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Ep. 297: Space Stations, Part 2 — Mir
Last week we introduced the history of space stations and focused on the US and Soviet stations that were launched. This week we look at one of the longest running missions ever launched: Mir. From its launch and construction to its fiery finale, Mir helped both the Russians and the Americans extend their understanding of what it actually takes to live in space.
Ep. 301: Planetary Migration
We're so familiar with the current configuration of the planets in the Solar System, but did the planets always orbit in this way? Did they form further out and then migrate inward to their current positions? And what about other star systems out there?
Ep. 300: What We've Learned in Almost 7 Years
We created Astronomy Cast to be timeless, a listening experience that's as educational in the future as it was when we started recording. But obviously, things have changed in almost 7 years and 300 episodes. Today we'll give you an update on some of the big topics in space and astronomy. What did we know back then, and what additional stuff do we know now?
Ep. 299: Space Stations, Part 4 — Future Space Station
Sometimes a trilogy needs four parts. We've looked at the history and modern era of space stations but now it's time to peer into the future at some space station concepts still in the works. Most of these will never fly, but the ideas are important. We can't call ourselves a true spacefaring civilization until humans live permanently outside the Earth.
Ep. 298: Space Stations, Part 3 — International Space Station
And now we reach the third part in our trilogy on space stations, with the largest vehicle ever assembled in space: the International Space Station. Launched in 1998, it now consists of 450 metric tonnes of modules, power systems and spacecraft and is regular host to a handful of astronauts from many countries.
Ep. 296: Space Stations, Part 1 — Salyut and Skylab
It’s one thing to fly into space, and another thing entirely to live in space. And to understand the stresses and strains this puts on a human body, you’re going to need a space station. In this three-part series, we explore the past, present and future of stations in space, starting with the American Skylab and Russian Salyut stations.
Ep. 295: The Observable Universe
We understand our place in the Universe because of our direct observations. We can see the light that traveled billions of light years across space to reach us. This sphere of space is the observable universe; everything we can detect. But it’s really just a fraction of the larger, unobservable universe. Today, we’ll talk about both.
Ep. 294: The Arecibo Observatory
The mighty Arecibo Radio Observatory is one of the most powerful radio telescopes ever built – it’s certainly the larger single aperture radio telescope on Earth, nestled into a natural sinkhole in Puerto Rico. We’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of the construction of the observatory with a special episode of Astronomy Cast.
Science behind the billion dollar brain hype
If you want to hear me talk about what the US and Europe’s billion dollar brain projects are trying to achieve, I’m on the latest BBC All in the Mind discussing the science behind the quite considerable hype. I discuss these latest brain initiatives alongside presenter Claudia Hammond and distinguished neuroscientist Donald Stein – who […]
Imaginary Squabbles Part 1: Krugman and DeLong on Inflation
Alan Reynolds Paul Krugman and Berkeley blogger Brad DeLong appear peculiarly agitated about two of the many articles I have written over the past 42 years. The first, from 2009, summarized a longer critique of Krugman’s claim that “liquidity traps” left monetary policy powerless in the U.S. Show More Summary
“How to Steal the Laptop of Your Childhood Nemesis”
Click the arrow on the audio player to hear Eric McHenry read this poem. You can also download the recording or subscribe to Slate's Poetry Podcast on iTunes.
Friday Quick Hits and Varia
It’s another bright, beautiful, and cool morning here in North Dakotaland. The last final exams are done and the stacks of grading grow smaller which each passing day. The long spring and summer days in the town of Grand Forks will be quieter now. So as we begin our new summer routines, it seems like […]
The Open Borders Movement
I spoke on The 180, a Canadian radio show on CBC, on the open borders movement. Ironically, the streaming version appears not be available to Americans. You can listen to the podcast, however. The interview starts at about 3:18. Jim Brown, the interviewer, was very gracious in letting me speak and I thought we covered a [...]
Weekly Space Hangout - May 3 2013
Another busy episode of the Weekly Space Hangout, with more than a dozen space stories covered by a collection of space journalists. This week’s panel included Alan Boyle, Dr. Nicole Gugliucci, Amy Shira Teitel, David Dickinson, Dr. Matthew Francis, and Jason Major. Hosted by Fraser Cain.
Podcast: History According to Bob | A Day at the Colosseum
A Day at the Colosseum.
Explorator 16.03
I’m posting this here for now because Yahoo isn’t letting me send it out; I await email from technical support: ================================================================ explorator 16.03 May...Show More Summary
“Hear my voice. Alexander Graham Bell.”
Two years after successfully recovering six experimental early recordings Alexander Graham Bell’s Volta Laboratory Association stored at the Smithsonian in the late 19th century, researchers at the Library of Congress and the Lawrence...Show More Summary
Ep. 293: Earthquakes
We always say that the Universe is trying to kill you, but actually, the Earth isn't so fond of you either. Certain parts of planet Earth are prone to earthquakes, where the planet's shifting plates can cause the ground to shake violently. We've had a few devastating earthquakes in recent years, but do they also happen on other worlds?
Ep. 291: Shockwaves
As a meteor crashed into the atmosphere above Russia, the world discovered the importance of shock waves; how they're caused and how they propagate through the atmosphere. Today we'll discuss the topic in general and find many examples where shock waves can be created, here on Earth, and out in space.
Ep. 292: The Oort Cloud
The very outer reaches of the Solar System is a region of space known as the Oort Cloud, which may extend as far as a light-year from the Sun. We only know about the Oort Cloud because that's where long-period comets come from, randomly falling into the inner Solar System from time to time.
- NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory
- International Space Station
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- Geological Survey
- Large Hadron Collider
- The Great Gatsby
- Supreme Court
- Civil War
- NASA
- University of Bristol
- Arctic Council
- Angelina Jolie
- New Yorker
- Big Bang
- Boston Marathon
- South Africa
- National Institute
- Yitang Zhang
- Johns Hopkins
- World War II
