logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2024
14m 4s

BONUS - Lumpy Space Potatoes

THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
About this episode
In this month's bonus episode Izzie, Dr Becky Smethurst and Dr Robert Massey tackle questions on pulsars, woo woo sounds from black holes, imperfect spheres and alien aurorae. Send your questions to: podcast@ras.ac.uk, and we’re also on instagram @SupermassivePod. 

The Supermassive podcast is produced by Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham and is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Sep 24
Don't Panic…but a solar storm could be a disaster
It's been 166 years since scientists recorded the world's most powerful solar explosion. Izzie, Dr Becky and Dr Robert Massey are big fans of anniversaries, so they investigate how the Carrington Event affected the Earth - and why something similar today could be devastating.Than ... Show More
47m 22s
Sep 9
BONUS - Are we Living in a Black Hole?
What would happen if the supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy disappeared? Dr Becky is back to tackle your toughest of black hole questions. Alongside science journalist Izzie Clarke and Dr Robert Massey, the team also discuss what the night sky would look like in ... Show More
14m 3s
Aug 26
Supermassive Q and A...Live!
We are live at the National Astronomy Meeting in Durham with questions on everything from white holes and fuzzy stars, to solar storms and time travel. Science journalist Izzie Clarke is joined by Dr Ziri Younsi – part of the team that took the first picture of a black hole. Also ... Show More
46m 55s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2023
History of the Andromeda Galaxy // Quartz Crystals Discovery // The Sun’s heating Process | S26E128
The Space News Podcast. SpaceTime Series 26 Episode 128 *The dramatic history of the Andromeda galaxy A new study has unveiled the violent history of our nearest neighbouring big galaxy M-31 Andromeda. *Quartz crystals discovered in clouds of hot gas giant Astronomers using NASA’ ... Show More
26m 32s
Apr 2024
The Moon Itself
There’s a total solar eclipse coming. On Monday, April 8, for a large swath of North America, the sun will disappear, in the middle of the day. Everywhere you look, people are talking about it. What will it feel like when the sun goes away? What will the blocked-out sun look like ... Show More
49m 13s
Mar 2020
What If We Settled on the Moon? - Guest: Alex Hall
Do you consider yourself a pioneer? An explorer perhaps? Would you "go boldly where no one has gone before" - well, almost no one. And would you stay? With everything from the financial incentives of mining to contingency planning for problems here on Earth to creating a jumping ... Show More
50m 5s
Mar 2024
Stars Talk to Neil – Reversing Earth’s Rotation
What happens after death? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-host Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly answer science questions from celebrities like Kelly Clarkson, Dax Shepard, Sway Calloway, and more!NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here:  https://star ... Show More
38m 41s
Jun 2024
Cosmic Queries – Space Traveler’s Delight
Is there anything in the universe that is not moving? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice answer fan questions about stillness, humans on Mars, and what songs they would add to the Voyager Golden Record. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial ... Show More
41m 14s
Sep 2020
What If We Blew Up an Asteroid? - Guest: Bill Nye
Sign up for the Great Courses Plus today and enjoy the first month for free: https://bit.ly/podcast-great-courses-plus Not like we don't have enough things on our mind...but in case you don't, "What If we blew up an asteroid?". Assuming we'd be considering this, it'd be safe to s ... Show More
39m 18s
Dec 2020
Space Archaeology (SPACE JUNK) with Alice Gorman
Gaze into the cosmos and wonder at broken satellites, retired rockets and shattered contraptions. Archaeologist Dr. Alice Gorman is a leading expert on orbital debris and chats about what’s up there, how it got there, and how to get it down. Strap in to hear about everything from ... Show More
1h 17m
Feb 2023
Scotohylology (DARK MATTER) with Flip Tanedo
It’s invisible. It’s mysterious. It’s all around us – and no one knows what it is. Let’s have a fun existential crisis by pondering Dark Matter! The world’s most affable and endearing theoretical particle physicist, Dr. Flip Tanedo of UC Riverside, makes the Large Hadron Collider ... Show More
1h 16m
Jul 2020
What If Humans Are Future Versions of Aliens? - Guest: Dr. Mike Masters
So imagine that all of the reports of UFO's, visitations and alien abductions were true...but sort of not? Confused? How about instead of "aliens" being alien, they were actually humans travelling back in time from the future to study their origins as a species? This is the thesi ... Show More
54m 8s