A View From Earth

It's that time of year again, time to look back at the work we've done over the years and also to look forward into the future. This year however, our holiday special is unfortunately our last. Starting next year A View From Earth will be changing shape into a new podcast called SciHArt. Funded by the PUNCH mission, SciHArt, which stands for Scientists as Hobbyists and Artists, will feature leaders in science, engineering, and science communication who are in different phases of their career journey, from undergraduate researchers to senior professionals playing leadership roles on NASA missions. The initial podcasts will focus on members of the science, engineering, and outreach teams of the NASA PUNCH mission and other professionals in the lesser-known field of Heliophysics. We are looking forward to the new year and the changes that we'll be going through and hope that you will join us for the ride.

NASA’s PUNCH mission is a suite of small satellites that aim to study the Sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona, and how the corona accelerates to become the solar wind that fills the solar system. That’s the official description anyway; beyond just the science, PUNCH also has a plan to activate the theme of Ancient & Modern Sun watching to extend helio­physics outreach to underserved and under-represented populations as well as to the broader public in the American South­west and beyond. This week we talk with PUNCH’s PI, Dr. Craig DeForest, about how combining high-tech science investigation, amateur observation, and indigenous and historical knowledge gives us a more complete and robust vision of our space weather environment. See more at https://punch.space.swri.edu

We all know weather here in Colorado’s Front Range can be unpredictable at best, but predicting atmospheric conditions on even larger scales can seem impossible due to the astounding number of factors involved. A new CU-led center, called Wave-induced Atmospheric Variability Enterprise (or just WAVE), is examining one oft-overlooked component of our atmosphere: gravity waves. In this episode, we interview two scientists working on the WAVE project about what these gravity waves are and how they affect not only our local weather but also the atmosphere as a whole, and how they can even influence interactions between the Earth and the sun! See more here: lasp.colorado.edu/home/wave/wave-to-a-waver/

Until very recently, space travel and exploration was inherently tied to government policy. Regulated agencies are responsible for setting priorities, approving funding, and high-level management of missions and projects. While science itself has no political ties, astronomers have long relied on space policy experts as advocates to help navigate the trials of the political landscape. In our final episode of the season, we talk with one such expert about his experiences with government regulation and oversight, the frequent politicalization of science, and how these policies may be rewritten in the new era of commercial spaceflight. Dr. Jack Burns is a Professor and an active NSF and NASA-funded researcher in the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences at CU Boulder. His teaching and research focus on extragalactic astronomy and cosmology, supercomputer numerical simulations, astrophysics from the Moon, and public policy issues in higher education and science. Currently, Burns serves as Chair of the NASA Advisory Council’s Science Committee and also chairs the American Astronomical Society’s Committee on Science and Public Policy.

Rarely does a person think of “science” and “philosophy” in the same sentence, and when they do the two fields are often thought to be at odds. However, throughout history many of the world’s most famous philosophers were also scientists, and vice versa! From Plato and Aristotle to Descartes and Newton to the quantum physicists of today, the ideals of science have always been tied to our human perceptions. The “search for truth” unites philosophers and scientists alike with the goal of understanding the world around and within us. This week we talk with a CU professor about the intersection of science and philosophy to see how discoveries in physics and astronomy affect human thought and behavior. Dr. Heather Demarest is a professor of philosophy at CU Boulder who studies the metaphysical implications of current physics. Most recently, her work is on the way in which special and general relativity inform philosophical notions of time, personal identity, and causation. She is the director of the Committee on the History and Philosophy of Science, and has also done research on the retention of undergraduate women in philosophy.

With hydrogen and oxygen being two of the most abundant elements in the universe, it may be no surprise that water is found, in one form or another, all over the place! In our solar system alone, there may be nearly a dozen objects harboring vast oceans beneath their icy surfaces. In this episode, we chat with a NASA mission scientist about these “ocean worlds” --- why they’re so cool, what we still don’t understand about them, and why NASA considers them a prime target for studies in the next decade. Dr. Amanda Hendrix is a CU alumnus and planetary scientist known for her pioneering studies of solar system bodies at ultraviolet wavelengths. She was a co-investigator on the Cassini and Galileo UVS instruments, is a Participating Scientist on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter LAMP instrument, and is a Principal Investigator on Hubble Space Telescope observing programs. She is also the co-lead of the NASA Roadmaps to Ocean Worlds Group, advocating for exploration of ocean worlds in the outer solar system. Hendrix was also a NASA astronaut candidate finalist in 2000.

If you’re listening to this podcast, chances are you’ve enjoyed a museum exhibit or two in your life. But do you ever think about what goes into creating them? How do they design engaging and educational activities and programs for people of all ages and interests? And what’s involved in making those amazing planetarium movies? In this episode, we talk with a scientist from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science about his work with the museum’s space science program, about creating visuals for planetariums, and how humans learn outside of a traditional classroom setting. Dr. Ka Chun Yu joined DMNS as part of a team tasked with creating planetarium software to visualize the known universe. He has produced movies and live presentations including Earth systems programs for the digital dome and continued to create new planetarium visualizations and other educational content. He has conducted educational research to study the use of digital planetariums for astronomy education. Ka Chun’s astronomical research is in observational star formation, looking at outflows from protostars and studying the properties of young stellar clusters. He has been involved in observing programs with the Hubble Space Telescope, as well as ground-based optical, infrared, and radio observatories around the world.

While the science behind human-caused climate change is undeniable, many people wonder how much of a difference they can make in the fight against it. While individual actions are helpful, educating people about the causes and solutions is imperative to any sustained effort to reverse the damage. Our guest this week specializes in using research-informed performance art to convey climate science to youth and adults around the world and teaches young women how to use civic activism as a tool for engaging environmental science communication. Dr. Beth Osnes is a CU professor who combines a passion for environmental and climate science with a profession in theater and dance. Osnes is co-founder and co-director of Inside the Greenhouse, an endowed initiative at CU Boulder to celebrate creative climate communication through film, theater, dance and music. Her original musical, Shine, weaves together climate science and performance art into a fun and powerful story, which spans 300 million years of geological time to convey how humanity, energy, and climate are interrelated.

When you think about pictures of objects in space, you might think of legendary telescopes like Hubble or famous spacecraft like Voyager. It’s true that scientists rely heavily on imaging from telescopes and spacecraft, but astrophotographers are advancing imaging technology and providing us with amazing pictures of nebulas, clusters, planets, and more! This week, AVFE talks with one astrophotographer about technology, travel, and the intricacies of getting a good night sky photo. Chris Scherpenseel was born and raised in Colorado. At the age of 14, he traveled to New Zealand to live with his father. Seeing the natural beauty of another country sparked his interest in travel and photography. While attending the University of Colorado at Boulder, his interest and passion in astronomy was fueled by courses taken in astrophysics. Today as a night sky photographer, he uses his camera to capture epic landscapes and legendary skies. Attached is one of Chris's more recent images from Dinosaur National Monument in September 2020. He said, "Unfortunately the skies were filled with smoke from the wildfires here in Colorado and out west. Nevertheless, I shot this image near a campsite in Dinosaur called Echo Park. It was taken at the old Chew family homestead. The site is a historic site and was donated by the Chew family several decades ago to be part of Dinosaur National Monument. When Tara asked the question about historic sites, it didn't immediately come to mind -- but in fact it is. Although there is a lot of haze and smoke in the sky, you can still see some of the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy in the upper right corner. I call it Raise the Roof."

It’s true that most interplanetary spacecraft are large and expensive, requiring teams of thousands for their creation, launch, and monitoring. But just like computers, phones, and other electronic devices, satellites are becoming smaller and more efficient all the time. CubeSats are small, inexpensive, and an increasingly popular way for scientists to get the data they want without waiting decades for a big mission approval. In this episode, we talk to a LASP engineer involved in all aspects of CubeSat missions about how their compact size and increased accessibility is revolutionizing how we explore the solar system. Dr. James Mason builds and flies small satellites for NASA. His first hands-on experience came as a PhD student in the aerospace engineering sciences department at CU Boulder, which he continued after graduating as a postdoc at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and now back at CU’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics. He’s worked on 17 CubeSats to date, which have observed everything from solar explosions to exoplanet host stars. He’s contributed to the engineering, fabrication, communications, operations, science, and outreach in these missions and is now the principal investigator leading a CubeSat called SunCET.

Any scientist will tell you that doing science is only part of the job; being able to communicate your scientific findings to the world is just as important. Here at A View From Earth we love talking to people whose prime job is communicating science and inspiring curiosity, and who better to tell us about that than Kari Byron! In our Season 3 premiere episode, our conversation with Kari covers everything from the ties between art and science to using your platform to educate and inspire, to having a global perspective on education, and of course, a bit of Mythbusters nostalgia. Kari Byron has been a strong presence in the world of reality-based science and travel television for over a decade. She broke into the industry as a host on Discovery Channel’s Mythbusters but has gone on to host and produce shows spanning several networks. She is also a strong advocate for science accessibility and universality, as well as for young women in science. Her first book, Crash Test Girl: An Unlikely Experiment in Using the Scientific Method to Answer Life's Biggest Questions, is on shelves now. Her newest series, Crash Test World, premiered on the Science Channel on January 8th.

Here we are at the end of 2020. We at A View From Earth thought that there was too long of a break between seasons 2 and 3, so we decided to make this holiday special. Our guests for this episode are: Us! That's right, we interview ourselves. We talk about how each of us got to Fiske and got involved with the podcast as well as where we hope the show goes in the future. We also talk about what we do when not making the show!

So far on our podcast, we’ve talked with tons of people who are interested in what it takes to make space a viable habitat for humans. This week, we turn the mic over to one of those very humans! In this episode, we’ll be talking with a real live astronaut about what it takes to succeed in the position, his time on (and outside!) the ISS, and what life is like after you’ve been IN SPACE. Col. Astronaut Dr. Jim Voss is a retired United States Army colonel and NASA astronaut. During his time with NASA, Voss flew in space five times on board the Space Shuttle and International Space Station. He also served as deputy of Flight Operations for the Space Station Program Mission Integration and Operations Office. While participating in ISS Expedition 2, he and Susan Helms conducted an 8-hour and 56 minute spacewalk, the longest to date. He is currently a Scholar In Residence at CU Boulder.

No one becomes an astrophysicist overnight. For most professionals, it requires years of study, research, mentorship, and self-discipline. Luckily, there is a whole field of research dedicated to finding the best and most effective way to teach astronomy to students, whether they are looking to make it a career or just want an interesting way to fulfill a transcript requirement. Our guest this week gives us an inside look at what it’s like to teach astronomy, how education has evolved as a science, and how new generations of teachers and students are making astronomy more exciting and accessible than ever. Dr. Seth Hornstein is a senior instructor at CU Boulder and the Observatory and Education Director at Sommers-Bausch Observatory. He serves as lead mentor for undergraduate astronomy majors with career interests in teaching and is the department coordinator for the Learning Assistant program (a university-wide program to recruit and prepare talented science majors for careers in teaching). Since 2008 he has been working with the Center for Astronomy Education's Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars (CATS) team and the STEM Teacher and Researcher (STAR) program. In addition to his research in astronomy education, he has also worked on infrared observations of the supermassive black hole at the Galactic Center.

Ep 15: Digging Up The Truth With Craters You may not think that a big hole in the ground could be a fascinating study, but to a cratering expert it is just that. Craters are found on almost every body in the solar system, and they’re useful tools for exploring the surfaces of far away planets and moons, giving us clues about the history, composition, and currently active processes happening on the surface. This week, we’re talking with an award-winning crater buff about her work on bodies like Europa, Pluto, and Charon, and what sort of interesting things we can learn about these places just by looking at their craters (or lack thereof). Dr. Kelsi Singer is a planetary scientist with Southwest Research Institute specializing in the geology and geophysics of planetary bodies. Her most recent contributions have been as a co-investigator and deputy project scientist on the New Horizons mission, working in operations and on the geology and geophysics team. She recently received the Harold C. Urey Prize from the American Astronomical Society’s Division for Planetary Sciences; the prize is the highest DPS honor for a young planetary scientist, recognizing outstanding achievements in planetary research.

Missions to Mars might seem a dime a dozen these days, but why doesn’t anyone ever talk about going to Venus? Turns out, it’s really, really hard! Venus may be closer to Earth than Mars is, but its toxic atmosphere and hellish temperatures make it a challenging place to visit. But with recent advances in technology, it may not be impossible! In this episode, we talk with a lifelong proponent of Venus exploration about a new push for Venus missions and their chances for success. What can we learn, and what will we find? He might have some ideas! Dr. Larry Esposito has been a professor of planetary science at CU Boulder since 1977. He was highly involved with the Cassini mission to Saturn, as well as the earlier Voyager and Pioneer missions. He even discovered a new ring around Saturn! Dr. Esposito has also been a participant in numerous US, Russian and European space missions and used the Hubble Space Telescope for its first observations of the planet Venus.

Have you ever thought about how GPS works? Or how your phone always knows the correct time? You may know that satellites are involved, but keeping all those satellites functioning together requires incredibly precise timing. An atomic clock uses vibrations of atoms much like a grandfather clock uses a pendulum, only this pendulum swings nine billion times every second! And one of these clocks is right here in Boulder! This week we’re chatting with an atomic clock technician...a Time Lord, if you will...whose job is to keep that atomic clock ticking so you don’t miss your next important meeting. Andrew Novick is a Denver-based artist, musician, director, photographer, collector, Casa Bonita connoisseur, and many other things...but he is also an electrical engineer in the Time & Frequency Division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder (NIST). Andrew has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 1992. He has worked at NIST in the Time and Frequency Division since he was a college freshman. He has published several papers in time metrology, including network timing and common-view satellite time comparisons. He works on real-time remote frequency and time calibrations and is in charge of the official United States web clock.

One of the most important questions we ask about a body in the solar system is, “What is it made out of?” Understanding the chemical composition of planets, moons, and asteroids tells us about their formation and evolution, as well as how it might relate to Earth and the rest of the Solar System. Rovers and spacecraft can analyze objects and provide the information we need, but there’s nothing like holding a rock in your hand or analyzing a real sample in the lab to understand the makeup of a planet’s crust. In this episode, we talk with a scientist who works with moon rocks and Martian meteorites to characterize the surfaces of these bodies, and we’ll discuss some of the future plans for space missions designed to sample and return bits of space back to Earth. Dr. Carolyn Crow is an assistant professor of geosciences at CU Boulder. Her work focuses on understanding the evolution of planetary crusts through chemical analyses of firsthand samples like meteorites and moon rocks. Part of her research also supports Nuclear Forensics projects that aim to understand the signatures of underground nuclear explosions and characterizing materials for the international monitoring system.

Everything in the universe is moving...but it’s not all moving in ways we would expect. For our current theory of gravity to be correct, there must be a huge amount of “dark matter” in the universe to explain the movement and distribution of galaxies and other objects in space. But, is dark matter really a mysterious invisible particle, or is there a more mundane explanation? This week, we talk with one researcher who is on the hunt for the universe’s missing matter using some of the world’s most powerful telescopes. Dr. Mike Shull is a professor in the CU Astrophysics & Planetary Science department, specializing in UV and X-ray observations of galaxies, their constituents, and the spaces between them. He works to understand the early days of star and galaxy formation and how they affect the distribution of matter in the universe both then and now. Mike also uses the Hubble Space Telescope to look at the local environment of our own Milky Way galaxy.

What’s summer without a double-dose of sun? With so many amazing discoveries happening in solar physics this summer, we had to bring you more! This episode features two experts in stellar flares on our sun and other stars. They’ll tell us what these flares mean for not only the stars but also the planets orbiting around them. Planets like Earth! Dr. Adam Kowalski has been at CU since 2016, when he joined the National Solar Observatory and the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences as an Assistant Professor. His research interests lie in solar and stellar astrophysics with a specialization in spectroscopy of optical and ultraviolet emission in stellar flares. He uses state-of-the-art modeling codes combined with analysis of data from ground and space-based observatories (such as Hubble, IRIS, and the APO ARC 3.5m) to understand how the lower, dense stellar atmosphere (chromosphere and photosphere) is heated in response to the sudden release of magnetic energy during flares. He is also interested in developing new media for the dissemination of scientific results to the public and in establishing collaborations across disciplines. Dr. Maria Kazachenko is an assistant professor at CU Boulder and works in solar astrophysics. Her research interests range from the storage of magnetic energy in solar active regions, to the release of that energy in solar flares with an emphasis of comparison and integration of observations with simulations. Understanding how this energy is stored and released is necessary to predict solar eruptions and hence the space weather. She is also involved in the development of the Critical Science Plan for The Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, the largest 4-meter solar telescope in the world, which had its first light in December 2019 revealing stunning mega-close up images of the Sun's surface. She has received the NASA Early Career Fellowship, the NSF CAREER award, and the Robert Bartnik Fellowship.