A half-hour dose of cosmic conversation with scientists, educators and students about the cosmos, scientific frontiers, scifi, comics, and more. Hosted by Dr. Charles Liu, PhD, an astrophysicist at the American Museum of Natural History. Support us on Patreon.
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Whatβs it like to watch a solar eclipse with your own eyes? Whatβs actually happening with a solar eclipse? And when can we catch the next 3 solar eclipses?
In this episode of Chuck GPT, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Alice Liu answer audience questions about solar eclipses with a little help from executive producer Leslie βMoonshineβ Mullen and community director Stacey Severn.
Not surprisingly, the dayβs joyfully cool cosmic thing is the total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026. Lots of people trekked out to see the eclipse, including the entire Liu family, but thanks to pervasive cloud cover, you had to be in sunny Spain to see the event clearly.
Our first audience question comes from our Patreon Patron, Santiago β and itβs also our first ever video question! He asks, βIf you could travel to any planet or moon in the Solar System to witness the actual best eclipse in the solar system, which one would it be, and why?β
Alice, who wrote about this on their blog, Signore Galilei, says that when it comes to planets, Earth has the best, hands down. No other planet has a round moon thatβs the right size to create the perfect eclipse. On top of that, Leslie explains why we also live in the best time ever to see a solar eclipse.
Our next audience question comes from Brianna, who asks, βAre there any scientific mysteries still left about Solar Eclipses?β Leslie tells us about the controversial Allais effect, which purports anomalous behavior of pendulums or gravitometers during solar eclipses. Chuck reminds us how theyβve used total solar eclipses to measure other things in the universe, including confirming the curvature of spacetime in Einsteinβs General Theory of Relativity. And Alice brings up the βshadow bandsβ that occur before and after a total solar eclipse, the causes of which are still unresolved.
Our next question is from Brandon: βIt seems like a lot of effort to travel thousands of miles to go see a total solar eclipse when itβs like two minutes long. Is it really worth it?β Our answer: a resounding YES! Stacey, Leslie, Alice and Chuck share their memories watching solar eclipses, and why thereβs nothing quite like experiencing the moment of totality with your own senses.
The next question was asked by a person Chuck met in Iceland during this yearβs total solar eclipse. Brooklyn, who is from Australia, asked him about where she could see the upcoming total solar eclipse that will be visible in Australia on July 22, 2028. Chuck goes her one better, and traces out the paths of the next three, in 2027, 2028, and 2030.
Our final question is from Dale, another of the people Chuck and Alice met in Iceland. βHow do you bridge the gap between what you intellectually know about whatβs happening with eclipses, and the overwhelming emotional awe that is felt when the shadow passes over us?β
We wouldnβt dream of summarizing Chuckβs awesome answer here (it includes his recitation, by heart, of Walt Whitmanβs βWhen I Heard the Learn'd Astronomerβ) β go watch or listen for yourself now.
If youβd like to check out Aliceβs blog mentioned in the episode, you can find it here.Β
We hope you enjoy this episode of The LIUniverse, and, if you do, please support us on Patreon.
Β
Image Credits:
β Total solar eclipse, on Aug. 21, 2017, Madras, Oregon. β Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani
β Callisto, Jupiterβs second largest moon. β Credit: NASA/JPL/DLR
β Jupiter and its four largest moons (seen as bright dots), by NASA's Juno spacecraft, June 29, 2016. β Credit: NASA
β Phobos, a moon of Mars, passing in front of the Sun, by NASAβs Perseverance rover on the Martian surface, April 2, 2022. β Credit: NASA
The shadow of the moon during a solar eclipse. β Credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio
Maurice Allais. β Credit: Creative Commons
Solar eclipse paths over the US, 2017 and 2024. β Credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio
2027 total solar eclipse path, 2 August 2027. β Credit: ESA
2028 total solar eclipse path, July 22, 2028. β Credit: US National Solar Observatory/Open Street Map
2030 total solar eclipse path, Nov. 25, 2030. β Credit: Eclipse Prediction by Fred Espenak (NASA's GSFC)
Β
CHAPTERS
00:00 Welcome to Chuck GPT - Total Eclipse of the Sun
03:06 Total Solar Eclipse, August 12, 2026 - Joyfully Cool Cosmic Thing
06:05 Which Planet Or Moon Has the Best Solar Eclipse?
12:07 Why This Is the Best Time in History To See a Solar Eclipse
13:06 Watch Phobos Transit the Sun Via NASAβs Perseverance Rover
14:28 Are There Still Any Scientific Mysteries About Solar Eclipses?
15:18 Whatβs the Difference Between Solar and Annular Eclipses?
17:05 Real Or Not - The Allais Effect, Pendulums, and Solar Eclipses
26:14 Is It Worth Traveling So Far To See a Total Solar Eclipse?
34:20 Where Can We See Total Solar Eclipses in 2027, 2028 and 2030?
41:15 Reflecting on the Moment of Totality in a Solar Eclipse
The Light Reveals Everything with Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi SEASON 6 PREMIERE
Season 6 Β· Episode 1
Sunday, October 11, 2026 β’ Duration 43:16
What can we learn from a beam of light? How much dark matter is there in our solar system? To find out, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Alice Liu welcome astrophysicist, inventor, educator, and CEO of The Astro Society, Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi, PhD in the first episode of our 6th season.
The Astro Society, aka The Astronomical Society of the Pacific, is the oldest astronomical professional society in the U.S., founded in 1889 after a total solar eclipse seen on the West Coast. Theyβre the organization behind the Night Sky Network, funded by NASA.
As always, we start off with the dayβs joyfully cool cosmic thing: a possible dark matter particle detection by the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment at the Sanford Underground Research Facility underground in South Dakota. Dr. Oluseyi explains the event itself, how particle astrophysics works, and why the jury is still out on whether it was an actual discovery of dark matter or not.
Our first audience question comes from John: βHow much dark matter in the solar system is there?β According to Hakeem, it depends on which model you use: WIMP or MACHO. In a Weakly Interacting Massive Particle model, the mass of dark matter in the solar system would be about one millionth the mass of the Earth. When Chuck asks how something that small can have such an impact, Dr. Oluseyi references the enormity of the galaxy, and the fact that the dark matter halo surrounding it is 10 times bigger than that!
Our next question is from Kari, who asks, βWhat's the difference between bright energy and dark energy?β Hakeem explains that the βdarkβ in dark energy refers to our lack of knowledge, which is different than the use of dark in βdark matterβ because it doesnβt interact with light. Heβs more effusive about light and what it can tell us about anything that interacts with it.
Next, Dr. Oluseyi talks about his experiences building space telescopes, like the Multi-Spectral Solar Telescope Array (MSSTA) designed to observe the Sun in ultraviolet and soft x-rays. He also shares some very expensive mistakes made by grad students who went on to have successful careers.
After our break, Alice has another audience question. Stephanie asks, βIf the Sun's just a ball of gas in space, why hasn't it just evaporated into space yet?β According to Hakeem, that is a brilliant question, and the answer is that it has been, from day one. He says the sun is leaking mass via the solar wind, although itβs not exactly the same process as evaporation. But the sun is so massive, that even this constant loss hasnβt made a dent in itβs size.
Bonus Episode: The Secret Fortress of Ag-Karrah, Part 2 (Actual Play)
Season 5 Β· Episode 19
Saturday, August 29, 2026 β’ Duration 41:54
What happens next when an astronomer, a mathematician, an educator, a physics student and a biomedical engineer stand upon the threshold of the Great Room of the perilous, Secret Fortress of Ag-Karrah? You get the conclusion to this summerβs bonus Actual Play episode of The LIUniverse starring Dr. Charles Liu, co-host Alice Liu, Hannah Liu, M.Ed., Isaac Liu, and Eleanor Adams.
For this episode of The LIUniverse, Chuck and co-host Alice Liu welcome back fan favorite guest and expert on ancient civilizations, author and educator Hannah Liu, M.Ed. (a.k.a. our βClassicist of Awesomenessβ), and the showβs βIntern Extraordinaireβ and TikTok channel manager, physics student Eleanor Adams. Weβve also got another guest, and itβs none other than βthe hidden Liu sibling,β Isaac Liu, βMaster of Science and Bricks,βwho is pursuing his PhD in Biomedical Engineering starting this fall at Rochester Polytechnic Institute.
Normally in these descriptions we tell you what youβll find in the episode. For the conclusion of this bonus episode, where Alice is gamemastering a live, tabletop role playing game called βSwords & Sorcery,β which is a little like βDungeons & Dragonsβ but much simpler, weβre going to skip the sizzle and let you get straight to the steak.
The party of stalwart adventurers braving the perils of βThe Secret Fortress of Ag-Karrahβ is made up of:
Charles Liu as Larry the Lion-Livered, a Druid.
Isaac Liu as a Dwarven fighter named Brickothy Brickton
Hannah Liu as a Tortle magic user named Felix Frankfurter
Eleanor Adams as a Palladin of Athena named Annabeth
Now, as GM Alice Liu says by way of preamble, βYou walk past the dead jellyfish youβve defeated and enter the Great Roomβ¦β
Enjoy Part Two, the conclusion of The Secret Fortress of Ag-Karrah.
Bonus Episode: The Secret Fortress of Ag-Karrah, Part 1 (Actual Play)
Season 5 Β· Episode 18
Sunday, August 16, 2026 β’ Duration 48:31
What happens when an astronomer, a mathematician, an educator, a physics student and a biomedical engineer set off to explore the Secret Fortress of Ag-Karrah? You get Part One of this summerβs bonus Actual Play episode of The LIUniverse starring Dr. Charles Liu and company.
You read that right! For this actual play podcast episode of The LIUniverse, Chuck and co-host Alice Liu welcome back fan favorite guest and expert on ancient civilizations, author and educator Hannah Liu, M.Ed., and the showβs intern and TikTok channel manager, physics student Eleanor Adams. But for this special occasion β drumroll, please β weβve also got another guest, and itβs none other than βthe hidden Liu sibling,β Isaac Liu, who is pursuing his PhD in Biomedical Engineering starting this fall at Rochester Polytechnic Institute.
Normally in these descriptions we tell you what youβll find in the episode. For this bonus episode, where Alice is gamemastering a live, tabletop role playing game called βSwords & Sorcery,β which is a little like βDungeons & Dragonsβ but much simpler, weβre going to skip the sizzle and let you get straight to the steak.
We will, however, describe the party that is venturing into βThe Secret Fortress of Ag-Karrah.β
Charles Liu is Larry the Lion-Livered, a Druid.
Isaac Liu is a Dwarven fighter named Brickothy Brickton
Hannah Liu is a Tortle magic user named Felix Frankfurter
Eleanor Adams is a Palladin of Athena named Annabeth
Now, as GM Alice Liu says by way of preamble, βThere might be combat. There might be treasure. There might be secrets inside of this hidden fortressβ¦β
Enjoy Part One of The Secret Fortress of Ag-Karrah β and be sure to come back for Part 2 in a couple of weeks. (And yes, of course thereβs a Joyfully Cool Cosmic Thing this episode, but we donβt want to ruin the surprise.)
We hope you like this bonus episode of The LIUniverse, and, if you do, please support us on Patreon.
Credits for this Episode:
ChuckGPT - Patreon Question Edition
Season 5 Β· Episode 17
Saturday, June 13, 2026 β’ Duration 38:08
Itβs time for the Season 5 finale of The LIUniverse, which means another episode of ChuckGPT where we answer our audienceβs most vexing questions β this time via video from our Patreon Patrons. And to help us answer those questions, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome back fan favorite guest and expert on ancient civilizations, author and educator Hannah Liu, M.Ed.
As always, though, we start off with the dayβs joyfully cool cosmic thing: the completion of DESIβs 5-year survey mapping millions of objects in the universe. The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument completed the survey ahead of schedule, so thereβs still time to map millions more.
Hannah tells us about mapping the universe in antiquity, starting with the first star catalog created by the Babylonians about 3,000 years ago. Youβll hear about the Venus tablet from the first millennium BC, Chinese star charts from the Tang dynasty, and Atlas, the mythological Titan who was the βfirst astrologer.β
Returning to the DESI survey, Chuck talks about the change in the dark energy content of the universe that we didnβt really expect. Allen, our resident mathematician, talks about the velocity of universal expansion and a concept called βthe jerk.β
Then itβs time for audience questions, and for this episode, weβre doing something new. Both audience questions come from Patreon Patrons, and both are in video format so you can actually see our fans asking Chuck the questions β if youβre watching rather than listening, that is.
Our first question comes from Patron Lee Dubey, who asks, βSince atoms are mostly empty space, could all matter, including measuring devices, almost undetectably consume minimal space, warping the space around it? If so, could that cause gravity, and could the shrinkage cause a redshift related to dark energy?β
Weβre not even going to try and summarize the explanation from Allen and Chuck here, except to say that the ensuing conversation includes the physics concept of βunparticles.β Hannah brings up Democritus, who, along with his teacher Leucippus in ancient Greece, first theorized the existence of atoms.
Our next question comes from our Patreon Patron Lee Williams, who asks, βIf we live in a simulation, is it correct to assume that thereβs an architect? Could there be a simulation without an architect?β
Our Weird, Wondrous Universe with Erika Hamden
Season 5 Β· Episode 16
Saturday, May 30, 2026 β’ Duration 43:06
How do distant galaxies form? If you have two distant clouds of hydrogen, why does one turn into a star and another doesnβt? To find out, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome Dr. Erika Hamden, Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Arizona. If Erika looks familiar, that might be because her TED Talk or βNew Frontiers,β the TV show she hosts on Arizona Public Media.
As always, though, we start off with the dayβs joyfully cool cosmic thing, Artemis II, our first manned mission around the moon since 1972. Chuck, Allen and Erika share their excitement watching the mission, and especially the landing, while we watch the βonly good video of the moon ever taken with a phoneβ that Reid Wiseman shot on his iPhone.
Dr. Hamden tells us about her research into how distant stars and galaxies form. To fill in the blanks of this cosmic puzzle, she observes hydrogen in its elemental or molecular form β not looking at the stars themselves, but the emissions from hydrogen atoms. Youβll learn about star formation in our galaxy and how Erika discerns the moment that a new star βfirst turns on.β
Then itβs time for our first audience question. Emma B. asks, βHow many galaxies are there?β Erika says that in the observable universe, itβs an outrageously large number, probably hundreds of billions or more. We take a look at the Hubble Ultra Deep Field image, which reflects a βtiny, tiny part of the sky,β where every dot except for the 3 stars is a galaxy. And thatβs just the universe we can see.
Chuck asks Erika to tell us about her book, βWeird Universe: Everything We Donβt Know about Space (and why itβs important).β Professor Hamden shares her belief that anyone can understand anything if itβs explained the right way to them. She talks about a poem by Rebecca Elson called βResponsibility to Aweβ and the responsibility scientists have to share the wonders of the world with everybody.
For our next audience question, Ava asks, βWhat is the craziest job in Astronomy that you have seen AI take over from humans?β Erika talks about using LLMs to review the digitized photographic plates of stars and the massive amount of data from the Vera Rubin Observatory, and also which activities still require human creativity.
Speaking of creativity, it turns out that before becoming an astrophysicist, Erika got a diploma at Le Cordon Bleu in London and had a career as a professional chef. She still loves to cook and shares her recipe (below) for the Swedish-style cardamom buns she shows us in the episode.
Ruby Raindrops and Painted Peacocks with Munazza Alam
Season 5 Β· Episode 15
Saturday, May 16, 2026 β’ Duration 45:18
Are there really exoplanets with where it rains ruby and emerald raindrops? How do we measure the atmospheres of exoplanets light years away?
To find out, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome Dr. Munazza Alam of the Space Telescope Science Institute. The STScI performs science operations for the Hubble Space Telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope, and the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope when it launches in 2026.
As always, though, we start off with the dayβs joyfully cool cosmic thing. On Feb 24, 2026, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory activated the alert system it will use to notify astronomers of noteworthy events and sent out 800,000 alerts on that single day!
Munazza tells us about how she studies the atmospheres of exoplanets like Wasp 121-b, a gas giant thought to have ruby and sapphire rain. Dr. Alam describes exoplanets with surface oceans made of magma, and she and Chuck talk about the importance of plate tectonics.
Youβll hear about Hot Jupiters, Super-Earths, and Sub-Neptunes β and the theories about why we donβt have any of them in our solar system despite the fact that theyβre incredibly common in the Milky Way galaxy.
Then itβs time for audience questions, which for this episode come from students at Notre Dame Academy on Staten Island, where Munazza is an alum. Not only does past guest Dr. Betty Jensen teach there, as well, but she was a critical influence on Munazzaβs career path. (You can listen to our episode with Dr. Jensen here.)
The first question is from Charlotte, who asks, βHow far have we gone in space?β Munazza, Allen, and Chuck discuss Voyager 1, which at a current distance of nearly 16 billion miles is the man-made object that has gone furthest from Earth.
Next up, Gabby asks, βWhat was the best advice you were given when you were preparing for college?β Dr. Alamβs answer: Pick something you enjoy and are good at - in spite of any pressure you might get from friends, family, and others.
A second piece of advice Munazza got was to maintain your breadth, i.e., developing other interests besides your primary focus. For Munazza, that was art and writing, and she shares some of her art later in the show.
Astrophotography with Astronaut Don Pettit
Season 5 Β· Episode 14
Saturday, May 2, 2026 β’ Duration 47:51
Can the physics you learned in High School take you to the stars? Who is behind many of your favorite pictures of space? What is it actually like to live and work in space? You might be surprised to know how much of it comes down to the physics you probably learned in class and thought to yourself, βWhen will this ever be useful?β
To answer those questions and more, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome Dr. Don Pettit βNASA astronaut, astrophotographer, chemical engineer, and genuinely one of the most interesting people alive, who was also a science consultant for the movie Project Hail Mary.Β As youβll see, the complex physics of space could be critical to your future endeavors in the world of tech, space, and astrophysics.
As always, though, we start off with the dayβs joyfully cool cosmic thing, which was the famous DART mission (Double Asteroid Redirection Test). Itβs a mission where NASA crashed a spacecraft into a small asteroid (Dimorphos) to see if they could literally change the orbit of an asteroid in space. This mission was successful, changing the asteroidβs orbit by nearly 30 mins. This is certainly joyfully cool, as it shows we can take planetary defense measures to change the path of an impending asteroid.
Throughout the episode, Don, Chuck, and Allen ping pong back and forth with the following topics:
Why he chose chemical engineering (and how that led to becoming an astronaut by consistently choosing passion and innovation over money)
Whether being an astronaut is even worth it financially
How cities look different from orbit over time (yes, you can literally see lighting technology evolve)
The physics behind astrophotography from space (and why those images look so insane)
How astronauts drink coffee in zero gravity!
Just wait, there is even more that we dive into: from lunar bases, to Antarctica meteorite hunts, to a casual mention of driving a lunar rover simulator like itβs nothing.
Thereβs a lot here that feels huge and abstract, but also weirdly human, like choosing passion over money, or just wanting your morning espresso in space. While Don always had a love for chemistry, he ultimately pursued chemical engineering because he thought he wouldn't be able to get a good job without higher ed (relatable or what?). Then he got a PhD anyway, following his passion.
Finding the βBubblesβ Exoplanet and Crocheting Dinosaurs with Victoria DiTomasso
Season 5 Β· Episode 13
Saturday, April 11, 2026 β’ Duration 47:33
How do we find exoplanets? What is the Milky Wayβs βThick Diskβ and what makes it so special? To find out, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome Harvard astronomer Dr. Victoria DiTomasso, who has discovered an exoplanet system that includes exoplanet HD60079 b, which she sometimes calls βBubbles.β
As always, though, we start off with the dayβs joyfully cool cosmic thing, a paper just recently published about the exoplanet Teegarden Star b. Dr. DiTomasso explains the difference in exoplanet research between the observational studies she does and the theoretical modeling represented in the paper.
She goes on to discuss recent, exciting theoretical work coming out of UCLA that posits that rather than have our water brought to Earth by comets, we started out as a larger, sub-Neptune planet with a larger hydrogen-helium envelope that weβve lost over time. This is a pattern seen in some exoplanets, especially given the fact that Super Earth and sub-Neptune planets are the most common types of planets weβve found, yet we have none in our solar system.
After we find out why a planet Chuck studied was called Flagellan, itβs time to find out how Victoria goes looking for exoplanets, and how she found Bubbles β with an assist from a team of citizen scientists. Youβll learn about using the transit method for discovering exoplanets and identifying potential targets with TESS, the Transiting Exoplanets Survey Satellite and other instruments.
Dr. DiTomasso explains the differences between the Milky Wayβs younger βThin Disk,β the older βThick Disk,β and the oldest of all, the Milky Wayβs βHalo.β Victoria studies the chemistry of stars to categorize them and their planets by age. Sheβs found 4 stars in the thick disk that have βHot Jupitersβ so far, which is more impressive when you learn that we only knew about one before her work.
Then itβs time for a question from the audience. Grace asks, βHas the environment ever been as bad as it is now, and can it heal by itself?β Chuck, Allen and Victoria discuss changing environments on exoplanets and on Earth, the difference between long and short term change, and the possibility of recovery.
Finally, Chuck asks Victoria what she does outside of astronomy, and we learn all about her new hobby, crocheting. Donβt miss her show and tell, which includes Fred, the cutest crocheted dinosaur to ever appear on The LIUniverse. Victoria also talks about her other hobby, visiting museums β especially art museums. If youβre watching this episode on YouTube, you get to see one of her current favorite exhibits, which consists of semi-abstracted felted wool sculptures of creatures and supernatural beings (yΕkai) at the MassArt Museum (MAAM) in Boston.
Supernovas and Space Gold with Dr. Ashley Villar
Season 5 Β· Episode 12
Saturday, March 21, 2026 β’ Duration 40:25
How do stars die? And what happens when they do? To find out, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome Dr. Ashley Villar, who teaches astronomy at Harvard and whose team studies supernovas as they happen.
As always, though, we start off with the dayβs joyfully cool cosmic thing, the release of a set of new Hubble Space Telescope images of the Crab Nebula and the pulsar at its center. Needless to say, itβs a great start to an episode about a team of scientists who actually study the moment a star explodes and the immediate aftermath.
Ashley explains how they have been able to use LIGO, the gravitational wave detector, as a sort of early warning detector that twice gave them enough time to set up their instruments to observe the explosion over the next few hours and days as it unfolds.
Professor Villar talks about how neutron star mergers and magnetars may be the source of heavy elements like gold and uranium. Or, as Chuck says, βA gold-filled smoke ring puffing off of a highly spinning, highly magnetic neutron star - what a great picture that would be.β
Ashley is looking forward to how the Vera Rubin Observatory is going to change the observation of these events. In the process of explaining, Professor Villar answers an audience question from Jamison, who asks how often stars explode in space. It turns out, in our observable universe, thereβs a supernova every 2 seconds! We currently detect about 10,000 of these explosions every year - Vera Rubin will be able to detect 10,000 of these explosions in just two weeks.
In order to get a handle on this flood of data, Dr. Villar and her team will be looking for these exotic physics needles in a haystack using machine learning models to look for patterns and abnormalities and βgo fishing.β
Charles asks Ashley for her take on AI and whether we should be afraid of it or not.(And yes, take the opportunity to plug co-host Allen Liuβs forthcoming book, βThe Handy Artificial Intelligence Answer Book.β) Allen and Ashley discuss the difference between how a chatbot like ChatGPT operates and how she trains her models.
There was a second part to Jamisonβs question about exploding stars: Are we in any danger. Dr. Villar explains that when we just look at our Milky Way, supernovas occur only once a century, so weβre not in any danger.
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Moving on, Chuck asks Hakeem how he got into science. His surprising, heartwarming story of βHope, Hustle, and Helpβ takes us from Mississippi and the 9th Ward in Houston in the Seventies to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and NASA. (CORRECTION: Hakeem Oluseyi says that in the episode, he "misspoke and said the 9th Ward of Houston. It was the 9th Ward of New Orleans! In Houston, I lived in the South Park neighborhood two years later and attended James D. Ryan Middle School in Houston's 3rd Ward.")
We end with Hakeem recounting the story of how he was asked to lead the investigation into whether NASA Administrator James E. Webb was involved with or culpable in the mistreatment of members of the NASA community. The findings: Webb was not only not culpable, but had actually acted to protect gay people and others in government service, as well as working against racism.Β
If youβd like to know more about Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi, you can visit theastrosociety.org website, their YouTube channel, AstroBeatShow, or catch him on his NOVA podcast, βParticles of Thought,β and the βDoes It Flyβ podcast from Rodenberry Podcasts with Tamara Krinsky.
We hope you enjoy this episode of The LIUniverse, and, if you do, please support us on Patreon.
Β
Image Credits:
The LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment. β All Images Credit: Sanford Underground Research Facility.
The Multi-Spectral Solar Telescope Array (MSSTA). β Credit: NASA
MSSTA payload on Sounding rocket 36.049, White Sands Missile Range, May 1991. β Credit: NASA
Visualization of space weather in the solar system in 2015 as the New Horizons spacecraft flew past Pluto. β Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio, the Space Weather Research Center (SWRC) and the Community-Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC), Enlil and Dusan Odstrcil (GMU)
James E. Webb. β Credit: NASA
NASA Administrator James Webb tours the new Plum Brook Reactor Facility in Dec. 1961 with Abe Silverstein, Director of the Lewis Research Center. β Credit: NASA
Β
CHAPTERS
00:00 Welcome to Season 6 of The LIUniverse
01:25 Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi Describes The Astro Society, Founded in 1889
03:46 Possible Dark Matter Detection - Joyfully Cool Cosmic Thing
10:46 How Much Dark Matter Is There in the Solar System?
15:32 What's the Difference Between Bright Energy and Dark Energy?
18:12 What Matters Most When Building Solar Telescopes?
28:27 If the Sun Is a Ball of Gas, Why Hasn't It Evaporated?
31:36 Dr. Hakeem Oluseyiβs Journey of Hope, Hustle, and Help
35:52 The Investigation of NASA Administrator James Webb
Credits for this Episode:
β βSwords & Sorceryβ β Designed by James Lennox-Gordon / UnknownDungeon.itch.io / v1.1 2020 - CC BY SA 4.0. βSwords & Sorceryβ is a hack of John Harperβs βLasers & Feelings.β Find out more here: https://unknowndungeon.itch.io/swords-and-sorceryΒ
β βSwords & Sorceryβ β Designed by James Lennox-Gordon / UnknownDungeon.itch.io / v1.1 2020 - CC BY SA 4.0. βSwords & Sorceryβ is a hack of John Harperβs βLasers & Feelings.β Find out more here.
Given that thereβs no scientific answer to either of these questions, Chuck turns to Hannah for enlightenment. While she explains that the question of whether we live in a simulation is a modern concept, Hanna discusses how humanity grapples with the questions of existence and higher powers, and why people engage with religion, magic, or quantum entanglement in the first place.
In the free-wheeling, far-ranging conversation that follows, Allen brings up how we create simulations now, by creating processes and letting them run, to offer some perspective on the role of the architect. And yes, H.P. Lovecraft, βThe Devil and Daniel Webster,β βFrankenstein: The Modern Prometheus,β and even Spider-Man somehow make it into the discussion.
And thatβs it for this season of The LIUniverse. We want to thank all of you for your questions, your curiosity, and your help in keeping this experiment going. As Chuck always says, βThank you for being a part of The LIUniverse.β
Map of DESIβs 5-year survey. β Credit: Claire Lamman/DESI collaboration.
Roman statue of Atlas (2nd century AD). Credit: Lalupa / Creative Commons
The Venus tablet recording astronomical positions for Venus dating from the first millennium BC. β Credit: FAI / Creative Commons
Chinese Tang dynasty star map made around the year 700. β Credit: Public Domain.
Β
CHAPTERS
00:00 - We Welcome Back Archaeology Expert, Author and Educator Hannah Liu, M.Ed.
02:28 - Joyfully Cool Cosmic Thing: DESI Completes Its 5-Year Survey of the Universe
04:33 - Mapping the Universe in Antiquity
12:06 - The Empty Space in Atoms, Gravity, Shrinkage, and Dark Energy
16:42 - What Are Unparticles?
22:53 - Do We Live in a Simulation? Is There an Architect?
Finally, before we go, we congratulate Emily on recently being awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship. She shares some wisdom and advice sheβs learned on her journey that she also tells her students, but according to her itβs a bit βcheesyβ so weβll let her tell you in the show.
If youβd like to know more about Dr. Hamden, you can keep up with her research, follow her on her social media accounts, and find out about her book by visiting her website.
We hope you enjoy this episode of The LIUniverse, and, if you do, please support us on Patreon.
βMy changes are that I add more milk- about 75 grams more, because American flour is drier and Tucson is especially dry! And I played around with adding chiltipin flakes (a local, very spicy pepper) to the filling to make it kind of spicy. Itβs great! Finally, I use whole cardamom seeds from Penzeyβs that I grind before putting in.β
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Credits for Images Used in this Episode:
Artemis II end of mission splashdown. β Credit: NASA/ Bill Ingalls.
Artemis II astronaut Reid Wisemanβs iPhone video of the Earth and the Moon with his iPhone 17 ProMax, using 8x zoom, which he said is comparable to what he was seeing from the Artemis II capsule. β Credit: NASA /Reid Wiseman
Hydrogen observed in the Milky Way Galaxy. β Credit: HI4PI Collaboration
The Hubble Ultra Deep Field. β Credit: NASA/ESA
Example of a photographic plate of stars, including notation marks, aka a Schmidt ammonia-sensitized, near-IR (Kodak I-N) objective-prism plate exposed for 1 hr. β Credit: STScI/ESO/Carnegie.
Finally, Gisella asks if it was hard picking a college. Dr. Alam shares her process, with the caveat that it might not be good advice for everyone.
Charles and Munazza reflect on the tradition of scientific exploration, observation, discovery and analysis of which sheβs part. Munazza recounts the excitement when JWST observations of transmission spectra of the exoplanet Wasp 39b confirmed their predictions β and also detected something unexpected: sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere of the planet which is a by-product of photochemistry between light from its star and water molecules in the atmosphere of the planet.
Finally, Chuck asks Munazza to share some of her art. She shows us one of the first paintings she ever did, a peacock, and tells us a little about it and a portrait she has displayed at the Lowell Observatory.
If youβd like to know more about what Dr. Alam is up to, you can follower her on LinkedIn or visit her website .
Artist impression of Wasp 121-b, an exoplanet thought to have ruby and sapphire rain. β Credit: NASA, ESA, Q. Changeat et al., M. Zamani (ESA/Hubble)
Quake epicenters Digital Tectonic Activity Map of the Earth (DTAM). β Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Illustration comparing the sizes of sub-Neptune exoplanets TOI-421 b and GJ 1214 b to Earth and Neptune. β Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Dani Player (STScI)
Illustration of the inferred size of the super-Earth CoRoT-7b (center) in comparison with Earth and Neptune. β Credit: Creative Commons / Aldaron
Location of the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft. β Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
JWST transmission spectra of the exoplanet Wasp 39b. β Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Joseph Olmsted (STScI)
Radial velocity method to detect exoplanets. β Credit::ESA
Transit method for discovering exoplanets (animation). β Credit: NASA PlanetQuest
Artist's concept of WASP-107b, a gas giant, orbiting a highly active K-type star about 200 light-years from Earth. β Credit: ESA/Hubble, NASA, M. Kornmesser
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CHAPTERS
00:00 - We welcome Dr. Munazza Alam of the Space Telescope Science Institute
02:50 - Joyfully cool cosmic thing: Vera C. Rubin Observatory Alert System
07:00 - How Do We Know What Exoplanets Are Like?
10:37 - The Importance of Plate Tectonics
11:45 - Hot Jupiters, Super Earths, and Sub-Neptunes
19:56 - How Far Have We Gone In Space, i.e., Where is Voyager now?
22:44 - Best advice when preparing for college?
25:32 - Was it hard picking a college?
31:00 - Confirming Theories and Discovering the Unexpected
36:33 - Munazza Alam Shares Her Painting of a Peacock
38:49 - What data and measurements are used to study exoplanets?
Don also discusses the coffee cup he invented, which is widely used in space and lets you drink espresso like normal. He designed a cup that lets astronauts drink normally in zero gravity using fluid physics.
Toward the end of the episode, he talks about going to Antarctica to collect meteorites and what that tells us about the chemistry of space.
During this episode, Donβs intrinsic love for creation and scientific innovation shines through. If you like physics, space, or just hearing someone explain complicated things in a way that actually makes sense, youβll absolutely love this.
If you want to know more about Dr. Don Pettit, you can find him on NASAβs website. For the latest updates on his many projects and dazzling astrophotography, check out his Instagram @astro_pettit. (Weβve included some of those photos in the episode - just another reason to watch on YouTube!)
We hope you enjoy this episode of The LIUniverse, and, if you do, please support us on Patreon.
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Credits for Images Used in this Episode:
Photo of asteroids Didymos and Dimorphus, NASAβs DART mission target. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Lunar map depicting craters on the south pole of the Moon. Credit: USGS
Don Pettit taking photos on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA
Chicago as seen from the ISS. Credit: NASA/Don Pettit
Burj Khalifa, the worldβs tallest building, as seen from the ISS. Credit: NASA/Don Pettit
Sao Paulo, Brazil, at Night, April 12, 2003 as seen from the ISS. Credit: NASA/Don Pettit
Star trail time exposure, taken for approximately 30 minutes during orbital night, assembled from multiple 30 second exposures. Credit: NASA/Don Pettit/Babak Tafreshi
The first prototype of Don Pettitβs capillary cup. Credit :NASA
Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti drinking from Don Pettitβs cup on the ISS. Credit: NASA
ANSMET meteorite hunters in Antarctica. Credit: NASA
Cross-section of a carbonaceous chondrite, the 4.5-billion-year-old Allende meteorite formed along with the solar system. Credit: AMNH/Creative Commons
SpaceborneΒ - Don Pettitβs photography book. Credit: Don Pettit / Press Syndication Group
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Special thanks to Eleanor Adams for writing this episode description.
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CHAPTERS
0:00 - Introduction of Astronaut Don Pettit
3:19 - Asteroid Defense Explained (DART Mission & Saving Earth)
10:49 - Don Pettitβs Early Life
14:50 - How Much Does It Pay to Be an Astronaut?
17:11 - What Itβs Really Like Living in Space for Months
19:49 - Physics Behind Astrophotography: LEDs and Light Pollution
30:00 - Space Coffee Cup Invention
41:00 - Astrochemistry and Antarctica
If youβd like to know more about Dr. Victoria DiTomasso, you can find her on LinkedIn . But to see her latest telescope photos that she took during her observing trip to the Canary Islands, check out her Instagram @victoriaditomasso. (Weβve included some of those photos in the episode - just another reason to watch on YouTube!)
We hope you enjoy this episode of The LIUniverse, and, if you do, please support us on Patreon.
Credits for Images Used in this Episode:
Radial velocity measurements graphic depicting the Radial velocity method to detect exoplanets. β Credit: ESA.
Artist concept of the exoplanet Teegarden's Star b, also known as Teegarden b. β Creative Commons/ Bubblesong.
Illustration comparing sizes of sub-Neptune exoplanets with Earth and Neptune. β Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Dani Player (STScI).
Transit method for discovering exoplanets (animation). β Credit: NASA PlanetQuest.
All-sky image showing the flat plane of the Milky Way galaxy. β Credit: E. L. Wright/UCLA, The COBE Project, DIRBE, NASA.
Illustration of the Milky Wayβs halo. β Credit: Halo stars: ESA/Gaia/DPAC, T Donlon et al. 2024; Background Milky Way and Magellanic Clouds: Stefan Payne-Wardenaar.
Masako Miki's "Midnight March" features semi-abstracted felted wool sculptures of creatures and supernatural beings (yΕkai) at the MassArt Museum (MAAM) in Boston. β Credit: Masako Miki/MAAM
Photos from Victoria DiTomassoβs observing trip to the Canary Islands. β Credit: @victoriaditomasso on Instagram.
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CHAPTERS
00:00 - Intro and Letβs Meet Dr. Victoria DiTomasso
03:53 - Joyfully Cool Cosmic Thing of the Day: Exoplanet Teegarden Star B
06:20 - Super Earth and Sub-Neptune Exoplanets
12:46 - The Discovery and Naming of Bubbles the Exoplanet
20:32 - The Difference Between Milky Wayβs Thin Disk, Thick Disk, and Halo
27:58 - Audience Question: Has the Environment Ever Been this Bad?
36:51 - Crocheted Dinosaurs and Giant Felt Museum Creatures
45:14 - Victoria DiTomassoβs Observing Trip to the Canary Islands
Next, Jessie asks, βHow do we know the universe is infinite?β Our answer is, we donβt. That doesnβt stop us from discussing it, though, and the conversation takes us to, among other places, the Nazca lines in Peru and the quantum effect that creates iridescent blue butterfly wings. (You can read the scientific research mentioned in the episode here: https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms8959)
We end with a discussion about supernovas, neutrinos, space dust, gamma ray bursts, and what kind of event it would take to interrupt the normal activities of space telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope or the Vera Rubin and hijack them for a disruptive observation. And we get a book recommendation from Ashley, βKatabasisβ by R. F. Kuang, about a grad student who journeys to hell to get a letter of reference from her deceased advisor.
If youβd like to know more about what Professor Villar is up to, you can check out her labβs website at http://astrotimelab.com/.
New Hubble mosaic of the Crab Nebula. β Credit: William P. Blair et al 2026 ApJ 997 81
Previous Hubble photo of the Crab Nebula. β Credit: NASA, ESA, J. Hester and A. Loll (Arizona State University)
The Vera Rubin Observatory. β Credit: RubinObs/NOIRLab/SLAC/NSF/DOE/AURA/P. HorΓ‘lek (Institute of Physics in Opava), CC BY 4.0
Nazca line βThe Condorβ. β Credit: Photo by Roger Canals
Blue butterfly wings in an electron microscope. β Credit: Radislav A. Potyrailo et al.
Aragonite plates in a shell. β Credit:Β Fabian Heinemann
SN 1987A (Bright central βstarβ). β Credit: European Southern Observatory
Artistβs illustration of Gamma Ray Burst jets. β Credit: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/J. da Silva; Image processing: M. Zamani (NSF's NOIRLab)
CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Welcome to The LIUniverse
02:14 - Joyfully Cool Cosmic Thing of the Day - Hubble Crab Nebula Images
07:06 - Neutron Star Mergers, Magnetars, and Space Gold
09:18 - How Often Do Stars Explode?
12:35 - Can AI Help Us Find Supernovas?
17:11 - Are We In Danger From Exploding Stars?
19:48 - How Do We Know the Universe Is Infinite?
24:01 - How Does Quantum Physics Impact Color in Butterflies and Supernovas?
