Universe Today Podcast

BONUS STORY STARTS AT 21:18Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/a7TO-LHCCI4The source of a powerful cosmic ray, did the late heavy bombardment actually happen? Did Titan create Saturn’s Rings? And James Webb is going to pin down the future orbit of YR4. And in Space Bites+, we might be able to intercept 3I/ATLAS.00:00 Intro 00:18 Amaterasu Particles https://www.universetoday.com/articles/scientists-continue-to-trace-the-origin-of-the-mysterious-amaterasu-cosmic-ray-particle 03:18 Doubts for Late Heavy Bombardment https://www.universetoday.com/articles/new-lunar-samples-challenge-the-late-heavy-bombardment 06:58 Possible Origin of Titan and Saturn’s Ring https://www.universetoday.com/articles/an-ancient-merger-could-have-created-titan-and-the-debris-created-saturns-rings 08:48 Fading Star https://www.universetoday.com/articles/the-mystery-of-the-fading-star 10:27 Bennu Samples Continue to Deliver Science https://www.universetoday.com/articles/scientists-make-a-game-changing-find-in-the-bennu-asteroid 12:19 Vote results https://www.youtube.com/@frasercain/posts 13:13 Rotten Eggs and Exoplanets https://www.universetoday.com/articles/how-rotten-eggs-solved-an-exoplanet-mystery 15:38 Auroras on Ganymede https://www.missionjuno.swri.edu/news/university-of-liege-scientists-reveal-similarities 16:55 The Heart of Mira A’s Latest Outburst https://www.universetoday.com/articles/astronomers-get-to-the-heart-of-mira-as-latest-outburst 18:40 JWST to Observe YR4 19:33 Succesful Artemis II WDR https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/02/19/nasa-begins-artemis-ii-launch-pad-ops-after-successful-fuel-test/ 21:18 BONUS PART: Catching up with 3I/ATLAS https://www.universetoday.com/articles/a-new-concept-for-catching-up-with-3iatlas23:20 Making money on YouTube

BONUS QUESTION STARTS AT 13:54Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/JHFXyJmaHbwCould we spot a black hole approaching us? Is the Moon just a distraction on the way to Mars? Why don't we see other stars' Oort clouds? And in Q&A+, can the make it rain on Mars?00:00 Start 00:23 [@keithromig] Is the Moon a distraction from Mars? 04:10 [@vistotutti6037] Should we put a steam engine on the Moon?06:25 [@ashd.007] What if a rogue black hole comes our way? 08:26 [@mrjp2149] A better description for a black hole 09:42 [@allixandra] Is the asteroid belt a failed planet? 10:46 [@EdSceptic-y2e] Why can't we see other stars' Oort clouds? 11:32 [@evandotpro] Is our view of other galaxies outdated? 12:56 [@Mark-Mattison] How does cosmological redshift work?13:54 [@prugrade] Can they make it rain on Mars?

BONUS PART STARTS AT 34:49Why is time moving forward? Some find an answer in the Second Law of Thermodynamics. That entropy defines the arrow of time. But is there another force behind it? My guests think so. Diving into this concept in this interview.🟣 Guests: Dr. Robert Hazen, Dr. Mike Wong 📚 Time's Second Arrow Evolution, Order, and a New Law of Nature https://miquai.myportfolio.com/times-second-arrow 🎧 Strange New Worlds Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/strange-new-worlds-a-science-star-trek-podcast/id124639586000:00 Intro 01:50 Order in the Universe 19:39 Biosignatures 27:11 Fermi Paradox 34:49 Star Trek 47:16 Current obsessions 51:56 Final thoughts

Is Earth actually a planet or not? Can dark matter be just black holes? Can a planet have a figure-eight orbit around binary stars? And in Q&A+, what happens if you put antimatter into a black hole?BONUS QUESTION STARTS AT 14:31Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/K3fcY-cizn4🌶️ Add to The Pile of Spice: https://www.patreon.com/posts/14734670500:00 Start 00:25 [@churchdiscography] Is Earth not a planet? 02:02 [@paulhatfield1333] Can a planet have a figure-eight orbit? 04:03 [@lucashouse9117] Can dark matter be black holes? 06:59 [@clarkholt7892] What would a star remnant look like through a telescope? 09:04 [@andyfry.wireless] Are we in the center of the Universe? 10:56 [@iancudmore9795] Are there more space publishers like me?14:31 [@irri4662] Does dark matter contribute to black holes?

BONUS STORY STARTS AT 14:28A lava tube found on Venus, China tests its new capsule and softlands a rocket, SpaceX shifts focus from Mars to the Moon, and in Space Bites+, 5 galaxies colliding in the early Universe.00:00 Intro 00:16 New image from EHT https://www.universetoday.com/articles/the-collaboration-that-brought-you-the-first-image-of-a-black-hole-just-released-photos-of-its-massi 02:19 Lava Tube on Venus https://www.universetoday.com/articles/massive-venus-lava-tube-detected-using-data-from-nasas-long-defunct-magellan-spacecraft 04:43 China's Moon Rocket Test https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-02-11/VHJhbnNjcmlwdDg5MDIw/index.html 06:25 SpaceX pivots from Mars to Moon https://www.universetoday.com/articles/spacex-makes-a-huge-pivot-wants-to-build-on-the-moon-instead 08:21 Another possible explanation for Little Red Dots https://www.universetoday.com/articles/the-little-red-dots-observed-by-webb-were-direct-collapse-black-holes 11:17 Vote results https://www.youtube.com/@frasercain/posts 11:55 Possible bright comet alert https://www.universetoday.com/articles/new-sungrazer-comet-a1-maps-could-be-bright-in-early-april-if-it-survives-perihelion 13:46 More of 3I/ATLAS https://www.universetoday.com/articles/nasas-spherex-mission-spots-3iatlass-bright-envelope 14:28 BONUS STORY: 5 galaxy merger https://www.universetoday.com/articles/cosmic-collision-the-jwst-found-an-early-5-galaxy-merger16:23 Why SpaceX plans make sense

BONUS QUESTION STARTS AT 16:22Could Venus be turned into hell by an ancient civilization that lived on it? Why Dark Matter is not a theory? What's up with all the Great Attractor videos on YouTube? And in Q&A+, what's the current state of lava tube exploration? 👉 Dark Matter in NOT a Theory https://youtu.be/PbmJkMhmrVI 👉 Channels mentioned https://www.youtube.com/@AstroAF/ https://www.youtube.com/@MaximumAstronomyhttps://www.youtube.com/@frosthastrophotography/00:00 Start 00:26 [@9999Joppe] Could an ancient civilization cause the greenhouse effect on Venus? 01:53 [@curtishorn1267] Dark matter is not a theory 12:11 [@evo1ov3] What is the Great Attractor?16:22 [@brentcalaway] Missions to lava tubes

Japan’s space agency often flies under the radar, despite pursuing missions many larger agencies haven’t attempted. Like returning samples from Phobos or deploying a Toyota-built lunar rover. In this interview, we trace JAXA’s origins and the decisions that defined it.Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_u9ZJBLCDBQ🟣 Guest: Dr. Subodhana Wijeyeratne https://subowijeyeratne.com/📚 The Islands and the Stars: A History of Japan's Space Programs https://bdo.wfu.mybluehost.me/the-islands-the-stars/00:00 Intro 02:01 Researching JAXA 06:48 Star of Japan's space journey 16:05 Japan's first liquid fuel rocket 24:14 Japan's relationships with NASA and others 31:23 Lesser known projects 36:53 Dependency on the US 42:00 Excitement for the Future 44:41 Current obsessions 50:17 Final thoughts

BONUS QUESTION STARTS AT 12:43Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/aALqt_Ng0dU00:00 Start 00:26 [@ar-visions] Are white dwarf a solution for Dyson spheres? 02:41 [@gumby2ms] How will Vera Rubin's data releases work? 06:48 [@karandeepgill5589] How much of a galaxy does the SMBH take up? 09:47 [@hangmann747tinmann8] Where do magnetars come from?12:43 [@logicbug] What if the laws of physics are not uniform across the Universe?

BONUS STORY starts at 19:42👉 Interview about Europa with Dr. Paul Byrne https://youtu.be/Sj3JwQde-b8 👉 Interview about Magnetars with Dr. Genevieve Schroeder https://youtu.be/Q3JGdARjzTA 👉 How AI Destroyed My Job: https://youtu.be/HjDD8xwU6s8 🔵 Vote for the best story here: https://www.youtube.com/@frasercain/postsAnother reason why Europa might not be habitable, Artemis II is delayed for a month, Claude takes Perseverance for a drive, SpaceX is planning to launch data center satellites, and in Space Bites+, making discoveries in leftover data.00:00 Intro 00:15 New Measurements for Europa https://www.universetoday.com/articles/nasas-juno-measures-thickness-of-europas-ice-shell 03:16 Ammonia on Europa https://www.universetoday.com/articles/cracks-on-europa-sport-traces-of-ammonia 04:40 No Artemis Launch in February https://www.universetoday.com/articles/nasas-artemis-ii-spacecraft-on-the-launch-pad 06:34 Claude AI Took Over Percy https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-perseverance-rover-completes-first-ai-planned-drive-on-mars/08:26 Many More Satellites for SpaceX https://www.universetoday.com/articles/elon-musk-lays-out-a-new-vision-of-ai-satellites-as-spacex-acquires-xai 12:06 New Shepard Paused For No Less Than 2 Years https://www.blueorigin.com/news/new-shepard-to-pause-flights 13:18 Vital Molecule in Interstellar Space https://www.universetoday.com/articles/for-the-first-time-scientists-detect-molecule-critical-to-life-in-interstellar-space 15:09 Vote results https://www.youtube.com/@frasercain/posts 15:42 Lava Tunnels for Venus https://www.universetoday.com/articles/venus-might-harbor-massive-subsurface-lava-tunnels 17:23 Kilonova simulation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt6vcy-hssA 18:36 Even Further Galaxies https://science.nasa.gov/missions/webb/nasa-webb-pushes-boundaries-of-observable-universe-closer-to-big-bang/ 19:42 BONUS STORY21:02 Missions that didn't happen

How will livestreams from Artemis be different from Apollo? Can planetary systems survive their stars exploding? Can a completely different life hide deep inside Earth? And in Q&A+, when should we expect new NIAC awards?BONUS QUESTION STARTS AT 14:31Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/N9PwTZFnMRc

🟣 Universe Today: https://www.universetoday.com/00:00 It already happened 00:45 The downfall of ad-supported media 05:08 My response 06:44 What's next?

Will AI help us to create a warp drive? Could aliens even survive a trip to Earth? What would happen if you fire a powerful beam at a black hole? And in Q&A+, which part of the Universe does the CMB show us?BONUS QUESTION STARTS AT 15:06Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/a7CKyGeiMEY

JWST is still up there and working 24/7. There are papers coming out every day based on the results from Webb. What's the current status of JWST? What are the latest discoveries? What should we expect next from it? Finding out in this interview. BONUS PART STARTS AT 28:29Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/vcgUQy1SXdc🟣 Guest: Dr. Andreas Faisst https://sites.astro.caltech.edu/~afaisst/ 📜 Young Galaxies Grow Up Fast https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/young-galaxies-grow-up-fast00:00 Intro 01:41 How JWST changed Cosmology 05:36 Surprising findings from Webb 13:50 The role of super-massive black holes 17:09 The mystery of little red dots 21:57 What to watch for 28:39 DUUUST 35:57 Current obsessions 40:06 Final thoughts

The Dark Energy Survey results are in, an asteroid strike on the Moon would be a boon to science, Mercury might not be totally dead, and NASA continued to test its nuclear rockets. And in Space Bites+ solving the mystery of cosmic expansion close to home.Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube https://youtu.be/NK-zu5eMvJU BONUS PART START AT 17:21 👉 Escape Velocity Space News (EVSN) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDtUsDJGqiI&list=PLo1j35Qh8M1xuXThFgWMJNdHYNBb9gf4U00:00 Intro 00:15 4% Change of YR4 Hitting the Moon https://www.universetoday.com/articles/asteroid-2024-yr4-has-a-4-chance-of-hitting-the-moon-heres-why-thats-a-scientific-goldmine 02:15 NASA's nuclear rockets are back https://www.universetoday.com/articles/nasa-fires-up-nuclear-future-for-deep-space-travel 04:57 Big results from the Dark Energy Survey https://www.universetoday.com/articles/dark-energy-survey-data-reveals-the-tighest-estimates-yet-on-cosmic-expansion 10:06 It's ALIVE (maybe) https://www.universetoday.com/articles/mercury-may-not-be-dead-after-all 11:01 TESS spies 3I/ATLAS https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/3iatlas/2026/01/27/nasas-tess-reobserves-comet-3i-atlas/ 12:06 Vote results https://www.youtube.com/@frasercain/posts 12:34 Super-Eddington limit black holes https://www.universetoday.com/articles/this-rapidly-growing-black-hole-is-challenging-super-eddington-accretion 14:37 Circinus Galaxy https://www.universetoday.com/articles/nasas-webb-telescope-peers-into-the-heart-of-the-circinus-galaxy 16:24 Huge gravitational lens https://www.universetoday.com/articles/an-almost-famous-galaxy-cluster-is-the-jwsts-picture-of-the-month 17:12 More space news

What will happen when Earth's magnetic poles flip? Is Andromeda launching hypervelocity stars at us? Can Vera Rubin find a new target for New Horizons? And in Q&A+, could ants evolve to develop space travel?BONUS QUESTION STARTS AT 13:52Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/QMf2wHMyDWcHere's a link to the full, unedited livestream: https://youtube.com/live/ojaiPqDdsXU?feature=share

Magnetars are a special sauce of neutron stars. They are extremely violent with crazy magnetic fields. But how are they created? Do kilonova neutron star collisions produce them? What do we really know about that? Finding out in this interview.Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Q3JGdARjzTABONUS PART STARTS AT 28:29🟣 Guest: Dr. Genevieve Schroeder https://astro.cornell.edu/genevieve-schroeder https://sites.northwestern.edu/genevieveschroeder/ https://bsky.app/profile/genevieveschroeder.bsky.social📜 No Sign of a Magnetar Remnant Following the Kilonova-Producing Long GRB 211211A ∼1.7 Years Later https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.0974400:00 Intro 01:58 GRB 211211A 09:37 How can you get a magnetar 12:30 Searching for magnetars 16:28 Findings from GRB 211211A 24:01 What happens next 28:29 Off-axis Gamma-Ray Bursts 39:03 Current obsessions 43:18 Final thoughts

How would a rover for an icy moon look like? Which moon should we replace the Moon with? Why put a telescope on the Moon? And what's the probability of Artemis II launching this February? All this and more in this week's Q&A.Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fLMnLaR1wloHere's a link to the full, unedited livestream: https://youtube.com/live/ojaiPqDdsXU?feature=share

Artemis II rolls out to the launch pad, Europe’s comet interceptor mission could fly a little earlier, NASA is racing to build a nuclear reactor for the Moon, and in Space Bites+, bacteriaphages evolved in space learn to kill bacteria in new ways.Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube https://youtu.be/o9kb5caf7vw00:00 Intro 00:19 Comet Interceptor Accelerated https://spacenews.com/esas-comet-interceptor-mission-moves-up-launch/ 02:11 Artemis II Rollout https://www.universetoday.com/articles/nasa-enters-final-preparations-for-artemis-ii-mission 04:14 Chang'e-6 Samples https://www.universetoday.com/articles/analysis-of-change-6-samples-addresses-mysteries-about-the-far-side-of-the-moon 05:50 Moon Reactor Race https://www.universetoday.com/articles/the-2030-race-for-a-moon-reactor 08:08 Vote results https://www.youtube.com/@frasercain/posts 08:31 Potential Ocean Habitability of Enceladus https://www.universetoday.com/articles/enceladus-plumes-may-hold-a-clear-clue-to-ocean-habitability 10:33 Helix Nebula https://www.universetoday.com/articles/gazing-into-the-eye-of-sauron-with-the-jwst 11:48 Lupus-3 https://www.universetoday.com/articles/hunting-for-t-tauri-stars-in-a-dark-cloud 12:43 Galaxy Evolution https://www.yorku.ca/news/2025/12/18/canadian-astronomers-use-webb-to-uncover-milky-ways-turbulent-youth-through-galactic-twins/ 14:50 More space news 17:00 My new smart telescope

Which space object would I want to see with my own eyes? Can you meaningfully contribute to science without an Astronomy degree? Has dark matter always been around? And in Q&A+, my weird relationship with Venus as a planet.BONUS QUESTION STARTS AT 17:39Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube:Here's a link to the full, unedited livestream: https://youtube.com/live/SiGmJkeCPl8?feature=share

Europa is considered one of the most promising places in the solar system to look for extraterrestrial life. But new studies suggest that we were wrong. That the sub-surface ocean is most probably uninhabitable and lifeless. Why is it so and what does it mean for future missions and search for life? Finding out in this interview. BONUS PART STARTS AT 43:02🟣 Guest: Dr. Paul Byrne https://bsky.app/profile/theplanetaryguy.bsky.social 📜 Europa May Be Lifeless and Unihabitable After All https://www.universetoday.com/articles/europa-may-be-lifeless-and-unihabitable-after-allWatch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Sj3JwQde-b800:00 Intro 00:57 Why life could exist on Europa 10:48 Details of the research 17:57 Potential conditions for life 23:52 Crushing hopes 30:21 What it means for other sub-surface ocean worlds 36:30 The emotional response 43:02 Venus updates 56:32 Current obsessions 01:02:35 Final thoughts