Explore every episode of the podcast Recycled Electrons

Chris and Rob discuss dusty Martian rovers, the 10th dotastronomy conference and an AI that writes astronomical papers. 

[MP3 Link]

Episode #136. Follow us on Twitter @recycledelec @orbitingfrog and @chrislintott.

Credits:

Audio content Copyright 2011-2018 Chris Lintott and Robert Simpson. Many thanks to the Space Telescope Science Institute for recording space. Podcast Image of lightbulb courtesy of Flickr user bazik (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bazik/395792175/).

Chris quizzes Rob about his upcoming departure from the Zooniverse. There is some brief coverage of news, but also politics, gadgets reviews and other nonsense. A sensible as ever.

[MP3 Link]

Episode #135. If you have anything you’d like us to look at, or any questions you’d like us to answer - use the links at the top of the web page at http://recycledelec.com. Follow us on Twitter @recycledelec @orbitingfrog and @chrislintott.

Credits:

Audio content Copyright 2011-2015 Chris Lintott and Robert Simpson. Many thanks to Oxford Press Office for recording space. Podcast Image of lightbulb courtesy of Flickr user bazik (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bazik/395792175/).

Chris and Rob discuss streetlights, astrology and Ceres: the dwarf planet. There are organic molecules at the centre of a galaxy, and a black hole that’s the wrong size.

Links:

• Ceres is getting odd: http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2015/02/26/ceres_shiny_spot_is_actually_twins.html
  
• Astrology on the NHS: http://boingboing.net/2015/02/25/uk-tory-mp-says-astrology-woul.html
  
• New jobs at Zooniverse: http://daily.zooniverse.org/2015/02/23/two-new-jobs-at-the-zooniverse/
  
• Organic molecules around a black hole: http://alma.mtk.nao.ac.jp/e/news/pressrelease/20150226alma_revealed_surprisingly_mild_environment_around_a_supermassive_black_hole_1.html
  
• Astronauts and street lamps http://io9.com/how-to-hack-your-street-lamps-like-an-astronaut-1686876944
  

[MP3 Link]

Episode #134. If you have anything you’d like us to look at, or any questions you’d like us to answer - use the links at the top of the web page at http://recycledelec.com. Follow us on Twitter @recycledelec @orbitingfrog and @chrislintott.

Credits:

Audio content Copyright 2011-2015 Chris Lintott and Robert Simpson. Many thanks to Oxford Press Office for recording space. Podcast Image of lightbulb courtesy of Flickr user bazik (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bazik/395792175/).

Chris and Rob are joined by Lovely Scottish Grant and Becky Smethurst for an expanded-panel Recycled Electrons. We discuss Mars One, Mars’s mysterious plumes, and astronomers on Twitter. Also: Super Mario.

Links:

• A near miss: http://www.rochester.edu/newscenter/scholz-star/
  
• Cube sat mission ideas: http://www.planetary.org/blogs/guest-blogs/van-kane/0217-planetary-cubesats-begin-to-come-of-age.html
  
• Scientists slow the speed of light:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-30944584
  
• Mystery Mars haze ‘baffles’ scientists: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-31491805
  
• Mars/Moon/Venus Conjunction on Feb 20th: http://www.universetoday.com/118906/catch-a-conjunction-triple-play-on-february-20th-as-the-moon-meets-venus-mars/
  
• Rosetta is taking really close-up shots now: http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2015/02/16/rosetta_closeup_photos_from_a_low_pass_over_the_surface.html
  
• We don’t know what hit Chelyabinsk: http://www.psi.edu/news/papervishnu
  
• Astronomers on Twitter: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0106086
  
• Wikipedia sonification: http://listen.hatnote.com/
  

[MP3 Link]

Episode #133. If you have anything you’d like us to look at, or any questions you’d like us to answer - use the links at the top of the web page at http://recycledelec.com. Follow us on Twitter @recycledelec @orbitingfrog and @chrislintott.

Credits:

Audio content Copyright 2011-2015 Chris Lintott and Robert Simpson. Many thanks to Oxford Press Office for recording space. Podcast Image of lightbulb courtesy of Flickr user bazik (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bazik/395792175/).

Chris is in Hawaii and Rob is not(!). They talk about observing at the CSO, the differing views of scientists and the public, and the new UK-based Twinkle exoplanet mission.

Links:

• (American) Public vs. (AAAS) Scientists http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/01/29/public-and-scientists-views-on-science-and-society/
  
• Curiosity form above: http://gizmodo.com/nasas-curiosity-rover-looks-like-a-tiny-pimple-on-mars-1684492070
  
• First images from New Horizons of Pluto and Charon: http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2015/02041311-new-horizons-returns-first.html
  

[MP3 Link]

Episode #132. If you have anything you’d like us to look at, or any questions you’d like us to answer - use the links at the top of the web page at http://recycledelec.com. Follow us on Twitter @recycledelec @orbitingfrog and @chrislintott.

Credits:

Audio content Copyright 2011-2015 Chris Lintott and Robert Simpson. Many thanks to Oxford Press Office for recording space. Podcast Image of lightbulb courtesy of Flickr user bazik (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bazik/395792175/).

Chris and Rob talk about advanced robotics, supernovae in M82, and the rise and fall of the BICEP2 results. There are Yellowballs in the Milky Way, and a lovely Philae GIF.

Links:

• Philae GIF http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/30/7953217/philae-lander-descent-comet-67p-esa-rosetta
  
• The BICEP bubbles bursts https://telescoper.wordpress.com/2015/01/30/the-bicep2-bubble-bursts/ and http://sci.esa.int/planck/55362-planck-gravitational-waves-remain-elusive/
  
• M82 from LOFAR: http://www.chalmers.se/en/centres/oso/news/Pages/Lofars-record-sharp-image-gives-astronomers–a-new-view-of-galaxy-M-82.aspx
  
• Yellowballs: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4462
  
• A nice merger : http://www.spacetelescope.org/news/heic1503/
  
• A movie of a laser beam pulse at super high frame rate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq0H4-nvBB8
  
• Making robots that can do better than us http://io9.com/atlas-the-pentagons-humanoid-robot-just-got-a-major-u-1680654984
  
• MWP made APOD http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150131.html with the Yellow balls

[MP3 Link]

Episode #131. If you have anything you’d like us to look at, or any questions you’d like us to answer - use the links at the top of the web page at http://recycledelec.com. Follow us on Twitter @recycledelec @orbitingfrog and @chrislintott.

Credits:

Audio content Copyright 2011-2015 Chris Lintott and Robert Simpson. Many thanks to Oxford Press Office for recording space. Podcast Image of lightbulb courtesy of Flickr user bazik (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bazik/395792175/).

Some QVC hosts have been discussing the Moon, Dawn has a new view of Ceres, and New Horizons is closing in on Pluto. Rosetta is starting to get data about its comet, and the Planetary Society is going to build a Solar Sail.

Links:

• Science literacy and QVC: http://www.pleated-jeans.com/2015/01/15/qvc-hosts-literally-dont-know-what-the-moon-is/

• New Horizons is approaching the Pluto system http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-30954673

• Rich algae blooms under Earth’s polar ice: http://laughingsquid.com/submersible-vehicle-discovers-rich-algae-blooms-beneath-polar-ice-in-areas-previously-thought-barren/

• Dawn’s new view of Ceres: http://www.universetoday.com/118325/heres-dawns-best-view-of-ceres-yet/

• Planetary Society Lightsail : http://www.planetary.org/press-room/releases/2015/planetary-society-announces.html

• An asteroid comes to visit:
  http://www.skyandtelescope.com/press-releases/asteroid-2004-bl86/

• Rosetta results: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta/Getting_to_know_Rosetta_s_comet

• A dimming quasar: http://news.yale.edu/2015/01/22/black-hole-diet-creates-changing-look-quasar

• Fast Radio Burst: http://www.caastro.org/news/2015-livefrb

• Adler is crowdfunding an exhibit: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/adler-planetarium-mission-moon-exhibition

• Cheese or Font: cheeseorfont.com

[MP3 Link]

Episode #130. If you have anything you’d like us to look at, or any questions you’d like us to answer - use the links at the top of the web page at http://recycledelec.com. Follow us on Twitter @recycledelec @orbitingfrog and @chrislintott.

Credits:

Audio content Copyright 2011-2015 Chris Lintott and Robert Simpson. Many thanks to Oxford Press Office for recording space. Podcast Image of lightbulb courtesy of Flickr user bazik (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bazik/395792175/).

Beagle 2 has been found, intact, on the surface of Mars! Planck is the height of a small giraffe, and Lovejoy is blazing across the Northern sky. Chris and Rob talk about many things from the last three weeks.

Links:

• Two more planets: http://www.universetoday.com/118252/astronomers-are-predicting-at-least-two-more-large-planets-in-the-solar-system/

• Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, and Jupiter - visible in one evening http://sumzzal.com/data/imgupload/2015/01/06/20150106015605_20150105160805201.gif

• Falling onto Titan - 10 years since Huygens: http://io9.com/heres-what-it-looks-like-to-fall-to-titan-from-space-1679545272

• Comet Lovejoy’s tail flapping in the (solar) wind: http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2015/01/14/comet_lovejoy_animation_of_the_tail_movement.html

• China puts orbiter around the Moon to image potential landing sites

  http://cir.ca/news/china-in-space

• Game Recreates Entire Galaxy, 1,000 Players Determined To Explore It

  http://kotaku.com/one-thousand-gamers-embark-to-explore-the-entire-galaxy-1677603818

• PH3c: http://daily.zooniverse.org/2015/01/05/phvii/

• We found Beagle 2! http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2015-01/14/mars-probe-beagle

• Circa: http://cir.ca/

[MP3 Link]

Episode #129. If you have anything you’d like us to look at, or any questions you’d like us to answer - use the links at the top of the web page at http://recycledelec.com. Follow us on Twitter @recycledelec @orbitingfrog and @chrislintott.

Credits:

Audio content Copyright 2011-2015 Chris Lintott and Robert Simpson. Many thanks to Oxford Press Office for recording space. Podcast Image of lightbulb courtesy of Flickr user bazik (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bazik/395792175/).

In the last episode of 2014, Chris and Rob discuss methane on Mars, the hacking of the .Astronomy meeting, and the nature of time itself. No biggie.

Links:

• .Astronomy 6 [lists and links to hacks within]

• 2 arrows of time

[MP3 Link]

Episode #128. If you have anything you’d like us to look at, or any questions you’d like us to answer - use the links at the top of the web page at http://recycledelec.com. Follow us on Twitter @recycledelec @orbitingfrog and @chrislintott.

Credits:

Audio content Copyright 2011-2014 Chris Lintott and Robert Simpson. Many thanks to Oxford Press Office for recording space. Podcast Image of lightbulb courtesy of Flickr user bazik (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bazik/395792175/).

Rob and Chris talk about the latest Philae/Rosetta news, new plans for missions into the Solar System, and men in hats.

Links:

• Higgs Hunters: http://www.higgshunters.org

• Lots of cool ideas for missions on the Planetary Society blog: http://www.planetary.org/blogs/guest-blogs/van-kane/20141125-a-potpourri-of-future-mission.html

• Sonification (Rosetta/Philae) : http://blogs.esa.int/rosetta/2014/11/20/the-sound-of-touchdown/

• Philae to come back to life in March? http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-11/27/rosetta-philae-reddit-ama

• Spotify reveals that we all listened to Aerosmith after the Philae landing https://insights.spotify.com/br/2014/11/21/aerosmith-rosetta-comet/

• ThinkGeek’s solar system shot glasses: http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/2033/?CJID=%zi&istCompanyId=007b6f44-e03c-4536-8b29-58e160067143&istItemId=iaxqlaxwi&istBid=t&cpg=cj&ref=&CJURL=

• Asteroid diamonds are weird : https://asunews.asu.edu/20141120-lonsdaleite

• Map of bolide distribution : http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4380

• Vesta mapping complete : https://asunews.asu.edu/20141117-vesta-map

• Serial: http://serialpodcast.org
  SEN: Sen.com

[MP3 Link]

Episode #127. If you have anything you’d like us to look at, or any questions you’d like us to answer - use the links at the top of the web page at http://recycledelec.com. Follow us on Twitter @recycledelec @orbitingfrog and @chrislintott.

Credits:

Audio content Copyright 2011-2014 Chris Lintott and Robert Simpson. Many thanks to Oxford Press Office for recording space. Podcast Image of lightbulb courtesy of Flickr user bazik (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bazik/395792175/).

Chris and Rob talk about the biggest space news story of the week: the landing of Philae on Comet 67P. Chris was at Mission Control for the whole event - landing, bouncing, shirts, and all.

Links:

• Watching Philae bounce: http://astronomynow.com/2014/11/17/rosettas-osiris-camera-captures-philaes-bounce-across-comet/

• More than science: http://telescoper.wordpress.com/2014/11/15/rosetta-and-philae-so-much-more-than-science/

• For kids: http://www.unawe.org/kids/unawe1449

• First images from Philae: http://www.universetoday.com/116260/new-images-from-philae-reveal-comets-ancient-surface/

• #ShirtGate http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2014/11/12/what-not-to-wear-to-a-comet-landing/

[MP3 Link]

Episode #126. If you have anything you’d like us to look at, or any questions you’d like us to answer - use the links at the top of the web page at http://recycledelec.com. Follow us on Twitter @recycledelec @orbitingfrog and @chrislintott.

Credits:

Audio content Copyright 2011-2014 Chris Lintott and Robert Simpson. Many thanks to Oxford Press Office for recording space. Podcast Image of lightbulb courtesy of Flickr user bazik (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bazik/395792175/).

Chris and Rob talk about the SpaceShipTwo accident and the Antares one too. Not a good week for human spaceflight. There’s also electrolysis with pencils, and a not-rainbow.

Links:

• Stunning sunlit seas on Titan: http://io9.com/a-stunning-view-of-sunlit-seas-on-titan-1653204944/+spacemika
• SpaceShipTwo: http://www.universetoday.com/115869/virgin-galactics-spaceshiptwo-suffers-in-flight-anomaly-crashes-in-flight-test
• You can’t fly through a rainbow: http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/oct/29/fly-over-rainbow-break-laws-physics
• Chang’e 5 T1 returns amazing image of Moon and Earth: http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2014/10280900-change-5-t1-rounds-the-lunar.html
• Electrolysis of Water with pencils and a 9V battery http://orbitingfrog.com/2014/11/02/electrolysis-of-water-with-pencils-and-a-9v-battery

[MP3 Link]

Episode #125. If you have anything you’d like us to look at, or any questions you’d like us to answer - use the links at the top of the web page at http://recycledelec.com. Follow us on Twitter @recycledelec @orbitingfrog and @chrislintott.

Credits:

Audio content Copyright 2011-2014 Chris Lintott and Robert Simpson. Many thanks to Oxford Press Office for recording space. Podcast Image of lightbulb courtesy of Flickr user bazik (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bazik/395792175/).

Chris and Grant discuss the Comet that flew by Mars this week, strange organic molecules in Titan’s atmosphere, and the Rosetta mission, naturally. There is no Rob, but console yourself knowing that he typed this for you.

Links:

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-29661446

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deinocheirus

• http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta/Name_Rosetta_mission_s_landing_site

• http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/oct/20/comet-siding-spring-skims-close-to-mars-after-million-year-journey and http://mars.nasa.gov/comets/sidingspring/images/?ImageID=6682 and http://mars.nasa.gov/comets/sidingspring/images/?ImageID=6677

• http://www.science20.com/news_articles/the_strange_organic_molecules_in_titans_atmosphere-147536

[MP3 Link]

Episode #124. If you have anything you’d like us to look at, or any questions you’d like us to answer - use the links at the top of the web page at http://recycledelec.com. Follow us on Twitter @recycledelec @orbitingfrog and @chrislintott.

Credits:

Audio content Copyright 2011-2014 Chris Lintott and Robert Simpson. Many thanks to Oxford Press Office for recording space. Podcast Image of lightbulb courtesy of Flickr user bazik (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bazik/395792175/).

Rob and Chris talk about Uranus, moons, and nuclear fusion. May be there’s dark matter, maybe there’s not - and what angle should canned whipped cream be sprayed at?

Links:

• Ice on Mercury : http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/news_room/details.php?id=266
• Bruno Merin’s lovely multi-wavelength gallery http://brunomerin.com/slider/menu.html

• Optimal angle for spraying whipped cream: http://laughingsquid.com/a-father-and-his-two-kids-conduct-an-experiment-to-find-the-optimal-angle-for-spraying-whipped-cream/
• Lockheed announce fusion ‘breakthrough’ http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/oct/15/lockheed-breakthrough-nuclear-fusion-energy and http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/10/16/experts_skeptical_over_lockheed_martins_claims_to_have_cracked_fusion/
• UK Space Weather centre opening in Exeter: http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-10/09/uk-space-weather-forecasting-centre
• Mimas : http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4342
• Have we found dark matter? : http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/press/press-releases/2014/october/inexplicable-signal-from-the-unseen-universe-provides-tantalising-clue-about-one-of-astronomys-greatest-secrets-2013-dark-matter
• Hubble finds KBOs : http://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/october/nasa-s-hubble-telescope-finds-potential-kuiper-belt-targets-for-new-horizons/

[MP3 Link]

Episode #123. If you have anything you’d like us to look at, or any questions you’d like us to answer - use the links at the top of the web page at http://recycledelec.com. Follow us on Twitter @recycledelec @orbitingfrog and @chrislintott.

Credits:

Audio content Copyright 2011-2014 Chris Lintott and Robert Simpson. Many thanks to Oxford Press Office for recording space. Podcast Image of lightbulb courtesy of Flickr user bazik (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bazik/395792175/).

Rob and Chris talk about rainbows, comets, and Hollywood. There’s a cool new pulsar in M82 and an awesome new artwork on the web.

Links:

• Rosetta Captures Thrilling Close-Up Image Of Comet “Firing Its Jets” http://t.co/roTLYnX5qG

• A nanosecond on/in the Sun - one of the best ‘What If’s ever. (The What If book is excellent too BTW) http://t.co/YkfMvzhy2R

• A Full Circle Rainbow over Australia on APOD http://t.co/LaKfmvxw8g

• How to prove Hollywood favours men : http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-to-measure-women-film-annenberg

• Halley’s not coming back : http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/here-comes-halley-keep-your-eyes-peeled-for-a-cosmic-fireworks-display-later-this-month-9775958.html

• Spectacular pulsar : https://www.llnl.gov/news/aroundthelab/2014/Oct/ATL100914_star.html

• Talk is Fundraising for Children in Need by walking 1km to school http://t.co/DoGuSFaShp

• Weneedus.org (and the recession vending machine)

[MP3 Link]

Episode #122. If you have anything you’d like us to look at, or any questions you’d like us to answer - use the links at the top of the web page at http://recycledelec.com. Follow us on Twitter @recycledelec @orbitingfrog and @chrislintott.

Credits:

Audio content Copyright 2011-2014 Chris Lintott and Robert Simpson. Many thanks to Oxford Press Office for recording space. Podcast Image of lightbulb courtesy of Flickr user bazik (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bazik/395792175/).

Rob and Chris talk about quasi-moons, spiders, and media coverage of science. There’s data visualisations of Earth and new arrivals around Mars.

Links:

• Interplanetary Lobbing: http://www.strudel.org.uk/lob/

• Spiders on Twitter: http://www.geert.io/spiders-on-twitter.html
• Earth observation in many flavours: http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/details.cgi?aid=4205&button=search&value=None
• Turn your smartphone into a cosmic ray detector : http://www.news.wisc.edu/23166
• …or an IR camera (for $200!) http://www.thermal.com

• 2014 OL339 - a quasi-satellite of the Earth (http://arxiv.org/abs/1409.5588, @blobrana)

• Interview with Elon Musk: http://aeon.co/magazine/technology/the-elon-musk-interview-on-mars/

• In our time on exoplanets : http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03brwql

• Science Visualisation Studio: http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/index.html

[MP3 Link]

Episode #121. If you have anything you’d like us to look at, or any questions you’d like us to answer - use the links at the top of the web page at http://recycledelec.com. Follow us on Twitter @recycledelec @orbitingfrog and @chrislintott.

Credits:

Audio content Copyright 2011-2014 Chris Lintott and Robert Simpson. Many thanks to Oxford Press Office for recording space. Podcast Image of lightbulb courtesy of Flickr user bazik (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bazik/395792175/).

Rob and Chris talk about today’s Planck results and their impact on BICEP2’s measurement of cosmic inflation. There’s also a new orbiter around Mars, the Ig Nobles, and a way to spy on penguins… for science.

Links:

• Penguin Watch: http://www.penguinwatch.org

• Planck vs BICEP2: http://arxiv.org/abs/1409.5738

• The Ig Nobles http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/sep/19/ig-nobel-prize-british-researchers-win

• Boarding aeroplanes faster/better: http://flightclub.jalopnik.com/mythbusters-proves-most-airlines-board-planes-all-wrong-1636981904/+laurendavis

[MP3 Link]

Episode #120. If you have anything you’d like us to look at, or any questions you’d like us to answer - use the links at the top of the web page at http://recycledelec.com. Follow us on Twitter @recycledelec @orbitingfrog and @chrislintott.

Credits:

Audio content Copyright 2011-2014 Chris Lintott and Robert Simpson. Many thanks to Oxford Press Office for recording space. Podcast Image of lightbulb courtesy of Flickr user bazik (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bazik/395792175/).