logo
episode-header-image
May 2025
41m 47s

Space Jams

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
About this episode

If you were curating a mixtape that might be heard by aliens billions of years from now - but definitely would be seen by your fellow Earthlings - what would you put on it? In 1977, two Voyager spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral on a journey that would take them beyond our solar system. Affixed to the side of these two planetary explorers was the Voyager Golden Record — the ultimate mixtape of humanity — containing 27 pieces of music as well as pictures and sounds of Earth. But how did these selections get made? Nearly 50 years later, we're teaming up with our friends at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s podcast, AirSpace, to explore what's on the record, how it got made, and its legacy.

Learn more about AirSpace

Airspace Hosts: 

Matthew Shindell, curator of space history at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum

Emily Martin, planetary geologist at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum

Guests:

Ann Druyan, Voyager Golden Record Creative Director

Lawrence Azerrad, Co-founder of Macroscopic

Up next
Yesterday
A Message Regarding the Shutdown
Please be advised that new episodes will not be released during the government shutdown. For up-to-date information on the status of the Smithsonian, please visit our website at si.edu. 
15s
Oct 1
Monkey Mystery: The Case of the Capuchin Kidnappers
Why are capuchin monkeys kidnapping howler monkey babies in Panama? We investigate this bizarre case of primate abduction with researchers working with the Smithsonian to get to the bottom of this bizarre behavior. We'll talk about their discoveries, the social dynamics between c ... Show More
23m 14s
Sep 17
The Music of Jeopardy! From a Lullaby to $100,000,000
It’s the most recognizable TV theme in America. But Jeopardy’s “Think Music” wasn’t originally written for a game show… It was written for a toddler. In this episode, we trace the unlikely journey of the Jeopardy theme, from Merv Griffin’s living room to over 10,000 episodes acro ... Show More
23m 40s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2021
Daniel K. L. Chua and Alexander Rehding, "Alien Listening: Voyager's Golden Record and Music from Earth" (Zone Book, 2021)
In 1977 NASA shot a mixtape into outer space, and it remains the only human-made object to have left the solar system. The Golden Record aboard the Voyager spacecrafts contained world music and sounds of Earth to represent humanity to any extraterrestrial civilizations. Alien Lis ... Show More
48m 40s
Dec 2023
Moonshot with NASA Astronaut Mike Massimino 12/7/23
Mike Massimino, serving as a NASA astronaut until 2014, has a slew of accomplishments: the first human to tweet from space, the last astronaut to work inside the Hubble Telescope and the speculated inspiration for George Clooney’s role in “Gravity.” He’s now out with a book, titl ... Show More
16m 56s
Mar 2025
The history of space travel
Max Pearson presents a collection of this week's Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service. This week we’re looking at the history of space travel, including the 60th anniversary of the first ever space-walk by Russian cosmonaut Alexei Leonov. Also, the speech that woul ... Show More
51m 8s
Nov 2023
15 billion miles from home -- and still going!
We're going to space! Well, actually, we're going to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena to check in with the Voyager team. It's been forty-six years since Voyager 1 and 2 launched and we're still in contact! We'll talk with Linda Spilker and Suzanne Dodd, who can take u ... Show More
9m 34s
Aug 2024
ISRO Chairman Dr. Somanath: Aliens, Chandrayaan, Mars & Black Holes | Outer Space Special | TRS 435
Check out my Mind Performance app: Level SuperMind Android - https://install.lvl.fit/mfpxmmovb7gbt4kt1kghbv iOS - https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1623828602?pt=124995957&ct=Ranveer91&mt=8 Join the Level Community Here: https://linktr.ee/levelsupermindcommunity Check out ... Show More
1h 44m
Jun 2024
#427: Martian Mysteries & Space Health: Unveiling Cosmic Secrets
This episode is brought to you thanks to NordVPN. To get the special Space Nuts and 30 day money back guarantee deals visit www.nordvpn.com/spacenuts Weird Mars Rock, Anti-Ageing in Space, and Asteroid CollisionsJoin Andrew Dunkley and Professor Fred Watson in this fascinating ep ... Show More
35m 49s
Apr 2024
#412: Cosmic Queries: A Voyage to Voyager & Defending Astronauts Beyond Earth
Prepare to illuminate the mysteries of cosmic luminescence with Andrew Dunkley and Professor Fred Watson in this enlightening Q&A episode of Space Nuts. Our stellar duo navigates the void to answer Lee from New York's luminary question: How much light is there in space? Could we ... Show More
26m 20s
Jan 2025
Meteorite Doorbells, Space Treaties & Panspermia Possibilities: #489 - The Great Cosmic Debate
This episode of Space Nuts is brought to you by Incogni where it's all about your data protection made easy. Check out details and get the special Space Nuts listener discount by visiting incogni.com/spacenuts Space Nuts Episode #489: Meteorite Madness, Space Treaties, and Cosmic ... Show More
42m 10s
Oct 2
E110 - Black Holes, Ancient Civilisations & The Search For Alien Life | David Kipping
» Produced by Hack You Media: pioneering a new category of content at the intersection of health performance, entrepreneurship & cognitive optimisation.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hackyoumedia/Website: https://hackyou.media/David Kipping studies exoplanets and the search ... Show More
1h 47m
Sep 2024
#451: Unexplained Starliner Noises, Ganymede's Cataclysm & Black Hole Jet Discoveries
This episode of Space Nuts is brought to you by Incogni...looking after your online privacy with no hassles. To check out our special Space Nuts deal, visit www.incogni.com/spacenuts Join Andrew Dunkley and Professor Fred Watson in this riveting episode of Space Nuts, where they ... Show More
34m 43s