Cristina Thomas

Cristina Thomas, an Assistant Professor of Astronomy and Planetary Science at Northern Arizona University, shares insights on NASA's DART mission. The podcast dives into how this innovative program successfully altered an asteroid's trajectory by crashing a spacecraft into it. Cristina reassures that there are no immediate threats from large asteroids while highlighting the mission's significance for planetary defense. She also discusses global collaboration in asteroid detection and the excitement surrounding future efforts to protect Earth.

Dr. Cristina Thomas, an associate professor at Northern Arizona University, specializes in asteroid spectroscopy and was key in the DART mission. She breaks down how M-type asteroids are classified and why identifying them is messier than we think. The discussion includes the origins of near-Earth asteroids from the main belt and the potential for mining them in the future. They also explore the fascinating possibility of microbial life on asteroids, blending science with humor as they speculate about retrieving metals from these celestial bodies.