Space Episodes

Why is it so important that we share the science of fiction, and what do we do with it once we have it? That's today's big question, and my guest is Maddie Stone . Maddie is a prolific science journalist. She is a doctor of earth and environmental sciences. She's the former science editor of the technology website Gizmodo , which I love, and the founding editor of Earther , Gizmodo's climate focused vertical, which I love. Maddie has edited articles for The Verge, Polygon , and Grist , and her o...

How will the universe end? That's today's big question, and my guest is Sarafina El-Badry Nance. Sarafina is an NSF graduate research fellow, astrophysics Ph.D. candidate, and Forbes 30 Under 30 Science 2022 honoree, specializing in supernova and cosmology. She's also the author of the new, honest, and empowering memoir "Starstruck: A Memoir of Astrophysics and Finding Light in the Dark". Sarafina and I recorded this conversation back in 2021 , and not only is it an all-time listener favorite, w...

In a world where trust in institutions and in news is falling and the role of influencers is growing, finding the connective tissue between you and your audience is key to, well, connecting. To establish a rapport, which can if nourished, lead to trust, which can lead to a genuine connection. And for the creator to go further, to push deeper, to find meaning and bearing in places we as consumers or readers or listeners might not otherwise look or expect, like in local news or video game reviews ...

Yes, we all know that the 1998 Michael Bay flick Armageddon is a masterpiece of cinema, but two years ago we asked ourselves this question: How much does it actually hold up as a blueprint for preventing planetary destruction? Let’s say it doesn’t: What can we do to keep from going the way of the dinosaurs? Nobody was better suited to answer our many questions than Professor K.T. Ramesh . He told us about a future test mission called DART. Armed with a spacecraft the size of a golf cart, it coul...

We’re bringing back one of our all-time most popular conversations, and not just because it kicks ass. When this interview was recorded back in 2018, Dr. Sian Proctor was almost an astronaut. Now, in 2021, Dr. Proctor has just returned to Earth after becoming the first black, female pilot of a spacecraft. Let’s reflect back on her incredible story and it will become clear how this amazing achievement came to be. In Episode 42 , Quinn & Brian ask: What happens when you’re almost an astronaut... a...

In Episode 110 , Quinn’s talking about the end of the universe. His guest is Sarafina Nance , Ph.D. candidate at Berkeley, astrophysicist, author, and women’s health advocate. She also hosts Constellation , a TV show by Seeker. How the hell is the universe gonna end? Is it soon? What does it mean for each of us? What if it only feeeeeels like the universe is ending? What does that moment teach you? Sarafina’s dedicated her life to studying and understanding the farthest reaches of space -- and o...

Back in Episode 42 , Quinn & Brian asked: What happens when you’re almost an astronaut... and what comes next? Our guest is Dr. Sian Proctor , an explorer, scientist, full-time professor, STEM communicator, and almost an astronaut. She joins the show to tell us how we can all help get more women and more people of color into space, one way or another. If you didn’t know — and we weren’t sure — being a white, male military pilot isn’t the only way to get to space! You can be exposed to radiation ...

Our “Good News” series of replays begins today with Episode 66 , when Quinn & Brian hosted a delightfully important discussion: Why, apparently, we shouldn’t just blow up asteroids. Our guest is: Professor K.T. Ramesh , who is an absolute delight and may have the coolest job in the world. He is the founding director of the Hopkins Extreme Materials Institute (HEMI), which is pretty much a real-life Avengers, except every member is like Bruce Banner without all the Hulk-iness or Tony Stark if he ...

In Episode 68, Quinn & Brian discuss: Sending our homework to space. Our guest is Michelle Lucas, an actual rocket scientist and the founder of Higher Orbits. Michelle spent 10 years at NASA, where part of her role involved teaching astronauts how to... you know, do space stuff. And now, at Higher Orbits, she’s teaching young people who aren’t astronauts yet, but might be, some day, because of her! Now, this isn’t an episode about how to get away with not doing your homework. On the contrary, th...

In Episode 66 , Quinn & Brian want to know why the hell we can't -- and further -- shouldn’t just blow up asteroids . Our guest is the incredible Professor K.T. Ramesh , professor of mechanical engineering at John Hopkins, founding director of the Hopkins Extreme Materials Institute (HEMI), and our new hero. You can think of HEMI as a real-life Avengers (no, we’re not just stuck on Endgame), except every member is like Bruce Banner without all the Hulk-iness or Tony Stark if he was never kidnapp...

Dr. Sian Proctor tells us how we can all help get more women and more people of color into space, one way or another. Want to send us feedback? Tweet us, email us, or leave us a voice message!

Our guest is Ariel Waldman, the author of What's It Like in Space? Stories from Astronauts Who've Been There, the founder of Spacehack.org, the global director of Science Hack Day, and a member of the council for NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts. Want to send us feedback? Tweet us, email us, or leave us a voice message!

In Episode 28, Quinn & Brian ask: why the hell is space exploration important when the planet is literally on fire? To answer that, they’ve brought on The Space Gal, Emily Calandrelli. And boy does she set the record straight. Emily is an MIT-engineer turned Emmy-nominated science host on TV and online, and she’s also a children’s book author. Join us as we discuss the history of space exploration, what she’d do as NASA administrator/dictator, and her own upbringing in West Virginia. Want to sen...

In Episode 18, Quinn & Brian try to build a more flexible, approachable, and fun new science foundation in America. But they don't know where to start. Enter the legendary Phil Plait, the “Bad Astronomer”. He's an astronomer (obviously), author, and science communicator extraordinaire and we chat about rebuilding the foundations of American science. And that, friends, starts with enthusiasm. Science — fuck yeah! Want to send us feedback? Tweet us, email us, or leave us a voice message! Links: Ph...