Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science

How could a lowly slime mold help researchers understand the distribution of dark matter and galaxies across the cosmos? Joseph Burchett and Oskar Elek of the University of California Santa Cruz will tell us about their team’s groundbreaking work. Bruce Betts and Mat Kaplan announce the first live and interactive What's Up segment is coming on April 23rd. The guys provide their usual assortment of space oddities in this week’s regular segment. Learn and explore more at https://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2020/0408-2020-slime-mold-universe.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The coronavirus pandemic reminds us that everything we do in space depends on what we do here on Earth. The impacts on space exploration are being felt already, with more challenges yet to come. The policy team at The Planetary Society, including CEO Bill Nye, recently provided a members-only live briefing to share our analysis of the impacts and to take questions about our work and the future. We share excerpts from that briefing with you on this month's episode. Learn more about this month’s topics through links on the show page. https://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2020/space-policy-edition-48.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our survey of the solar system in anticipation of the next planetary science decadal survey continues with Mars, the big outer planets, and the smaller bodies that share the neighborhood. Three more great scientists share their looks ahead. Staying responsibly stuck at home is easier when you can look up at a gorgeous night sky. Bruce Betts is here to help with another fun edition of What’s Up and a Random Space Fact or two. Learn and explore more at https://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2020/0401-2020-next-10-years-part-2.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Preparations at NASA are underway for creation of the next planetary science decadal survey, a roadmap intended to guide exploration of our solar neighborhood from 2023 to 2032. Six scientists, each considering a different world or class of objects, will share their thoughts and hopes. The Planetary Society’s Emily Lakdawalla offers fun and fascinating science education suggestions for housebound families. Some lucky (?) listener will be getting a special message from Bruce and Mat if he or she wins the new What’s Up space trivia contest. Learn and explore more at https://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2020/0325-2020-next-10-years.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How will we build the structures, roads and landing pads humans will someday need on Mars? Civil engineer Peter Carrato has been building grand structures on Earth for decades. He says the skills we’ve learned over thousands of years are well-suited for the much more challenging Martian environment. Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye the Science Guy returns with a message of care, hope and vision for our troubled times. And a bacon asteroid is just one of the absurdities Bruce Betts and Mat Kaplan discover on the way to a new What’s Up space trivia contest. Learn and explore more at  https://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2020/0318-2020-pete-carrato-mars-civil-engineering.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cosmos: Possible Worlds is the third season of the beautiful, groundbreaking television series helmed by the late Carl Sagan’s widow and partner, Ann Druyan. Ann returns to tell us about the show and her new companion book of the same name. You might win a hardcover copy in this week’s What’s Up space trivia contest. The equinox edition of The Planetary Report has arrived! Planetary Society Editorial Director Jason Davis provides an overview. Learn more on week’s show page:  https://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2020/0311-2020-ann-druyan-cosmos.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's officially budget season! NASA's fiscal year 2021 budget request is out, and it proposes billions of dollars of new funding for Project Artemis. But not every program is so lucky: the WFIRST space telescope, two Earth Science missions, two Mars missions, and NASA's STEM engagement program are slated for cancellation. Why is Artemis growing and science shrinking? Will Congress let those cuts happen? The Society's Chief of D.C. Operations, Brendan Curry, joins Casey Dreier and Mat Kaplan to break down the details and political headwinds facing NASA funding in the coming year. Learn more about this month’s topics through links on the show page.  https://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2020/space-policy-edition-47.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One people, one sky. That motto belongs to Astronomers Without Borders. Its founder and retired leader, Mike Simmons, recently brought a guest to Planetary Society headquarters. Olayinka Fagbemiro is with the Nigerian space agency and also heads Astronomers Without Borders in her nation. Emily Lakdawalla tells us about four exciting planetary science missions that are currently competing for selection by NASA. Bruce Betts tells us about the search for 100 earths as he also asks us to find a citizen of Middle Earth in space. Learn more and enter the contest at https://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2020/0304-2020-fagbemiro-simmons-awb-nigeria.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yale astronomer Debra Fischer has spent decades hunting for exoplanets. Now she leads the 100 Earths project that includes the Lowell Observatory and astrophysicist Joe Llama. Debra and Joe join us for a conversation about this search for worlds that could be like our own. There’s big space news in this week’s edition of The Downlink at the top of the show, and Bruce Betts takes us on his weekly tour of the night sky, though it’s the pre-dawn sky that may hold the most wonder. Try your hand at the space trivia contest! Learn more and enter the contest at https://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2020/0226-2020-debra-fischer-joe-llama-100-earths.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Physicist, cosmologist, astrobiologist and author Paul Davies’ new book explores what he believes to be the defining quality of life on Earth and perhaps elsewhere. He talks about this and much more in a special, extended conversation. Paul’s book is one of the prizes in the new What’s Up space trivia contest. Learn more and enter the contest at https://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2020/0219-2020-paul-davies-demon-in-machine.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.