Program Archives

JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE STATUS REPORT FROM DEPUTY PROGRAM DIRECTOR ERIC SMITH
February 6, 2012
Guests: Eric Smith
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Headed for a planned 2018 launch, the huge JWST will build on the success of the beloved Hubble Space Telescope. The project remains controversial even as components are completed. Emily Lakdawalla...  more »

THE SPACEUP UNCONFERENCE AND A FREE ONLINE ASTRONOMY CLASS
January 23, 2012
Guests: Bruce Betts, Chris Radcliff, Marimikel Charrier
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An opportunity to learn, and an opportunity to hang out with other space geeks—both are presented in this week's show as we talk with planetary scientist Bruce Betts about his free, online Intro to...  more »

ONE PLANET, TWO STARS, WITH LAURANCE DOYLE
November 1, 2011
Guests: Laurance Doyle
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Multidisciplinary scientist Laurance Doyle led the team that has announced discovery of the first extrasolar planet circling two stars. He also talks about his plan to analyze communication by and among other species.  more »

DEBRA FISCHER, DISCOVERER OF WORLDS
April 11, 2011
Guests: Debra Fischer
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Yale Astronomy Professor Debra Fischer and Geoff Marcy have discovered more exoplanets than any other ground-based team. Debra has now embarked on creation of FINDS Exo-Earths II, an instrument she...  more »

KEPLER DISCOVERS HUNDREDS OF EXTRASOLAR PLANETS!
February 21, 2011
Guests: William Borucki
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Kepler Principal Investigator William Borucki returns with details of the spacecraft's possible discovery of more than 1,200 worlds circling other stars. Many are Earth-sized, many are in the...  more »

TASTING A SUPER-EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE
January 31, 2011
Guests: Jacob Bean
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NASA Sagan Fellow and astronomer Jacob Bean led a team that has characterized the atmosphere of a super-Earth for the first time. He talks with us about this trailblazing work. Bill Nye...  more »

KEPLER DISCOVERS HUNDREDS OF EXOPLANETS
July 5, 2010
Guests: Bill Borucki
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Kepler Science Principal Investigator William Borucki returns with news of the space telescope's probable doubling of known planets circling distant stars. Emily Lakdawalla provides a preview of...  more »

100 MILLIONS SOLAR SYSTEMS LIKE OUR OWN?
March 1, 2010
Guests: Scott Gaudi
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Award-winning astronomer Scott Gaudi talks about the MicroFUN exoplanet finding project, and the first estimate of how many planetary systems in the Milky Way galaxy look like our home system. Bill...  more »

WILLIAM BORUCKI ON KEPLER'S SEARCH FOR ANOTHER EARTH
January 18, 2010
Guests: William Borucki
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The Kepler spacecraft's discovery of five exoplanets has just been confirmed by ground-based telescopes. Principal Investigator Bill Borucki returns with a progress report and a look forward toward...  more »

JUDGING A PLANET'S HABITABILITY WITH ABEL MENDEZ
October 26, 2009
Guests: Abel Mendez
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Nearly 400 exoplanets discovered so far, and a truly terrestrial planet may be found soon. Abel Mendez has proposed a system for evaluating any planet's ability to support life, including our...  more »