NASA Chief Scientist for Small Body Exploration at Johnson Space Center, Paul Abell, takes us inside Hayabusa2's flyby of asteroid Torifune and the surprise discovery that it's a contact binary.
Sep 18
Book Club Edition: Alien Oceans by Kevin Hand
Where are we most likely to find evidence of life, past or living, in the Solar System? Planetary scientist and author Kevin Hand looks to warm, salty ocean depths beneath protective layers of ice on worlds such as Europa and Enceladus. His enthralling book became a popular selec ... Show More
1h 7m
Sep 9
Star Trek at 60: What do we value the most? (Part 1)
Star Trek turned 60 on Sept. 8, 2026, and to celebrate, we're kicking off a special two-part series exploring the franchise's deep and lasting connection to real-world space exploration. In Part 1, Robert Picardo, the Emergency Medical Hologram from Star Trek: Voyager, now starri ... Show More
59m 56s
Jul 2025
Celestial Discoveries: The Oldest Comet, Pulsar Insights, and Axiom Space's Successful Splashdown
In this episode of SpaceTime, we explore the latest cosmic revelations, including the astonishing discovery of an ancient interstellar comet, the intricate workings of a rare pulsar, and the safe return of the Axiom 4 crew from their mission.Ancient Interstellar Comet 3I/AtlasAst ... Show More
23m 1s
Jul 2025
Interstellar Discoveries: The Arrival of Comet 3I Atlas and the Mars Sample Race
In this episode of SpaceTime, we dive into the latest astronomical discoveries and the implications for future space exploration.New Interstellar Visitor: Comet 3I AtlasAstronomers have identified a new interstellar object, designated 3I Atlas, which is currently traversing our s ... Show More
26 m
Sep 2025
How Webb Illuminates Stars’ Cloudy Origins
In the space between stars, dark clouds of gas, dust, and ice mingle in a chemical laboratory unlike any on Earth. Ewine van Dishoeck, an astronomer who studies molecules in space and who helped develop an instrument aboard NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, explains how Webb is ... Show More
22m 43s
Oct 2025
Enceladus’s Alien Ocean, Ancient Fungi and the Flavor of Influenza
Saturn’s moon Enceladus reveals complex organic molecules that could hint at extraterrestrial life. Researchers also uncover fungi’s ancient reign over Earth and warn that second COVID infections may pose greater risks to young people. Plus, ants ferment yogurt, and flu detection ... Show More
9m 47s
Aug 2021
Lucy in the Sky With Asteroids
How did the planets form? How did life happen? Where did Earth’s water come from? To answer questions like these, scientists used to go big—looking at planets, dwarf planets, and moons—but now small is the new big. Technology is zooming in on the pint-size stuff—asteroids, comets ... Show More
28m 51s