Hello all! Welcome back to The Cosmic Companion! I’m James G. Maynard.

Today, we’re talking about humanity’s drive to reach new heights — literally! From the earliest dreams of flight to the thrilling reality of space exploration, we’ll be taking a look at why we soar.

Our special guest today is none other than former NASA astronaut Cady Coleman, who will share her experiences and insights on what it takes to reach for the stars, as well as the best within us all. 

But first, let’s take a journey through time to see how our fascination with flight has taken us from Kitty Hawk to the International Space Station and beyond!

What do we know about Venus? What do we not know? Stephen Kane, planetary astrophysicist at UC Riverside, joins us to uncover the science and unanswered questions about Venus.

Hello everyone!

This week on The Cosmic Companion, we explore exploration, exploring the human need to… explore. Later in the show, we’ll be talking with Jon Waterman, creator of Atlas of Wild America from National Geographic.

From the dawn of time, humans have been driven by a primal urge: the need to explore. This innate curiosity has shaped our history, propelling us from the confines of caves to the vast expanse of our planet, and beyond.

Let’s take a detour down memory lane. Somewhere between 75,000 and 50,000 years ago, a group of mobile Homo sapiens decided to take humankind’s first road trip out of Africa. Even without roads. Talk about wanderlust! This migration wasn’t just a change of scenery — it resulted in a monumental shift for our species, shaping human evolution.

Jon Waterman appears on The Cosmic Companion 4 November 2023. Creative Commons 4.0 Attribution 2023 The Cosmic Companion.

And who could forget the Ancient Greeks and Phoenicians? They were among the original sea-faring explorers, navigating the Mediterranean long before GPS and Google Maps. 

Wait. [HOLD EARBUD] I’m getting a notification that we have a surprise guest on the show this week. Yes, (is this real? are you sure, Max? Wow. Ok.) Everyone, in a special chronophone interview from 330 BCE, please welcome famed navigator, astronomer, and all-around curious fellow, Pytheas. 

 — 

χαίρετε! Name’s Pytheas. I’m just your average merchant from Massilia… what? Oh, it’s somewhere in what you would call the Provence region of southern France. 

Anyway, I’ve always had this thing for stories. The wilder, the better. [FULL OPEN] More than 23 centuries before your time, I heard tales of mythical lands, strange creatures, and seas that stretch beyond the horizon. Most folks just dismissed them as sailor’s yarns. No, no. That’s a thing. You’d be surprised how many sailors enjoy macrame…

But me? Hearing these stories, I thought, “Why not go check out these legends for myself?” So, I packed my bags and set sail.

Now, let me tell you, sailing the Mediterranean is a piece of honey cake. But the Atlantic? That’s a whole different kettle of fish. Literally. The fish are different. Heh heh. Fish…

Anyway, there I was, circumnavigating the land you call Britain, or as it went by in its youth, Britannia. I always had a knack for astronomy, and I even figured out the North Star isn’t exactly north. Also, I realized that the Moon plays a role in tides. Good to know when you’re spending months or years at sea.

But I wasn’t on the boat all the time. I also got to walk around parts of Britannia, including the legendary tin mines of Cornwall. The people there call themselves the Briton Celtics. I didn’t even know they played basketball.

But, up north, the real highlight was the midnight sun. Imagine this: it’s the middle of the night, but the sun is still shining brightly. Great for getting more science done, if not for sleeping outdoors.

So there you have it. I’m just a regular guy on an extraordinary journey. Not only did I prove legends of northern Europe true, but I also wound up with a good story or two to tell.

Any idea where I can hitch a ride on a rocket?

 —  

Maritime voyages of Ancient Greeks and Phoenicians not only expanded their trade routes but also led to advancements in astronomy, geography, and navigation. Talk about making waves!

Then there was Marco Polo, the original globetrotter. [ARE WE TALKING BASKETBALL AGAIN?] His travels to Asia were like the ultimate vacation slideshow, except instead of awkward family photos, he brought back tales of exotic lands and cultures that blew everyone’s medieval minds.

[MARCO POLO: Dude. I LITERALLY hung out with Kublai Kahn in Xanadu. No way you’re going to top that!]

And let’s not forget about those brave souls who dared to explore the icy wilderness of Antarctica and the towering heights of Mt. Everest. These explorers faced harsh conditions and extreme dangers, but their spirit of adventure and discovery pushed them forward. 

Their journeys expanded our understanding of these remote places, while testing the limits of human endurance.

Fortunately for us all, not all exploration is that strenuous, or hazardous. 

Next up on The Cosmic Companion, we welcome Jon Waterman from National Geographic to the show. We’ll be discussing the human drive to explore, and his new Atlas of Wild America. 

Fast forward to the 20th century, and our thirst for exploration led us to the final frontier: space. The Apollo missions were like an interplanetary camping trip — with fewer s’mores and more moon dust. When Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon in 1969, it was a giant leap not just for mankind, but for our collective spirit of discovery.

As we look to the future in the 21st Century, the spirit of exploration continues to thrive. With advancements in technology, we’re not just exploring physical spaces but also virtual ones. The rise of virtual and augmented reality technologies, together with artificial intelligence, has opened up new frontiers for exploration, allowing us to experience places and ideas in ways previously unimaginable.

As we stand on the precipice of a new era in space exploration — with missions to Mars and beyond on the horizon — we are reminded that exploration is not just about reaching new frontiers but also about pushing our limits and striving for a better understanding of our place in the universe.

As we explore the depths of our oceans, the vastness of space, and virtual worlds — we carry with us this indomitable spirit of curiosity. Our future may lie in the words of J.R.R. Tolkien, who said, “Not all those who wander are lost.” 

So go ahead, pack your bags (don’t forget your towel!) [TOWEL], and let’s set off on our next adventure, becoming a better, wiser, species than we were before we took our first steps away from the familiar. Because at its core, that’s what exploration is all about.

The Cosmic Companion is starting the first half of our winter break, taking three weeks off. After all the dumb jokes and crazy costumes this year, we need it! 

We will come back on 2 December, getting The Inside Story on Planets, talking with physicist Sabine Stanley from Johns Hopkins University. We’ll be discussing her new book, What’s Hidden Inside Planets? Make sure to join us then. 

If you enjoyed this episode of The Cosmic Companion, please download, follow, share, send large sums of money to us, like, and comment on our show. 

Have a great Thanksgiving and we will see you all on 2 December. Bring a plus one. 

Clear skies!

James

The Cosmic Companion w/ James Maynard is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

COLD OPEN:

Oh, great. 21st-Century Earth. Smells like… [sniff-sniff] humans. 

[“Wow, a real-life space chimp!”]

Yes, yes, marvel at the space chimp. I’m not here for your amusement, you know!

[‘I gotta get a selfie with you!’]

What is this with you humans and your social media?

[CARS WHIZZ BY]

This must be what they call a “rat race.” I know rats, and they would never create this sort of society. It’s like humans are in a never-ending hurry to… well, I’m not quite sure why they’re in a hurry.

[Are you here to take over?]

Take over? Why would I want to take over this mess? This world would be a much better place if everyone just watched The Cosmic Companion, you know!

[What are your future plans?]

If I ever get back to my own time, I’m going to become a sci-fi filmmaker. I’ll create a film called Planet of the Humans…

Action! 

On 10 December, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and the Moon will all line up just after sunset.   Here's a look at what's happening, and how to get the most out of this dazzling display!

Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion. This week, we are delighted to be joined by one of the world's most renowned oceanographers, Dr. Sylvia Earle. She's here to talk to us about her new book, National Geographic Ocean | A Global Odyssey. We're going to get an in-depth look at the oceans of our home world.

We're also going to take a look up in the sky, as a trio of planets line up with the Moon, and the Geminid meteor shower aims to delight skygazers. And, we look in on an odd planet that is really metal. No, seriously. It's metal.

The Geminid meteor shower arrives on the night of 13 December 2021.   We take a look at how to view this display, where to look in the sky, and we take a glimpse at an alignment of planets happening on the other side of the sky. Cats may be involved for video viewers.

Matthew Bothwell, author of The Invisible Universe, discusses the 93% of "ordinary" matter we cannot see with the human eye - radio, infrared, ultraviolet astronomy, and more...    

This week on Astronomy News with the Cosmic Companion, we also look at how machine learning recently discovered hundreds of unknown planets, we explore a massive world hotter than some stars, and Dart lifts off on a mission that could help us save the planet.

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we take a close-up look at asteroids – those lumps or rock, metal, and ice racing around our solar system. We're going to examine five major missions happening right now, examining asteroids, and potentially, saving us from the fate of the dinosaurs.

Bill Bottke, Director of Space Studies at the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) joins us talking about the Psyche mission, exploring a metal-rich asteroid for the first time.

We will also be joined by Esen Ercan Alp, senior physicist at Argonne National Laboratory, one of the few people in the world studying samples from the asteroid Ryugu returned from Haybusa2.

In addition, we examine the Dart mission – the first-ever test in space, deflecting an asteroid by impacting it with a spacecraft!

Together, we explore the OSIRIS-REx mission to Bennu, and hear from Cathy Olkin of SwRI, telling us of the journey of Lucy to the Trojan asteroids of Jupiter.

All this and more in this week's episode of Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion!

Next week 30 November (s5/e20): Matthew Bothwell talks about his new book, The Invisible Universe. He’ll tell us about the Universe we can’t see with our eyes. Subscribe or follow today and never miss an episode!

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome Dr. Rosanne Di Stefano from the Center for Astrophysics to the show, talking about her work finding the first planet yet seen in another galaxy.

We also look in on the ailing Hubble Space Telescope, as that famed instrument unexpectedly shuts down. We're going to examine the first signs of water within a galaxy in the ancient Cosmos, and we will look up in the night sky as Uranus offers amateur astronomers a prime chance to view that world.

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, Dr. Tara Murphy from the University of Sydney joins us, looking at an odd radio burst seen near the center of the Milky Way galaxy.

We will also look at a possible discovery of a planet in another galaxy, and examine a massive solar flare that nearly missed Earth over the weekend. Finally, we will head out to Jupiter, where NASA's Juno spacecraft made some intriguing new findings, before welcoming our special guest.

The Science of Halloween featuring Erika Engelhaupt, author of Gory Details: Adventures from the Dark Side of Science.   

Plus - Would Aliens Eat Humans? Extinction from an Asteroid, and the Scariest Objects in the Night Sky!

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome Dr. Jenifer Millard  to the show. She is a science journalist and co-presenter of the Awesome Astronomy podcast, and we will talk about amateur astronomy and bringing science to the masses. We're also going to hear from Dr. Tara Murphy of the University of Sydney about her recent discovery of strange radio signals coming from near the center of the Milky Way.

In addition, we learn of a solar system that looks much like our own family of planets will in the distant future, following the death of our Sun. Plus, we look in on those odd radio signals from near the center of our galaxy, and get a sneak preview of our upcoming conversation with Dr. Murphy.

Next week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion: Dr. Jenifer Millard, host of The Awesome Astronomy Podcast, talks about astronomy, star parties, and the wonder of science. Listen to the sneak preview! 

plus Esen Ercan Alp of Argonne National Laboratory – one of the few people to have seen samples from the asteroid Ryugu!

Full interview drops 19 October.

Future episodes:

26 October (s5/e16): Halloween Special! The science of Halloween with Erika Engelhaupt, author of Gory Details.

2 November (s5/e17): Professor Tara Murphy, University of Sydney, on strange radio signals coming from near the center of our galaxy.

9 November (s5/e18): NASA’s Psyche Mission to the Asteroid Belt! Guest TBA

Subscribe or follow us today, and never miss an episode!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE! (I mean, BOO!)

This week on The Cosmic Companion, for our Halloween Special, we’ll be looking at The Top 10 Ways Space is Trying to Kill You! Later in the show, we’ll be talking with astrophysicist and science educator Ethan Siegel, host of Starts with a Bang!

What is ASKAP J173608.2-321635 - the strange radio burst from near the center of the Milky Way? We talk with Professor Tara Murphy of the University of Sydney, who helped lead this discovery.   

Here's a sneak preview - enjoy!

Full interview drops 2 November. Follow or subscribe today and never miss an episode.

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome NASA legend Homer Hickam to the show. The inspiration for the movie October Sky talks about growing up in a West Virginia coal-mining town, his new book, Don’t Blow Yourself Up, and... teaching David Letterman how to SCUBA dive?  

But first, we look in on an extreme exoplanet where iron rains down from the sky, we join NASA as they ready to deflect an asteroid for the first time, and we will join a Russian film crew which recently arrived at the ISS, preparing to shoot the first movie in space.  

Listen to this interview with Homer Hickam here, or watch the video version of this episode at: https://youtu.be/Y1QzOHO-HyI

Amateur astronomers have a lot to look up to in October 2021.   Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, and the Moon all put on dazzling shows, plus a pair of meteor showers!



Listen to the podcast here, or watch the video version of this guide to the night sky at: https://youtu.be/-9a9klMgJ2o

A look at robotics and artificial intelligence in space as NASA's Trey Smith and Jose Benavides visit Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion!  

But first, we look at a triple star system that may be home to an odd exoplanet, we ride along with the BepiColombo craft exploring Mercury, and we talk about what's coming to the night sky in October!  

Listen to the podcast here, or watch the video version of this episode at: https://youtu.be/PrqyFLHvbaw

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we talk with Roman Chiporuhka, CEO of Space VIP, about the future of private spaceflight, and what it could mean for the future of humanity.  

We'll also take a look at the VIPER spacecraft which will soon scout locations for the return of humans to the Moon. Then, we'll head out to Mars, hearing about a new study showing water on Mars may have been doomed from the start. We're also going to take a look at light from a distant galaxy, seen as an Einstein ring in a new image from the Hubble Space Telescope.

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome Dillon Dong, a graduate student at Caltech to the show. We're going to talk about his work discovering a previously-unseen type of supernova eruption.  

But first, we learn about a supernova due for a return engagement, we hear how Steve Wozniak could be entering the space salvage business, and we will look in on Inspiration 4, the first all-civilian flight to space.

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome Dr. Cathy Olkin from the Southwest Research Institute to the show. We will talk about Lucy – the first mission to explore the Trojan asteroids of Jupiter.  

But first, we look in on an unusual radio signal coming from near the center of our galaxy. Next, we journey out to the International Space Station, where a signal from a smoke alarm caused concern prior to a spacewalk. Finally, we explore the Cosmos in the most-detailed virtual universe yet created before welcoming our special guest.  

Listen to the podcast version of this episode here, or watch it as a video at: https://youtu.be/0cXJIEymjnc.  



Next week: Dillon Dong, graduate student at Caltech, talking about discovering a new type of supernova!  Please subscribe or follow today, and never miss an episode!

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome CHIME member Kaitlyn Shin to the show, and she's going to  teach us about fast radio bursts coming from space.

But first, we look at a new study showing that stars eating planets may be more common than we thought, a new type of supernova is seen by astronomers as a black hole or neutron star collides with its parent star, and China takes the first steps toward building a space station a kilometer long.



Listen to the podcast here, or watch this episode as a video at: https://youtu.be/cvs0vvAgDbA

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome Geoff Notkin to the show. He is the two-time Emmy Awarding-winning host of STEM Journals, and he hosted Meteorite Men on the Science Channel. He’s going to tell us all about meteorites!   

But first, we discuss the future of space stations as the ISS nears the end of its operational life. We also find that supermassive black holes wandering through space may be more common than we thought, and we hear about the discovery of an asteroid by someone who is very familiar to fans of Star Trek.



Listen to the podcast here, or watch this episode as a video at: https://youtu.be/0axG2zDOd1s

Good news: We have Geoff Notkin, Emmy Award-winning host of Meteorite Men and STEM Journals on next week, talking about meteorites, and his adventures searching the globe for treasures from space.

Better news: We have a sneak preview of the episode for you right now! Enjoy!

Hello Everyone!

This week on The Cosmic Companion, we are Seeing the Invisible. We’ll be discussing how astronomers study objects in space which are invisible to the human eye. 

Later on, we will be talking with Anand Varma, creator of a new book, Invisible Wonders: Photographs of the Hidden World, from National Geographic.

The premiere episode of our newest short-form series, Cosmic Connections!



This week, we explore the connections between a nebula in space called the Dragons of Ara, and learn its connections to woolly mammoths, floods, and more! 

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we have a special double interview as we welcome Dr. Richard Teague from the Center for Astrophysics to the show, talking about finding the first moon ever discovered in another solar system. We will also talk with Dr. Davide Farnocchia, asteroid dynamicist at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, about the asteroid Bennu, which could be headed for a collision with Earth (but, probably not).

We also have an exploding star, and we take a look at the development of robotic attendants aboard space stations and colonies of the future.



Listen to the podcast version of this episode here, or watch the video version at: https://youtu.be/FPqJRN68VXA

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome Dr. Jonathan Lunine, chair of the astronomy department at Cornell University to the show, telling us all about the volcanoes of Venus!  But first, we journey out to the L 98-59 planetary system, exploring a trio of intriguing exoplanets. 

Next, we take a trip out to the Trojan asteroids of Jupiter, along with the Lucy spacecraft, as it readies for launch. Finally, we ready for the Perseid meteor shower, due to rain down to Earth on the nights of the 12th and 13th of August.   New examination of the L 98–59 planetary system reveals hidden details of three exoplanets in that planetary system. One of these is found to have a mass just half that of Venus, while another appears to be a water world. This new study by researchers at the European Southern Observatory also shows evidence for a fourth, and possibly even a fifth world in that stellar system, a mere 35 light years from Earth.  

Listen to the podcast version of the episode here, or watch this show as a video at: https://youtu.be/e0kxpujd1Ok.

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome Dr. Stephanie Ryan to the show. She is the author of Let's Learn About Chemistry, and we will be talking about teaching science to children.  

But first, we look at a new study suggesting clay, not water, may be hidden under the icy  South Pole of Mars. We also examine the radio galaxy Centaurus A in a new light, and look up at Saturn during a close(-ish) approach to Earth.  



New examinations of radar reflections seen on Mars in 2018 suggests these features may be the result of clay, not underground lakes, near the south pole of the Red Planet. When radar images of the south pole of Mars were recorded by the Mars Express orbiter three years ago, researchers suggested the features might be the result of underground water. This was an intriguing possibility. A trio of new papers, however, finds that clay under the surface, not water, may, in fact, be responsible for the data seen by researchers.

Astronomers using the Event Horizon Telescope have carried out the most-detailed observations ever of the radio galaxy Centaurus A. Researchers detailed the source of jets emanating from the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy. Astronomers suggest that examination of this galaxy at shorter wavelengths might produce an image similar to that seen in 2019 of the supermassive black hole in M87, taken by this same network of radio telescopes.

On the night of Monday 2 August, Saturn and Earth made their closest approach to each other for this year. This offered amateur astronomers a chance to view the Ringed Planet at its closest and brightest. The rings are also currently aligned at around 18 degrees from edge-on as seen from Earth, offering stunning views of the rings, and the Moon on Monday stayed hidden until late at night. If you missed this close encounter, Saturn is still shining brightly in the southern sky, anytime after sunset, for most skywatchers in the northern hemisphere.

Listen to this episode as a podcast here, or watch it as a video at: https://youtu.be/1rWxEJjLjEY

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome planetary astrophysicist Dr. Stephen Kane to the show. We discuss the role private spaceflight plays in society and developing science.   

We will also learn about the first discovery of a moon in another solar system. Next, we head to Mars, where the InSight rover has mapped the inner structure of the planet in detail for the first time. Finally, we take a glimpse at a new-generation telescope that could revolutionize astronomy, before welcoming our special guest.  

Listen to the podcast here, or watch the video version of this episode at: https://youtu.be/OJhXYEQmQ80

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome New York Times best-selling author Earl Swift to the show. He recently released a new book, Across the Airless Wilds, the first major history of NASA's lunar buggy.  

We're also going to hear about NASA's latest success story, as the Hubble Space Telescope is successfully repaired, readying to continue exploring the Cosmos. We will also journey out to Venus, looking at the ultimate source of phosphine in the atmosphere of our planetary neighbor. Finally, we learn a possible answer to a 40-year-old mystery about the King of the Solar System, Jupiter.  

Listen to the video version of this episode here, or watch the video version of this episode at: https://bit.ly/TCC-210720-pod.



Please help support The Cosmic Companion with a purchase of Across the Airless Wilds: https://amzn.to/3iwxoNe.

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome Dr. Stella Kafka back to the show. She is CEO of The American Association of Variable Star Observers, and she's going to teach us all about Betelgeuse.  

We are also going to look at the night sky, as Venus, Mars, and the Moon huddle close together. Then, we venture out Enceladus, one of the mighty moons of Saturn, examining its geysers for signs of life. Finally, we journey back to ancient Earth, learning about massive impacts on its young surface.  

Listen to this interview with Stella Kafka here, or watch the video version of this episode at: https://youtu.be/nMuNnhmlEiY.

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we learn how gravitational waves show evidence for a pair of ancient stellar murder mysteries, we meet a white dwarf the size of our Moon, and we pay a visit to our ailing friend, the Hubble Space Telescope.  

This week's scheduled interview with Earl Swift, author of Across the Airless Wilds, has been postponed until July 20, due to technical problems. Make sure to join us then for an inside look at NASA's lunar buggy!   

Listen to the podcast version of this episode here, or watch the video version of this episode at: https://youtu.be/60amV2NtG_c

Catch up on every episode of this show at: www.thecosmiccompanion.tv! Subscribe or follow today and never miss an episode!  

For more details on space and astronomy news, please visit: www.thecosmiccompanion.net.

This week, we visit with Alyssa Mills. She is a graduate student at the University of Alabama, and we will talk about her work studying the largest moon in the Solar System – Ganymede.

We also talk with Pedro Bernardinelli, the astronomer who recently found the largest comet ever seen – and it is coming our way.

We also look in on the Hubble Space Telescope, which is still out of operation, following a computer failure. And, we learn details about Comet Bernardinelli-Bernstein before talking with the astronomer who first found this massive iceberg in space. Finally, we learn about a new study showing which nearby exoplanets are the most-likely places from which to find life on Earth, before we explore Jupiter's massive moon Ganymede with astronomer Alyssa Mills.

Listen to this episode as a podcast here, or watch it as a video at: https://youtu.be/AgmPvdXZJtQ

View our past episodes at: www.thecosmiccompanion.tv

Subscribe to this channel today, and never miss an episode!

This week, we welcome Brittany Zimmerman to the show. She is CEO of Yummet, an organization developing technology for living in space, as well as preserving our environment right here on Earth. We also check in on new findings about Betelgeuse, explained by Dr. Stella Kafka of the American Association of Variable Star Observers!

But first, we look in on the Hubble Space Telescope, as that famed instrument powers down, following a computer failure. Next, we look at a new study examining the causes of the recent dimming of the star Betelgeuse. Finally, we journey out to a pair of distant galaxies that appear to be missing one critical ingredient – dark matter.

Listen to the podcast here or watch the video version of this episode at: https://youtu.be/gLA-860WDME

Global warming and climate change is happening all around us. We look at the science of climate change, talking with Elizabeth Rusch, author of The 21.

---

This week on The Cosmic Companion, we look at Global Warming - It's Not Just Hot Air! We will be talking with Elizabeth Rusch, author of The 21. 

Climate change, the ultimate uninvited guest, has been making itself quite comfortable lately. It's like that distant cousin who shows up unannounced, cranks up the heat, and then leaves the door open.

The science behind global warming is as fascinating as it is concerning.

Since the Industrial Revolution, we've been burning fossil fuels like a barbecue at a Texas tailgate party, releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere...

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome Dr. Noah Petro, Project Scientist for the NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) to the show. We talk about exploring the lunar surface, the Artemis missions, and the return of humans to the Moon!   

But first, we visit the CHIME radio Telescope in Canada, which recorded 535 fast radio bursts coming from around the Cosmos. Then, we will zoom in on Jupiter's system of moons as the Juno spacecraft records the first closeup images in 20 years of the giant moon Ganymede. Next, we will take a look at a new study finding that moons orbiting gas giants could be home to water, even without a parent star.  

Listen to the podcast version of this episode here, or watch it as a video at: https://youtu.be/JMMC9mBqj5M

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome Dr. Bruce Betts to the show. He is Chief Scientist and LightSail Program Manager for The Planetary Society. We will be talking about near-Earth objects, and how we might protect our world from potentially-hazardous asteroids and comets.

But first, we journey back almost 75,000  years, to a time when the Toba volcano erupted, wiping out much of the human population at that time. Then, we look up at our planetary companion, the Moon, as it  pays visits in the night sky to four planets of our Solar System throughout the month. And, we're gonna tell you how to see it happen.

Plus, we get an inside look at an upcoming book about one of NASA's most-inspiring figures, Katherine Johnson. Finally, before welcoming Dr. Betts to the show, we learn about a solar eclipse taking place this week that's really for the snowbirds!



Listen to the podcast here, or watch the video version of this episode at: https://youtu.be/NmFw2oHcgj4

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we are joined by Dr. Sabine Stanley of Johns Hopkins University. Listen in as we talk about her work using computer modeling to study the atmosphere of Saturn.

But first, we go about as far back in time as we can get, examining conditions in the first millionth of a second after the Big Bang. Next, we learn how oxygen affected ancient forms of life on Earth long ago. Then, we examine a new source of X-rays discovered near the heart of the Milky Way galaxy, and hear how long-period comets can still produce meteor showers in our modern day.

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we take a look at a project that could become the first mission far into the void between the stars – the Interstellar Probe. We'll talk with Dr. Elena Provornikova from Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory about this futuristic mission.  

But first, we journey far back in time, to an era when the Milky Way may have merged with another, smaller galaxy, and learn how that event changed our galaxy. Next, we travel even further back in time and out in space, as evidence suggests one of the most-important constants in cosmology may not be a constant after all. Finally, we look up in the sky, as a lunar eclipse will be visible early Wednesday morning over most of the United States, before welcoming our special guest.



Learn more: The Cosmic Companion » Astronomy News - Exploring the wonders of the Cosmos, one mystery at a time

The Lunar eclipse of May 26th should be a delight for skygazers across the United States - especially those west of the Mississippi!   Here's what's happening, where you can see it, and more!   

This is the first episode of a new idea - The Astronomy Minute! One story, told in 60 seconds or less - what do you think? What do you think - should we make more?   

For more information, visit: The Cosmic Companion » Astronomy News - Exploring the wonders of the Cosmos, one mystery at a time

This week, we take an up-close look at what will be the most-advanced telescope ever to launch into space, the James Webb Space Telescope. We welcome Scott Lambros, Instrument Systems Manager for this remarkable instrument, back to the show!

But first, we look at new evidence for volcanic eruptions on Mars in the surprisingly-recent past. We also head out to the distant void of space as Voyager 1 detects a faint hum which could help us better understand interstellar space. Finally, we turn our sights to the James Webb Space Telescope as it unfurls its massive mirror for the final time on Earth, before talking with our special guest, who just returned from conducting the tests.

This episode is dedicated to the memory of Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins. Thanks for exploring the Cosmos, and liking a couple of my posts - that was awesome.



Listen to the podcast here, or watch the video version of this episode at: https://youtu.be/_yP_eddfaJQ

This week, we talk with Dr. Jack Hughes, astrophysicist at Rutgers University, telling us of new findings about supernovae, the powerful eruptions that can mark the end of life for massive stars.  

But first, we will use computer simulations to peer inside the atmosphere of Saturn. We will look in on an unusual yellow supernova, and find what made this eruption so strange. And, we will look to the future, as researchers plan a massive radio telescope on the far side of the Moon.  The magnetic field of Saturn is surprisingly symmetrical near the poles, a mystery of the ringed planet that might now be explained. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University took data collected during the suicide plunge of the Cassini spacecraft into Saturn, feeding it into computer simulations similar to those used to model weather and climate here on Earth. They found that helium rain falling through the atmosphere of Saturn could explain the oddly-regular nature of this massive magnetic field. 

Join us on June 1st, when we will talk with Professor Sabine Stanley of Johns Hopkins University about this unique study.

This week, we talk with Dr. Stella Kafka, CEO and Executive Director of the American Association of Variable Star Observers. We discuss the human quest for knowledge, amateur astronomy, and, of course, variable stars.  

But, first, we're going to take a look at the future of space exploration, as China successfully launches Tianhe, the first module in their upcoming space station. We will also look forward to the Interstellar Probe, a new idea being designed to view our solar system from the outside, far further than any spacecraft has yet reached.  

Listen to the podcast here or watch the video at:  https://youtu.be/zEKDTDaSEaQ!

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we look at the future of data storage in space, as we talk with Ohad Harlev, CEO of Lyteloop.  

But, first, we examine the case of the missing supernova, an exploding star that should have been seen on Earth three centuries ago - and wasn't. Next, we take a look at the Chinese Space Station Telescope, a new set of eyes readying to explore the Universe. Then, we look in on the first test flights of Ingenuity – the first helicopter ever to fly on another world. Finally, we examine the first-ever production of oxygen on the Martian surface, bringing us one step closer to living on Mars.  

Watch the video here or listen to the podcast version of this episode: https://bit.ly/TCC-210427-pod

Hello, and welcome back to Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion. This week, we have a pair of amazing guests. First, we talk to Joshua Ravich, NASA’s lead mechanical engineer for the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars. We will discuss the design, testing, operation of this remarkable little robotic explorer. Next, we will be joined by Andrew Fazekas, National Geographic's Night Sky Guy, discussing amateur astronomy, science, and exploring the Cosmos.  

But, first, we'll examine a new study showing ways that oxygen might be produced on planets in the absence of life, and what that could mean in the search for extraterrestrial life. Next, we look in on a newly-discovered rocky world not far from our own home. Then, we journey out to the edge of out planetary family, where the New Horizons spacecraft reaches a historic milestone.

Hello everyone! This week on The Cosmic Companion, we are pondering why Greece is the Word, discussing the birth of science in the ancient world, and what it means for us today.

Later on, we'll be talking with Kenny Curtis and Jillian Hughes, hosts of the Greeking Out podcast, and authors of a new book of the same name, from Nat Geo Kids.

Once upon a time, in the sunny lands of Ancient Greece more than 25 centuries ago, a bunch of curious folks decided to ask some big questions. "Why does the sun rise?" "What are stars?" "Why do planets move?". They were tired of attributing everything to the whims of gods. Much like overgrown toddlers, they wanted ANSWERS, and they wanted them NOW! (errr… then)...

Jillian Hughes and Kenny Curtis appear on The Cosmic Companion 7 October 2023. Creative Commons 4.0 Attribution 2023 The Cosmic Companion

The Greeks had a knack for asking questions that were way ahead of their time. More than 2,500 years before our age, a woman named Aspasia was known for holding gatherings of some of the greatest minds of her day, including Plato and Socrates. A gifted conversationalist, tales tell that she founded a school for girls, a groundbreaking advance for the era.  

Democritus of Abdera had the crazy idea that all matter was composed of individual bits, which we call atoms. Building on the work of his mentor, one day around 425 BCE, he may have just been walking around, minding his own business when he thought, "What if everything is made up of tiny, invisible particles?" Boom! The concept of atoms was born.

Then there was Pythagoras who had a thing for triangles. He may have been sitting around one day, doodling triangles in the sand when he realized that the square of the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides. Mind blown! And thus, the Pythagorean theorem came into existence.

During the 4th Century BCE, Hippocrates took one look at medicine and said, "This needs some work." 

[Not my words exactly, but… Yeah, sure.]

He insisted that diseases were not punishments from angry gods but had natural causes that could be studied and treated. This revolutionary idea paved the way for modern medicine.

Not long after, Agnodice of Athens practiced medicine dressed as a man, at a time when women were not allowed to be doctors. Thanks to her, laws in Athens preventing women from becoming doctors were overturned. 

[AGN: You're welcome!]

But it wasn't all work and no play for these ancient scientists. Legend has it that Archimedes discovered his principle while taking a bath. He noticed that the water level rose as he got into his tub and realized this could be used to determine volume. He was so excited that he ran through the streets naked shouting "Eureka!" (which means "I found it!"). Now that's what I call a eureka moment!

The birth of science in ancient Greece is a story of curiosity, ingenuity and occasional naked sprinting through the streets. The ancient Greeks might not have had all the answers, but they sure knew how to ask interesting questions!

With questions come answers, and for a few of each, we're talking with Jillian Hughes and Kenny Curtis about their new podcast and book, Greeking Out, from Nat Geo Kids. 

---

Now. Let's talk about our friend Pythagoras. Remember him? The triangle guy? Well, his theorem is still used today in everything from architecture to video games. Yes, you heard it right! Every time you play a game of Fortnite or Minecraft, Pythagoras is there, making sure everything looks just right.

Next up is Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine. His idea that diseases have natural causes was a game-changer. Today, doctors across the globe follow his principles. So, the next time medicine helps you out, remember to say a silent thank you to Hippocrates (but maybe skip on the leeches and bloodletting).

And who could forget Archimedes? His principle helps us design ships and submarines. And yes, he's also the reason why your bathwater rises when you get in. So, the next time you're enjoying a relaxing bath, spare a thought for Archimedes (and maybe keep your "Eureka!" moment to yourself).

Last but not least, Democritus' atomic theory is at the heart of modern physics and chemistry. It's why we can build everything from skyscrapers to smartphones. So every time you send a text or take a selfie, remember that it's thanks, in part, to a Greek guy who lived over 2000 years ago.

So there you have it! The Ancient Greeks might be long gone, but their discoveries are still very much alive and kicking. It just goes to show that great science never goes out of style!

Next week on The Cosmic Companion, we look at Global Warming: It's Not Just Hot Air!. We'll look at the science of climate change, and how our world could change in the coming decades. We'll be talking with Elizabeth Rusch, author of The Twenty-One, telling the story of a group of young people using the legal system to help reverse climate change.

Make sure to join us, starting on 14 October, anywhere you see or hear The Cosmic Companion. While you are there, go ahead and do all that sharing and subscribing stuff. It'd be pretty cool if you did. Yup. Pretty cool indeed… 

Clear skies!

---

[COLD OPEN]

So this is the future. Interesting.

Well, good evening, everyone! I must say, when I was told I'd be time-traveling, I expected to see the future of Greece, not to land in 'Grease.' However, I am not entirely to blame, by Jove!

Here are "The Top 10 Reasons I Thought Grease was Greece:"

#10 When my agent said he booked me on a tour of Grease, I thought he said Greece. A natural mistake.

#9 I thought I saw young people in togas and a group of Spartan warriors. It turns out they were wearing "poodle skirts" and "leather jackets."

#8 All the spontaneous singing and dancing made me think I was near a Greek theatre.

#7 I saw chariots without horses. I'm a scientist. Studying those was just natural. 

#6 One of the horseless chariots had lightning bolts on it. I naturally believed it to be a chariot of Zeus.

[ZEUS APPEARS

No. Not me. I wouldn't drive anything that ostentatious.

FADE]

#5 The sight of people eating in a diner reminded me of symposiums, though I have been told that wine has been replaced with milkshakes. Those are pretty good, honestly. Have you ever tried a flavor called "chocolate?" 

#4 Hearing about a beauty school dropout, and seeing a woman surrounded by other women in pink, I naturally believed them to be Aphrodite and her priestesses. She still owes me 10 drachma. 

#3 Watching a dance-off at the local gymnasium made me think of athletic competitions in Ancient Greece. Plato would have loved it.

#2 Coming across what I thought was an open-air play, it turned out to be something called a "drive-in movie." I think those are going to be pretty popular in a few decades. 

#1 And, the NUMBER ONE REASON I Thought Grease was Greece is… [DRUM ROLL] Seeing this teenage drama unfold, I mistook it for a Greek tragedy.

OK. I'm ready to go back. Send James Maynard in, already…

[FADE. OFF SCREEN:

-unintelligible-

What do you MEAN the chariot flies? That's ridiculous.

]Clear skies! James

The Cosmic Companion w/ James Maynard is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

The Moon and Mars conjunction of April 16-17 will give skygazers a chance to see these two objects huddled together in the sky.   

Andrew Fazekas, National Geographic's Night Sky Guy, gives us a look at what's happening, and how to see this beautiful display in the night sky.   

Watch the full interview with him on April 20th, when we will talk about amateur astronomy, the human quest for knowledge, and exploring the Cosmos.   

Watch past episodes at: https://thecosmiccompanion.net/astronomy-news-with-the-cosmic-companion 

For more information about Astronomers Without Borders, please visit: https://my.astronomerswithoutborders.org/home

This week, we welcome Affelia Wibisono from University College London to the show, discussing the first discovery of X-rays seen radiating from the ice giant planet Uranus.  

But, next up, we take a look at the oldest, closest pairs of quasars yet seen in the early Universe. We will also look at the pulsar at the core of the Crab Nebula, revealing secrets of these enigmatic bodies. Then, we travel to Mars, examining the first helicopter ever designed to fly on another world, as Ingenuity prepares for its first flight on the Red Planet.  

Listen to the podcast version of this episode here, or watch the video version of this episode at: https://youtu.be/okCLultDsHA

This week, we look forward to Yuri's Night. Monday, April 12th marks the 60th anniversary of the first human space flight, as well as the 40th anniversary of the first flight of the Space Shuttle. We will visit with three-time Shuttle astronaut Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, the first American woman to walk in space. She also just became the first woman to ever visit the deepest spot in the Earth's ocean!  

But first, we discuss Yuri's Night, and look forward to the return of humans to the Moon. We learn about the International Lunar Research Station, a new plan by Russia and China to place dozens of people on the lunar surface on a permanent basis in the coming years. We will also take a look at the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope, one of NASA's next-generation space telescopes, which will soon search our galaxy for unknown worlds. Finally, we will journey out to Uranus, where astronomers see X-rays emanating from the ice giant planet for the first time. 

Listen to the podcast version of this episode here, or watch the video: https://youtu.be/XfTYqpJi5zY