Podcasts about Michelle Thaller

What does it mean to be a failure? Failing is typically seen as moving in the opposite direction of a specific goal, when in reality, most achievements in history were made possible by a series of non-successes. "The very concepts of success and failure are words that never really meant anything," says astronomer Michelle Thaller. She and others argue that successes and failures are inextricably linked, and that how we define them for ourselves is what matters. As Ethan Hawke, multidisciplinary filmmaker Karen Palmer, entrepreneurs Steve Case and Tim Ferriss, executive coach Alisa Cohn, and others explain, finding personal success means taking risks, being willing to fail, and recognizing when—and why—things are not working. "Most things will fail, but that doesn't mean you're a failure," Steve Case says. "That just means that idea failed. And what can you learn from that idea and then move forward." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRANSCRIPT: Do something where it's going to go bad. Where you know that ahead of time. 'Cause like what's the worst that can happen? You have to try a lot of things. Most things will fail, but that doesn't mean you're a failure. That just means that idea failed. And what can you learn from that idea? And then move forward. The very concepts of success and failure I think are words that never really meant anything. And actually, I strongly suspect they have a lot to do with privilege. MICHELLE THALLER: I often get questions from young students, and they say, well, how did you become a success? Or another great question these days is how did you overcome failure? And the funny thing is I found myself really kind of at a loss because the very concepts of success and failure I think are words that never really meant anything. And actually, I strongly suspect they have a lot to do with privilege. That if you can make yourself in the model of a research professor of 100 years ago, that's defined as a success. And if you do something different it's defined as a failure. There's never been any time in my life where, even after having received an award, or having been on a television show, I sat back and said, boy, I really feel like a success. It was always wrapped up in feelings of I should've done something differently, I should've had a different career path. There's never been a time where I felt like a success. And at the same time the idea that you ever really fail at something. There are plenty of times that, I very nearly failed differential equations in calculus, there were things that I was not very good at. But I eventually got them on, say, the third or fourth try. And the problem was just staying around and telling yourself that I really want to learn this, and I'm just not gonna leave until I do. There wasn't any really true failure either. It was always kind of twisted up with things I was proud of, that I was actually working through and trying to learn. So this idea that at some point in your life you're going to stop and feel like a success. Yes, I am successful now. I get very, very nervous when people ask me about that, about how did you become a success. I wanna sit them down and tell them all the things I screwed up, and all the things I did wrong, and all the reasons I'm not a success. And at the same time, when anybody calls me a failure, it's like, I wanna sit you down and explain why what I'm doing is actually getting your money and your funding for the rest of science. I'm not a failure either. Everything in life is gonna be a flow between those two things. Everything is gonna be a jumble of success and failure. Your personal life, your professional life, the way you feel about yourself. And it's a strange model we give young people. Try to be a success, try to overcome failure. All I can do is just kind of breathe and just realize that at no point in my life am I gonna separate those two. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're out in space, you would be able to navigate the galaxy with one simple navigational tool we've been using for centuries - a compass. By definition, a compass is a device that responds to magnetic fields providing cardinal directions used for geographic orientation . Since the core of the earth is made of molten, and compasses are made of metal, we're easily able to identify north, south, east, and west because of Earth's natural magnetic field. But did you know Saturn, Jupiter, stars, and even our galaxy have their own magnetic fields? If you are traveling through space, a simple compass can point you to the closest magnetic field, helping a space traveler navigate the galaxy. ------------------------------------------------------------- About Michelle Thaller: Dr. Michelle Thaller is an astronomer who studies binary stars and the life cycles of stars. She is Assistant Director of Science Communication at NASA. She went to college at Harvard University, completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, Calif. then started working for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's (JPL) Spitzer Space Telescope. After a hugely successful mission, she moved on to NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), in the Washington D.C. area. In her off-hours often puts on about 30lbs of Elizabethan garb and performs intricate Renaissance dances. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2012 was supposed to be an apocalyptic year according to the Mayans. Although the world never came to an end, in 2012, something else happened that had astrophysicists worried - the earth barely avoided catastrophe as a massive sun storm erupted. Sun storms happen more often than we think, with protons and electrons traveling past the earth at a speed of one million miles per hour. If these particles and solar storms are responsible for the unliveable climate on Venus and Mars, why has Earth not been impacted yet? Earth is rarely impacted by the sun's solar storms because of the strong magnetic field that surrounds the planet, protecting us from solar wind. Although this magnetic field does a great job at protecting the earth and everyone on it, all around us experts are monitoring space weather, in the event of a big storm that could head our way. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ About Michelle Thaller: Dr. Michelle Thaller is an astronomer who studies binary stars and the life cycles of stars. She is Assistant Director of Science Communication at NASA. She went to college at Harvard University, completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, Calif. then started working for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's (JPL) Spitzer Space Telescope. After a hugely successful mission, she moved on to NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), in the Washington D.C. area. In her off-hours often puts on about 30lbs of Elizabethan garb and performs intricate Renaissance dances. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Big Bang explained in under 4 minutes with Michelle Thaller One of the biggest misconceptions in science is that the Big Bang came out of nothing - according to astrophysicist Michelle Thaller, this is not correct. 13.8 billion years ago right before the Big Bang, our universe existed within one tiny, compressed atom. But what we know now is that this one atom was not our entire universe. According to Thaller, there were trillions of atoms, all with their own universe inside. Today, we can only know of our observable universe, but there is far more out there than what meets the eye. --------------------------------------------------------- About Michelle Thaller: Dr. Michelle Thaller is an astronomer who studies binary stars and the life cycles of stars. She is Assistant Director of Science Communication at NASA. She went to college at Harvard University, completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, Calif. then started working for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's (JPL) Spitzer Space Telescope. After a hugely successful mission, she moved on to NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), in the Washington D.C. area. In her off-hours often puts on about 30lbs of Elizabethan garb and performs intricate Renaissance dances. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NASA's Michelle Thaller explains what happens when the densest stars in the galaxy collide. ❍ Up next: Solving Stephen Hawking's famous paradox    • Solving Stephen Hawking's famous para...   NASA astronomer Michelle Thaller talks about a heavy subject matter: neutron stars. These dead stars are so dense that just one teaspoonful of neutron star matter would equal the mass of Mount Everest. Two neutron stars in orbit around each other will eventually collide, and when they do, they create ripples in the fabric of spacetime. Thanks to LIGO, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, scientists can detect these gravitational ripples by detecting disturbances in laser light. Albert Einstein correctly predicted the existence of gravitational waves in his theory of general relativity, 100 years before astrophysicists first detected them. Read the full video transcript: https://bigthink.com/the-well/what-ha... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍ Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life's biggest questions, and that's why they're the questions occupying the world's brightest minds. So what do they think? How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions? Let's dive into The Well.

Michelle Thaller serves as the Assistant Director for Science Communication at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, where she has dedicated over two decades to sharing the wonders of science with audiences worldwide. Michelle's journey is marked by resilience, as she shares stories of grief after losing her husband. As a scientist, she goes beyond facts and theories, seeking connections that infuse our existence with deeper meaning. Michelle joins Leah Smart to emphasize the importance of intentionality in our lives, and why being in awe is the key to everyday life. According to her, the universe grants us just one chance to see the world through our own eyes, urging us to live purposefully and consciously. Follow Leah on LinkedIn Learn More about Michelle Thaller

Is information intrinsic in our universe? NASA's Michelle Thaller explains. How do black holes store information? Is the universe a hologram? How can we use what we know about energy and mass to begin approaching the idea of virtual particles? NASA astronomer Michelle Thaller unpacks these questions and more in less than eight minutes. We know that matter cannot be created nor destroyed, but what about information? Michelle explains that matter and information are a lot more connected than we think, and this has massive implications on our understanding of black holes, particle physics, and our universe as a whole. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍ Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life's biggest questions, and that's why they're the questions occupying the world's brightest minds. So what do they think? How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions? Let's dive into The Well.

Astronomer Michelle Thaller explains the healing power of physics after losing her husband. Grief is a haunting and powerful psychological force. It struck astronomer Dr. Michelle Thaller in 2020 when her husband died of cancer. She was left feeling utterly disconnected from the people and places around her, as if the fundamental nature of reality had shifted and Earth was no longer her home. She still lives with the pain. But as she told Big Think, she has found that the pursuits that make us feel connected to the Universe — science, poetry, art, literature — can serve as tools that help us continue pushing forward and living enriching lives. The pain from losing our loved ones may never disappear completely. But finding ways to connect to something larger than ourselves just might give us a path out of grief. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think: ►Become a Big Think Member Get exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more ►Get Big Think+ for Business Guide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Michelle Thaller: Dr. Michelle Thaller is an astronomer who studies binary stars and the life cycles of stars. She is Assistant Director of Science Communication at NASA. She went to college at Harvard University, completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, Calif. then started working for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's (JPL) Spitzer Space Telescope. After a hugely successful mission, she moved on to NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), in the Washington D.C. area. In her off-hours often puts on about 30lbs of Elizabethan garb and performs intricate Renaissance dances. For more information, visit NASA. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Big Think | Smarter Faster™ ► Big Think The leading source of expert-driven, educational content. With thousands of videos, featuring experts ranging from Bill Clinton to Bill Nye, Big Think helps you get smarter, faster by exploring the big ideas and core skills that define knowledge in the 21st century. Get Smarter, Faster. With Episodes From The Worlds Biggest Thinkers. Follow The Podcast And Turn On The Notifications!! Share This Episode If You Found It Valuable Leave A 5 Star Review... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr MIchelle Thaller, NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center Astronomer Discusses how stars are born & die ...And mysteries of the Universe including Dark Matter, Dark Energy, & Space Time

Pegasus kémszoftver lehet az iPhone-okon IT Business     2023-09-08 10:42:09     Mobiltech Apple Okostelefon iPhone Kémkedés Hangfelvétel Pegasus Az Apple csütörtökön olyan biztonsági frissítéseket adott ki, amelyek két nulladik napi sebezhetőséget "foltoztak be". A külső fél által felfedezett probléma igen súlyos volt, hiszen lehetővé tette a híres-hírhedt, felhasználók illegális megfigyelésére és lehallgatására használt Pegasus alkalmazás észrevétlen telepítését is. A kormányzati rosszindu Várod már a Google stabil Android 14 kiadását? Nos, még várnod kell egy kicsit Android Portál     2023-09-08 07:33:19     Mobiltech USA Google Android A munka ünnepe Mivel az USA-ban hétfőn volt a munka ünnepe, mindenki arra számított, hogy a Google kedden dobja le a legújabb havi frissítést a (jogosult) Android eszközökre. De mivel szeptember van, a mobiltechnológia világa egy jelentősebb bejelentésre és bevezetésre számított, mint a biztonsági javítások, hibajavítások és kisebb új funkciók tipikus gyűjteménye A frászt hozza a dolgozókra az MI Bitport     2023-09-08 08:04:00     Infotech Egy friss kutatás szerint az egészséges munkahelyi létet veszélyezteti az, hogy a munkavállalókat egyre inkább idegesíti az algoritmusok térhódítása. Teljes siker a Moxie – vagyis a Mars légköréből lehetséges tiszta oxigént előállítani Rakéta     2023-09-08 07:30:09     Tudomány Üzemanyag Világűr Tankolás Mars A Perseverance marsjáróba szerelt eszköz még a fejlesztőinek a reményeit is meghaladta: vagyis lehetséges légzésre alkalmas, valamint üzemanyagként is felhasználható oxigént előállítani a marsi légkörből. Ha egy nap asztronautákat küldünk a Vörös Bolygóra, akkor ez nagyrészt a Moxie miatt lesz lehetséges. Patai: központi visszaélésmegelőző rendszert készül Mínuszos     2023-09-08 04:33:10     Infotech Közigazgatás Kiberbiztonság GFM A bűnözők a kibertérben egyre inkább a fogyasztók megtévesztése, érzelmi manipulációja révén érnek célt, ezért erősíteni kell az ügyfelek pénzügyi tudatosságát, fel kell készíteni őket a kockázatok kezelésére — mondta Túri Anikó. A Gazdaságfejlesztési Minisztérium (GFM) közigazgatási államtitkára abból az alkalomból, hogy a GFM is csatlakozott a Ki Szépen jönnek fel az RTX 40-es kártyák a játékosok körében PCWorld     2023-09-08 11:12:05     Infotech Hiába a GPU-k felemás fogadtatása, már az RTX 4060 is megérkezett a Steam statisztikáiba. Az Lg bemutatta, milyen lehet a közeljövő önvezető, szórakoztató autója Digital Hungary     2023-09-08 11:00:02     Infotech Németország Közlekedés München Az LG Electronics (LG) megtartotta történetének első sajtótájékoztatóját a világ egyik legjelentősebb közlekedési eseményén, a Müncheni Autószalonon, vagyis hivatalos nevén az IAA Mobility szakvásáron. Az LG vezérigazgatója, William Cho Münchenben bemutatta, hogy a vállalat miként látja a mobilitási iparág jövőjét, illetve, hogy az LG hogyan akarja Változik az éjjeli égbolt Magyarországon is First Class     2023-09-08 11:10:36     Tudomány Világűr SpaceX Bepörgött a SpaceX, idén rekordot döntve, minden eddiginél több rakétakilövést hajtottak végre sikeresen, ennek eredménye pedig a magyar égbolton is látszik. Érdemes lesz az égre nézni: ritka üstökös lesz látható a hétvégén in.hu     2023-09-08 11:12:01     Tudomány Hétvége Japán Az alig egy hónapja felfedezett Nishimura üstökös a hétvégén szabad szemmel is láthatóvá válhat, és ez azért is különleges alkalom, mert ez csupán 437 évente történik meg.A kőzet- és jéggömb − amelynek pontos mérete egyelőre ismeretlen − nevét Hideo Nishimura japán amatőrcsillagászról kapta, aki augusztus 12-én észlelte először – írja a Science Ale Űrkertészeti kutatást indít a Debreceni Egyetem Tudás.hu     2023-09-08 07:42:50     Tudomány Oktatás Hajdú-Bihar Debrecen egyetem Világűr Debreceni Egyetem Magyar paprikát is termeszthetnek az űrben, ha sikerrel zárul a Debreceni Egyetem (DE) VEGBOX TS elnevezésű kutatása, amelyben a szakemberek számos innovatív űrkertészeti fejlesztést és tudományos kísérletet végeznek a HUNOR-Magyar Űrhajós Programban – hangzott el a kutatást bemutató sajtótájékoztatón. Az eseményen Csernoch László, a Debreceni Egye Ensz: az Mi nem elveszi, hanem teremti a munkahelyet Transpack     2023-09-08 08:11:00     Cégvilág Mesterséges intelligencia ENSZ Több és jobb munkahely várható a mesterséges intelligencia térhódításától – erősíti meg az Ilo friss jelentése is. Egy NASA-tudós megmondta, hol lehet még élet a Naprendszerben Infostart     2023-09-08 04:15:00     Tudomány Világűr NASA A Vénuszon lehet élet, igaz bakteriális és lehet, hogy nem is hasonlít a földihez - mondta állítólag a NASA kutatója, Dr. Michelle Thaller. Grammy-díjat kaphat egy mesterséges intelligencia által létrehozott dal Rakéta     2023-09-08 13:36:02     Infotech Mesterséges intelligencia Grammy-díj The Weeknd Benevezték a világ egyik legrangosabb zenei díjáért, a Grammy-ért folyó versenybe a "Heart on My Sleeve" című dalt, amelyet részben egy Drake és The Weeknd dalain edzett mesterséges intelligencia hozott létre. A szervezők szerint elég, hogy a szerző egy hús-vér ember.

Pegasus kémszoftver lehet az iPhone-okon IT Business     2023-09-08 10:42:09     Mobiltech Apple Okostelefon iPhone Kémkedés Hangfelvétel Pegasus Az Apple csütörtökön olyan biztonsági frissítéseket adott ki, amelyek két nulladik napi sebezhetőséget "foltoztak be". A külső fél által felfedezett probléma igen súlyos volt, hiszen lehetővé tette a híres-hírhedt, felhasználók illegális megfigyelésére és lehallgatására használt Pegasus alkalmazás észrevétlen telepítését is. A kormányzati rosszindu Várod már a Google stabil Android 14 kiadását? Nos, még várnod kell egy kicsit Android Portál     2023-09-08 07:33:19     Mobiltech USA Google Android A munka ünnepe Mivel az USA-ban hétfőn volt a munka ünnepe, mindenki arra számított, hogy a Google kedden dobja le a legújabb havi frissítést a (jogosult) Android eszközökre. De mivel szeptember van, a mobiltechnológia világa egy jelentősebb bejelentésre és bevezetésre számított, mint a biztonsági javítások, hibajavítások és kisebb új funkciók tipikus gyűjteménye A frászt hozza a dolgozókra az MI Bitport     2023-09-08 08:04:00     Infotech Egy friss kutatás szerint az egészséges munkahelyi létet veszélyezteti az, hogy a munkavállalókat egyre inkább idegesíti az algoritmusok térhódítása. Teljes siker a Moxie – vagyis a Mars légköréből lehetséges tiszta oxigént előállítani Rakéta     2023-09-08 07:30:09     Tudomány Üzemanyag Világűr Tankolás Mars A Perseverance marsjáróba szerelt eszköz még a fejlesztőinek a reményeit is meghaladta: vagyis lehetséges légzésre alkalmas, valamint üzemanyagként is felhasználható oxigént előállítani a marsi légkörből. Ha egy nap asztronautákat küldünk a Vörös Bolygóra, akkor ez nagyrészt a Moxie miatt lesz lehetséges. Patai: központi visszaélésmegelőző rendszert készül Mínuszos     2023-09-08 04:33:10     Infotech Közigazgatás Kiberbiztonság GFM A bűnözők a kibertérben egyre inkább a fogyasztók megtévesztése, érzelmi manipulációja révén érnek célt, ezért erősíteni kell az ügyfelek pénzügyi tudatosságát, fel kell készíteni őket a kockázatok kezelésére — mondta Túri Anikó. A Gazdaságfejlesztési Minisztérium (GFM) közigazgatási államtitkára abból az alkalomból, hogy a GFM is csatlakozott a Ki Szépen jönnek fel az RTX 40-es kártyák a játékosok körében PCWorld     2023-09-08 11:12:05     Infotech Hiába a GPU-k felemás fogadtatása, már az RTX 4060 is megérkezett a Steam statisztikáiba. Az Lg bemutatta, milyen lehet a közeljövő önvezető, szórakoztató autója Digital Hungary     2023-09-08 11:00:02     Infotech Németország Közlekedés München Az LG Electronics (LG) megtartotta történetének első sajtótájékoztatóját a világ egyik legjelentősebb közlekedési eseményén, a Müncheni Autószalonon, vagyis hivatalos nevén az IAA Mobility szakvásáron. Az LG vezérigazgatója, William Cho Münchenben bemutatta, hogy a vállalat miként látja a mobilitási iparág jövőjét, illetve, hogy az LG hogyan akarja Változik az éjjeli égbolt Magyarországon is First Class     2023-09-08 11:10:36     Tudomány Világűr SpaceX Bepörgött a SpaceX, idén rekordot döntve, minden eddiginél több rakétakilövést hajtottak végre sikeresen, ennek eredménye pedig a magyar égbolton is látszik. Érdemes lesz az égre nézni: ritka üstökös lesz látható a hétvégén in.hu     2023-09-08 11:12:01     Tudomány Hétvége Japán Az alig egy hónapja felfedezett Nishimura üstökös a hétvégén szabad szemmel is láthatóvá válhat, és ez azért is különleges alkalom, mert ez csupán 437 évente történik meg.A kőzet- és jéggömb − amelynek pontos mérete egyelőre ismeretlen − nevét Hideo Nishimura japán amatőrcsillagászról kapta, aki augusztus 12-én észlelte először – írja a Science Ale Űrkertészeti kutatást indít a Debreceni Egyetem Tudás.hu     2023-09-08 07:42:50     Tudomány Oktatás Hajdú-Bihar Debrecen egyetem Világűr Debreceni Egyetem Magyar paprikát is termeszthetnek az űrben, ha sikerrel zárul a Debreceni Egyetem (DE) VEGBOX TS elnevezésű kutatása, amelyben a szakemberek számos innovatív űrkertészeti fejlesztést és tudományos kísérletet végeznek a HUNOR-Magyar Űrhajós Programban – hangzott el a kutatást bemutató sajtótájékoztatón. Az eseményen Csernoch László, a Debreceni Egye Ensz: az Mi nem elveszi, hanem teremti a munkahelyet Transpack     2023-09-08 08:11:00     Cégvilág Mesterséges intelligencia ENSZ Több és jobb munkahely várható a mesterséges intelligencia térhódításától – erősíti meg az Ilo friss jelentése is. Egy NASA-tudós megmondta, hol lehet még élet a Naprendszerben Infostart     2023-09-08 04:15:00     Tudomány Világűr NASA A Vénuszon lehet élet, igaz bakteriális és lehet, hogy nem is hasonlít a földihez - mondta állítólag a NASA kutatója, Dr. Michelle Thaller. Grammy-díjat kaphat egy mesterséges intelligencia által létrehozott dal Rakéta     2023-09-08 13:36:02     Infotech Mesterséges intelligencia Grammy-díj The Weeknd Benevezték a világ egyik legrangosabb zenei díjáért, a Grammy-ért folyó versenybe a "Heart on My Sleeve" című dalt, amelyet részben egy Drake és The Weeknd dalain edzett mesterséges intelligencia hozott létre. A szervezők szerint elég, hogy a szerző egy hús-vér ember.

Many of you have let us know how much you love the music which accompanies each episode of Meditative Story. You've also expressed that Meditative Story helps you wind down and get a better night's sleep. So today, we're introducing Sleep Song, a beautiful companion to our classic Meditative Story episodes. Created by our gifted in-house composers, Sleep Song is designed to help you enter a relaxed state, conducive to a good night's rest – but it's also a wonderful complement to studying, journaling, painting, yoga, or mindfulness practices. We hope you enjoy today's Sleep Song, and invite you to explore the full library by following Sleep Song wherever you get your podcasts.Follow Sleep Song, from Meditative Story: https://listen.meditativestory.com/sleep_songMusic adapted from Michelle Thaller's Meditative Story, "Finding meaning in the vastness of the universe": http://listen.meditativestory.com/ThallerWWOriginal music from composer Ryan Holladay.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Ivory-Billed Woodpecker Debate Keeps Pecking Away Every so often, there's a claim that the ivory-billed woodpecker is back from the dead. Pixelated videos go viral, blurry photos make the front page, and birders flock to the woods to get a glimpse of the ghost bird. Last week, a controversial paper claimed there's reason to believe that the lost bird lives. The authors say they have evidence, including video footage, that the bird still flies. The paper is ruffling feathers among the birding and research community. This debate has been going on for decades, but the American Birding Association categorizes the bird as “probably or actually extinct,” and its last verified sighting was in 1944. So is it any different this time? And what do we make of the claims that keep cropping up? Guest host Flora Lichtman talks all things ivory-billed with Michael Retter, editor of the magazines North American Birds and Special Issues of Birding, from the American Birding Association.   Tracking Pain In Your Brain When you stub your toe, that pain is registered by the peripheral nervous system. It shoots off signals that travel up your spinal cord and to your brain, where the signals tell you, “Hey, your toe hurts. Take care of it.” But chronic pain—defined as lasting three months or more—is processed differently, and your nerves are constantly firing pain signals to your brain. Chronic pain is complex, and a lot of its basics are still unknown. But a new study from this week discovered another piece of the pain puzzle: the brain signals that cause chronic pain and the region they are processed in. Researchers hope that this is the first step in developing a brain stimulation therapy that can intercept those chronic pain signals and bring relief to patients. Guest host and SciFri director Charles Bergquist talks with lead author Dr. Prasad Shirvalkar, neurologist and associate professor at the University of California San Francisco, about this new paper.   What Can We Learn From A Woman Who Feels No Pain? There are a select few humans that can't feel any pain. Really. One of those people is Jo Cameron, who didn't experience any pain during childbirth or need any painkillers after a hip replacement. She's also never been anxious or afraid. Researchers have been studying Jo Cameron and her brain in an effort to better understand her sensory experience. This week, researchers published a new study that looks at the genes and mutations responsible for Jo's pain free existence. They hope to use what they learn to come up with better pain management treatments for the rest of us. Guest host and Science Friday Senior Producer Charles Berquist talks with Andrei Okorokov, associate professor at the Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research at the University of College London, about this fascinating new research.   Turning To Space While Processing Grief When astronomers Michelle Thaller and Andrew Booth met, it was love at first sight. The couple married in 1994, becoming a power couple in the world of space and physics research. In 2019, the couple received shocking news: Booth was diagnosed with cancer in the brain. He passed away within a year of his diagnosis. The death of a partner is one of the most devastating things a person can go through. Thaller felt unmoored, and like Earth was not her planet anymore. To help her move forward, Thaller turned to the universe for solace. Thaller speaks with guest host Flora Lichtman about how the mysteries of the universe have made processing grief a little easier, and taking space and time with a grain of salt.   To stay updated on all-things-science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters. Transcripts for each segment will be available the week after the show airs on sciencefriday.com.

Michelle Thaller, Astronomer, Research Scientist, and Assistant Director for Science Communication at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, joins Leah Smart to talk about science and spirituality, how you are a bit of the universe made conscious briefly, and why being grateful and in awe is the key to everyday life.  Follow Leah on Linkedin Learn More about Michelle Thaller

Mental Pleasure welcomes Luke Fuller to episode 49, where he discusses his fascination in learning and his experienced perspective on the human condition. Luke leads a profession in the field of data science and engineering; his leadership role is specifically within advanced analytics. He studied business & mathematics at the University of Alabama and computer science at Georgia Tech.Like many of us, beyond schooling and what our degree may say, we have many interests, hobbies, thoughts, questions and ideas that go further than a piece of paper and what one is conditioned to believe. Which is  is one of the main reasons why I wanted to bring Luke on – he has always had a fascinating mind, doesn't take shit standing still and offers great insight. I highly recommend you listen to this episode in its entirety. Happy listening! Luke Fuller:@lukes_codeBooks or theories mentioned:The Way of Zen by Alan WattsThe Human Condition by Hannah ArendtA Treatise of Human Nature by David HumeTheory of Human Nature, 358 B.C. by AristotleThe Case Against Reality by Donald D. Hoffman“We are dead stars” -Michelle Thaller 

Michelle Thaller is an astronomer and science communicator who helped unveil the latest images from the Webb Telescope — the one that's currently sending us never-before-seen images of deep space. In her Meditative Story, she explores the significance of a single human — you — in a universe so immense that your very existence is of no consequence ... yet of every consequence.Each episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the transcript for this story: meditativestory.comSign up for the Meditative Story newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gyDGgDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cu adevărat nu ne imaginam că o să ajungem să postăm așa ceva, însă suntem nevoiți să o facem datorită faptului că există un grup, inclusiv în Biserică, care cred că planeta Pământ este plată.Vă oferim aici un expozeu simplu a unei astronome de la NASA care ne oferă 3 dovezi care dezmint teoria Pământului plat.Audiție plăcută!Pentru Pomelnice și Donații accesați: https://www.chilieathonita.ro/pomelnice-si-donatii/Pentru mai multe articole (texte, traduceri, podcasturi) vedeți https://www.chilieathonita.ro/

Dr. Michelle Thaller is an astrophysicist, a science communication expert, and a specialist in the lifecycles of stars. With a career at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Goddard Space Flight Center, millions have been enlightened by her knowledge of How the Universe Works and Space's Deepest Secrets.Join us as we explore why light doesn't experience space or time, why the Big Bang isn't what we think, and ignite your real purpose by discovering that we are all made of the exact composition of an exploding star. 

On July 12, 2022, a fundamentally new era of exploring our universe begins. This special season finale episode features an overview of the James Webb Space Telescope's first detailed cosmic images. Learn what this historic moment means from astronomer Michelle Thaller.

On July 12, 2022, a fundamentally new era of exploring our universe begins. This special season finale episode features an overview of the James Webb Space Telescope's first detailed cosmic images. Learn what this historic moment means from astronomer Michelle Thaller.

On July 12, 2022, a fundamentally new era of exploring our universe begins. This special season finale episode features an overview of the James Webb Space Telescope's first detailed cosmic images. Learn what this historic moment means from astronomer Michelle Thaller.

On July 12, 2022, a fundamentally new era of exploring our universe begins. This special season finale episode features an overview of the James Webb Space Telescope's first detailed cosmic images. Learn what this historic moment means from astronomer Michelle Thaller.

Support independent media at our Patreon: https://bit.ly/3lcAasB Too often we encounter science with the mindset that everything has been figured out, that the big challenges are all behind us, and that the last thing to do is to dot some i's and cross some t's. Not so, says NASA's Dr. Michelle Thaller, who sees the story of star birth, life, and death as an unfinished puzzle. We talk about the angular momentum paradox, the pitfalls of steady-state astronomy, and an integrated future, where gravity is just one force among many that creates the celestial sky. #NASA #Astronomy #Paradigmshift Check our short-films channel, @DemystifySci: https://youtu.be/1OCL5Lq8m6s Join the mailing list https://bit.ly/3v3kz2S PODCAST INFO: Anastasia completed her PhD studying microbial communication at Columbia University. When not talking to brilliant people or making movies, she spends her time painting and exploring the woods. Michael Shilo also did his PhD at Columbia studying the elastic properties of molecular water. When he's not in the film studio, he's exploring sound in music. They are both freelance professors at various universities. Blog: http://DemystifySci.com/blog -RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/2be66934/podcast/rss -Donate: https://bit.ly/3wkPqaD -Swag: https://bit.ly/2PXdC2y SOCIAL: - Discord: https://discord.gg/MJzKT8CQub - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DemystifySci - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DemystifySci/- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DemystifySci MUSIC: -Shilo Delay: https://g.co/kgs/oty671 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/demystifying-science/support

Morgan Saylor is an actor of stage and screen, best known for her portrayal of the teenage Dana Brody in the series “Homeland.” But, before acting, her first passion was mathematics. Morgan unfolds how math has given her a way to approach the unknown with trust and openness, accepting that each moment and every relationship contains infinite possibilities.Listen to Michelle Thaller's episode of Meditative Story, "Our tiny meaningful lives in the vast universe": https://listen.meditativestory.com/MichelleThallerSaylorRead the transcript: https://meditativestory.com/Sign up for the weekly Meditative Story newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gyDGgDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this nontechnical talk, illustrated with the latest images and video, Dr. Thaller asks what makes a world habitable?  What creates and sustains an environment friendly to life?  She then discusses the history of life on Earth and what we are learning about our planet, and our neighbors Mars and Venus from such missions as the Parker Solar Probe, the laboratories aboard our Mars rovers, and the probes that have explored asteroids and comets, including one that is bringing samples back to Earth as we speak. Finally, she touches on the way new instruments, like the James Webb Space Telescope, will help us learn if there are habitable worlds around other stars.Dr. Michelle Thaller is the liaison between the Office of Communication and the Science Directorate at NASA Goddard. Outside her work at NASA, she has appeared in many television science programs, including How the Universe Works and Space's Deepest Secrets.

Paul & Amy close the book on Unspooled's second season with some hard choices - which movies covered during the past year of the podcast are going to space? They agree on the fate of a low budget horror classic, disagree on including a groundbreaking romance, and Josh & Devon get in the mix to advocate for an indie auteur's most poignant film. Plus: NASA astronomer Michelle Thaller helps us with the logistics of sending our Top 100 to space, and explains why Contact depicts the life of a scientist better than most films. Next week, Season 3 kicks off with The Exorcist and a new horror series! You can join the conversation for this series on the Unspooled Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/unspooledpodcast, and on Paul's Discord at https://discord.gg/ZwtygZGTa6. Learn more about the show at unspooledpod.com, follow us on Twitter @unspooled and Instagram @unspooledpod, and don't forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify. You can also listen to our Stitcher Premium game show Screen Test right now at https://www.stitcher.com/show/unspooled-screen-test, and apply to be a contestant at unspooledpod@gmail.com! Photo credit: Kim Troxall

Could humans travel to Mars within the decade? Some tech giants are planning on it. And the plan isn’t just to get there -- it’s to live there. What would our Martian homes look like? How would we construct them? And should we even go to the Red Planet? Host Kevin O’Connor speaks with journalist and author Stephen Petranek, astrophysicist Michelle Thaller, planetary geologist Jacob Bleacher and architect Xavier De Kestelier about the future of human life on Mars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Music adapted from Michelle Thaller's Meditative Story, "Finding meaning in the vastness of the universe."As Rohan invites you to prepare for rest, a still, small piano theme begins to play, quietly echoing, sounding vulnerably human. As this theme fades, a sweep of cosmic sounds leap and bound into the soundscape, suggesting the glitter of infinite space, a progression of sounds and colors beyond our knowing. A low, tender theme that suggests love and longing blends these two moods, the warmly human and the cosmic, as the music moves us through time.Original music from composer Ryan Holladay.Meditative Story combines extraordinary human stories with meditation prompts embedded into the storylines — all surrounded by breathtaking music. Think of it as an alternative way into a mindfulness practice, through vivid stories and cinematic music and production values. Find Meditative Story wherever you listen to podcasts.

One of the most exciting events of 2021 was the landing of the Perseverance Rover on Mars. We’re joined by Denna Lambert, Michelle Thaller and David Gruel from NASA to explore the Red Planet and learn about the rover and Ingenuity copter. You can learn more and hear sounds from Mars at www.mars.nasa.gov.

Mike tells the amazing story of a mostly forgotten explorer, whose epic journey helped pave the path to Mars. Then, he’s joined by everyone’s favorite astronomer, Dr. Michelle Thaller, to better understand what the hell is happening on the Red Planet, and why it’s so frickin' expensive to get there.

In episode #185, which Mike incorrectly identifies as episode #184, Mike welcomes noted astronomer Dr. Michelle Thaller, to discuss the obvious differences between sounding certain and being correct. Dr. Thaller, a noted astronomer with an enormous brain, tries to help Mike understand the enormity of the cosmos, and explain why the universe contained 200 billion galaxies just four years ago, and then 2 trillion galaxies just a few weeks later, and then back down to a few hundred billion as of last week. It’s enough to make your head spin, but between Mike’s gigantic cranium and Dr. Thaller’s enormous brain, we finally unlock the secrets of How the Universe Works…

Dr. Thaller showcases a vast array of topics below, upon, and far, far above this fair planet. Equipped early with a deep enjoyment for the sciences Michelle's natural curiosity and joie de vivre is rivaled only by her ability to translate intricate scientific concepts thus helping to unravel the universe's greater mysteries in the here and now.

If you could meet up with one person in the afterworld, who would it be?This SUPERHUMANS story takes us into the mind of a NASA astronomer as she explores a constellation of emotions that inform our perceived realities and connections to each other.Listen, absorb, and explore how you see yourself in Michelle's story.Then share.Trigger Warnings: sexuality, terminal illnessEmotional Themes: love, imperfection, grief, acceptance, belonging, abandonment, curiosity, caregiving, communitySUPERHUMANS is intended for mature audiences. Stories are raw and real. Do not consider this medical advice. Please consult with a health professional should you need medical attention.STORYTELLER BIO: As a NASA astronomer and research scientist with a Ph.D. in astrophysics, Dr. Michelle Thaller sees the world through the lens of the stars and understands human connection as something greater than what we know on the surface. You can find her frequently on the History Channel and the Science Channel discussing deep universal truths. She is truly a cosmic wonder. SHOW NOTES:Michelle Thaller: Subscribe to our newsletter for more behind the scenes contentWikipediaNASA: Michelle Thaller, Scientist, Goddard Space Flight CenterNASA: Michelle Thaller Communicates the Beauty and Possibilities of Science CONNECT WITH SUPERHUMANS:Dr. G and Pamela want to hear from you. SUPERHUMANS: Instagram | Newsletter | Website | Pitch Us Your StoryEmail: hello@wellplayed.healthGet involved with Well PlayedCONNECT WITH THE CREATORSDr. G (Gautam Gulati): Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Website | NewsletterPamela Rothenberg: Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter | Website | NewsletterHOW CAN I SUPPORT SUPERHUMANS?Tell Your Friends & Share Online!Subscribe & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google PodcastsBecome a Sponsor: hello@wellplayed.health SHOW CREDITS:Executive Producer & Show Co-Creator - Dr. Gautam GulatiSenior Producer & Show Co-Creator - Pamela RothenbergSound Design & Mixing - Rob SpeightAudio Engineer - Jay Wujun YowCommunity & Content Manager - Tara BhikhaOriginal Theme Music Composition - Daniel BrunelleOriginal Music Composition - Radha MehtaStrategic Advisor - Mark BrandStrategic Advisor - Courtney HoltStrategic Advisor - Yarrow KranerStory Advisor - Cal FussmanHealth Advisor - Dr. Jordan ShlainAnd special thanks to our creative collaborators, HATCH. Learn more at hatchexperience.orgSee acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

When most of us think about art and science, we perceive them as two separate worlds. However, according to today’s guest, Michelle Thaller, there are far more similarities between art and science than meets the eye. As a NASA scientist, Michelle’s insatiable curiosity and desire to discover fuels her, and this passion is tangible throughout the conversation. We kick off the show with Michelle debunking some commonly-held misconceptions about scientists. From there, we turn our attention to the importance of scientific research before talking about why young people should not ignore their inner voice when deciding on a path to pursue. Although problems such as climate change are undeniable realities, there is a role for everyone, not only scientists, to play in enabling change. Along the way, we discuss the need to push the boundaries of science, why polarization is a powerful political tool and how we can overcome it, and what we can do in our own backyard to get the needle moving on the issues that matter. While Michelle does not sugarcoat the enormity of the challenges that lie ahead for us, her message is still one of hope. She believes that by focusing on cultivating our innate curiosity, we will find the answers we need. No time to listen to the podcast? No worries. Detailed summary of the full Podcast here!Loved the episode and want to share it? I've made some custom free graphics and art for just this episode here!

Michelle Thaller, astronomer and research scientist at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, joins Press the Button to discuss the science behind nuclear weapons, and what exactly makes them so dangerous. Early Warning discusses recent revelations that the Trump administration considered resuming US nuclear testing, which has not occurred since 1992. In the Silo features our senior program officer Cara Wagner on the Consensual Straitjacket, New America's landmark report on the challenges faced by women in the nuclear field.

How's it all gonna end? This experience takes us on a journey to the end of time, trillions of years into the future, to discover what the fate of our planet and our universe may ultimately be. We start in 2019 and travel exponentially through time, witnessing the future of Earth, the death of the sun, the end of all stars, proton decay, zombie galaxies, possible future civilizations, exploding black holes, the effects of dark energy, alternate universes, the final fate of the cosmos - to name a few. This is a picture of the future as painted by modern science - a picture that will surely evolve over time as we dig for more clues to how our story will unfold. Much of the science is very recent - and new puzzle pieces are still waiting to be found. To me, this overhead view of time gives a profound perspective - that we are living inside the hot flash of the Big Bang, the perfect moment to soak in the sights and sounds of a universe in its glory days, before it all fades away. Although the end will eventually come, we have a practical infinity of time to play with if we play our cards right. The future may look bleak, but we have enormous potential as a species. Featuring the voices of David Attenborough, Craig Childs, Brian Cox, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michelle Thaller, Lawrence Krauss, Michio Kaku, Mike Rowe, Phil Plait, Janna Levin, Stephen Hawking, Sean Carroll, Alex Filippenko, and Martin Rees.

In this classic episode, while working on an experiment to measure the age of the universe, astronomer Michelle Thaller is reminded once again about both the impersonal immensity around us, and the deeply personal significance of each one of us.

[From February through March 22, 2020 (his last day hosting Think Again) Jason will be revisiting favorite past episodes. Jason's new show, starting May 12th, is Clever Creature with Jason Gots.] -- Faith in anything is its own special form of madness. It’s a challenge to entropy, and entropy takes no challenge lightly. If there’s any better metaphor for this struggle than trying to make a big budget movie with even a shred of integrity, I haven’t found it. On the one hand, you’ve got this impossible dream. This faith in the beautiful thing that’s supposed to emerge at at the end of the process. On the other hand, the process is a hellish sausage-making machine of studio bosses, financing, and acts of god like four days of flash flooding in the middle of your big shoot. You might as well be Don Quixote, doing battle with a windmill. What kind of masochist would put themselves through that? My guest today, Terry Gilliam, is that very masochist. And we should be grateful, because his stomach for the fight has given us movies like THE FISHER KING, BRAZIL, 12 MONKEYS and MONTY PYTHON’s THE LIFE OF BRIAN. And now, almost 30 years after his first, biblically disastrous attempt to make it, THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE. Starring Adam Driver and Jonathan Pryce, the movie is as funny, thrilling, and unpretentiously deep as the best of Gilliam’s work. It’s also kind of like one of those Russian matryoshka dolls: a film inside a film inside a film, all of them metaphors for the holy folly of believing in anything at all. The Man Who Killed Don Quixote is out April 19th in select theaters and on demand video. Surprise conversation starters in this episode: Michelle Thaller on whether time is real or an illusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For this human moment, join astronomer Michelle Thaller as she contemplates the night sky. We’re such a small part of the universe – and yet so significant within it.

Renowned astronomer and science commentator Michelle Thaller shares a story about cosmic awe and deep connection — both to our fellow human beings and to the universe around us.Sign up for the Meditative Story newsletter.Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.Read the transcript for this episode.

A new way to recharge. This first-of-its-kind podcast combining the emotional pull of immersive first-person storytelling with the immediate, science-backed benefits of mindfulness practice. Each week, a storyteller will transport you to  the time and place where everything changed for them — a story you might find yourself relating to deeply. The entire experience is elevated by gorgeous sound design that shifts between music and vibration, bringing the story to life and giving you  the headspace to feel restored and refreshed. Meditative Story is a WaitWhat original series in partnership with Thrive Global. Subscribe here: https://apple.co/2KaZmwR Some of the great storytellers you’ll hear from include Arianna Huffington, On Being’s Krista Tippett, Restaurateur Danny Meyer, Futurist Jane McGonigal, Author Pico Iyer, ABC Nightline’s Dan Harris, NPR’s Peter Sagal, Apple Music’s Larry Jackson, astronomer Michelle Thaller, transgender boxer Thomas Page McBee and Dr. Lucy Kalanithi, who shares an epilogue to her late husband Paul Kalanithi’s memoir “When Breath Becomes Air.”  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Faith in anything is its own special form of madness. It’s a challenge to entropy, and entropy takes no challenge lightly. If there’s any better metaphor for this struggle than trying to make a big budget movie with even a shred of integrity, I haven’t found it. On the one hand, you’ve got this impossible dream. This faith in the beautiful thing that’s supposed to emerge at at the end of the process. On the other hand, the process is a hellish sausage-making machine of studio bosses, financing, and acts of god like four days of flash flooding in the middle of your big shoot. You might as well be Don Quixote, doing battle with a windmill. What kind of masochist would put themselves through that? My guest today, Terry Gilliam, is that very masochist. And we should be grateful, because his stomach for the fight has given us movies like THE FISHER KING, BRAZIL, 12 MONKEYS and MONTY PYTHON’s THE LIFE OF BRIAN. And now, almost 30 years after his first, biblically disastrous attempt to make it, THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE. Starring Adam Driver and Jonathan Pryce, the movie is as funny, thrilling, and unpretentiously deep as the best of Gilliam’s work. It’s also kind of like one of those Russian matryoshka dolls: a film inside a film inside a film, all of them metaphors for the holy folly of believing in anything at all. The Man Who Killed Don Quixote is out April 19th in select theaters and on demand video. Surprise conversation starters in this episode: Michelle Thaller on whether time is real or an illusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This special edition of How on Earth is produced in conjunction with the Conference on World Affairs.  Our guest a participants of the Conference: Dr. Michelle Thaller, assistant director of science at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.  Her path has taken her from Harvard to Georgia State University to Caltech to NASA. Dr. Thaller has studied hot stars, colliding stellar winds, binary star evolution, evolved stellar companions, and infrared astronomy.  She is one of the regular hosts of the Discovery Science Channel shows: “How the Universe Works” and “Space's Deepest Secrets” and hosts the podcast “Orbital Path” on public radio. Host / Producer / Engineer /  Executive Producer: Joel Parker Listen to the show:

I like to think. If I didn’t, this would be the wrong job for me. But I realize that as open-minded as I like to consider myself, I’ve taken a thick, black sharpie to certain areas of the philosophical map, scrawling “here there be monsters” and leaving them be. We’re all like this to some extent—it’s the flip side of interest—even if you’re super-curious, the things that interest you most become safe spaces. Comfort zones. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But if you want to keep learning, it’s necessary to spend time in regions of reality that scare the crap out of you. The things you don’t want to look at. And if, like me, your unsafe spaces include the many catastrophes that could befall the human race—you couldn’t ask for a more affable, well-informed, tour guide than Josh Clark. Trained in history and anthropology, Josh is a writer and podcaster—host of Stuff You Should Know and now, The End of the World—a 10 part series that looks at the many ways humanity might go extinct. And what we can do about them. And why it’s all worth taking very, very seriously. Surprise conversation starters in this episode: Michelle Thaller on how astronauts poop in space Shane Parrish on emotions and decision making  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All things in the cosmos have a lifespan, from the smallest particles to the most ancient suns. Everything has its season. Every season must come to an end. And this episode marks the end of Orbital Path. So, for the last transit of our podcast, Dr. Michelle Thaller and producer David Schulman join NASA astrobiologist Dr. Jen Eigenbrode on a site visit to one of Michelle’s very favorite places at Goddard Space Flight Center. It’s building 29, where NASA builds and tests spacecraft in some of the most extreme conditions found anywhere on earth.  Orbital Path is produced by David Schulman.  
 Our editor is Andrea Mustain. Production oversight by John Barth and Genevieve Sponsler. Hosted by Michelle Thaller. 
 Support for Orbital Path is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, enhancing public understanding of science, technology, and economic performance. Image credit: NASA

Asteroids, as the dinosaurs found out, can have big effects on life on Earth.  Sixty-five million years ago, an asteroid crashed into the Yucatán. The impact caused apocalyptic tsunamis and volcanic eruptions. Grit and ash blotted out the sun. It wiped out species that had roamed the Earth for millions of years. Yet asteroid hits also were critical to the origins of life on Earth. Asteroids may well have been the bringers of water, of carbon, even of amino acids — the building blocks of life. That’s a big reason why NASA is on a mission to Bennu. This asteroid is like an ancient fossil of our solar system — largely unchanged since the time the planets formed. In December, after a billion-mile journey, NASA’s Osiris-Rex mission arrives at Bennu. And, for the first time, a spacecraft will try to actually bring back an asteroid sample to Earth. On this episode of Orbital Path, Dr. Michelle Thaller sits down with Dr. Amy Simon — a senior scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, and a key player on the Osiris-Rex mission. Michelle and Amy talk about the mission, Amy’s work to probe the origins of the solar system, and one other thing:  The remote chance that Bennu, someday, could collide with Earth. Orbital Path is produced by David Schulman.  Our editor is Andrea Mustain. Production oversight by John Barth and Genevieve Sponsler. Support for Orbital Path is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, enhancing public understanding of science, technology, and economic performance. Image credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona.

This morning on the way to the school bus, my almost 11 year old son was explaining to me that if you shrunk an elephant down to the size of a mouse, it would shiver, then die, because of its slow mitochondria, due to something called the Rule of Squared Threes, which he also proceeded to explain. Then he explained something about neutron stars, claiming that they are essentially a giant atom, which I don't think is actually true. Then he started on another topic and I explained that this was all very wonderful but that I had learned all the science my brain could hold at 7:15 am.* Sadly, my own journey as a scientist ended in high school biology, when I put the dissected tail of a fetal pig on a toothpick and said "Hors d'oeuvres?" to several classmates, which earned me an F for the project. But happily, there are people like my guest today, Astronomer Michelle Thaller, and my son Emre, who are excellent at explaining scientific wonders to dummkopfs like myself. Michelle is—let me take a deep breath here—the Assistant Director of Science for Communications at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. And her inspiring perspective on science and humanity—which she shares in her TV shows and her podcast Orbital Path—makes me wish that biology teacher had had a better sense of humor. *Note: Emre learned much of this from this very interesting YouTube channel Surprise conversation starter in this episode: Ingrid Fettell Lee on anti-minimalist architecture  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this 'Ask an Astronomer' episode, Dr. Michelle Thaller explains how there can be an interstellar medium in a vacuum.

Dr. Michelle Thaller answers this question for 'Ask an Astronomer.'