Universe Today Podcast

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Space news, interviews, Q&As, and exclusive content from Universe Today. Audio versions of Fraser Cain YouTube channel.

Fraser Cain

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    • Jun 3, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • daily NEW EPISODES
    • 27m AVG DURATION
    • 2,676 EPISODES

    4.7 from 407 ratings Listeners of Universe Today Podcast that love the show mention: startalk, fraser, astronomy, science, sense, excellent, always, love, great.


    Ivy Insights

    The Universe Today Podcast is an exceptional podcast for space enthusiasts and those interested in astronomy and cosmology. With over 50 different science podcasts to choose from, I can confidently say that this one stands out as the best. I discovered it while listening to Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela Gay on AstronomyCast, and since then, it has become a staple in my daily routine of gardening and learning. Fraser Cain is a fantastic presenter, and his dedication to bringing evidence-based scientific information is evident in every episode of this podcast.

    One of the best aspects of The Universe Today Podcast is its commitment to the scientific process. As someone who strives to live their life based on evidence and reason, this podcast aligns perfectly with my values. It provides extremely informative and educational content that not only expands my knowledge but also helps me become a better person in today's chaotic times. The team behind the show does an excellent job of delivering disciplined information that follows the scientific process.

    As for the worst aspects of this podcast, I can hardly find any major faults. Occasionally, there may be small errors or glitches, but they are negligible compared to the overall quality of the content. This minor issue does not diminish the value of the podcast or hinder its ability to provide accurate and fascinating space news.

    In conclusion, The Universe Today Podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in space, astronomy, and cosmology news. Fraser Cain's enthusiasm shines through every episode, making it enjoyable for both beginners and advanced listeners. The show covers a wide range of topics, from space bites that provide quick bursts of information to in-depth interviews with PhD sources. If you're tired of the depressing news cycle and want to geek out with some amazing space facts, tune into The Universe Today Podcast by Fraser Cain and his team. It's time well spent!



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    Latest episodes from Universe Today Podcast

    [Q&A] Replenishing Lost Atmosphere, Copy of Earth, Betelgeuse Supernova

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2025 17:55


    How much of our atmosphere is lost to space and should we be actively replenishing it? Is there an exact copy of Earth out there hiding in the Universe? Can we use the Sun to send messages? And in our extended Q&A+ version, how the advancements in AI will change astronomy? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A.

    [Interview] Punching NanoHoles in Light Sails Can Bring Us Closer to Alpha Centauri

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2025 32:10


    Launching Breakthrough Starshot light sail probes to Alpha Centauri requires a lot of new tech, including the actual light sails. How do you make the optimal material to maximize the size with minimising mass? Finding out in this interview.

    [Space Bites] Mysterious Object Discovered // Starship Explodes Again // China's Asteroid Sample Return

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2025 21:11


    China's asteroid sample return mission launches, searching for a companion star for Betelgeuse, the 9th flight test wraps up for Starship and Superheavy, and Webb takes its longest exposure yet. And in SpaceBites+, is Venus hiding deadly asteroids.

    [Q&A] De-Radioactivating Van Allen Belts, Super Gravity Assists, Algorithms and Clickbait

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2025 17:41


    Can we make the Van Allen belts safe to fly through? Why not get a super gravity assist from the Sun? Can we predict the next supernova in the Milky Way? And in our extended Q&A+ version, what's going on with the ocean rocks producing electricity at the bottom? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show.

    [Interview] Can Sweating Heat Shields Solve Re-Entry Problems for Reusable Rockets?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2025 53:31


    Heat shields are one of the trickiest problems left to solve before we can have truly reusable spacecraft. So far we've seen different solutions, like ablative materials or ceramic tiles. But can a sweating heat shield be a solution? Finding out in this interview.

    [Q&A] Extending JWST's Life, Views from Dragonfly, Roadblock to Mars

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2025 18:18


    Can we refuel James Webb at L2 when it runs out of propellant? What will the Dragonfly octocopter see on the surface of Titan? Will discovering life on Mars stop us from going there? And in our extended Q&A+ on Patreon, what are space things I'm hoping to see in my lifetime? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show.

    [Interview] 3 Key Technologies to Start Terraforming Mars in Our Lifetime

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2025 56:10


    Terraforming Mars is usually considered in the realm of science fiction. But actually we have technology to start doing it in our lifetime and achieve some meaningful results it a timescale of tens of years, not thousands. What are they? Finding out in this interview.

    [Space Bites] Dangers of A Super Solar Storm // Jupiter Twice The Size // Crazy Moon Landing System

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2025 21:17


    Jupiter could have been twice as big in the past, the challenges of landing on the Moon, the record for the farthest galaxy has been broken. And in our Patreon edition, how the location of gas plays a role in star formation.

    [Q&A] My Favourite Space Image, Shape of Oort Cloud, The Concept of Aliens

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2025 19:17


    When did humans first think of aliens? Why is Oort cloud a sphere when the Solar System is a disk? Which space image is my favourite? And in our Q&A+ on patreon, is search for life only limited to looking for water? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show.

    [Q&A] Lasers VS Space Junk, Missions Overdelivering, Asteroids Already Mined

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2025 20:46


    Which space mission would I save from cancellation if I could? Is fighting space junk with lasers a good idea or not? What if we find asteroids that have already been mined? And in our Q&A+ on patreon, how do we measure masses of black holes ? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show.

    [Interview] How Liquid Water Can Hide on Mars

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2025 34:43


    So far we couldn't find liquid water on Mars. But there are still places where it can hide from us. One of them is pockets under the ice. How can it exist there and which possible ways do we have to detect it? Finding out in this interview.

    [Space Bites] Eyes for Plato // Water Ice in Another Star System // Venus Tectonics

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2025 18:29


    ESA's PLATO mission gets its eyes installed, Webb finds water ice in another star system, could it be dark matter and not dark energy that's evolving over time? And in our longer [Space Bites+] on Patreon, researchers have found that hardy bacteria are evolving to thrive in spacecraft clean rooms.

    [Interview] How Quantum Coronagraphs Will Help Us See Earth-Like Planets Around Sun-Like Stars

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2025 41:10


    Our current tech doesn't allow us to block light from Sun-like stars to see Earth-like planets. The brightness difference is just too high. One of the ways we can achieve it is with quantum coronagraphs. What are they and how do they work? Finding out in this interview.

    [Q&A] Cubesats VS Big Missions, EM Protection from Space Radiation, Discovering Exomoons

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2025 20:01


    Why risk sending big space missions instead of swarms of cubesats? Can NASA protect future Mars astronauts from radiation with EM-rockets? How close are we to discovering our first exomoon? And in our Q&A+ version, which sci-fi tech is the closest to becoming a reality? Answering all that and more in this Q&A show.

    [Q&A] Why Keep Voyagers Alive, Life with No DNA, Confidence in the Distant Ladder

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2025 20:24


    Is keeping the Voyagers active a waste of money and time on the Deep Space Network? Could you play catch with a baseball-mass black hole? How confident are we in the distance ladder? And in our Q&A+ version, does it make sense to film a movie in space? Answering all that and more in this Q&A show.

    [Interview] How KSP Helps Designing Real-Life Space Mission

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2025 39:04


    The Kerbal Space Program is a fun game, but also an incredible tool for simulating a realistic space exploration program. According to a new paper, people playing the game can help develop innovative ideas that can turn into real missions, especially with the development and integration of reusable rockets like Starship and New Glenn.

    [Space Bites] Spying on Spy Satellites // Official NASA Budget Cuts // Dragonfly Milestone

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2025 18:57


    The official NASA cuts are here. Several missions reach big milestones. The Solar Gravitational Lens will be challenging to use, and in our special bonus version on Patreon, [Space Bites+] an additional story about New Horizons scanning the clouds of hydrogen around the Solar System.

    [Q&A] Smoking Gun Biosignatures, Dyson Spheres vs Warp Drives, Adopting the Metric System

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2025 20:08


    Which evidence will be a definite smoking gun when it comes to finding extraterrestrial life? Why is a Dyson sphere more realistic than warp drives? Will America ever adopt the metric system? And in our Q&A+ version, will China be collaborating with other nations in space? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show.

    [Q&A] Black Holes as a Great Filter, Artemis 3 Landing Site, Smallest Possible Star

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2025 21:51


    [Interview] Vera Rubin Will Forever Change Astronomy. Here's Exactly How

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2025 54:53


    Vera Rubin Telescope (aka LSST) is finally ready. We're expecting first light in the coming months. It will find Planet 9 (if it exists), discover thousands of new asteroids, millions of new supernovae and will change the way we do astronomy with its surveys of the night sky. Here's how it will do all that.

    [Space Bites] Planet 9 Hint // Problems for Psyche // Uranus Occultation

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2025 21:40


    [Q&A] Dinosaurs VS The Asteroid, Infinite Gravity, Real Autonomy of ISS

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2025 19:19


    Is gravity infinite? Did the dinosaurs feel the effects of the asteroid before it crashed? How long would the ISS survive without support? Would potential life on K2-18b be trapped in their gravity well? And in our Q&A+ edition, is Vera Rubin telescope DOGE-proof? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show.

    [Interview] The Tricky Part of Finding Extraterrestrial Life

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2025 41:40


    Finding extraterrestrial life is a goal for a lot of space missions. Telescopes are analysing distant planets in search of biosignatures. We've spent a lot of time thinking about what it will be like to find life on other planets. But what if we don't? What happens then? Finding out in this interview.

    [Space Bites] Moon Ejecta Hitting Earth // China's Satellite Rescue // Asteroid Closeup

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2025 18:19


    Lucy's close up images of another asteroid, why Mars has a lopsided magnetic field, Chinese engineers rescue a pair of satellites with gravitational slingshots, and new hints about where Mars's carbon dioxide atmosphere went. In our longer Space Bites+ on Patreon, a proposed human mission to both Mars and the asteroid Ceres.

    Pessimism Regarding Humanity, Dark Stars, Source Kilonova | Q&A 315

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2025


    Why am I so pessimistic about the progress of humanity? Which kilonova did all our heavy elements come from? What's the deal with the dark stars? And in our free Q&A+ on patreon, can a single nation realistically have a Moon outpost? Answering all these questions and more in this question show.

    [Q&A] Pessimism Regarding Humanity, Dark Stars, Source Kilonova | Q&A 315

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2025 21:03


    Mystery of Little Red Dots, Renaming Uranus, Why Fund Science? | Q&A 314

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2025


    Should we really be renaming Uranus and stop making fun of its name? How will astronomers deal with the floods of data when Vera Rubin comes online? Do little red dots found by Webb solve the mystery of supermassive black hole formation? And in our free Q&A+ on patreon, what are my personal space obsessions right now? Answering all these questions and more in this question show.

    How Space VFX Are Made

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2025


    Creating realistic images for space movies is tough. Often little details like the interfaces on the screens matter a lot even though you barely notice them. How is it done? Finding out in this interview.

    [Q&A] Mystery of Little Red Dots, Renaming Uranus, Why Fund Science? | Q&A 314

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2025 19:57


    [Space Bites] Cancelling Roman Telescope // Big Biosignatures Update // Spinning Universe

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2025


    We've got more details about upcoming NASA cuts, the first evidence of life on an exoplanet? is the entire Universe spinning? how global warming could reduce room for satellites, and in our free Patreon edition of Space Bites+, a new way to search for life as we don't know it.

    [Space Bites] Cancelling Roman Telescope // Big Biosignatures Update // Spinning Universe

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2025 26:14


    Origin of Oumuamua, Upside Down Venus, Space Station Made of Starships | Q&A 313

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2025


    Did we ever find out which star Oumuamua came from? Will there be a space station made of Starships? Why is Venus rotating upside down compared to all other planets? And in our free Q&A+ version on Patreon, does life on Earth require the Moon? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A.

    [Q&A] Origin of Oumuamua, Upside Down Venus, Space Station Made of Starships | Q&A 313

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2025 22:42


    [Q&A] Protocol for an Asteroid Strike, China Overtaking NASA, Mining the Moon | Q&A 312

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2025


    What is the international protocol for a potential large asteroid striking the Earth? Will China's space program soon surpass NASA? Can we feasibly mine the Moon for Helium-3? Also, in our free Q&A+ version on Patreon, what will be my next favorite telescope after Gaia is gone? I will answer all these questions and more in this Q&A show.

    [Q&A] Protocol for an Asteroid Strike, China Overtaking NASA, Mining the Moon | Q&A 312

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2025 21:57


    Getting To Mercury with NO Propellant

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2025


    Solar sails aren't only good for getting to Mars and beyond. In fact, they can be more efficient when going towards the Sun. This new mission concept even suggests going to Mercury using a solar sail, providing the best observations of the planet we have ever had.

    [Interview] Getting To Mercury with NO Propellant

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2025 55:28


    [Space Bites] Nearby Supernova is Coming // Stripping Stars // Limits for Titan Life

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2025


    We finally know exactly how long it takes Uranus to turn once; there's a Type 1a supernova in the making, and it's really close; how much total life could be on Titan? and a new comet could brighten in the coming weeks. And in our Space Bites+ on Patreon, how our understanding of the physical properties of galaxies could be wrong.

    [Space Bites] Nearby Supernova is Coming // Stripping Stars // Limits for Titan Life

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2025 21:53


    [Q&A] Artificial Gravity, Trusting SpaceX, Neutron Stars VS Magnetars | Q&A 311

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2025


    What's the current state of development of artificial gravity with spinning space stations? Do I trust SpaceX to get us to Mars? Will China be the first to get there? And in the free edition of [Q&A+] on Patreon, why won't NASA just launch upgraded versions of Voyagers? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show. 00:00 Start 00:32 [Gabulous] What's the state of artificial gravity research? 03:54 [Aaron Skinner] Can we prevent motion sickness in spinning space stations? 04:55 [Jasmine Flores] Do I trust SpaceX to get us to Mars? 12:08 [Boogerman] Will China be first to Mars? 13:28 [Vagge]

    [Q&A] Artificial Gravity, Trusting SpaceX, Neutron Stars VS Magnetars | Q&A 311

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2025 20:17


    [Q&A] Universe Inside a Black Hole, Consequences of JWST Failure, State of SETI

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2025 19:12


    What consequences would Astronomy face if JWST had failed? Does SETI still do good work? Does our Universe live inside of a giant black hole? And in the free addition of [Q&A+] on Patreon, can there be an experiment that would provide proof of alien life? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show.

    [Q&A] Universe Inside a Black Hole, Consequences of JWST Failure, State of SETI

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2025


    What consequences would Astronomy face if JWST had failed? Does SETI still do good work? Does our Universe live inside of a giant black hole? And in the free addition of [Q&A+] on Patreon, can there be an experiment that would provide proof of alien life? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show.

    [Space Bites] Revolutionary Mercury Mission Concept // Dust Shield for the Moon // First Crewed Polar Mission

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2025 19:49


    Webb discovers auroras on Neptune, and measures the exact size of Asteroid 2024 YR4, the first Private Mission to carry humans on a polar orbit, a mission that could reach and explore Mercury using only a solar sail. And in our bonus story on Patreon, what would it take to build a sample return mission to Io?

    [Space Bites] Revolutionary Mercury Mission Concept // Dust Shield for the Moon // First Crewed Polar Mission

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2025


    Webb discovers auroras on Neptune, and measures the exact size of Asteroid 2024 YR4, the first Private Mission to carry humans on a polar orbit, a mission that could reach and explore Mercury using only a solar sail. And in our bonus story on Patreon, what would it take to build a sample return mission to Io?

    [Q&A] Dying Moon Landers, Gravitational Waves from Betelgeuse, Furthest Galaxies

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2025 23:04


    Why don't moon landers just heat themselves to live through the lunar night? Will Betelgeuse's explosion cause a lot of gravitational waves? Is it even theoretically possible to accelerate close to the speed of light? And in our free bonus question on Patreon, what is my dream space mission? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show.

    [Q&A] Dying Moon Landers, Gravitational Waves from Betelgeuse, Furthest Galaxies

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2025


    Why don't moon landers just heat themselves to live through the lunar night? Will Betelgeuse's explosion cause a lot of gravitational waves? Is it even theoretically possible to accelerate close to the speed of light? And in our free bonus question on Patreon, what is my dream space mission? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show.

    [Q&A] Nearby Rogue Planets, Beaming Power from Space, Solar Sail Propulsion

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2025 21:43


    Could there be rouge planets floating in space between us and Alpha Centauri system? Will the Chinese be beaming power from a space station to Earth? Will solar sails be used for propulsion in our lifetime? And in our free bonus question on Patreon, how Lagrange points work for different planets and moons? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A.

    [Q&A] Nearby Rogue Planets, Beaming Power from Space, Solar Sail Propulsion

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2025


    Could there be rouge planets floating in space between us and Alpha Centauri system? Will the Chinese be beaming power from a space station to Earth? Will solar sails be used for propulsion in our lifetime? And in our free bonus question on Patreon, how Lagrange points work for different planets and moons? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A.

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