Podcasts about Apollo

4. Post-Apollo Budget Cuts and the Rise of Robotic Mars Exploration. Matthew Shindell discusses how following the success of Apollo, NASA proposed extending the human space program to Mars. However, President Nixon, recognizing shifting political priorities, chose to divert funding toward domestic issues like civil rights and poverty. As a result, NASA's post-Apollo budget levels dropped significantly, forcing space exploration to compete with other national needs. This led to the expansion of highly successful robotic exploration programs. Mariner 4 and 9 provided increasingly detailed images, and the Viking landers in the mid-1970s allowed scientific operations directly on the Martian surface. After a two-decade pause, exploration returned with greater vengeance via rovers like Sojourner, Spirit, Opportunity, and the recent Perseverance and Ingenuity helicopter. While technological capabilities have grown, a human mission to Mars remains incredibly ambitious due to the persistent challenges of ensuring human safety, providing shelter from radiation, and managing life support for the long duration of the trip. 1956 Retry

1. Apollo 1 and Soyuz 1 Disasters: Rushing the Space Race. Bob Zimmerman discusses the major setbacks suffered by both nations in 1967. In January, the Apollo 1 fire occurred during a launchpad rehearsal, killing astronauts Grissom, White, and Chaffee. The cause was carelessness: a spark ignited flammable materials in the pure oxygen atmosphere, trapping the crew because the hatch could only be opened externally. Frank Borman led the honest investigation, which resulted in major safety fixes, including a quick-opening hatch and nonflammable materials. Concurrently, in April 1967, the Soviet program suffered a disaster when cosmonaut Komarov died during the descent of Soyuz 1 after his parachute lines tangled. Both nations realized they had been rushing. The Russians, however, adopted a conservative rule: no manned mission would proceed unless an unmanned test was 100% successful, a standard the Zond missions failed to meet, giving the Americans a decisive edge for Apollo 8.

2. The Apollo 8 Crew, Cold War Context, and Reliance on the Saturn 5 Booster. Bob Zimmerman introduces the Apollo 8 crew—Commander Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and rookie William Anders—set against the backdrop of the intense global Cold War in late 1968. Borman was selected for his honesty and dedication to duty, ensuring the mission's success after his role in investigating the Apollo 1 tragedy. Lovell was known as a "space cadet" eager to explore, and he and Borman had proven human endurance in space during Gemini 7. The mission was a high-risk endeavor, utilizing the Saturn 5 rocket, which had only flown twice before, with the second flight experiencing problems. Wernher von Braun's team fixed these issues, and NASA decided to proceed, confident they could demonstrate that free people could achieve success better than the top-down Soviet system. The astronauts' wives accepted the mission despite the widely believed 50/50 chance of return. 1945

3. Launch Mechanics, Primitive Technology, and Trans Lunar Injection. Bob Zimmerman discusses how Apollo 8 launched on December 21, 1968, the first day of its window, following a smooth ride on the powerful Saturn 5 rocket. Engineers had mitigated the "pogo" vibration effects that plagued earlier test flights. After one Earth orbit to verify systems, they performed the Trans Lunar Injection (TLI), firing the upper stage Saturn engines to accelerate toward the moon. This moment marked the first time humans were visibly leaving Earth orbit, an experience Jim Lovell described as the Earth shrinking rapidly, like the exit of a tunnel. The Apollo capsule's onboard computer system was highly primitive, inferior to a simple digital watch calculator. Astronauts had to manually enter long strings of numbers dictated by ground control to execute maneuvers, although Borman maintained the use of a manual override for absolute precision. 1966 APOLLO 1

4. The Failure of the Soviet Zond Program and the Decision to Gamble on Apollo 8. Bob Zimmerman discusses the fierce moon race with the Soviet Union's Roscosmos, which utilized the Zond capsule for circumlunar missions. Zond 5 and 6, launched in late 1968, suffered critical failures (guidance system and atmosphere loss, respectively), forcing the Soviets to cancel their planned manned December flight. Watching this, NASA manager George Low realized the Lunar Module (LM) for Apollo 8 was behind schedule. To maintain the initiative and potentially win the space race, Low and Sam Phillips made the aggressive decision to send Apollo 8 to the moon without the LM "lifeboat." They informed NASA boss James Webb after the decision was finalized. Webb, though initially upset, accepted the decision, betting that the engineering was sound enough to risk the mission in order to prove the US was superior. 1965 APOLLO 1

5. Lunar Orbit Insertion and the Disappointment of the Moon's Surface. Bob Zimmerman discusses how on Christmas Eve, Apollo 8 approached the moon. The critical moment was Lunar Orbit Injection (LOI), requiring the firing of the Service Propulsion System (SPS) engine. This burn had to occur while the craft was behind the moon, resulting in a dramatic Loss of Signal (LOS) for Earth. Susan Borman particularly dreaded this moment because the SPS engine, which had no redundancy, was their only way into and out of lunar orbit. NASA believed firing the engine would clear any potentially problematic bubbles in the fuel lines, adding another risk. Once in orbit, the astronauts were visually disappointed, with Frank Borman describing the moon's surface as looking like a "skull" or a lifeless sandbox. Their direct observation settled the debate among scientists, confirming that the moon's craters were the result of impacts, not volcanic activity. 1962

6. The Cold War Context and the Tragedy of a Government-Controlled Space Program. Bob Zimmerman discusses how the Apollo 8 mission was embedded in the global Cold War and the extreme chaos of 1968, marked by political turmoil and assassinations. The space race was intended as a demonstration that America, as a free society, could achieve great things better than the Soviet top-down system. While the astronauts were military veterans, the author disputes the notion that NASA was a military operation, emphasizing that it was run by civilian engineers and managers. Ironically, despite the goal of celebrating freedom, President Kennedy adopted a centralized, top-down, government-run structure—a "Soviet style" program. This centralized approach proved to be a tragedy, as the mission became viewed as a singular stunt. Once the moon landing was achieved, the program lost political and financial support, resulting in a "dead end" for future solar system exploration. 2014 GOLDEN MOON

What is space? What is time? Where did the universe come from? The answers to mankind's most enduring questions may lie in science's greatest enigma: black holes.A black hole is a region of space where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape. This can occur when a star approaches the end of its life. Unable to generate enough heat to maintain its outer layers, it shrinks catastrophically down to an infinitely dense point.When this phenomenon was first proposed in 1916, it defied scientific understanding so much that Albert Einstein dismissed it as too ridiculous to be true. But scientists have since proven otherwise. In 1971, Paul Murdin and Louise Webster discovered the first black hole: Cygnus X-1. Later, in the 1990s, astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope found that not only do black holes exist, supermassive black holes lie at the heart of almost every galaxy, including our own. It would take another three decades to confirm this phenomenon. On 10 April 2019, a team of astronomers made history by producing the first image of a black hole.A Crack in Everything: How Black Holes Came in from the Cold and Took Cosmic Centre Stage (Apollo, 2025)is the story of how black holes came in from the cold and took cosmic centre stage. As a journalist, Marcus Chown interviews many of the scientists who made the key discoveries, and, as a former physicist, he translates the most esoteric of science into everyday language. The result is a uniquely engaging page-turner that tells one of the great untold stories in modern science. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hosted by Chris Beckett & Shane Ludtke, two amateur astronomers in Saskatchewan. actualastronomy@gmail.com Episode 507. 1st - Carbon Star V Air best tonight 2nd - Saturn Neptune and Moon congregate in evening sky 4th - Two Shadows on Jupiter IO and Euorpa after 10pm here for us so that's midnight EST. 5th - Full Moon (closest moon of the year) Asteroid Victoria at opposition. Asteroid "12 Victoria" is a large S-type (stony) asteroid in the main asteroid belt, discovered in 1850 by J.R. Hind. It orbits between Mars and Jupiter, recently, a meteor event occurred over Victoria, Australia, in August 2025, which created a sonic boom and was large enough for fragments to potentially have landed on the ground.  5th & 6th - Moon Near Pleiades NGC's 253 & 288 well placed tonight 7th - Cleomedes Sunset Rays visible on Moon 9th  - Carbon Star VX And Best tonight 10th - Jupiter 4-degrees S of Moon 11th - asteroid 471 Papagena at opposition  471 Papagena is an asteroid that was discovered by German astronomer Max Wolf on 7 June 1901 12th - N Taurid Meteors ZHR=5 The Northern Taurid meteor shower, active from roughly October 20 to December 10, peaks around November 12. It is known for producing bright, slow-moving fireballs that are easy to spot with the naked eye. The shower is caused by Earth passing through debris from Comet Encke  14th - Zodiacal Light becomes visible this month 17th - Leonid Meteors this morning The Leonid meteor shower is an annual event that peaks around November 17th, when Earth passes through debris left by Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. These fast, bright meteors appear to originate from the constellation Leo, which is how they got their name. Under normal conditions, you might see 10 to 15 meteors per hour, but every 33 year,.... 19th - Carbon star WZ Can best tonight 20th - Gegenshein Visible 68 Leto M=9.9 at opposition. It is a large main belt asteroid that is orbiting the Sun. The asteroid was discovered by German astronomer Robert Luther on April 29, 1861, and is named after Leto, the mother of Apollo and Artemis in Greek mythology. It orbits at a distance of 2.78112 AU over 4.64 years and has an orbital eccentricity of 0.187. The orbital plane is inclined at an angle of 7.97° to the ecliptic.68 Leto is a large main belt asteroid that is orbiting the Sun. The asteroid was discovered by German astronomer Robert Luther on April 29, 1861, and is named after Leto the mother of Apollo and Artemis. It orbits at a distance of 2.78112 AU over 4.64 years. Two Moon shadows on Jupiter Carbon star TX Psc best tonight 21st - Uranus at Opposition 23rd - Mercury and Venus Pair in morning sky 24th - Saturn Ring tilt -0.37 27th - Lunar X Alphonsus Sunrise Ray visible on Moon 28th - Lunar Straight wall visible this evening 29th - Saturn, Neptune and Moon congregate in evening sky   2 bright comets R2 Lemmon and A6 Swan -    Concluding Message: Please subscribe and share the show with other stargazers you know and send us show ideas, observations and questions to actualastronomy@gmail.com   We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting, and production costs.  Just visit: https://www.patreon.com/365DaysOfAstronomy and donate as much as you can! Share the podcast with your friends and send the Patreon link to them too!  Every bit helps! Thank you! ------------------------------------ Do go visit http://www.redbubble.com/people/CosmoQuestX/shop for cool Astronomy Cast and CosmoQuest t-shirts, coffee mugs and other awesomeness! http://cosmoquest.org/Donate This show is made possible through your donations.  Thank you! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just click!) ------------------------------------ The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by the Planetary Science Institute. http://www.psi.edu Visit us on the web at 365DaysOfAstronomy.org or email us at info@365DaysOfAstronomy.org.

TBM. Congratulations! You Win… Burning To Death. Welcome back to our Riordanverse readalong and analysis podcast!! Here's SZN20 Episode 9, where we discuss chapters 36-41 of The Burning Maze! We're talking about Trivia and all things Puzzles! We discuss severe memory gaps as well as the quirks of children; and Apollo makes arctic camo FETCH again! (And no one recalls anything about Jason's death, as it should be). We hope you'll join us next week with the final Chapters (42-47) of The Burning Maze.xx Kate & Jo ::SOCIALS:: Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damsnackbarpod/ (@damsnackbarpod) Send us an IrisMessage to join our community. Email us at damsnackbarpod@outlook.com Personals: Insta: @katiemackk @katiemackwrites @joey.mcd33 TikTok: @katie.damsnackbarpod Episode Guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ias3T7SOBIJe-_RDgau-po_7BQqJYS0aZbZ096BKk4g/edit?usp=sharing

Joe Bartnik, introduction, Serenity Prayer, patriotic song, Varney and Company, Dr Berg, election, motivation, meditation, Nikki Minaj, Florian Hutter, Apollo, conclusionBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-true-conservative--2039343/support.

In this special edition of "SuperSoul Conversations," Oprah welcomes Jordan Peele, Salma Hayek Pinault and Trevor Noah to the legendary Apollo Theater in New York City for one-on-one conversations. Writer, director and producer Jordan Peele discusses his Oscar-nominated film, "Get Out," which sparked a national dialogue on race. Oscar-nominated actress, film producer and co-founder of the Time's Up movement Salma Hayek Pinault shares her personal experiences with sexual assault and emotional abuse. Comedian, best-selling author and host of "The Daily Show" Trevor Noah recounts the challenges of growing up as a mixed-race child in apartheid-era South Africa. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Narrator: Thomas Jones

AMD posted better than expected earnings in the third quarter, Pinterest shares are plunging after that company's quarterly report, EV maker Rivian posted a surprise gross profit in the past quarter, Apollo has reportedly withdrawn its offer to take Papa John's private, and President Trump has renominated Jared Isaacman after having pulled that nomination in May amid the President's spat with Isaacman friend, Elon Musk.  Squawk Box is hosted by Joe Kernen, Becky Quick and Andrew Ross Sorkin.  Follow Squawk Pod for the best moments, interviews and analysis from our TV show in an audio-first format. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The astroquarks are joined by Jeffrey Kluger, editor at large at Time Magazine and author of 13 books including Apollo 13 and the new book on the Gemini program. Tune in to hear about some of the outlandish ideas that were explored on the way to the Moon. Plus, top quark gives us a look at a new class of black holes that we've decided are "Jumbo Black Holes". All that plus twin trivia, a hot take, and more.

Apollo Global Management President Jim Zelter discusses the state of the credit market, and the investment into AI data centers. Zelter spoke with Bloomberg's Jonathan Ferro, Lisa Abramowicz and Annmarie Hordern.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Private credit's rapid rise is reshaping corporate finance. Once a tool for middle-market borrowers, it's now a mainstream funding option for investment-grade companies seeking customized, long-term capital solutions. That shift—and what it means for treasury—is the focus of our newest episode, featuring Apollo Global Management COO of Global Origination Adam Kostrinsky. Mr. Kostrinsky tells NeuGroup's Justin Jones that many corporates are turning to Apollo for large-scale, long-duration projects—from energy transition to data centers—because the firm can “really be a long-term partner, offering differentiated financing solutions" that extend beyond the typical time horizons available in public markets.

The Blasters & Blades PodcastI had the privilege of chatting with astrophysicist Alan Smale today on Ye Olden Podcast. We talked about his nerdy origin story before moving on to his love of history. We talked about his first alternative history series and then pivoted to The Apollo Rising Series. This is an alternative history series about the Apollo Space program. This was a fun interview, so go check out this episode. Lend us your eyes and ears, you won't be sorry!! Co-Hosts: JR Handley (Author) (Grunt)Nick Garber (Comic Book Artist) (Super Grunt)Madam Stabby Stab (Uber Fan) (Horror Nerd)Jana S Brown (Author) (Chief Shenanigator)We work for free, so if you wanna throw a few pennies our way there is a linked Buy Me A Coffee site where you can do so. Just mention the podcast in the comments when you donate, and I'll keep the sacred bean water boiling!Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/AuthorJRHandley Our LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/blastersandbladespodcast Today's SponsorThe Handler's Gambit by Ingrid Moon: https://www.amazon.com/Handlers-Gambit-Saxen-Saga-Book-ebook/dp/B0CLKNFKD1 Coffee Brand Coffee Affiliate Support the Show: https://coffeebrandcoffee.com/?ref=y4GWASiVorJZDb Discount Code: PodcastGrunts Coupon Code Gets you 10% offThe Apollo Rising Series by Alan Smale: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BP97LGDX Follow Alan Smale on social mediaAlan's Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00BAFDPWO Alan's Simon & Schuster: https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/authors/Alan-Smale/245060825 Alan's Website: https://www.alansmale.com/ Alan's Twitter: https://x.com/AlanSmale Alan's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/alansmale.bsky.social Alan's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alan.smale/ Alan's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alansmale2/ Alan's GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2918292.Alan_Smale Mentioned in this episodeDr. Becky, Astrophysicist: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrBecky/videos W Michael Gear, Author: https://www.gear-gear.com/ Kathleen O'Neal Gear, Athor: https://www.gear-gear.com/ 1491 by Charles C. Mann: https://www.amazon.com/1491-Revelations-Americas-Before-Columbus/dp/1400032059 Pathfinder Movie: https://www.amazon.com/Pathfinder-Unrated-Karl-Urban/dp/B000R9U3B0 Curiosity Stream: https://curiositystream.com/ For All Mankind TV Series: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_All_Mankind_(TV_series) #scifishenanigans #scifishenaniganspodcast #bbp #blastersandblades #blastersandbladespodcast #podcast #scifipodcast #fantasypodcast #scifi #fantasy #books #rpg #comics #fandom #literature #comedy #veteran #army #armyranger #ranger #scififan #redshirts #scifiworld #sciencefiction #scifidaily #scificoncept #podcastersofinstagram #scificons #podcastlife #podcastsofinstagram #scifibooks #awardwinningscifi #newepisode #podcastersofinstagram #podcastaddict #podcast #scifigeek #scifibook #sfv #scifivisionaries #firesidechat #chat #panel #fireside #religionquestion #coffee #tea #coffeeortea #CoffeeBrandCoffee #JRHandley #NickGarber #MadamStabby #JenaRey #JanaSBrown #OpalKingdomPress #RadiantSkyApolloRising #AlanSmale #starwars #jedi #georgelucas #lucasfilms #startrek #trekkie #firefly #serenity #browncoat #wheeloftime #wot #robertjordan #brandonsanderson #gameofthrones #got #grrm #georgerrmartin #ChroniclesofNarnia #CSLewis #DrBecky #Astrophysicist #NASA #HardSciFi #HardScienceFiction #farfuturescience #DeepSpaceNine #CaptainCisco #XPrize #AlternativeFiction #AltHistory #WMichaelGear #KathleenONealGear #1491ByCharlesCMann #CharlesLMann #CuriosityStream #Pathfinder #Trex #TyrannosaurRex #Brontosaurus #UtahRaptor #Velociraptor #LordOfTheRing #LOTR #JRRTolkien #Tolkien #VienneRoast #CCCP #USSR #AdventureFiction #FemaleMainCharacter #SFC #StrongFemaleCharacter #ApolloProgram #MacGyver #ForAllMankind #SovietUnion #Astronaut #Cosmonaut #RobertAHeinlein #Heinlein #IsaacAsimov #Asimov

Die Futures erholen sich deutlich von den Tiefs – nach dem starken Abverkauf im Nasdaq 100 sehen wir das klassische Muster: eine Gegenbewegung nach unten überverkauften Tech-Werten. Laut Bespoke Investment geht es historisch am Folgetag oft wieder bergauf. AMD mit leichten Gewinnmitnahmen, Arista Networks, Pinterest und Super Micro unter Druck – vor allem wegen dünner Margen. Astera Labs dagegen überzeugt mit starken Zahlen und optimistischem Ausblick. Auch außerhalb des Tech-Sektors tut sich einiges: Rivian profitiert von robusten Ergebnissen, Amgen glänzt mit beeindruckenden Zahlen. Im Konsumbereich zeigt sich Schwäche: McDonald's verfehlt die Erwartungen, CAVA senkt den Ausblick – und Apollo zieht sich offenbar von der geplanten Übernahme von Papa John's zurück. Heute richtet sich der Blick auf den ISM-Dienstleistungsindex (16 Uhr MEZ). Fällt der schwach aus, könnte der Wall Street erneut Gegenwind drohen. Ein Podcast - featured by Handelsblatt. +++ Alle Rabattcodes und Infos zu unseren Werbepartnern findet ihr hier: https://linktr.ee/wallstreet_podcast +++ +++ Hinweis zur Werbeplatzierung von Meta: https://backend.ad-alliance.de/fileadmin/Transparency_Notice/Meta_DMAJ_TTPA_Transparency_Notice_-_Ad_Alliance_approved.pdf +++ Der Podcast wird vermarktet durch die Ad Alliance. Die allgemeinen Datenschutzrichtlinien der Ad Alliance finden Sie unter https://datenschutz.ad-alliance.de/podcast.html Die Ad Alliance verarbeitet im Zusammenhang mit dem Angebot die Podcasts-Daten. Wenn Sie der automatischen Übermittlung der Daten widersprechen wollen, klicken Sie hier: https://datenschutz.ad-alliance.de/podcast.html Impressum: https://www.360wallstreet.de/impressum

Notre tentation nous emmène à 400.000 km de la Terre : Stéphane Boudsocq, a visité pour RTL l'exposition immersive "Destination Lune" à l'Atelier des Lumières, à Paris... Le voyage commence dès l'entrée dans cette ancienne fonderie de fer, transformée en lieu culturel à grand spectacle. On y projette au sol et sur les murs des images et des photos de l'aventure spatiale des mission Apollo, celles de la conquête de la Lune. À 360 degrés, vous suivez toutes les étapes du programme de la Nasa, et ça commence en 1962 avec le discours du Président Kennedy... Ecoutez Laissez-vous tenter avec Stéphane Boudsocq du 05 novembre 2025.Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

AMD mit leichten Gewinnmitnahmen, Arista Networks, Pinterest und Super Micro unter Druck – vor allem wegen dünner Margen. Astera Labs dagegen überzeugt mit starken Zahlen und optimistischem Ausblick. Auch außerhalb des Tech-Sektors tut sich einiges: Rivian profitiert von robusten Ergebnissen, Amgen glänzt mit beeindruckenden Zahlen. Im Konsumbereich zeigt sich Schwäche: McDonald's verfehlt die Erwartungen, CAVA senkt den Ausblick und Apollo zieht sich offenbar von der geplanten Übernahme von Papa John's zurück. Um so erfreulicher, dass der ISM-Dienstleistungsindex für den Oktober über den Zielen lag. Abonniere den Podcast, um keine Folge zu verpassen! ____ Folge uns, um auf dem Laufenden zu bleiben: • X: http://fal.cn/SQtwitter • LinkedIn: http://fal.cn/SQlinkedin • Instagram: http://fal.cn/SQInstagram

My fellow pro-growth/progress/abundance Up Wingers,China's spacefaring ambitions pose tough competition for America. With a focused, centralized program, Beijing seems likely to land taikonauts on the moon before another American flag is planted. Meanwhile, NASA faces budget cuts, leadership gaps, and technical setbacks. In his new book, journalist Christian Davenport chronicles the fierce rivalry between American firms, mainly SpaceX and Blue Origin. It's a contest that, despite the challenges, promises to propel humanity to the moon, Mars, and maybe beyond.Davenport is an author and a reporter for the Washington Post, where he covers NASA and the space industry. His new book, Rocket Dreams: Musk, Bezos, and the Inside Story of the New, Trillion-Dollar Space Race, is out now.In This Episode* Check-in on NASA (1:28)* Losing the Space Race (5:49)* A fatal flaw (9:31)* State of play (13:33)* The long-term vision (18:37)* The pace of progress (22:50)* Friendly competition (24:53)Below is a lightly edited transcript of our conversation. Check-in on NASA (1:28)The Chinese tend to do what they say they're going to do on the timeline that they say they're going to do it. That said, they haven't gone to the moon . . . It's really hard.Pethokoukis: As someone — and I'm speaking about myself — who wants to get America back to the moon as soon as possible, get cooking on getting humans to Mars for the first time, what should I make of what's happening at NASA right now?They don't have a lander. I'm not sure the rocket itself is ready to go all the way, we'll find out some more fairly soon with Artemis II. We have flux with leadership, maybe it's going to not be an independent-like agency anymore, it's going to join the Department of Transportation.It all seems a little chaotic. I'm a little worried. Should I be?Davenport: Yes, I think you should be. And I think a lot of the American public isn't paying attention and they're going to see the Artemis II mission, which you mentioned, and that's that mission to send a crew of astronauts around the moon. It won't land on the moon, but it'll go around, and I think if that goes well, NASA's going to take a victory leap. But as you correctly point out, that is a far cry from getting astronauts back on the lunar surface.The lander isn't ready. SpaceX, as acting NASA administrator Sean Duffy just said, is far behind, reversing himself from like a month earlier when he said no, they appear to be on track, but everybody knew that they were well behind because they've had 11 test flights, and they still haven't made it to orbit with their Starship rocket.The rocket itself that's going to launch them into the vicinity of the moon, the SLS, launches about once every two years. It's incredibly expensive, it's not reusable, and there are problems within the agency itself. There are deep cuts to it. A lot of expertise is taking early retirements. It doesn't have a full-time leader. It hasn't had a full-time leader since Trump won the election. At the same time, they're sort of beating the drum saying we're going to beat the Chinese back to the lunar surface, but I think a lot of people are increasingly looking at that with some serious concern and doubt.For what it's worth, when I looked at the betting markets, it gave the Chinese a two-to-one edge. It said that it was about a 65 percent chance they were going to get there first. Does that sound about right to you?I'm not much of a betting man, but I do think there's a very good chance. The Chinese tend to do what they say they're going to do on the timeline that they say they're going to do it. That said, they haven't gone to the moon, they haven't done this. It's really hard. They're much more secretive, if they have setbacks and delays, we don't necessarily know about them. But they've shown over the last 10, 20 years how capable they are. They have a space station in low earth orbit. They've operated a rover on Mars. They've gone to the far side of the moon twice, which nobody has done, and brought back a sample return. They've shown the ability to keep people alive in space for extended periods of times on the space station.The moon seems within their capabilities and they're saying they're going to do it by 2030, and they don't have the nettlesome problem of democracy where you've got one party come in and changing the budget, changing the direction for NASA, changing leadership. They've just set the moon — and, by the way, the south pole of the moon, which is where we want to go as well — as the destination and have been beating a path toward that for several years now.Is there anyone for merging NASA into the Department of Transportation? Is there a hidden reservoir? Is that an idea people have been talking about now that's suddenly emerged to the surface?It's not something that I particularly heard. The FAA is going to regulate the launches, and they coordinate with the airspace and make sure that the air traffic goes around it, but I think NASA has a particular expertise. Rocket science is rocket science — it's really difficult. This isn't for the faint of heart.I think a lot of people look at human space flight and it's romanticized. It's romanticized in books and movies and in popular culture, but the fact of the matter is it's really, really hard, it's really dangerous, every time a human being gets on one of those rockets, there's a chance of an explosion, of something really, really bad happening, because a million things have to go right in order for them to have a successful flight. The FAA does a wonderful job managing — or, depending on your point of view, some people don't think they do such a great job, but I think space is a whole different realm, for sure.Losing the Space Race (5:49). . . the American flags that the Apollo astronauts planted, they're basically no longer there anymore. . . There are, however, two Chinese flags on the moonHave you thought about what it will look like the day after, in this country, if China gets to the moon first and we have not returned there yet?Actually, that's a scenario I kind of paint out. I've got this new book called Rocket Dreams and we talk about the geopolitical tensions in there. Not to give too much of a spoiler, but NASA has said that the first person to return to the moon, for the US, is going to be a woman. And there's a lot of people thinking, who could that be? It could be Jessica Meir, who is a mother and posted a picture of herself pregnant and saying, “This is what an astronaut looks like.” But it could very well be someone like Wang Yaping, who's also a mother, and she came back from one of her stays on the International Space Station and had a message for her daughter that said, “I come back bringing all the stars for you.” So I think that I could see China doing it and sending a woman, and that moment where that would be a huge coup for them, and that would obviously be symbolic.But when you're talking about space as a tool of soft power and diplomacy, I think it would attract a lot of other nations to their side who are sort of waiting on the sidelines or who frankly aren't on the sidelines, who have signed on to go to the United States, but are going to say, “Well, they're there and you're not, so that's who we're going to go with.”I think about the wonderful alt-history show For All Mankind, which begins with the Soviets beating the US to the moon, and instead of Neil Armstrong giving the “one small step for man,” basically the Russian cosmonaut gives, “Its one small step for Marxism-Leninism,” and it was a bummer. And I really imagine that day, if China beats us, it is going to be not just, “Oh, I guess now we have to share the moon with someone else,” but it's going to cause some national soul searching.And there are clues to this, and actually I detail these two anecdotes in the book, that all of the flags, the American flags that the Apollo astronauts planted, they're basically no longer there anymore. We know from Buzz Aldrin‘s memoir that the flag that he and Neil Armstrong planted in the lunar soil in 1969, Buzz said that he saw it get knocked over by the thrust in the exhaust of the module lifting off from the lunar surface. Even if that hadn't happened, just the radiation environment would've bleached the flag white, as scientists believe it has to all the other flags that are on there. So there are essentially really no trace of the Apollo flags.There are, however, two Chinese flags on the moon, and the first one, which was planted a couple of years ago, or unveiled a couple of years ago, was made not of cloth, but their scientists and engineers spent a year building a composite material flag designed specifically to withstand the harsh environment of the moon. When they went back last summer for their farside sample return mission, they built a flag, — and this is pretty amazing — out of basalt, like volcanic rock, which you find on Earth. And they use basalt from earth, but of course basalt is common on the moon. They were able to take the rock, turn it into lava, extract threads from the lava and weave this flag, which is now near the south pole of the moon. The significance of that is they are showing that they can use the resources of the moon, the basalt, to build flags. It's called ISR: in situ resource utilization. So to me, nothing symbolizes their intentions more than that.A fatal flaw (9:31). . . I tend to think if it's a NASA launch . . . and there's an explosion . . . I still think there are going to be investigations, congressional reports, I do think things would slow down dramatically.In the book, you really suggest a new sort of golden age of space. We have multiple countries launching. We seem to have reusable rockets here in the United States. A lot of plans to go to the moon. How sustainable is this economically? And I also wonder what happens if we have another fatal accident in this country? Is there so much to be gained — whether it's economically, or national security, or national pride in space — that this return to space by humanity will just go forward almost no matter what?I think so. I think you've seen a dramatic reduction in the cost of launch. SpaceX and the Falcon 9, the reusable rocket, has dropped launches down. It used to be if you got 10, 12 orbital rocket launches in a year, that was a good year. SpaceX is launching about every 48 hours now. It's unprecedented what they've done. You're seeing a lot of new players — Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, others — driving down the cost of launch.That said, the main anchor tenant customer, the force driving all of this is still the government, it's still NASA, it's still the Pentagon. There is not a self-sustaining space economy that exists in addition or above and beyond the government. You're starting to see bits of that, but really it's the government that's driving it.When you talk about the movie For All Mankind, you sort of wonder if at one point, what happened in that movie is there was a huge investment into NASA by the government, and you're seeing that to some extent today, not so much with NASA, but actually on the national security side and the creation of the Space Force and the increases, just recently, in the Space Force's budget. I mean, my gosh, if you have $25 billion for this year alone for Golden Dome, the Missile Defense Shield, that's the equivalent of NASA's entire budget. That's the sort of funding that helps build those capabilities going forward.And if we should, God forbid, have a fatal accident, you think we'll just say that's the cost of human exploration and forward we go?I think a lot about this, and the answer is, I don't know. When we had Challenger and we had Columbia, the world stopped, and the Space Shuttle was grounded for months if not a year at a time, and the world just came to an end. And you wonder now if it's becoming more routine and what happens? Do we just sort of carry on in that way?It's not a perfect analogy, but when you talk about commercial astronauts, these rich people are paying a lot of money to go, and if there's an accident there, what would happen? I think about that, and you think about Mount Everest. The people climbing Mount Everest today, those mountain tourists are literally stepping over dead bodies as they're going up to the summit, and nobody's shutting down Mount Everest, they're just saying, well, if you want to climb Mount Everest, that's the risk you take. I do wonder if we're going to get that to that point in space flight, but I tend to think if it's a NASA launch, and it's NASA astronauts, and there's an explosion, and there's a very bad day, I still think there are going to be investigations, congressional reports, I do think things would slow down dramatically.The thing is, if it's SpaceX, they have had accidents. They've had multiple accidents — not with people, thank goodness — and they have been grounded.It is part of the model.It's part of the model, and they have shown how they can find out what went wrong, fix it, and return to flight, and they know their rocket so well because they fly it so frequently. They know it that well, and NASA, despite what you think about Elon, NASA really, really trusts SpaceX and they get along really well.State of play (13:33)[Blue Origin is] way behind for myriad reasons. They sat out while SpaceX is launching the Falcon 9 every couple of days . . . Blue Origin, meanwhile, has flown its New Glenn rocket one time.I was under the impression that Blue Origin was way behind SpaceX. Are they catching up?This is one of the themes of the book. They are way behind for myriad reasons. They sat out while SpaceX is launching the Falcon 9 every couple of days, they're pushing ahead with Starship, their next generation rocket would be fully reusable, twice the thrust and power of the Saturn V rocket that flew the Apollo astronauts to the Moon. Blue Origin, meanwhile, has flown its New Glenn rocket one time. They might be launching again soon within the coming weeks or months, hopefully by the end of the year, but that's two. They are so far behind, but you do hear Jeff Bezos being much more tuned into the company. He has a new CEO — a newish CEO — plucked from the ranks of Amazon, Dave Limp, and you do sort of see them charging, and now that the acting NASA administrator has sort of opened up the competition to go to the moon, I don't know that Blue Origin beats SpaceX to do it, but it gives them some incentive to move fast, which I think they really need.I know it's only a guess and it's only speculation, but when we return to the moon, which company will have built that lander?At this point, you have to put your money on SpaceX just because they're further along in their development. They've flown humans before. They know how to keep people alive in space. In their Dragon capsule, they have the rendezvous and proximity operations, they know how to dock. That's it.Blue Origin has their uncrewed lander, the Mark 1 version that they hope to land on the moon next year, so it's entirely possible that Blue Origin actually lands a spacecraft on the lunar surface before SpaceX, and that would be a big deal. I don't know that they're able to return humans there, however, before SpaceX.Do you think there's any regrets by Jeff Bezos about how Blue Origin has gone about its business here? Because obviously it really seems like it's a very different approach, and maybe the Blue Origin approach, if we look back 10 years, will seem to have been the better approach, but given where we are now and what you just described, would you guess that he's deeply disappointed with the kind of progress they made via SpaceX?Yeah, and he's been frustrated. Actually, the opening scene of the book is Jeff being upset that SpaceX is so far ahead and having pursued a partnership with NASA to fly cargo and supply to the International Space Station and then to fly astronauts to the International Space Station, and Blue Origin essentially sat out those competitions. And he turns to his team — this was early on in 2016 — and said, “From here on out, we go after everything that SpaceX goes after, we're going to compete with them. We're going to try to keep up.” And that's where they went, and sort of went all in early in the first Trump administration when it was clear that they wanted to go back to the moon, to position Blue Origin to say, “We can help you go back to the moon.”But yes, I think there's enormous frustration there. And I know, if not regret on Jeff's part, but certainly among some of his senior leadership, because I've talked to them about it.What is the war for talent between those two companies? Because if you're a hotshot engineer out of MIT, I'd guess you'd probably want to go to SpaceX. What is that talent war like, if you have any idea?It's fascinating. Just think a generation ago, you're a hot MIT engineer coming out of grad school, chances are you're going to go to NASA or one of the primes, right? Lockheed, or Boeing, or Air Jet, something like that. Now you've got SpaceX and Blue Origin, but you've got all kinds of other options too: Stoke Space, Rocket Lab, you've got Axiom, you've got companies building commercial space stations, commercial companies building space suits, commercial companies building rovers for the moon, a company called Astro Lab.I think what you hear is people want to go to SpaceX because they're doing things: they're flying rockets, they're flying people, you're actually accomplishing something. That said, the culture's rough, and you're working all the time, and the burnout rate is high. Blue Origin more has a tradition of people getting frustrated that yeah, the work-life balance is better — although I hear that's changing, actually, that it's driving much, much harder — but it's like, when are we launching? What are we doing here?And so the fascinating thing is actually, I call it SpaceX and Blue Origin University, where so many of the engineers go out and either do their own things or go to work for other companies doing things because they've had that experience in the commercial sector.The long-term vision (18:37)That's the interesting thing, that while they compete . . . at a base level, Elon and Jeff and SpaceX and Blue Origin want to accomplish the same things and have a lot in common . . .At a talk recently, Bezos was talking about space stations in orbit and there being like a million people in space in 20 years doing economically valuable things of some sort. How seriously should I take that kind of prediction?Well, I think a million people in 20 years is not feasible, but I think that's ultimately what is his goal. His goal is, as he says, he founded Amazon, the infrastructure was there: the phone companies had laid down the cables for the internet, the post office was there to deliver the books, there was an invention called the credit card, he could take people's money. That infrastructure for space isn't there, and he wants to sort of help with Elon and SpaceX. That's their goal.That's the interesting thing, that while they compete, while they poke each other on Twitter and kind of have this rivalry, at a base level, Elon and Jeff and SpaceX and Blue Origin want to accomplish the same things and have a lot in common, and that's lower the cost of access to space and make it more accessible so that you can build this economy on top of it and have more people living in space. That's Elon's dream, and the reason he founded SpaceX is to build a city on Mars, right? Something's going to happen to Earth at some point we should have a backup plan.Jeff's goal from the beginning was to say, you don't really want to inhabit another planet or celestial body. You're better off in these giant space stations envisioned by a Princeton physics professor named Gerard O'Neill, who Jeff Bezos read his book The High Frontier and became an acolyte of Gerard O'Neill from when he was a kid, and that's sort of his vision, that you don't have to go to a planet, you can just be on a Star Trekkian sort of spacecraft in orbit around the earth, and then earth is preserved as this national park. If you want to return to Earth, you can, but you get all the resources from space. In 500 years is that feasible? Yeah, probably, but that's not going to be in our lives, or our kids' lives, or our grandkids' lives.For that vision — anything like that vision — to happen, it seems to me that the economics needs to be there, and the economics just can't be national security and national prestige. We need to be doing things in space, in orbit, on the moon that have economic value on their own. Do we know what that would look like, or is it like you've got to build the infrastructure first and then let the entrepreneurs do their thing and see what happens?I would say the answer is “yes,” meaning it's both. And Jeff even says it, that some of the things that will be built, we do not know. When you had the creation of the internet, no one was envisioning Snapchat or TikTok. Those applications come later. But we do know that there are resources in space. We know there's a plentiful helium three, for example, on the surface of the moon, which it could be vital for, say, quantum computing, and there's not a lot of it on earth, and that could be incredibly valuable. We know that asteroids have precious metals in large quantities. So if you can reduce the cost of accessing them and getting there, then I think you could open up some of those economies. If you just talk about solar rays in space, you don't have day and night, you don't have cloud cover, you don't have an atmosphere, you're just pure sunlight. If you could harness that energy and bring it back to earth, that could be valuable.The problem is the cost of entry is so high and it's so difficult to get there, but if you have a vehicle like Starship that does what Elon envisions and it launches multiple times a day like an airline, all you're really doing is paying for the fuel to launch it, and it goes up and comes right back down, it can carry enormous amounts of mass, you can begin to get a glimmer of how this potentially could work years from now.The pace of progress (22:50)People talk about US-China, but clearly Russia has been a long-time player. India, now, has made extraordinary advancements. Of course, Europe, Japan, and all those countries are going to want to have a foothold in space . . .How would you characterize the progress now than when you wrote your first book?So much has happened that the first book, The Space Barons was published in 2018, and I thought, yeah, there'll be enough material here for another one in maybe 10 years or so, and here we are, what, seven years later, and the book is already out because commercial companies are now flying people. You've got a growth of the space ecosystem beyond just the Space Barons, beyond just the billionaires.You've got multiple players in the rocket launch market, and really, I think a lot of what's driving it isn't just the rivalries between the commercial companies in the United States, but the geopolitical space race between the United States and China, too that's really driving a lot of this, and the technological change that we've seen has moved very fast. Again, how fast SpaceX is launching, Blue Origin coming online, new launch vehicles, potentially new commercial space stations, and a broadening of the space ecosystem, it's moving fast. Does that mean it's perfect? No, companies start, they fail, they have setbacks, they go out of business, but hey, that's capitalism.Ten years from now, how many space stations are going to be in orbit around the earth?I think we'll have at least one or two commercial space stations for the United States, I think China. Is it possible you've got the US space stations, does that satisfy the demand? People talk about US-China, but clearly Russia has been a long-time player. India, now, has made extraordinary advancements. Of course, Europe, Japan, and all those countries are going to want to have a foothold in space for their scientists, for their engineers, for their pharmaceutical companies that want to do research in a zero-G environment. I think it's possible that there are, within 10 years, three, maybe even four space stations. Yeah, I think that's possible.Friendly competition (24:53)I honestly believe [Elon] . . . wants Blue to be better than they are.Do you think Musk thinks a lot about Blue Origin, or do you think he thinks, “I'm so far ahead, we're just competing against our own goals”?I've talked to him about this. He wishes they were better. He wishes they were further along. He said to me years ago, “Jeff needs to focus on Blue Origin.” This is back when Jeff was still CEO of Amazon, saying he should focus more on Blue Origin. And he said that one of the reasons why he was goading him and needling him as he has over the years was an attempt to kind of shame him and to get him to focus on Blue, because as he said, for Blue to be successful, he really needs to be dialed in on it.So earlier this year, when New Glenn, Blue Origin's big rocket, made it to orbit, that was a moment where Elon came forward and was like, respect. That is hard to do, to build a rocket to go to orbit, have a successful flight, and there was sort of a public high five in the moment, and now I think he thinks, keep going. I honestly believe he wants Blue to be better than they are.There's a lot of Elon Musk skeptics out there. They view him either as the guy who makes too big a prediction about Tesla and self-driving cars, or he's a troll on Twitter, but when it comes to space and wanting humanity to have a self-sustaining place somewhere else — on Mars — is he for real?Yeah, I do believe that's the goal. That's why he founded SpaceX in the first place, to do that. But the bottom line is, that's really expensive. When you talk about how do you do that, what are the economic ways to do it, I think the way he's funding that is obviously through Starlink and the Starlink system. But I do believe he wants humanity to get to Mars.The problem with this now is that there hasn't been enough competition. Blue Origin hasn't given SpaceX competition. We saw all the problems that Boeing has had with their program, and so much of the national space enterprise is now in his hands. And if you remember when he had that fight and the breakup with Donald Trump, Elon, in a moment of peak, threatened to take away the Dragon spacecraft, which is the only way NASA can fly its astronauts anywhere to space, to the International Space Station. I think that was reckless and dangerous and that he regretted it, but yes, the goal to get to Mars is real, and whatever you think about Elon — and he certainly courts a controversy — SpaceX is really, really good at what they do, and what they've done is really unprecedented from an American industrial perspective.My earliest and clearest memory of America and space was the landing on Mars. I remember seeing the first pictures probably on CBS news, I think it was Dan Rather saying, “Here are the first pictures of the Martian landscape,” 1976, and if you would've asked me as a child then, I would've been like, “Yeah, so we're going to be walking on Mars,” but I was definitely hooked and I've been interested in space, but are you a space guy? How'd you end up on this beat, which I think is a fantastic beat? You've written two books about it. How did this happen?I did not grow up a space nerd, so I was born in 1973 —Christian, I said “space guy.” I didn't say “space nerd,” but yeah, that is exactly right.My first memory of space is actually the Challenger shuttle exploding. That was my memory. As a journalist, I was covering the military. I'd been embedded in Iraq, and my first book was an Iraq War book about the national guard's role in Iraq, and was covering the military. And then this guy, this was 10 years ago, 12 years ago, at this point, Elon holds a press conference at the National Press Club where SpaceX was suing the Pentagon for the right to compete for national security launch contracts, and he starts off the press conference not talking about the lawsuit, but talking about the attempts. This was early days of trying to land the Falcon 9 rocket and reuse it, and I didn't know what he was talking about. And I was like, what? And then I did some research and I was like, “He's trying to land and reuse the rockets? What?” Nobody was really covering it, so I started spending more time, and then it's the old adage, right? Follow the money. And if the richest guys in the world — Bezos Blue Origin, at the time, Richard Branson, Paul Allen had a space company — if they're investing large amounts of their own personal fortune into that, maybe we should be paying attention, and look at where we are now.On sale everywhere The Conservative Futurist: How To Create the Sci-Fi World We Were Promised Faster, Please! is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fasterplease.substack.com/subscribe

NASA Artemis 2 Mission 2025 explores the first crewed Artemis flight, the Orion spacecraft, the Space Launch System rocket, the Moon mission timeline, the astronaut crew, and NASA's plan to return humans to the Moon for the first time since Apollo 17. This episode covers the Artemis 2 launch date, the mission objectives, the flight profile, the lunar flyby trajectory, and the crew training updates. We break down the NASA Artemis program, the Artemis 1 results, and how Artemis 2 prepares for Artemis 3 and the future lunar landing.Learn about the Orion capsule systems, the SLS Block 1 rocket performance, the crew safety systems, the mission milestones, and NASA's deep space exploration goals. Hear detailed analysis of the Artemis 2 astronauts, including Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, and discover how their historic lunar orbit mission advances human spaceflight.This episode also explores the NASA Artemis timeline updates, the Starship lunar lander integration, the Gateway lunar station plans, and international collaboration through ESA, CSA, and JAXA. Get expert commentary on the Artemis 2 mission risks, the Moon return strategy, the spaceflight technology, and NASA's roadmap for Mars exploration.

“I'm going to need some tissues. It's a difficult story… but a beautiful one… because we can turn darkness into light.” -NASA's Michael CiannilliSeason 7 launches today!

On 19 October 2025, thieves wearing high-vis work wear, used a stolen furniture removals truck to get into a top floor of the Louvre in Paris, stealing pieces of the French Crown Jewels from the Galerie d'Apollon ('Apollo's Gallery'). The amazingly swift robbery took place at around 9.30am on what seemed to be a regular Sunday morning.  In this podcast chat, hear Loulabelle discuss the situation with historian and Paris resident Claudine Hemingway who knows the Louvre like the back of her hand! Claudine was interviewed on USA Today the day after the heist and gives us the low down on all the details from a local perspective: what happened on the day, what is the impact on the Louvre, what's happened since and how George Clooney is involved! **Chat recorded - Sunday 2 November.**Louise Prichard is the host of the Loulabelle's FrancoFiles podcast.**Other Loulabelle's links:FrancoFile Fix on YouTubeLoulabelle's FrancoFiles Spotify Playlist Loulabelle's FrancoFiles InstagramLoulabelle's FrancoFiles website

The fallout from the revelations about Leon Black's financial ties to Jeffrey Epstein ignited a bitter power struggle at Apollo Global Management. When it was revealed that Black had paid Epstein over $150 million for questionable “advisory services,” investors, regulators, and the public demanded accountability. That scrutiny forced Apollo's board to initiate a review, which ultimately led to Black stepping down earlier than planned. His departure cracked open rivalries among Apollo's co-founders, with Marc Rowan and Josh Harris maneuvering for influence. What should have been a smooth leadership transition instead turned into a test of Apollo's governance, reputation, and stability in the face of scandal.The struggle was not just about replacing Black—it was about cleaning up the mess his actions left behind. Senior leadership and board members clashed over why such extraordinary sums were paid to Epstein with little documentation or oversight, sparking deeper questions about Apollo's culture of accountability. Harris, once considered a top contender for the top role, pulled back from daily management amid the turmoil, leaving Rowan to step into leadership. The entire episode underscored how deeply Epstein's shadow reached into the highest levels of finance, destabilizing one of the world's most powerful private equity firms and forcing Apollo to reckon with reputational damage that money alone couldn't erase.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comSource:https://nypost.com/2021/05/24/jeffrey-epstein-led-to-fallout-at-apollo-global-management/

I was rewatching Apollo 13 over the weekend - a fabulous movie, by the way, if you've never seen it - about how, in 1970, three astronauts returned safely to Earth following an explosion on their spacecraft, two days into a journey to the Moon. Among the many problems faced by the crew and mission control was one of navigation. In order to conserve electrical power, they had to shut down their computers, along with their navigation systems, until they powered them up again just before reentry. Of course, this made it far more difficult to plot their course – but it was also far more important that they do so – so that they would be in the right position when they approached the Earth.

Crystal Skillman is an internationally award-winning playwright, fictional podcast writer, and comic book author who has written for Stories Podcast (Wondery Kids), Girl Tales, Adventure Time comics, as well as Marvel comics. In addition to Open and The Rocket Men, Crystal is the dramatist of RAIN AND ZOE SAVE THE WORLD (premiered in the UK in 2022) and the NYTimes Critics' Pick plays GEEK, CUT, and KING KIRBY which you can listen to on Broadway Podcast Network.We talk about the big issues of history, war, justice and art. We focus on her new play 'The Rocket Men.' The Rocket Men is a unique theatrical experience that carries us through time in a blink of an eye to present the story of the German "Rocket Men" who used their scientific skills to flee Nazi Germany and settle in the most unlikely of places...North Alabama. These men form the backbone of NASA's rocketry program.In this modern play, women (employees at Space Camp), step into roles playing the men focusing on Heinz- Hermann Koelle, a lesser-known young German rocketeer, who joined this "Operation Paperclip" team years later; Rocket Men explores the dynamic relationship of Wernher von Braun and Koelle as these two have set their sights on getting us to the Moon and beyond.But as the play counts down to the launch of Apollo 11, Koelle is befriended by a Jewish engineer hell-bent on exposing the truth: the Germans' technology is based on the V-2 rockets built by slave labor.Played by six female-identifying women who force us to theatrically re-examine this explosive story - still widely not known in America - “The Rocket Men” asks who gets to be remembered in the history books, and why?

In an episode of ‘The Kardashians' the other day, Kim Kardashian made it clear that she is in full support of the idea that the Apollo moon landings never actually happened. So, why does this particular conspiracy theory persist while others fade away?Joining Seán to discuss is Howard Berry, Reader in Film Heritage Practice at the University of Hertfordshire…

Brad Zerbo and Jaytriot close out The Audio Files season with a cinematic tribute to Cocoa Beach, the home of rockets, surfboards, and the Great American Restoration Tour. Broadcasting from the edge of liftoff, the duo blends 60 years of beach and space-inspired music, from Frankie Avalon's Beach Blanket Bingo to Bowie's Space Oddity and Flock of Seagulls' Space Age Love Song. They trace the strange but beautiful collision of 1960s surf culture and NASA's space program, weaving in punk, new wave, and glam rock detours along the way. Between stories of CanCon's “spacey” beach party, Brad's Jersey Shore nostalgia, and Jay's Ace Frehley memories, this episode feels like a warm night by the ocean, equal parts nostalgia, laughter, and heart. The finale ends on a high note with Sinatra's timeless Fly Me to the Moon, a song once played aboard Apollo 11 and now closing out the pre-GART celebration with style and soul.

La musica, da sempre, è stata considerata un rimedio contro le ‘asprezze' dell'esistenza. Il suo effetto benefico si è irradiato sull'umano, come sul naturale, senza differenze di status, età, genere. Depositaria di un potere terapeutico pervasivo, non vi è essere animato, né inanimato che non ne subisca l'azione armonizzatrice. Se la musica degli uomini è capace di riscattare dal silenzio il proprio mondo, l'atto di produrre suono, nella cultura occidentale, è atto intrinsecamente metaforico, come testimoniano le figure mitiche che l'hanno esercitato: Apollo, padre di Esculapio, il dio della medicina, che allontana il male dagli esseri umani; Orfeo che suonando la sua taumaturgica lira ammansisce le fiere, placa i bellicosi e sovverte, addirittura, l'ordine delle cose nell'utopia delusa di riportare in vita la sua amata; David, che col suono della sua arpa salva dai tormenti della melanconia re Saul, erigendosi ad archetipo del potere salvifico della musica nel mondo cristianizzato, un potere che i manuali degli esorcisti ci rivelano essere così pervasivo da riuscire a scacciare persino il demonio.Il discorso mitico, alimentato dagli stupefacenti effetti ascritti alla disciplina musicale, si configura come un potente mezzo per descrivere soggiacenti meccanismi psicologici di risposta emozionale alla musica all'interno del paradigma concettuale della filosofia greca, paradigma per secoli continuamente riscritto, senza mai venir meno.La puntata odierna ha ospite al microfono di Giovanni Conti, Stefano Lorenzetti, uno dei fondatori dell'ensemble Umbra Lucis che nell'ambito di Cantar di Pietre ha proposto un programma che traduce in suono, in suono reale e vitale, proprio tale discorso mirabilmente sintetizzato da una similitudine antichissima e iterata per secoli: come uno strumento scordato non è capace di produrre buona musica, altrettanto, un animo, ‘scordato' non è capace di vivere. La similitudine strumento musicale/animo umano ci guida, dunque, attraverso un'antropologia degli affetti e degli effetti della musica.

Learn more at TheCityLife.org

Learn more at TheCityLife.org

Plug: Author of Gratitude, Strength, and Opportunity: Living for Today and the coming book Escape Plug: Managing Partner of Delos Capital Plug: https://www.deloscap.com/team/matthew-constantin SPEAKING POINTS: A true story of paradise, poison, and a man's encounter with near-certain death in the Caribbean Actual events that occurred beginning in April 2021. I have chosen to anonymize the island because what happened to me during that period was unfortunately not an isolated event confined to that one island but occurs all too frequently in destinations around the globe. To be clear, to me HAPPENED, and continues to HAPPEN… Government expands travel warnings after surge in deadly fake alcohol poisonings / Personal Story *https://www.foxnews.com/travel/government-expands-travel-warnings-after-surge-deadly-fake-alcohol-poisonings *https://nypost.com/2025/10/25/lifestyle/travel-warnings-expand-after-surge-in-fake-alcohol-poisonings/ *https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Hr3qYTafe8M Matt is also the author of Gratitude, Strength, and Opportunity: Living for Today. Gratitude, Strength, and Opportunity: Living for TODAY is a thought-provoking and interactive work with the potential to fundamentally change lives. Author Matt Constantino offers a simple yet profound catalyst for daily reflection, affirmation, and action that is accessible for readers of any age and from every walk of life. With a laser-sharp gift for self-examination, he not only demonstrates the system of daily insights that he and his close-knit yet diverse "tribe" of confidants use to navigate and better their own lives, but also shares a year of searingly unvarnished daily reflections that are deeply powerful in their absolute honesty. Through the author's fearless example, readers who adopt his method can achieve the introspective clarity essential for progress in every facet of their lives. Expertise: Finance Author, Survivor, Money, Finances, Business, Investments Matt Constantino is Managing Partner of Delos Capital and has more than 25 years of experience working with management teams, CEOs, and boards of privately-held businesses. Previously, Mr. Constantino joined Apollo Global Management in 2002, where he was initially a member of the firm's flagship private equity fund, which focused on buyout transactions. In 2006, Matt was promoted to Partner within Apollo. Subsequently, he was named Head of Private Investments for Apollo's Strategic Value Fund, where he focused on lower- and middle-market private equity and special situations opportunities, as well as public and private debt and equity investing. Mr. Constantino also worked with ZS Fund and at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette in its Mergers & Acquisitions Department, and Vision Capital. He has an MBA in Finance from The Wharton School and a BA in Economics from Wesleyan University. Mr. Constantino is engaged in several external organizations, including Smiles Through Cars, Cherish Health, Free a Girl, and Hamptons Youth Camps. Matt is also the author of Gratitude, Strength, and Opportunity: Living for Today.

Thrust onto the public stage at 15 years old after the Taliban's brutal attack on her life, Malala Yousafzai became an international icon for resilience and bravery. Described as a reflection on a life of a woman finally taking charge of her destiny, her memoir Finding My Way has just been published. She joins Anita Rani in the Woman's Hour studio.There's a call to compensate women caught up in the scandal of faulty breast implants manufactured by a French company. The PIP scandal happened in 2012 when it emerged that the implants were filled with industrial silicone instead of medical grade silicone. The implants are far more likely to rupture than others. MPs on the Women's and Equalities Committee have been hearing calls for compensation during their inquiry into the health impacts of breast implants and other cosmetic procedures. Jan Spivey from PIP Action Campaign and Professor Carl Heneghan from The Centre for Evidence Based Medicine join us to discuss this.What if all your dreams come true and you still find yourself a bit grumpy? That's the brilliantly blunt question at the heart of Laura Smyth's stand-up tour, Born Aggy. Laura's journey into comedy wasn't exactly textbook. She left behind a career in teaching, was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer that same year and - just two weeks after finishing treatment - was on stage in Live at the Apollo. She joins Nuala McGovern in the studio.Choreographer and artist Amina Khayyam tells Anita about her new dance-theatre work, Bibi Rukiya's Reckless Daughter, which opens soon in London after a national tour. It explores how patriarchy is enforced not only by men, but across generations of women, within family structures.Singer, actor and performer, Petula Clark's career has spanned over eight decades. She sang to wartime troops in the 40s, was a 1950s child star, became a European musical icon before conquering America with her No 1 hit Downtown. She starred in Hollywood movies alongside Fred Astaire and performed on stage in musicals including The Sound of Music, Sunset Boulevard and most recently Mary Poppins. Her autobiography - Is That You, Petula? is out now and she joins Nuala to look back at her long career.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Simon Richardson

You're listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for October 31, 2025. 0:30 As the government shutdown drags on, even some Democrats are starting to question their own party’s tactics — including Senator John Fetterman. We unpack Fetterman’s surprising candor in a CNN interview, where he condemns the political games that leave millions of Americans hungry while Congress argues over tax credits. 10:00 Plus, we cover the Top 3 Things You Need to Know. The FBI says they have stopped a "Jihadi terror plot" planned for this Halloween weekend. The Department of Homeland Security conducted a series of raids in Indiana this week.They arrested 223 illegal immigrants, including 146 who were driving semi-trucks. The State of Ohio has just redrawn its congressional maps, likely giving Republicans two more seats in the next midterm election. 12:30 Get NSorb from Victory Nutrition International for 20% off. Go to vni.life/agr and use the promo code AGR20. 13:30 When did the “party of the people” become the party of the ultra-rich? We dig into a new study showing that Democrats now represent more than 75% of America’s wealthiest districts — the very same crowd that rails against “income inequality.” From Nancy Pelosi to Bernie Sanders, millionaire politicians and billionaire donors have reshaped the Democratic Party into an elite club more comfortable in boardrooms than break rooms. 16:30 The American Mamas tackle a listener's question: could Gavin Newsom actually become the Democrats' 2028 nominee? Teri Netterville doesn't hold back, calling out Newsom's chameleon-like persona — switching accents, stories, and attitudes depending on the audience. From his "hustling" childhood tale to his infamous French Laundry dinner, we're taking a closer look at Newsom's disingenuous charm campaign. If you'd like to ask our American Mamas a question, go to our website, AmericanGroundRadio.com/mamas and click on the Ask the Mamas button. 23:00 President Trump and First Lady Melania welcomed families to the White House for trick-or-treating. Kids showed up in all-American costumes from tanks and Spiderman to princesses and costumes that harken back to Trump's day of work at McDonald's. 25:00 We Dig Deep into the shocking details of Operation Arctic Frost, a secret 2022 FBI surveillance program that allegedly targeted Republican lawmakers, conservative organizations, and media outlets. We break down how the operation—approved under the Biden administration—used expansive digital tracking and data mapping to monitor phone records, online activity, and even purchases of GOP senators, Turning Point USA, and Fox News journalists. With no crimes uncovered and no probable cause established, the discussion turns to what this means for civil liberties, political bias within federal agencies, and the future of free speech in America. 32:00 Get Prodovite from Victory Nutrition International for 20% off. Go to vni.life/agr and use the promo code AGR20. 33:30 Kim Kardashian has entered the moon landing debate, claiming Apollo 11 “didn’t happen,” and that Buzz Aldrin basically admitted it. 36:00 Plus, it's Fake News Friday! We're putting you to the test with our weekly game of headlines—are they real news, fake news, or really fake news? From Trump freeing Canada and Bill de Blasio’s math problem, to the Word of the Year, Daylight Savings time and even bets on which NBA player will be busted for gambling next, can you spot the fake news? Play along, keep score, and share your results with us on Facebook page: facebook.com/AmericanGroundRadio. 40:30 Joy Reid and the left hate Donald Trump so much that aren't happy with just beating him in the polls. They want to destroy him entirely. And we just have to say, "Whoa!" Follow us: americangroundradio.com Facebook: facebook.com / AmericanGroundRadio Instagram: instagram.com/americangroundradio See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're back with another duo-cast, and this one takes us on a heartfelt, mystical ride through the many layers of love, spirit, and self-discovery. As always, it's just me and my amazing wife, Alyson Charles Storey, sitting down to share the unfiltered truth of what's really alive in our world right now.We open up about the origins of our relationship and what that season of deep self-work taught us about healing, intimacy, and trust. From there, we dive into lighter (and wilder) terrain: our summer adventures in Nevada City, the magic of the Yuba River, and a string of bat encounters that sparked some late-night spiritual decoding.Whether you're seeking clarity on relationships, purpose, or simply a reminder that spiritual life can be full of laughter and mystery, this conversation has it all.Get the Animal Power book and deck, plus free guided drumming shamanic journey to meet your power animal, at alysoncharles.com/animalpower.DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only and not intended for diagnosing or treating illnesses. The hosts disclaim responsibility for any adverse effects from using the information presented. Consult your healthcare provider before using referenced products. This podcast may include paid endorsements.THIS SHOW IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:APOLLO NEURO | Improve sleep, focus, and calm with the Apollo wearable. Get $90 off with code LUKE at apolloneuro.com/luke.BIOPTIMIZERS | You can use the code LUKE15 for 15% off at bioptimizers.com/luke.QUANTUM UPGRADE | Get a 15-day free trial with code LUKE15 at lukestorey.com/quantumupgrade.SUNLIGHTEN | Save up to $600 when you go to lukestorey.com/sunlighten and use code LUKESTOREY in the pricing form.MORE ABOUT THIS EPISODE:(00:00:00) From Episode 111 to Sacred Boundaries(00:27:46) The Call for a Summer Escape(00:38:39) Nevada City Highlights: Markets, Magic, & Mystery(01:01:42) Swami, Cave Initiations, & Sacred Synchronicities(01:21:58) Shout-Outs & Biohacker Show-and-Tell(01:37:25) What “Selling Your Soul” Really Means(02:06:57) The Prostitute Archetype & the Price of IntegrityResources:• Website: alysoncharles.com • Instagram: instagram.com/iamalysoncharles • Facebook: facebook.com/rockstarshaman • X: x.com/alysoncharles • TikTok: tiktok.com/@shamanalysoncharles • YouTube: youtube.com/@alysonstorey • Shop all our merch designs at

This week we look at why space can be scary with a survey of some of the best (and some of the most laughable) movies about critters from outer space! Witness the terror of men in floppy rubber suits! Cringe as the century plant-like triffids take over people's brains! Scream along with us as rock spiders on the moon devour astroanuts' faces! It's a true popuourri of space-borne horrors as we discuss some of the best (okay, and worst) space sci-fi movies of all time! Headlines: • NASA Science Centers Face Shutdown and Controversy During Budget Crisis • SpaceX Promises to Simplify Artemis 3 Moon Landing, Details Remain Vague • Night Sky Halloween Highlights: Two Can't-Miss Comets • Tribute to Buzz Aldrin's Late Wife, Anka Ferrer Main Topic: Scary Space Movies—A Halloween Special • Classic 1950s Sci-Fi: The Thing from Another World, Terror from Beyond Space • Martian Invasions: War of the Worlds Films and HBO/BBC Adaptations • Alien Franchise: From Horror to Action Blockbusters • Unique Entries: Day of the Triffids, Quatermass, Event Horizon, Apollo 18 • Modern Space Horror: Life, Pandorum, Sunshine, and Sputnik • Real-Life Space Terror: Apollo 13's Harrowing True Story • Honorable Mentions and B-movie Picks: Green Slime, The Blob, Leprechaun 4, Jason X Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik Download or subscribe to This Week in Space at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Open Line Discussion – 4451 10-26-25Quick Summary: The meeting began with technical discussions about audio issues and upcoming show scheduling, including a fundraising campaign for The Space Show. The group then engaged in extensive discussions about space exploration, focusing on SpaceX's Starship program, NASA's lunar lander projects, and the geopolitical competition with China regarding moon missions. The conversation concluded with debates about rocket system capabilities, cost effectiveness, and the need for strong leadership at NASA to navigate both technical challenges and political considerations.Detailed Summary:Our program started out with David making a few general program announcements. We talked about upcoming shows, including a potential cancellation for Friday. The conversation then shifted to space settlement, with John mentioning a recent podcast about Tesla's financial results and its focus on automation and robots for future space missions. David expressed skepticism about Starship's readiness to take humans to the moon before China and before Trump leaves office, emphasizing the political importance of achieving these goal before the end of 2028.David announced the start of the annual fundraising campaign for The Space Show, a non-profit 501C3 program, which begins around Thanksgiving. He encouraged listeners to call into live programs using Zoom Phone lines, which offers better audio quality than the previous toll-free line. David expressed gratitude to the donors who have supported the show for nearly 25 years, allowing it to continue. He also invited non-donors to participate in the program and contribute to the fundraising campaign through various payment methods on both The Space Show website, www.thespaceshow.com and our Substack site, doctorspace.substack.com.Early on I shared excitement about a new physics book by Daniel Whiteson that explores universal scientific concepts, including the possibility of alien understanding of our known physics. I also highlighted the ongoing debate between Transportation Secretary/NASA Administrator Sean Duffy and Musk regarding the delays for both the SpaceX's human lunar lander but also Blue Origin's human lunar lander projects, emphasizing the need for the U.S. to prioritize returning to the moon and beating China to it. Phil suggested a structured debate to address the technical aspects of NASA's decision to open lunar lander bidding, advocating for a more in-depth analysis of the issue.Our Zoom group discussed the possibility of organizing a debate on the Starship Human Lander Engineering Design Program, with Phil suggesting it could be a shorter, 40-minute format to attract a wider audience. David expressed concerns about the debate's impact, noting that previous attempts to influence policy through debates were unsuccessful. The group also touched on the potential for sharing debate clips on platforms like YouTube and Substack to increase exposure.The group talked about SpaceX's position and the challenges of organizing an independent audit of SpaceX's delays. They debated the feasibility of an independent panel examining technical and policy factors contributing to SpaceX's delays, with concerns raised about SpaceX's proprietary information and the current hyper-partisan environment. The conversation shifted to the broader context of U.S. space exploration, with Charles suggesting focusing on establishing a long-term lunar facility rather than rushing to beat China to the moon, while others emphasized the importance of cislunar economy and political competition in reaching the moon as soon as possible.Our Space Show participants looked at options for returning to the moon, with Ajay presenting two possible solutions: an Apollo-like lander or a modified Blue Moon Mark 1.5. Charles and others expressed concerns about the feasibility and wisdom of using old Apollo technology, arguing for a more modern approach. The discussion also touched on potential NASA administrators, with Sean Duffy and Jared Isaacman being considered as candidates. David emphasized that the NASA administrator serves at the president's pleasure and would likely follow the president's agenda rather than any personal or corporate interests.The group discussed the influence of political leaders, particularly Trump, on space policy and the role of advisors like Jared Isaacman. They explored the potential impact of a major incident involving China's space program on U.S. policy and SpaceX's development timeline. The conversation also covered milestones for both SpaceX's Starship program and China's lunar mission plans, with Marshall inquiring about China's key milestones for moon travel. The discussion concluded with an acknowledgment that the topic had been covered extensively, and David invited participants to bring up other topics for further discussion.The conversation went back to discussing the challenges and limitations of SpaceX's Starship and Falcon Heavy systems, while expressing concerns about Starship's current performance and suggesting a hypothetical collaboration between SpaceX and another company that was quickly dismissed by Michael and others due to interpersonal conflicts. Marshall presented data on Falcon 9's cost-effectiveness, claiming it had reduced space transportation costs to $2,500 per kilogram, though Phil disputed these figures, suggesting a more realistic cost of around $6,000-10,000 per kilogram. The discussion concluded with Phil explaining the mass-to-orbit ratios of different rocket systems, noting that Starship's approach was closest to the Space Shuttle's method of transporting large amounts of mass to orbit.The focus continued on the challenges and limitations of SpaceX's Starship program, particularly regarding the mass fraction required to reach orbit and the reusability concerns. They debated whether Starship could achieve the goal of 100 flights before carrying humans, with Charles and Marshall expressing skepticism about meeting this target within the given timeframe. The conversation also touched on the cost and complexity of refurbishing reusable rocket stages, comparing it to the Falcon 9 program.We talked about the potential of China beating the U.S. to extract lunar water, while I emphasized the geopolitical risks of China's lunar ambitions and the need to prioritize returning to the moon before them. John Hunt raised concerns about the government shutdown potentially hindering NASA's observations of the 3i Atlas comet, leading to a decision to invite Avi Loeb back on the show to discuss it further. The conversation also touched on ESA's planned probe for the 2030s and the Europa Clipper mission's potential to observe the comet.As we neared the end of our program we discussed the geopolitical implications of China potentially establishing a presence at the South Pole, with Marshall expressing concern about mining rights claims. Phil suggested focusing on demonstrating technological superiority rather than racing China to specific destinations. John Hunt argued that being beaten by China might actually motivate the U.S. space program, while others noted that the current political climate makes long-term planning difficult. The conversation concluded with a debate about NASA's future leadership and potential reorganization, with some emphasizing the need for someone with both technical knowledge and visionary leadership.Please see the video of this program at doctorspace.substack.com.Special thanks to our sponsors:Northrup Grumman, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Helix Space in Luxembourg, Celestis Memorial Spaceflights, Astrox Corporation, Dr. Haym Benaroya of Rutgers University, The Space Settlement Progress Blog by John Jossy, The Atlantis Project, and Artless EntertainmentOur Toll Free Line for Live Broadcasts: 1-866-687-7223 (Not in service at this time)For real time program participation, email Dr. Space at: drspace@thespaceshow.com for instructions and access.The Space Show is a non-profit 501C3 through its parent, One Giant Leap Foundation, Inc. To donate via Pay Pal, use:To donate with Zelle, use the email address: david@onegiantleapfoundation.org.If you prefer donating with a check, please make the check payable to One Giant Leap Foundation and mail to:One Giant Leap Foundation, 11035 Lavender Hill Drive Ste. 160-306 Las Vegas, NV 89135Upcoming Programs:Broadcast 4455 ZOOM: Arkisys CEO David Barnhart | Sunday 02 Nov 2025 1200PM PTGuests:ZOOM, Dave Barnhart, CEO of Arkisys updates us with interesting news and developments Get full access to The Space Show-One Giant Leap Foundation at doctorspace.substack.com/subscribe

This week we look at why space can be scary with a survey of some of the best (and some of the most laughable) movies about critters from outer space! Witness the terror of men in floppy rubber suits! Cringe as the century plant-like triffids take over people's brains! Scream along with us as rock spiders on the moon devour astroanuts' faces! It's a true popuourri of space-borne horrors as we discuss some of the best (okay, and worst) space sci-fi movies of all time! Headlines: • NASA Science Centers Face Shutdown and Controversy During Budget Crisis • SpaceX Promises to Simplify Artemis 3 Moon Landing, Details Remain Vague • Night Sky Halloween Highlights: Two Can't-Miss Comets • Tribute to Buzz Aldrin's Late Wife, Anka Ferrer Main Topic: Scary Space Movies—A Halloween Special • Classic 1950s Sci-Fi: The Thing from Another World, Terror from Beyond Space • Martian Invasions: War of the Worlds Films and HBO/BBC Adaptations • Alien Franchise: From Horror to Action Blockbusters • Unique Entries: Day of the Triffids, Quatermass, Event Horizon, Apollo 18 • Modern Space Horror: Life, Pandorum, Sunshine, and Sputnik • Real-Life Space Terror: Apollo 13's Harrowing True Story • Honorable Mentions and B-movie Picks: Green Slime, The Blob, Leprechaun 4, Jason X Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik Download or subscribe to This Week in Space at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Send us a textAlternative rock icons They Might Be Giants have embarked on their BIG SHOW TOUR 2025, following overwhelming demand from fans across the country. Known for their inventive performances and a rotating setlist that changes nightly, the duo of John Flansburgh and John Linnell continues to bring their singular mix of humor, intellect, and musicality to stages nationwide.This latest tour cements They Might Be Giants' reputation as one of the most enduring and inventive bands in alternative music. With their eight-piece live ensemble, complete with a three-piece horn section dubbed the Beast of Horns, TMBG deliver an eclectic concert experience that spans decades of genre-defying music. Each show features a blend of deep cuts and fan favorites, including songs from their classic albums like Flood, Apollo 18, and John Henry, alongside new material and surprising arrangements. As SPIN noted, “They Might Be Giants has never fit comfortably into a musical genre. From their start, childhood pals John Flansburgh and John Linnell have done things their way.”In a recent interview on The Tippy Jo Show, They Might Be Giants offered fans an intimate look at their creative process and the philosophy that continues to drive them. Speaking with host Tippy, John reflected on their evolution from an experimental two-piece outfit to an expansive live band featuring a horn section. They discussed the differences in writing music for adults versus children, emphasizing their “no-compromise” approach to quality no matter the audience. The conversation touched on their early days performing in New York, their work composing the Daily Show theme, and their commitment to keeping each show fresh through constant reinvention. Also, John opened up about their 2001 album Mint Car, a project that faced unfortunate timing but later gained a devoted cult following.2025 U.S. Tour Dates:Nov 13 – Chattanooga, TN @ The SignalNov 14 – Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl (sold out)Nov 15 – Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn BowlNov 17 – Asheville, NC @ The Orange PeelNov 18 – Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel (sold out)Nov 19 – Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel (sold out)Nov 21 – Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre Nov 22 – Cleveland, OH @ Globe Iron With new dates on the calendar and renewed creative energy, They Might Be Giants continue to prove that no matter how much the industry changes, their unique blend of wit, musicianship, and unpredictability remains timeless.www.BetterHelp.com/TheBarnhttp://www.betterhelp.com/TheBarn http://www.betterhelp.com/TheBarnThis episode is sponsored by www.betterhelp.com/TheBarn and brought to you as always by The Barn Media Group. YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/@TheBarnPodcastNetwork SPOTIFY https://open.spotify.com/show/09neXeCS8I0U8OZJroUGd4?si=2f9b8dfa5d2c4504 APPLE https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1625411141 I HEART RADIO https://www.iheart.com/podcast/97160034/ AMAZON https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7aff7d00-c41b-4154-94cf-221a808e3595/the-barn

Can your voice over career survive these rookie mistakes? Most miss #2—don't let that be you!Are you pouring your heart into voice acting but not booking clients or growing your business? Discover the top 3 business mistakes voice actors make, how to avoid them, and the exact strategies used by successful pros. Get actionable advice, industry stories, and proven marketing tips you won't find anywhere else.

This week we look at why space can be scary with a survey of some of the best (and some of the most laughable) movies about critters from outer space! Witness the terror of men in floppy rubber suits! Cringe as the century plant-like triffids take over people's brains! Scream along with us as rock spiders on the moon devour astroanuts' faces! It's a true popuourri of space-borne horrors as we discuss some of the best (okay, and worst) space sci-fi movies of all time! Headlines: • NASA Science Centers Face Shutdown and Controversy During Budget Crisis • SpaceX Promises to Simplify Artemis 3 Moon Landing, Details Remain Vague • Night Sky Halloween Highlights: Two Can't-Miss Comets • Tribute to Buzz Aldrin's Late Wife, Anka Ferrer Main Topic: Scary Space Movies—A Halloween Special • Classic 1950s Sci-Fi: The Thing from Another World, Terror from Beyond Space • Martian Invasions: War of the Worlds Films and HBO/BBC Adaptations • Alien Franchise: From Horror to Action Blockbusters • Unique Entries: Day of the Triffids, Quatermass, Event Horizon, Apollo 18 • Modern Space Horror: Life, Pandorum, Sunshine, and Sputnik • Real-Life Space Terror: Apollo 13's Harrowing True Story • Honorable Mentions and B-movie Picks: Green Slime, The Blob, Leprechaun 4, Jason X Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik Download or subscribe to This Week in Space at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit

This week we look at why space can be scary with a survey of some of the best (and some of the most laughable) movies about critters from outer space! Witness the terror of men in floppy rubber suits! Cringe as the century plant-like triffids take over people's brains! Scream along with us as rock spiders on the moon devour astroanuts' faces! It's a true popuourri of space-borne horrors as we discuss some of the best (okay, and worst) space sci-fi movies of all time! Headlines: • NASA Science Centers Face Shutdown and Controversy During Budget Crisis • SpaceX Promises to Simplify Artemis 3 Moon Landing, Details Remain Vague • Night Sky Halloween Highlights: Two Can't-Miss Comets • Tribute to Buzz Aldrin's Late Wife, Anka Ferrer Main Topic: Scary Space Movies—A Halloween Special • Classic 1950s Sci-Fi: The Thing from Another World, Terror from Beyond Space • Martian Invasions: War of the Worlds Films and HBO/BBC Adaptations • Alien Franchise: From Horror to Action Blockbusters • Unique Entries: Day of the Triffids, Quatermass, Event Horizon, Apollo 18 • Modern Space Horror: Life, Pandorum, Sunshine, and Sputnik • Real-Life Space Terror: Apollo 13's Harrowing True Story • Honorable Mentions and B-movie Picks: Green Slime, The Blob, Leprechaun 4, Jason X Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik Download or subscribe to This Week in Space at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit

In this episode, I sit down with Lisa Trouwborst, a no-BS tarot reader, Reiki practitioner, and channeler of deities and spirit guides, to crack open the mystery (and the magic) of spiritual connection. If you've been curious about tarot, guides, or spellwork but too nervous to start, this is your permission slip. What we cover:The moment Lisa's gifts became undeniableF*ck, Marry, Kill: Tarot, Akashic Records, or Reiki What a deity actually is and what it means to work with oneLisa's personal experience working with Apollo and Lord LuciferDo deities choose us, or do we consciously choose them?Real-life examples of offerings (and why they matter)What communication with guides really looks likeLisa's advice if you feel intimidated by deity work or spellworkPicking her favourite category of spellsHow beginners can safely build a relationship with guides or try their first spellConnect with me:Instagram: @beccnichollsWebsite: www.beccanicholls.comSubscribe to my email listYouTube: BECCAConnect with Lisa:Instagram: @witchywaysbylisaWebsite: www.witchywaysbylisa.com  Podcast: The Mindset WitchIt would mean the world to me if you would subscribe, rate and review this podcast to help support the show. If you enjoy this podcast, share it on your stories and tag me or share it with a friend. Let's build this community, together! ⚡️

"The number changes, but as of the writing of this description, only 1883 songs have topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart including all its earlier versions. This week back in 1990, the first rap song topped the chart. That got me wondering how many other firsts and other interesting facts surround the top spot. Here is a list."

Standard Chartered's Jeff Kendrick says if this week goes well, Bitcoin may never drop below $100,000 again. NLW breaks down the key macro catalysts — a dovish Fed, a potential U.S.–China trade thaw, and tech earnings from Microsoft, Meta, Google, Apple, and Amazon — that could make this the decisive week for markets. Plus, updates on MicroStrategy's credit downgrade, new Solana and Litecoin ETFs, and Coinbase's major partnerships with Apollo and Citi. Enjoying this content? SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast: https://pod.link/1438693620 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBreakdownBW Subscribe to the newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://blockworks.co/newsletter/thebreakdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the discussion: https://discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8 Follow on Twitter: NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownBW

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 29, 2025 is: deliquesce • del-ih-KWESS • verb Deliquesce can mean "to dissolve or melt away" or, in reference to some fungal structures (such as mushroom gills), "to become soft or liquid with age or maturity." // The mushrooms deliquesced into an inky fluid. See the entry > Examples: "He would mould his figures in full in wax, then take a hot knife and—like a metaphysical surgeon—cut away triangles, rhomboids, flaps and scraps, until only a latticework was left. These new shapeshifting figures comprised more gaps than joins: bodies in the delicate, arduous process of shedding their skins, scattering into metal petals, being eroded and deliquesced. Things were freshly able to pass through these painstakingly hard-to-cast bronzes: light, air, sight." — Robert Macfarlane, Apollo, 1 May 2025 Did you know? Deliquesce comes from the prefix de- ("from, down, away") and a form of the Latin verb liquēre, meaning "to be fluid." Things that deliquesce, it could be said, turn to mush in more ways than one. In scientific contexts, a substance that deliquesces absorbs moisture from the atmosphere until it dissolves in the absorbed water and forms a solution. When plants and fungi deliquesce, they lose rigidity as they age. When deliquesce is used in non-scientific contexts, it is often in a figurative or humorous way to suggest the act of "melting away" under exhaustion, heat, or idleness, as in "teenagers deliquescing in 90-degree temperatures."

Brigitte Macron, wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, has accused ten people of posting malicious comments about her, claiming she was a born a man, something Macron says is completely untrue. Her case is in court in France today and, if found guilty, the eight men and two women standing trial could face up to two years in prison. Sophie Pedder, Paris Bureau Chief at The Economist and Sarah Ditum, columnist at The Times, explain the significance of the trial.A study in Sweden has found that some adults who have had a diagnosis of autism or ADHD as children would like to be considered for a de-diagnosis due to stigma and sometimes restrictions associated with the condition. Nuala McGovern talks to Dame Uta Frith, Emeritus Professor of Cognitive Development at University College London, and psychologist Sebastian Lundström, from the University of Gothenberg, who is one of the study's researchers.What if all your dreams come true and you still find yourself a bit grumpy? That's the brilliantly blunt question at the heart of Laura Smyth's stand-up tour, Born Aggy. Laura's journey into comedy wasn't exactly textbook. She left behind a career in teaching, was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer that same year and - just two weeks after finishing treatment - was on stage in Live at the Apollo. She joins Nuala in the studio. The safety of some manicures has been called into question after the EU banned the use of TPO, a key ingredient in many gel polishes, due to fertility risks in animal trials. Melissa Wright tells us about producing her own line of gel nail products that don't contain TPOs and Dr Naila Dinani, Consultant Dermatologist at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, explains the risks.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Simon Richardson