

Universe Today Podcast
Fraser Cain
Space news, interviews, Q&As, and exclusive content from Universe Today.
Audio versions of Fraser Cain YouTube channel.
Audio versions of Fraser Cain YouTube channel.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 14, 2025 • 17min
[Q&A] Galactic Navigation, People Born on Mars, Jumping Off Pluto
Could we find a way to Earth from another part of a galaxy? Would people born on Mars grow taller to adopt to lower gravity? Can you jump off the surface of Pluto? And in our free bonus question on Patreon, what would happen if dark energy is disproved? All this and more in this Q&A.
🦄 Support us on Patreon:
https://patreon.com/universetoday
00:00 Start
00:29 Could we find a way back home from another part of the galaxy?
03:06 How high could you jump on Pluto?
04:23 Would people born on Mars be taller?
06:36 Is a space race a good idea?
11:10 Should asteroid mining be regulated?
📺 VIDEO VERSION
https://youtu.be/ivgaHbBdKoQ
📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter
No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter
🎧 PODCASTS
Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/
Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/
📩 CONTACT FRASER
frasercain@gmail.com
⚖️ LICENSE
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)Support Universe Today Podcast

Mar 13, 2025 • 17min
[Space Bites] Huge NASA Budget Cuts // 128 New Moons for Saturn // Visiting the YR4 Asteroid
Astronomers find 128 new moons for Saturn, four mini-Earths orbiting around Barnard’s Star, a new video from Blue Ghost 1, massive science budget cuts for NASA, and in our Patreon version, a bonus story about the return of the X-37b spaceplane.
🚀 Watch THIS VIDEO with NO ADS and a secret BONUS for FREE:
🌚 Total Lunar Eclipse Livestream:
https://www.youtube.com/live/c1yBw4e3rGk?si=F6yo04asBdRy2E1V
00:00 Intro
00:20 128 new moons of Saturn
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/whoa-astronomers-found-128-new-moons-orbiting-saturn
01:46 Four mini-Earth around Barnard's star
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/four-mini-earths-found-at-barnards-star
03:48 Firefly Blue Ghost drills into the Moon
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/watch-blue-ghost-test-its-vacuum-and-drill-experiments-on-the-moon
06:17 IM-2 Athena is over
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/the-athena-lunar-lander-also-fell-over-on-its-side
07:41 Vote results
https://www.youtube.com/@frasercain/community
08:16 NASA Science budget cuts
https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/03/white-house-may-seek-to-slash-nasas-science-budget-by-50-percent/
10:21 Visiting the YR4 asteroid
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/remember-that-asteroid-that-isnt-going-to-hit-earth-we-could-send-a-mission-to-explore-it
11:47 Cool images
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/webb-looks-right-into-the-flame-nebula
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/two-protostars-work-together-to-create-an-hourglass-shape
13:56 Guide to space newsletter
https://www.universetoday.com/newsletter
14:32 FREE bonus story: X37-b spaceplane
14:44 Big announcement
https://youtu.be/H0uKlAHcUGk?si=TbwEeW-Vxoe9aasu
📺 VIDEO VERSION
https://youtu.be/nsNz69J0E10
📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter
No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter
🎧 PODCASTS
Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/
Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/
📩 CONTACT FRASER
frasercain@gmail.com
⚖️ LICENSE
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)Support Universe Today Podcast

Mar 12, 2025 • 16min
The Core of My Business Model Suddenly COLLAPSED. Here's What's Next
👉 Become a Member on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/universetoday
🚀 New Universe Today website with NO ADS:
https://www.universetoday.com/
📺 VIDEO VERSION
https://youtu.be/H0uKlAHcUGk
📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter
No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter
🎧 PODCASTS
Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/
Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/
📩 CONTACT FRASER
frasercain@gmail.com
⚖️ LICENSE
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)Support Universe Today Podcast

Mar 11, 2025 • 17min
[Q&A] Galaxies Made from Antimatter, Transparency of Science, Favourite Lagrange Point Reveal
Is it possible that some of the galaxies out there are made of antimatter? How transparent is science research across the world? Which of the Lagrange points is my favourite? And in our free bonus question on Patreon, how big can of a moon can the Earth sustain? All this and more in this Q&A show.
🦄 Support us on Patreon:
https://patreon.com/universetoday
00:00 Start
00:29 Can antimatter galaxies exist out there?
02:03 Can we use double gravitational lenses?
03:40 My favourite Earth's Lagrange point?
05:48 How transparent is space research across the world?
11:13 What if we find out where life started?
13:17 Are there frozen nitrogen asteroids?
📺 VIDEO VERSION
https://youtu.be/9BOceM8V_xU
📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter
No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter
🎧 PODCASTS
Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/
Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/
📩 CONTACT FRASER
frasercain@gmail.com
⚖️ LICENSE
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)Support Universe Today Podcast

Mar 7, 2025 • 19min
[Space Bites] Starship Explodes (Again) // Moon Lander Failed (Again) // Voyager Switching Off Instruments (Again)
Firefly’s Blue Ghost 1 lands safely on the Moon, Athena… doesn’t, and another lunar mission goes missing. NASA shuts down more instruments on the Voyagers, and Europa Clipper makes a flyby of Mars. Starship explodes again. And in the free Patreon edition, how Vera Rubin could find another flyby target for New Horizons.
🦄 Support us on Patreon:
https://patreon.com/universetoday
00:00 Intro
00:19 Firefly Aerospace Blue Ghost lands on the Moon
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/touchdown-carrying-nasa-science-fireflys-blue-ghost-lands-on-moon/
02:12 Athena IM-2 falls on its side (again)
https://www.intuitivemachines.com/im-2
04:08 Two missions failed
https://www.astroforge.com/updates/odint-mission-debrief
05:33 Next step for private Venus mission
https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/nasa-installs-heat-shield-on-first-private-spacecraft-bound-for-venus/
06:59 Voyagers keep shutting down instruments
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/and-then-there-were-three-nasa-shuts-down-more-voyager-2-science-instruments
08:27 Europa Clipper flies past Jupiter
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/europa-clipper/nasas-europa-clipper-uses-mars-to-go-the-distance/
09:31 Vote results
https://www.youtube.com/@frasercain/community
10:03 Patrially cloudy on an ultra-hot Neptune
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/todays-forecast-partially-cloudy-skies-on-an-ultra-hot-neptune
11:40 Dark matter doesn't decay
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1074969
13:14 Smashed planet
https://chandra.si.edu/press/25_releases/press_030425.html
14:21 Capsule re-entry
https://www.varda.com/missions/w-2
15:38 Starship IFT-8
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/spacex-starship-test-falls-short-for-second-time-in-a-row
17:16 Guide to Space
17:15 Better user experience and a bonus story
📺 VIDEO VERSION
https://youtu.be/qLlnzYsdfpM
📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter
No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter
🎧 PODCASTS
Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/
Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/
📩 CONTACT FRASER
frasercain@gmail.com
⚖️ LICENSE
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)Support Universe Today Podcast

Mar 6, 2025 • 16min
[Q&A] Asteroids on the Moon, JWST VS Age of The Universe, Astronomy on ISS
Did James Webb break the age of the Universe? Can we watch asteroids that are about to hit the Moon? How much of actuation astronomy is done on the ISS? Plus, in our extended version on Patreon, what shape do black holes take? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A.
👉 Same video. No ads. +BONUS question. For FREE.
https://www.patreon.com/universetoday
🚀 Even more questions with Overtime:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/overtime-for-qa-123636307
00:00 Start
00:27 Did JWST break the age of the Universe?
04:22 How much astronomy is done on the ISS?
07:53 How to prepare to the Halley's comet arrival?
09:58 How can we know the mass of a black hole?
10:47 Is infinite speed better than the speed of light?
11:44 Do we track asteroids that might hit the Moon?
📺 VIDEO VERSION
https://youtu.be/gzxRUS7Br94
📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter
No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter
🎧 PODCASTS
Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/
Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/
📩 CONTACT FRASER
frasercain@gmail.com
⚖️ LICENSE
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)Support Universe Today Podcast

Mar 5, 2025 • 20min
[Q&A] Dangers from De-Orbiting ISS, Beyond Mars, Breaking News
Is there a risk of contaminating Earth with space-resistant bacteria when de-orbiting the ISS? What would be the next big outpost when humanity reaches Mars? What's the real shape of Lagrange points? Plus, in our bonus part on Patreon, could there be life in lava tubes. Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show.
👉 Same video. No ads. +BONUS question. For FREE.
https://www.patreon.com/universetoday
🚀 Even more questions with Overtime:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/overtime-for-q-123098406
00:00 Start
00:30 What's the ultimate destiny of stars?
03:16 Could we colonize Mars if it had air?
07:39 Could we colonize Venus if it had air?
10:20 Why bring up the density of black holes?
12:57 Fraserverse movies
17:46 Do neutrinos go faster than light?
📺 VIDEO VERSION
https://youtu.be/b0sdyvaSRK4
📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter
No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter
🎧 PODCASTS
Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/
Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/
📩 CONTACT FRASER
frasercain@gmail.com
⚖️ LICENSE
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)Support Universe Today Podcast

Mar 4, 2025 • 32min
[Interview] Extremely Rare Supernova. This is Exactly Why We Need Vera Rubin
Astronomers saw a rare type of supernova in the galaxy NGC 2891. Finding out what was so special about it and why is it a perfect example of why we need the Vera Rubin Telescope as soon as possible.
🦄 Support us on Patreon:
https://patreon.com/universetoday
🟣 Guest: Dr. Charlotte Angus
https://charlotte-angus.com/
Young Supernova Experiment
https://yse.ucsc.edu/
00:00 Intro
01:29 Supernova event
15:36 What was left behind
17:25 Precursors
22:18 Betelgeuse
26:47 Current obsessions
30:16 Bonus part and more interviews
📺 VIDEO VERSION
https://youtu.be/6AirV04cCW4
📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter
No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter
🎧 PODCASTS
Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/
Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/
📩 CONTACT FRASER
frasercain@gmail.com
⚖️ LICENSE
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)Support Universe Today Podcast

Feb 28, 2025 • 20min
[Space Bites] New Explanation Mars' Color // Big Moon Launch // Space Refuelling Test
The asteroid threat is down to zero, whatever happened to that star that was supposed to go nova, more landers are launched to the Moon. Plus in our extended version on Patreon, how Venus’s atmosphere could protect life in its clouds.
🦄 Support us on Patreon:
https://patreon.com/universetoday
00:00 Intro
00:18 Told you so
https://www.universetoday.com/171085/as-expected-the-threat-from-2024-yr4-has-essentially-dropped-to-zero/
02:11 Waiting for a nova
https://www.universetoday.com/170944/is-t-coronae-borealis-about-to-light-up/
04:11 Galactic journey
https://www.universetoday.com/171115/the-solar-system-is-taking-a-fascinating-journey-through-the-milky-way/
06:23 Atherna launches, upcoming Moon landings
https://www.intuitivemachines.com/im-2
08:41 Why is Mars red
https://www.universetoday.com/171086/a-new-explanation-for-why-mars-is-red/
10:19 Vote results
https://www.youtube.com/@frasercain/community
10:53 China tests space refuelling
https://www.universetoday.com/171057/a-chinese-satellite-tests-orbital-refuelling/
13:13 Glacier loss
https://www.universetoday.com/171045/glaciers-worldwide-are-melting-faster-causing-sea-levels-to-rise-more/
14:53 Upcoming Starship IFT-8
15:47 Bonus news story
16:29 Guide to Space
17:02 Upcoming SciFi
📺 VIDEO VERSION
https://youtu.be/1XIsGx7tAsY
📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter
No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter
🎧 PODCASTS
Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/
Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/
📩 CONTACT FRASER
frasercain@gmail.com
⚖️ LICENSE
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)Support Universe Today Podcast

Feb 27, 2025 • 23min
[Q&A] What if Mars Had Air, Destiny of Stars, Fraserverse Movies
Would we have colonized Mars by now if it had air? What is the ultimate fate of stars? What's the point of talking about the density of black holes? And which movies would go into the Fraserverse? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show.
👉 Same video. No ads. +BONUS question. For FREE.
https://www.patreon.com/universetoday
🚀 Even more questions with Overtime:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/overtime-for-q-123098406
00:00 Start
00:30 What's the ultimate destiny of stars?
03:16 Could we colonize Mars if it had air?
07:39 Could we colonize Venus if it had air?
10:20 Why bring up the density of black holes?
12:57 Fraserverse movies
17:46 Do neutrinos go faster than light?
📺 VIDEO VERSION
https://youtu.be/b0sdyvaSRK4
📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter
No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter
🎧 PODCASTS
Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/
Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/
📩 CONTACT FRASER
frasercain@gmail.com
⚖️ LICENSE
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)Support Universe Today Podcast