Dr. Jon Merrison talks about the Mars Simulation Laboratory. Here, scientists study what happens in low temperature, low pressure, windy environments. He says visiting scientists often "come to our lab with some idea based on the conventional model and go away with data which makes no sense to them."…

Dr. Morgan Cable returns to the show after nine years! She tells us how she creates new minerals in her laboratory. She explains how this work helps shape NASA's Dragonfly mission. She encourages listeners to have confidence in their results.By Carrie Nugent

Dr. Geronimo Villanueva tells us about solar system discoveries with JWST. He talks about several projects, including observing water plumes from Saturn's moon Europa and looking for rings around Mars. He shares what it feels like to use this incredible space telescope.By Carrie Nugent

I was sick for a few weeks this month and had to delay the scheduled interview. In the meantime, I've got a bonus episode for you. In this episode I talk about FindPOTATOs, which is software written by Nicole Tan and me, Carrie Nugent, to find asteroids and comets. I share some challenges we faced and how we overcame them. We hope that findPOTATOs …

Professor Bill McKinnon, 2023 recipient of the Kuiper Prize, reflects on his career as a planetary scientist. He tells us about a theory of his that was proven right, one that was proven wrong, and what he thinks might be proven wrong in the future.By Carrie Nugent

Dr. Gareth Williams tells us about asteroid names. He explains the rules around naming asteroids and tells us how an asteroid name lead to a surprise trip to meet one of his heroes.By Carrie Nugent

Dr. Brett Denevi talks to us about the planned Artemis missions to the moon's South Pole. There, astronauts will collect rocks and other samples. She describes how geologists are working with the astronauts to ensure that the best, most interesting samples are collected. These samples will create a legacy set that scientists will study for decades.…

Loren Grush talks about her new book, "The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women in Space." She explains why Sally Ride was chosen to be the first American woman to go to space, and how the resulting attention was difficult for her. Loren also tells us how she researched and wrote the book during the pandemic.…

We hear from Dr. Diana Blaney, the principal investigator of the mapping imaging spectrometer on Europa Clipper. Europa Clipper will travel to Jupiter to see if its moon Europa is habitable. She describes how they tested the spectrometer in special rooms to make sure it will work at Europa.By Carrie Nugent

Professor Lamiya Mowla tells us about an exciting JWST discovery. She describes gravitational lensing as "nature's magnifying glass." She also explains why she likes calling telescopes time machines. We discuss pretty and shiny things, and why prettiness might indicate something is scientifically interesting.…

A quick bonus episode about the April 8th, 2024 total solar eclipse in Mexico, the US, and Canada! I talk about the difference between a partial and total solar eclipse, and share some tips in case you want to travel to see it.By Carrie Nugent

Professor Raman Prinja talks about his new book, "Wonders of the Night Sky." He tells us how we are lucky to live on a planet with a transparent atmosphere. He also shares stargazing tips for city dwellers as well as long-haul truck drivers. The book is available at Simon and Schuster's website. Note: I received a free copy of the book.…

In this conversation with James Blanch, a high-achieving student who recently completed his VCE studies (2022) at Trinity Grammar and is now pursuing a medical career. This episode is a must-listen for students in years ten through to 12, as James shares invaluable tips and strategies for achieving academic success while juggling extracurricular ac…

Dr. Olivier Witasse tells us about the Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer, or JUICE mission, which is currently traveling through space. JUICE will conduct 34 flybys of Jupiter's moons before orbiting Ganymede. Ganyemede may have significant liquid water, and perhaps the elements needed for life.By Carrie Nugent

Dr. Andrés Plazas Malagón tells us about a field of astronomy called cosmology. He explains that either our universe is mostly made of mysterious stuff called dark energy, or the laws of physics are wrong. He also explains the difference between dark matter and dark energy.By Carrie Nugent

Looking for insights into how to navigate the complex world of VCE in Victoria? Tune in to this episode of our podcast, where we chat with Nicole from the Victorian Tertiary Admission Center (VTAC). We delve into how VTAC works, from interpreting your VCE results to translating them into an ATAR and ultimately securing an offer from a university. W…

Dr. Richard Cartwright tells us about the moons of Uranus and explains why we should visit Uranus with an orbiting spacecraft. This mission would take decades to design, build, and travel to the planet. He also shares what he thinks about Uranus jokes.By Carrie Nugent

Dr. Peter Veres talks about asteroids, comets, and meteors. He describes how the Minor Planet Center keeps track of observations and orbits. This data is publicly available, and non-scientists make valuable contributions. He also tells us about the AMOS meteor network, and how meteors connect to asteroids and comets.…

Dr. Parvathy Prem tells us about lunar ice. She says, "the moon records the history of our solar system neighborhood in a way that the Earth doesn't." Her simulations show that rocket landings can change lunar ice. We discuss different perspectives on the moon, and how those perspectives might change how we explore.…

Kelly Beatty shares easy things we can do to reduce light pollution. He tells us how artificial night light can harm humans, birds, and insects. He shares the five principles of good lighting, and explains how addressing light pollution can save money.By Carrie Nugent

Abishek has uprooted his life three times starting with when he moved from India to Melbourne to pursue his education in engineering. In this conversation, Abhi shares how he became a strategy consultant, and how he has followed his instinct to secure an amazing role that has now taken him to the UK.…

Dr. Nancy Chabot returns to the show to talk about the DART mission, which changed the orbit of an asteroid moon. This was the first demonstration of asteroid deflection technology. She explains how the mission worked, what scientists are discovering, and why a small nudge is all you need when it comes to moving an asteroid out of Earth's way.…

Suzie shares with us her journey from school to being director of People and Culture at Fonterra. We join Suzie as she breaks down her career into three distinctly different times, and how each has supported her in achieving what she has today. The conversation explores what diversity and inclusion mean to Suzie and corporate Australia and how she …

Not all heroes wear capes, but some do fly! In this episode, Jeremy shares his journey from the schoolyard where he dreamed of flying aeroplanes to how he lands black hawk helicopters on ships in the middle of the night. Jeremy's story is an exciting one that is a fantastic example of humility and what following your passion can do for your career …

Professor Myriam Telus shares how she studies atmospheres using meteorites. These experiments can teach us about exoplanet atmospheres and planet formation. She says science feels like a playground, with so much to explore.By Carrie Nugent

Grace first left school when she was 14 and 9 months. Today she is the founder and CEO of Age Up Health, employing over 70 people. Join our conversation where Grace shares her inspiring career journey and shares how understanding her drive and way of learning has led her on this unusual but very successful career path.…

International space law expert Cordula Panosch explains what is and is not legal when it comes to deflecting an Earth-bound asteroid. Although much depends on the individual circumstances, she explains how existing laws govern what countries can and cannot do when it comes to outer space.By Carrie Nugent

Dr. Kirby Runyon shares his definition of "planet"-- a round celestial body that was never a star. Using this definition, there are over 150 planets orbiting our sun. He explains why the word planet matters, and why little planets might be the most common planets in our universe.By Carrie Nugent