logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2024
22m 47s

The probe on a mission to touch the Sun ...

TED
About this episode
From its life-sustaining energy to its explosive geomagnetic storms, the Sun has many mysteries, says astrophysicist Nour E. Rawafi. He sheds light on NASA's latest endeavor to better understand our fiery neighbor and its impact on the future of society: sending the cutting-edge Parker Solar Probe deep into the Sun's atmosphere in humanity's closest-ever approach to a star.

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

Up next
Today
Sunday Pick: Do all my friends secretly hate me? | from Corner Piece
Why does making friends as an adult feel like mission impossible?In today’s Sunday Pick, Corner Piece, host Melissa Fernandes explores what it means to be a friend while grappling with a friendship break up. Along the way, she interviews Anna Goldfarb, journalist and author of “M ... Show More
41m 18s
Yesterday
The haunting truth of ghost stories | Coya Paz Brownrigg (re-release)
Ghost stories reveal much more than the ghouls and spirits that haunt them. Settle in for a spooky delight as theater educator Coya Paz Brownrigg lays out three types of bone-chilling tales and exhumes the grave truths they hold about longing, meaning and the cultural value of ee ... Show More
14m 15s
Yesterday
What crows teach us about death | Kaeli Swift (re-release)
Rituals for the dead span much of the natural world, seen in practices from humans and elephants to bees, dolphins and beyond. With charm and playful insight, animal behaviorist Kaeli Swift delves into the life (and death) habits of crows and shares what their responses could rev ... Show More
14m 43s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2024
Sun Series: Soaring Toward the Sun
For the first time, a NASA spacecraft is flying through the Sun's atmosphere. Nour Raouafi, project scientist for Parker Solar Probe, explains why the Sun's corona is the source of one of the biggest mysteries in all of space science. So, what does it take to build a probe that c ... Show More
36m 35s
Nov 2024
Making sense of the sun
The sun rises and sets every day of our lives, but it still holds many mysteries. This hour, TED speakers share the latest in probing, replicating, and harnessing the power of our massive star. Guests include astrophysicist Nour Rawafi, fusion physicist Tammy Ma, renewable energy ... Show More
49m 40s
Jun 2023
2Fast 2Curious: Finding the source of the fast solar wind
<p>Some solar mysteries, like the origin of the fast solar wind, can only be solved by getting up close and personal with the Sun. James Drake from the University of Maryland joins Planetary Radio this week to talk about the latest results from NASA's Parker Solar Probe as it soa ... Show More
54m 21s
Dec 2024
Parker Solar Probe Will Make Closest-Ever Approach To Sun
<p>On December 24, NASA’s <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/nasa-parker-solar-probe/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">Parker Solar Probe</a> will make the closest-ever approach to the sun by a spacecraft. Parker has made more t ... Show More
18m 24s
Feb 2023
Can the Parker solar probe shed light on the Sun?
Daniel and Jorge talk about the daring and dangerous mission of the Parker Solar Probe and what it might reveal about the Sun.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
50m 6s
Sep 2024
Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 138: The Sun, Star of Our Cosmic Show
The Sun is the ultimate source of life in our solar system, a radiant powerhouse that bathes Earth in the energy necessary for everything from photosynthesis to weather patterns. Its warmth and light sustain us. However, the Sun’s influence isn't always benign. Its solar wind—a s ... Show More
21m 34s
Jul 2014
The Sun
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Sun. The object that gives the Earth its light and heat is a massive ball of gas and plasma 93 million miles away. Thanks to the nuclear fusion reactions taking place at its core, the Sun has been shining for four and a half billion years. ... Show More
47m 27s
Jul 2018
Episode 2: Some Like it Hot
Even though our Sun shines bright in the sky, it is shrouded in mystery. In this episode, we'll sit down with scientists working to get us closer to the Sun than ever before. 
50m 24s