Universe Today Podcast

Dr. Cara Battersby, an associate professor at the University of Connecticut and head of the Milky Way Laboratory, reveals fascinating insights about the previously obscured center of our galaxy. She discusses how modern telescopes have unveiled the complex dynamics of star formation near the supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*. Cara also highlights the challenges of creating a 3D map of the central molecular zone, the role of the ALMA telescope, and ongoing research that could reshape our understanding of cosmic phenomena.

The White House pulls Jared Isaacman’s nomination, the 2026 NASA budget is released, the Hubble Tension might not be a problem after all, the Milky Way and Andromeda might not merge after all. And on SpaceBites+, which ozone isn’t a good biosignature.🚀 [Space Bites+] No ADS. BONUS Story. For FREE:https://www.patreon.com/universetoday👉 Vote for the best story here:https://www.youtube.com/@frasercain/community00:00 Intro00:22 No Jared for NASAhttps://arstechnica.com/space/2025/05/trump-pulls-isaacman-nomination-for-space-source-nasa-is-fed/01:57 NASA budget requesthttps://www.universetoday.com/articles/nasas-fy-2026-budget-request-has-been-released04:36 ispace failed another Moon landing05:34 Hubble tesion possible solved?https://www.universetoday.com/articles/is-the-hubble-tension-starting-to-go-away08:27 Milkdromeda might not happenhttps://www.universetoday.com/articles/the-hubble-just-cancelled-the-milky-way-andromeda-collision10:09 Plutohttps://www.universetoday.com/articles/webb-watches-haze-rise-and-fall-in-plutos-atmosphere11:58 Vote results12:38 Europahttps://www.universetoday.com/articles/webb-reveals-that-europas-surface-is-constantly-changing14:54 Monitoring solar stormshttps://www.universetoday.com/articles/advanced-orbital-constellations-for-solar-storm-defense16:27 Starship missions to Marshttps://www.universetoday.com/articles/missions-to-mars-starship-three-months19:02 Newsletter19:43 Bonus story19:58 Realism in SciFi📺 VIDEO VERSIONhttps://youtu.be/RvTwWZt1SRw📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter🎧 PODCASTSUniverse Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/📩 CONTACT FRASERfrasercain@gmail.com⚖️ LICENSECreative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)Support Universe Today Podcast

How big does a planet has to be to make it impossible to fly a rocket from it? Why are aliens always portrayed expansionistic? Can a supernova make us all go extinct? And in our extended Q&A+ edition, is terraforming Mars necessary for finding life there? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show. 🎁 [Q&A+] Same video. No YT ads. BONUS question, totally free :https://www.patreon.com/universetoday🚀 [Overtime] Even more Q&Ashttps://www.patreon.com/universetoday00:00 Start00:30 [knallpistol] How can stars in globular clusters be so close yet so far? 03:28 [Mister Ikkus] Why everyone imagines aliens to be expansionistic? 05:28 [Matthew Reuter] What's the limit on a planet's mass to get stuck on one?07:51 [James Valley] Can a supernovae take us out? 08:50 [Paige Potter] When we colonize other places, will Earth become a concept rather than a place? 10:50 [Vicente Hdez] What have been the keys to staying constantly active in astronomy communication?14:56 [Pete Harris] What to see in the Southern Hemisphere's night sky? 📺 VIDEO VERSIONhttps://youtu.be/19phg5eP4Rs📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter🎧 PODCASTSUniverse Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/📩 CONTACT FRASERfrasercain@gmail.com⚖️ LICENSECreative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)Support Universe Today Podcast

What's the difference between a nova and a supernova? What's the mechanism behind their explosions? What instruments are used to observe them at the moment? Finding out in this interview. 😍 [Interview+] Same video. No YT ads.https://www.patreon.com/universetoday🟣 Guest: Cameron Pfefferhttps://www.cameronpfeffer.space/🟣 Dr. Chris Ashall’s supernova research grouphttps://chrisashall.com/my-group/https://csp.obs.carnegiescience.edu/00:00 Intro01:30 What is a Type-1a supernova07:55 Observations with JWST15:03 Current state of supernova research24:37 Survey telescopes36:04 Current obsessions 40:12 Final thoughts📺 VIDEO VERSIONhttps://youtu.be/CKZyAug7hIg📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter🎧 PODCASTSUniverse Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/📩 CONTACT FRASERfrasercain@gmail.com⚖️ LICENSECreative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)Support Universe Today Podcast

How much of our atmosphere is lost to space and should we be actively replenishing it? Is there an exact copy of Earth out there hiding in the Universe? Can we use the Sun to send messages? And in our extended Q&A+ version, how the advancements in AI will change astronomy? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A. 🎁 [Q&A+] Same video. No YT ads. BONUS question, totally free :https://www.patreon.com/universetoday🚀 [Overtime] Even more Q&Ashttps://www.patreon.com/universetoday00:00 Start00:30 [Naveed] Can we use the Sun to send messages?03:49 [jeff miller] Can we replace the atmosphere we're loosing to space? 04:40 [Ghostdog4] When will Betelgeuse finally become a supernova? 06:35 [[PMG] Corey] How is JWST changing our understanding of cosmology?10:38 [gtziavelis] Is there a copy of Earth somewehre out there in the Universe? 13:59 [Lance Haring] Do black holes poop dark matter? 📺 VIDEO VERSIONhttps://youtu.be/HEoZBSRPCVM📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter🎧 PODCASTSUniverse Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/📩 CONTACT FRASERfrasercain@gmail.com⚖️ LICENSECreative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)Support Universe Today Podcast

Launching Breakthrough Starshot light sail probes to Alpha Centauri requires a lot of new tech, including the actual light sails. How do you make the optimal material to maximize the size with minimising mass? Finding out in this interview. 😍 [Interview+] Same video. No YT ads.https://www.patreon.com/universetoday🟣 Guest: Lucas Norder https://www.tudelft.nl/en/staff/l.norder/📜 Pentagonal photonic crystal mirrors: scalable lightsails with enhanced acceleration via neural topology optimizationhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-57749-y00:00 Intro02:11 Current state of tech04:58 Nano-holes in reflective material11:08 Manufacturing techniques14:23 Practical applications20:58 Possible prototypes 25:57 Current obsessions30:21 Final thoughts📺 VIDEO VERSIONhttps://youtu.be/iHLm9oHMsyM📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter🎧 PODCASTSUniverse Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/📩 CONTACT FRASERfrasercain@gmail.com⚖️ LICENSECreative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)Support Universe Today Podcast

China’s asteroid sample return mission launches, searching for a companion star for Betelgeuse, the 9th flight test wraps up for Starship and Superheavy, and Webb takes its longest exposure yet. And in SpaceBites+, is Venus hiding deadly asteroids.🚀 [Space Bites+] No ADS. BONUS Story. For FREE:https://www.patreon.com/universetoday👉 Vote for the best story here:https://www.youtube.com/@frasercain/community00:00 Intro00:30 Mystery object discoveredhttps://www.universetoday.com/articles/strange-object-is-releasing-regular-blasts-of-both-x-rays-and-radio-waves02:46 Searching for Bettel-Buddyhttps://www.universetoday.com/articles/the-search-is-on-for-betel-buddy05:07 China's asteroid sample return mission launchedhttps://www.universetoday.com/articles/chinas-tianwen-2-is-off-to-collect-an-asteroid-sample06:40 China's reusable rocket testhttps://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-05-29/Chinese-commercial-rocket-completes-vertical-sea-recovery-test-1DMefpHW0qQ/p.html07:50 Starship IFT-9https://www.universetoday.com/articles/after-awesome-launch-starship-spins-out-of-control09:58 Vote resultshttps://www.youtube.com/@frasercain/community10:34 Black holes but in colourhttps://www.universetoday.com/articles/the-event-horizon-telescopes-next-feat-multi-color-pictures-of-black-holes12:44 New discoveries about M87 SMBHhttps://arxiv.org/abs/2505.1703515:00 Webb's longest exposurehttps://www.universetoday.com/articles/the-webb-captures-faint-galaxies-from-the-universes-ancient-past16:21 More space news17:31 [Space Bites+] bonus story17:46 Some people just don't understand interviews📺 VIDEO VERSIONhttps://youtu.be/c_RvcTNbVs4📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter🎧 PODCASTSUniverse Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/📩 CONTACT FRASERfrasercain@gmail.com⚖️ LICENSECreative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)Support Universe Today Podcast

Can we make the Van Allen belts safe to fly through? Why not get a super gravity assist from the Sun? Can we predict the next supernova in the Milky Way? And in our extended Q&A+ version, what's going on with the ocean rocks producing electricity at the bottom? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show. 🦄 Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday00:00 Start00:30 [Marcus Mark] Can we drain the Van Allen belts from radioactive particles? 01:17 [Sean] Can we get a super gravity assist from the Sun? 02:38 [Midatlanticriverrat] Are discoveries from JWST a turning point in our understanding of astronomy? 04:07 [Abdullah Hussain] When will we see the next supernova in the Milky Way? 05:06 [Jason Darkholm] What does discovering water ice around another star mean for astrobiology? 06:55 [Leigh Taylor] What am I the most excited about? 07:43 [emynsilque] What is the max possible wavelength of light? 08:40 [pewterhacker] Can journalistic integrity survive in the age of clicks and algorithms?📺 VIDEO VERSIONhttps://youtu.be/isOaeFT9PT8📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter🎧 PODCASTSUniverse Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/📩 CONTACT FRASERfrasercain@gmail.com⚖️ LICENSECreative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)Support Universe Today Podcast

Heat shields are one of the trickiest problems left to solve before we can have truly reusable spacecraft. So far we've seen different solutions, like ablative materials or ceramic tiles. But can a sweating heat shield be a solution? Finding out in this interview. 😍 [Interview+] Same video. No YT ads.https://www.patreon.com/universetoday🟣 Guest: Dr. Hassan Saad Iftihttps://nal.tamu.edu/📜 Could Sweating Spacecraft Make Re-Entry Easier?https://www.universetoday.com/articles/could-sweating-spacecraft-make-re-entry-easier00:00 Intro01:40 Challenges of reentry12:00 Sweating spacecraft31:05 Which gas to use38:49 Metal 3D-printing45:51 Current obsessions50:41 Final thoughts📺 VIDEO VERSIONhttps://youtu.be/04rSPGwMLlM📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter🎧 PODCASTSUniverse Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/📩 CONTACT FRASERfrasercain@gmail.com⚖️ LICENSECreative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)Support Universe Today Podcast

Can we refuel James Webb at L2 when it runs out of propellant? What will the Dragonfly octocopter see on the surface of Titan? Will discovering life on Mars stop us from going there? And in our extended Q&A+ on Patreon, what are space things I'm hoping to see in my lifetime? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show. 🎁 [Q&A+] Same video. No YT ads. BONUS question, totally free :https://www.patreon.com/universetoday🚀 [Overtime] Even more Q&Ashttps://www.patreon.com/universetoday00:00 Start00:30 [Monty Skeetch] Will Dragonfly see rains or rivers on Titan?01:35 [Ιwanna_kiIImyself] Why does JWST do figure of 8 movements at its Lagrange L2 point?03:35 [SantiagoMK] Can JWST be refuelled? 04:35 [beau danner] Which moon is best for Venus? 05:25 [Billy Griffith] Will finding life on Mars stop us from going there? 07:11 [veerendra kumar] Do double and triple black hole systems exist? 08:29 [kLONDIKE69 NONE] Can we see asteroid belts around other stars? 09:04 [Tim G] My position on Planet 9/X10:07 [Kasie Ream] Can Betelgeuse explosion be just a flop? 11:51 [Mufasa Putasa] What have we learned from gravitational waves so far? 13:54 [Eric D. Wade] What happened to the BEAM module? 📺 VIDEO VERSIONhttps://youtu.be/gdu62qdEmFs📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter🎧 PODCASTSUniverse Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/📩 CONTACT FRASERfrasercain@gmail.com⚖️ LICENSECreative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)Support Universe Today Podcast