Real-life vampires in California infuse themselves with young blood plasma to rejuvenate their brains and extend their lives. The podcast explores the mysteries of ghosts, the destructive force of black holes, and the existence of zombie microbes. It also discusses the similarities between near-death experiences and the effects of psychedelic drugs, as well as the strange phenomena within black holes and the possibility of wormholes.

When you bring a giant magnet to Mars, apocalyptic eruptions are just the beginning. In an attempt to suck out all of the iron from the red planet, Leah Crane and Chelsea Whyte end up shattering it like an Easter egg.Their new cosmic plaything, a U-shaped Wile E. Coyote-esque magnet, is used in various different ways for the purposes of complete annihilation. With the help of science journalist and volcanologist Robin George Andrews, the team squeeze the core out like it’s toothpaste, turn the magnet into a projectile, bring multiple magnets to the fray to create a work of cosmic art and even hollow out the planet to fill it up with… SPIDERS!Dead Planets Society is a podcast that takes outlandish ideas about how to tinker with the cosmos – from punching a hole in a planet to unifying the asteroid belt to destroying the sun – and subjects them to the laws of physics to see how they fare.Your hosts are Leah Crane and Chelsea Whyte.If you have a cosmic object you’d like to figure out how to destroy, email the team at deadplanets@newscientist.com. It may just feature in a later episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join space scientist Chelsea Whyte and astronomer Leah Crane as they discuss their mission to block the Sun from view at all times, recreating the primal fear of an eclipse. From modest sunshades in orbit to moving entire planets, they explore the risks and challenges of creating a constant solar eclipse on Earth. With the help of astronomer Bruce Macintosh, they even call on knitters to aid in creating the largest piece of art ever made. Listen in for outlandish ideas on tinkering with the cosmos, all subject to the laws of physics.