Ep 40: Rockets and Laser Beams

Big News! Drop everything and pay attention to this right away! Set your expectations to maximum! 

Here is Season 4, brought to you in its entirety (it’s about 2 1/2 hours, so pack a lunch). Available for listening in all modes of transportation including planes, trains, motorboats, paddle boats, steamer ships, schooners, space shuttles, submersibles, and some hang gliders. Oh ... Show More

The white-knuckled conclusion to a tumultuous season, but also the dawn of a new, more dangerous, more intelligent threat! 

Brains On is a non-profit public radio program. There are lots of ways to support the show:Support the podcast with donation | Subscribe to Smarty Pass for ad-free episodes and bonus content | Buy our book and merch | Come to our live shows | Get the newsletter for parents | Find ... Show More

When Eugene Cernan walked on the moon, he didn’t know he’d be the last astronaut to make the journey. 

3, 2, 1…blastoff! Blippi and Meekah are headed to the moon! But first, they stop at the International Space Station to learn about space suits and gravity. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

Imagine taking a once in a lifetime trip to outer space only to find out you have no idea when you'll be heading home. Sounds pretty crazy, but it's happening right now. Astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell joins Amy & T.J. to break down what's going on with the group of astronauts w ... Show More

To prepare for the day when humans travel to Mars, NASA is conducting a one-year experiment in a Mars simulation environment. So what’s it like to spend a year in CHAPEA, the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog? In this season finale episode, travel through the airlock ... Show More

What's it like living underwater for two weeks? What's the trickiest part of training to be an astronaut? What are the most memorable sights you see from space? Several extreme questions, all of which can be answered by one man: Major Tim Peake.After a childhood packed with outdo ... Show More

In Episode 2.3, we look at “strange” rockets: nuclear, antimatter, and ion thrust. The tremendous amount of time it takes to move through space has isolated humanity from the cosmos. But burning rocket fuel is not the only way to travel the stars. 

It's hard to imagine a more challenging work environment than the International Space Station. During her 24 years as a NASA astronaut, including a six-month stint on the ISS, Cady Coleman learned pivotal lessons about everything from managing stress and assessing risk to cross-c ... Show More