Pulsars, Microwave Ovens and the Radio Sky - Chris Lintott
Mar 4, 2024
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The podcast explores the fascinating world of radio astronomy, discussing breakthroughs in detecting planets and the role of the Murayang Parks Telescope. It covers topics like signals from Proxima Centauri, mysteries of radio astronomy, black holes at the galaxy center, and the discovery of LGM1. The discussion also delves into pulsars, fast radio bursts, computing advancements in radio astronomy, and the Square Kilometre Array project.
Exploring new wavelengths beyond the optical realm revolutionizes astronomy.
Pioneering work on radio noise sources leads to significant contributions in radio astronomy.
Discovery of pulsars and fast radio bursts advances navigation tools and alien signal research.
Deep dives
The Exploration of Radio Astronomy
The podcast discusses the ambitious pursuit of astronomers beyond the visible spectrum to explore wavelengths not accessible to the human eye. It highlights the story of perseverance and discovery in radio astronomy, focusing on the search for life in the universe. Mention of the Murayang Parks Telescope and the investigation of signals from Proxima Centauri.
Karl Jansky and Radio Astronomy Origins
Karl Jansky's pioneering work at Bell Labs in New Jersey marks the beginnings of radio astronomy, initially studying background noise. Discoveries of noise sources from thunderstorms and later the Sun led to the identification of star noise, a significant contribution to the field.
Grote Reber: Building the First Radio Telescope
Grote Reber, inspired by star noise, built the world's first radio telescope in Illinois using a fully steerable dish. Despite challenges with noisy atmospheric conditions and domestic interference, his telescope led to groundbreaking maps of the radio sky.
Pulsars and Neutron Stars
The discovery of pulsars and neutron stars, notably by Anthony and Jocelyn Bell Burnell, revolutionized astronomy. Pulsars serve as precise cosmic clocks and have led to advancements in navigation tools, such as the Pioneer spacecraft's map to outer space using pulsar signals.
Fast Radio Bursts and Search for Extraterrestrial Life
The mystery of fast radio bursts and peritons captivates astronomers in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. The podcast delves into the challenges of distinguishing natural phenomena from potential signals of alien origin, shedding light on the complexities of radio astronomy research.
There have been two major revolutions in how we look at the sky - the shift beyond the optical to other wavelengths, particularly the radio, and the increasing attention paid to how objects change over time.
We start with the discovery of pulsars by Jocelyn Bell Burnell, explore how a microwave oven bamboozled astronomers, and discuss the latest research on Fast Radio Bursts, mysterious events detected in galaxies billions of light-years away.
This lecture was recorded by Chris Lintott on 21st February 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London
The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/radio-sky
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