in the age of clicks and algorithms?
📺 VIDEO VERSION
https://youtu.be/isOaeFT9PT8
📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter
No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter
🎧 PODCASTS
Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/
Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/
📩 CONTACT FRASER
[email protected]
⚖️ LICENSE
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Support Universe Today Podcast
...more
18min
May 28, 2025 [Interview] Can Sweating Heat Shields Solve Re-Entry Problems for Reusable Rockets?
Heat shields are one of the trickiest problems left to solve before we can have truly reusable spacecraft. So far we've seen different solutions, like ablative materials or ceramic tiles. But can a sweating heat shield be a solution? Finding out in this interview.
😍 [Interview+] Same video. No YT ads.
https://www.patreon.com/universetoday
🟣 Guest: Dr. Hassan Saad Ifti
https://nal.tamu.edu/
📜 Could Sweating Spacecraft Make Re-Entry Easier?
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/could-sweating-spacecraft-make-re-entry-easier
00:00 Intro
01:40 Challenges of reentry
12:00 Sweating spacecraft
31:05 Which gas to use
38:49 Metal 3D-printing
45:51 Current obsessions
50:41 Final thoughts
📺 VIDEO VERSION
https://youtu.be/04rSPGwMLlM
📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter
No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter
🎧 PODCASTS
Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/
Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/
📩 CONTACT FRASER
[email protected]
⚖️ LICENSE
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Support Universe Today Podcast
...more
54min
May 27, 2025[Q&A] Extending JWST's Life, Views from Dragonfly, Roadblock to Mars
Can we refuel James Webb at L2 when it runs out of propellant? What will the Dragonfly octocopter see on the surface of Titan? Will discovering life on Mars stop us from going there? And in our extended Q&A+ on Patreon, what are space things I'm hoping to see in my lifetime? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show.
🎁 [Q&A+] Same video. No YT ads. BONUS question, totally free :
https://www.patreon.com/universetoday
🚀 [Overtime] Even more Q&As
https://www.patreon.com/universetoday
00:00 Start
00:30 [Monty Skeetch] Will Dragonfly see rains or rivers on Titan?
01:35 [Ιwanna_kiIImyself] Why does JWST do figure of 8 movements at its Lagrange L2 point?
03:35 [SantiagoMK] Can JWST be refuelled?
04:35 [beau danner] Which moon is best for Venus?
05:25 [Billy Griffith] Will finding life on Mars stop us from going there?
07:11 [veerendra kumar] Do double and triple black hole systems exist?
08:29 [kLONDIKE69 NONE] Can we see asteroid belts around other stars?
09:04 [Tim G] My position on Planet 9/X
10:07 [Kasie Ream] Can Betelgeuse explosion be just a flop?
11:51 [Mufasa Putasa] What have we learned from gravitational waves so far?
13:54 [Eric D. Wade] What happened to the BEAM module?
📺 VIDEO VERSION
https://youtu.be/gdu62qdEmFs
📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter
No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter
🎧 PODCASTS
Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/
Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/
📩 CONTACT FRASER
[email protected]
⚖️ LICENSE
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Support Universe Today Podcast
...more
19min
May 26, 2025[Interview] 3 Key Technologies to Start Terraforming Mars in Our Lifetime
Terraforming Mars is usually considered in the realm of science fiction. But actually we have technology to start doing it in our lifetime and achieve some meaningful results it a timescale of tens of years, not thousands. What are they? Finding out in this interview.
🦄 Support us on Patreon:
https://patreon.com/universetoday
🟣 Guest: Dr. Erika Alden DeBenedictis
https://www.erikadebenedictis.com/
📜 The Case for Mars Terraforming Research
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-025-02548-0
00:00 Intro
01:34 Why Mars sucks
02:23 Old ideas to terraform Mars
11:00 New technologies
31:52 Timescales
37:00 Ethical consequences
46:39 Current obsessions
53:39 Final thoughts
📺 VIDEO VERSION
https://youtu.be/tpFFKCF4-BA
📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter
No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter
🎧 PODCASTS
Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/
Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/
📩 CONTACT FRASER
[email protected]
⚖️ LICENSE
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Support Universe Today Podcast
...more
57min
May 23, 2025[Space Bites] Dangers of A Super Solar Storm // Jupiter Twice The Size // Crazy Moon Landing System
Jupiter could have been twice as big in the past, the challenges of landing on the Moon, the record for the farthest galaxy has been broken. And in our Patreon edition, how the location of gas plays a role in star formation.
🚀 [Space Bites+] No ADS. BONUS Story. For FREE:
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👉 Vote for the best story here:
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00:00 Intro
00:19 Jupiter was 2 times bigger
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/new-study-suggests-that-jupiter-was-once-twice-as-big-as-it-is-today
02:05 Moon landing pads
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/lunar-landing-pads-will-need-to-be-tough
03:41 Moon catching device
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/building-a-giant-catchers-mitt-on-the-moon
05:59 The world isn't ready for a big solar storm
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/is-the-world-ready-for-a-catastrophic-solar-storm
08:45 New record for JWST
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/the-new-farthest-galaxy-has-been-found-by-webb-only-280-million-years-after-the-big-bang
10:54 The mystery of little red dots deepens
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/the-deepening-mystery-around-the-jwsts-early-galaxies
12:42 Vote results
13:17 Habitable moons of Jupiter
https://academic.oup.com/mnras/advance-article/doi/10.1093/mnras/staf794/8137882?rss=1
14:57 Terraforming Mars
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/terraforming-mars-could-be-within-reach
17:34 Guide to Space
18:21 [Space Bites+] bonus story
18:31 Dangers from space
📺 VIDEO VERSION
https://youtu.be/HKI8xpwgQPU
📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter
No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter
🎧 PODCASTS
Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/
Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/
📩 CONTACT FRASER
[email protected]
⚖️ LICENSE
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Support Universe Today Podcast
...more
22min

FAQs about Universe Today Podcast:

How many episodes does Universe Today Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 1,380 episodes available.

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