Radiolab Galaxy Quenching
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Aug 1, 2025 
Charity Woodrum, an extragalactic astronomer and NASA postdoctoral fellow, delves into the life and death of galaxies. She reveals the processes of galaxy quenching, exploring why some galaxies fade while others shine. Blending her grief over personal loss with cosmic phenomena, she shares how her journey through trauma parallels the struggle of dying galaxies. As she works with the James Webb Space Telescope, Charity reflects on mentorship, hope, and the cosmic connections that intertwine personal experiences with the universe.
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How Galaxies Die or Quench
- A galaxy 'dies' or quenches when star formation stops due to lack of cold, dense gas.
- Processes like black holes heating or expelling gas cause this starvation or strangulation of star fuel.
Charity's Rural Oregon Roots
- Charity grew up in rural Oregon where stars were a peaceful refuge from a chaotic home life.
- She dreamed of NASA despite skepticism, finding solace and a calling under the vast night sky.
Hubble Deep Field Inspiration
- The Hubble Deep Field image showed thousands of galaxies in a seemingly dark patch of sky.
- Seeing this ignited Charity's passion, inspiring her to pursue physics and astronomy despite challenges.