Strange New Worlds: A Science & Star Trek Podcast

Michael L. Wong
undefined
Oct 25, 2025 • 53min

Episode 190: Relating to Nature in Space and on Earth

Guest: Prof. Jason Kaufman Professor Jason Kaufman beams aboard to chat about a trio of papers he wrote exploring the themes of human space exploration, sustainable futures, and our relationships to nature. "An Interplanetary Land Ethic" by Kaufman et al. (2022): https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/scc.2021.0068 "Artemis and an environmentally sustainable future beyond earth" by Kaufman et al. (2023): https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0265964623000425?via%3Dihub "A Case for Nature in Long-Haul Space Exploration" by Kaufman et al. (2023): https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0265964623000425 "Second Star to the Right: Essays on Leadership and Star Trek": https://vernonpress.com/book/2348?srsltid=AfmBOoryKvMaSjTZ6mTVevEgwGA2dg9LiHWD7Y8Jt1WpR-r05UoA4Imh
undefined
Oct 19, 2025 • 52min

Episode 189: Bob Picardo Wants to Save NASA Science

Guest: Bob Picardo Legendary Star Trek actor Bob Picardo beams aboard to talk about his decades-long work with The Planetary Society and his involvement in this October's Day of Action, where over 200 space advocates gathered in D.C. to speak to members of Congress about the importance of funding NASA science. Learn more about The Planetary Society: https://www.planetary.org/ Read about October's Day of Action: https://www.planetary.org/articles/second-2025-day-of-action-retrospective Watch Caltech's "Boldly Go!" musical: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdtBArmWHdY Follow us on Bluesky! Mike: https://bsky.app/profile/miquai.bsky.social Bob: https://bsky.app/profile/robertpicardo.bsky.social The Planetary Society: https://bsky.app/profile/planetarysociety.bsky.social
undefined
Oct 4, 2025 • 33min

Episode 188: What Searching for Aliens Reveals About Ourselves

Mike reads his Noema Magazine essay "What Searching For Aliens Reveals About Ourselves." Read the essay: https://www.noemamag.com/what-searching-for-aliens-reveals-about-ourselves/ Watch Mike's Royal Astronomical Society of Canada talk that inspired the essay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bewJxOCdM5I
undefined
Sep 27, 2025 • 1h 19min

Episode 187: Love in a Jefferies Tube

Mike beams aboard Deep Space Love—a podcast that explores love, in all its forms, throughout the final frontier—to discuss the relationship between D'Vanna Tendi and Samanthan Rutherford on Star Trek: Lower Decks. Check out more Deep Space Love: https://www.podpage.com/deep-space-love/ Follow us on Bluesky! Mike: https://bsky.app/profile/miquai.bsky.social Deep Space Love: https://bsky.app/profile/dslovepod.bsky.social
undefined
Aug 5, 2025 • 50min

Episode 186: The Habitable Worlds Observatory

Guest: Emilie Lafleche Astrobiologist Emilie Lafleche beams aboard to introduce us to the Habitable Worlds Observatory, a next-generation space-based telescope that will be designed specifically to seek out new life in the cosmos. Then, she and Mike discuss two collaborations at the intersection of science and society: principles of astrobioethics and the PortAL Linking Artists and Scientists (PALLAS). Learn more about the Habitable Worlds Observatory: https://habitableworldsobservatory.org/home Emilie & Mike's paper "How to chart a moral future for space exploration": https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-02070-3 Join the PALLAS mailing list: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScocUP4sZ9S4CF3BUnC85Tm2QPKLe39qE6cN5hFp5q7kep0rg/viewform
undefined
Jul 23, 2025 • 38min

Episode 185: An Astrobiology Op-Ed

Guest: Dr. Shi En Kim Science journalist Dr. Shi En Kim joins Mike to unpack his op-ed about how impending cuts to federal science funding will impact astrobiology—the search for life in the universe. "Federal Budget Cuts Would Sabotage NASA’s Plans to Find Alien Life" by Mike Wong: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/trumps-budget-cuts-would-sabotage-nasas-plans-to-find-alien-life/ Follow us on Bluesky! Mike: https://bsky.app/profile/miquai.bsky.social Kim: https://bsky.app/profile/goesbykim.bsky.social
undefined
Jun 28, 2025 • 57min

Episode 184: Hope in the Face of Grief

Guest: Dr. Una McCormack New York Times bestselling Star Trek author Dr. Una McCormack beams aboard to discuss the development of and themes within her latest Trek novel, "Strange New Worlds: Asylum." "Asylum" by Una McCormack: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Star-Trek-Strange-New-Worlds-Asylum/Una-McCormack/Star-Trek-Strange-New-Worlds/9781668051368 Follow us on Bluesky! Mike: https://bsky.app/profile/miquai.bsky.social Una: https://bsky.app/profile/unamccormack.bsky.social
undefined
May 12, 2025 • 54min

Episode 183: Alien Earths

Guest: Prof. Lisa Kaltenegger Professor Lisa Kaltenegger, Director of the Carl Sagan Institute at Cornell University, beams aboard to talk about her book, Alien Earths, the search for life in the cosmos, what exoplanets teach us about our home world, and her love for Star Trek. Alien Earths: The New Science of Planet Hunting in the Cosmos, by Lisa Kaltenegger: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250283641/alienearths/
undefined
May 5, 2025 • 49min

Episode 182: A Rocket Scientist Goes to Washington

Guest: Thomas White Mike speaks to propulsion engineer Thomas White about their experience participating in The Planetary Society's 2025 Day of Action, where they met with six Congressional offices to lobby in support of space science at a critical time. Inspired to take action? Visit The Planetary Society's Action Center: https://www.planetary.org/action-center Follow us on Bluesky! Mike: https://bsky.app/profile/miquai.bsky.social The Planetary Society: https://bsky.app/profile/planetarysociety.bsky.social
undefined
Apr 6, 2025 • 38min

Episode 181: Fungi Everywhere

Guest: Dr. Shi En Kim Fungi are everywhere—from forests to deserts to cities to Star Trek! Science journalist Dr. Shi En Kim beams back aboard to talk about some of the latest developments in fungal research. "Can Fungi Save This Endangered Hawaiian Tree?" by Shi En Kim for Smithsonian Magazine: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/can-fungi-save-this-endangered-hawaiian-tree-180985171/ "Why scientists are enlisting fungi to save endangered plants" by Shi En Kim for Knowable Magazine: https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/food-environment/2025/mycorrhizal-fungi-help-save-endangered-plants-ecosystems "Biocrusts: The secret world living at the surface of drylands" by Shi En Kim for BioScience: https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/advance-article/doi/10.1093/biosci/biae119/7927803 "The Netherlands’ Surprising Bus Stop Bounty" by Shi En Kim for bioGraphic: https://www.biographic.com/the-netherlands-surprising-bus-stop-bounty/ Follow us on Bluesky! Mike: https://bsky.app/profile/miquai.bsky.social Kim: https://bsky.app/profile/goesbykim.bsky.social

The AI-powered Podcast Player

Save insights by tapping your headphones, chat with episodes, discover the best highlights - and more!
App store bannerPlay store banner
Get the app