
Cool Worlds Podcast
Conversations between Professor David Kipping and guests, spanning astronomy, technology, science and engineering. This is the official podcast of the Cool Worlds Lab at Columbia University and their popular YouTube channel ”Cool Worlds”. Podcast episodes are filmed and can be found online through our YouTube channels.
Latest episodes

Mar 12, 2025 • 1h
#20 Natalie Batalha - Kepler Mission, Exoplanets with JWST, Future Imagers
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In this week's episode, David is joined by Natalie Batalha, Professor of Astronomy & Astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz. Prof Batalha was one of the leaders of the historic NASA Kepler Mission which discovered the majority of known exoplanets, and in 2017 was one of the Time 100 most influential people.
To support this podcast and our research lab, head to https://coolworldslab.com/support Cool Worlds Podcast Theme by Hill [https://open.spotify.com/artist/1hdkvBtRdOW4SPsnxCXOjK]

Feb 8, 2025 • 1h 53min
#19 Brian Keating - Inflation, B Modes and Losing the Nobel Prize
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In this week's episode, David is joined by Brian Keating, host of the Into the Impossible Podcast, Professor of Cosmology at UC San Diego and popular science book author.
To support this podcast and our research lab, head to https://coolworldslab.com/support Cool Worlds Podcast Theme by Hill [https://open.spotify.com/artist/1hdkvBtRdOW4SPsnxCXOjK]

4 snips
Jan 15, 2025 • 1h 15min
#18 Nick Searra - Alien Communication, Golden Record, Future Relics
In this discussion with Nick Searra, the Founder of the Interstellar Foundation, listeners dive into the innovative plans to update the Golden Record for a new space age. They explore the rich history of humanity's attempts at extraterrestrial communication, including the philosophical challenges of encapsulating our essence. Searra emphasizes the necessity of public engagement in shaping these cosmic messages. The conversation also touches on the ethical implications of using AI and how to effectively unite diverse voices in this monumental task.

4 snips
Nov 9, 2024 • 1h 3min
#17 Adam Riess - Modern Cosmology, Hubble Tension, New Physics
In this week's episode, David is joined by Nobel laureate Adam Riess, Bloomberg Distinguish Professor and Thomas J Barbar Professor of Physics & Astronomy at John Hopkins University. In this conversation, we explore the Hubble tension and recent disagreements between cosmology teams.
To support this podcast and our research lab, head to https://coolworldslab.com/support
Cool Worlds Podcast Theme by Hill [https://open.spotify.com/artist/1hdkvBtRdOW4SPsnxCXOjK]

Oct 7, 2024 • 1h 18min
#16 Janna Levin - Black Holes, Singularities & Wormholes
In this week's episode, David is joined by Prof Janna Levin, Professor of Astronomy at Barnard College of Columbia University. Janna is an expert in the theoretical physics of black holes, an author, a communicator of science and co-founder of Pioneer Works.
To support this podcast and our research lab, head to https://coolworldslab.com/support
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Prof Levin's research page: https://jannalevin.com/
Pioneer Works: https://pioneerworks.org/
Janna's Books: https://jannalevin.com/books/black-hole-survival-guide/
Cool Worlds Podcast Theme by Hill [https://open.spotify.com/artist/1hdkvBtRdOW4SPsnxCXOjK]

Jul 10, 2024 • 1h 37min
#15 Jackie Faherty - Brown Dwarfs, Clouds, Atmospheres, JWST
In this week's episode, David is joined by Dr Jackie Faherty, Senior Scientist and Senior Education Manager at the American Museum of Natural History and co-founded of the BDNYC research team. Jackie is a champion of brown dwarf science, mysterious objects that aren't quite stars, and aren't quite planets.
To support this podcast and our research lab, head to https://coolworldslab.com/support
Dr Faherty's research page: https://www.jackiefaherty.com/
2030 STEM: https://2030stem.org/
BDNYC: https://bdnyc.org/
Backyard Worlds: https://backyardworlds.org
Cool Worlds Podcast Theme by Hill [https://open.spotify.com/artist/1hdkvBtRdOW4SPsnxCXOjK]

Jun 22, 2024 • 1h 35min
#14 Gavin Schmidt - Climate Science, Projections, Measurements, Denialism
In this week's episode, David is joined by climate scientist Dr Gavin Schmidt, Director of the NASA Goddard Institute of Space Studies (GISS) and co-founded of the RealClimate blog.
To support this podcast and our research lab, head to www.coolworldslab.com/support
RealClimate: https://www.realclimate.org/
NASA GISS: https://www.giss.nasa.gov/
Cool Worlds Podcast Theme by Hill [https://open.spotify.com/artist/1hdkvBtRdOW4SPsnxCXOjK]

May 4, 2024 • 1h 12min
#13 David Spergel - NASA UAP Taskforce, Dark Matter, Hubble Tension, Leadership
In this week's episode, David is joined by Dave Spergel, Professor of Astrophysics, Chair of the NASA UAP Taskforce and President of the Simons Foundation. Dr Spergel has been a prominent leader in the field of cosmology, both intellectually and strategically.
To support this podcast and our research lab, head to www.coolworldslab.com/support
NASA UAP Report: https://smd-cms.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/uap-independent-study-team-final-report.pdf
Cool Worlds Podcast Theme by Hill [https://open.spotify.com/artist/1hdkvBtRdOW4SPsnxCXOjK]

Apr 16, 2024 • 1h 32min
#12 Lisa Kaltenegger - Alien Earths, Astrobiology Controversies, Frequency of Life
In this week's episode, David is joined by Lisa Kaltenegger, Professor at Cornell and Director of the Carl Sagan Institute. Lisa's new book, "Alien Earths", has just hit the shelves so we talk about what made her write this book, her view on the abundance of life in the cosmos, and her take on a couple of recent controversies in the field of astrobiology.
To support this podcast and our research lab, head to www.coolworldslab.com/support
Cool Worlds Podcast Theme by Hill [https://open.spotify.com/artist/1hdkvBtRdOW4SPsnxCXOjK]

Mar 30, 2024 • 1h 28min
#11 Paul Sutter - Rescuing Science, Restoring Trust In an Age of Doubt
In this week's episode, David is joined by Dr Paul Sutter, Professor at Stony Brook and a Visiting Professor at Barnard College. Paul is a theoretical cosmologist, who has had a long and productive career in research, but is better known to most for his science communication work. Having one numerous awards, written popular science books and starring in shows like "How the Universe Works", Paul has become a familiar face to many. In this third book, "Rescuing Science: Restoring Trust In an Age of Doubt", Paul explores how the public are losing trust in scientific institutions and what we can do about it.
To support this podcast and our research lab, head to www.coolworldslab.com/support
Paul's book: https://www.amazon.com/Rescuing-Science-Restoring-Trust-Doubt-ebook/dp/B0CCH5K6JL
Paul's website: https://www.pmsutter.com/
Cool Worlds Podcast Theme by Hill [https://open.spotify.com/artist/1hdkvBtRdOW4SPsnxCXOjK]
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