Back to the Moon: A space lawyer and planetary scientist on what it will take to share the benefits of new lunar exploration - Podcast

A US-led coalition and China are both planning to establish bases on the Moon. How the two nations will navigate actions on the Moon and how other countries will be involved is still unclear.

Nehal El-Hadi, Science + Technology Editor & Co-Host of The Conversation Weekly Podcast, The Conversation • conversation
March 23, 2023 • ~6 min

Water in space – a 'Goldilocks' star reveals previously hidden step in how water gets to planets like Earth

Astronomers have long known where water is first formed in the universe and how it ends up on planets, asteroids and comets. A recent discovery has finally answered what happens in between.

John Tobin, Scientist, National Radio Astronomy Observatory • conversation
March 16, 2023 • ~9 min

Distant star TOI-700 has two potentially habitable planets orbiting it – making it an excellent candidate in the search for life

With more than 5,000 known exoplanets, astronomers are shifting their focus from discovering additional distant worlds to identifying which are good candidates for further study.

Andrew Vanderburg, Assistant Professor of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) • conversation
March 8, 2023 • ~8 min

Radio interference from satellites is threatening astronomy – a proposed zone for testing new technologies could head off the problem

Many telescopes use the radio spectrum to learn about the cosmos. Just as human development leads to more light pollution, increasing numbers of satellites are leading to more radio interference.

Mariya Zheleva, Assistant Professor of Computer Science, University at Albany, State University of New York • conversation
March 3, 2023 • ~11 min

Night skies are getting 9.6% brighter every year as light pollution erases stars for everyone

With the help of thousands of citizen scientists, a new study measured exactly how much brighter night skies are getting every year.

Connie Walker, Scientist, National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory • conversation
Feb. 23, 2023 • ~6 min

Black holes may be the source of mysterious dark energy that makes up most of the universe

Astronomers have found that mysterious dark energy may originate in black holes.

Dave Clements, Reader in Astrophysics, Imperial College London • conversation
Feb. 15, 2023 • ~8 min

Why does the Earth spin?

An astronomer takes us on a tour of the universe to learn about the birth of stars and planets and how they get their spin.

Silas Laycock, Professor of Astronomy, UMass Lowell • conversation
Feb. 13, 2023 • ~7 min

More lunar missions means more space junk around the Moon – two scientists are building a catalog to track the trash

With more than 100 lunar missions planned in coming years, space junk near the Moon could become an issue for humanity. No agency tracks lunar space junk, so two astronomers decided to do it themselves.

Vishnu Reddy, Professor of Planetary Science, University of Arizona • conversation
Feb. 6, 2023 • ~9 min

More lunar missions means more space junk around the Moon – two astronomers are building a catalog to track the trash

With more than 100 lunar missions planned in coming years, space junk near the Moon could become an issue for humanity. No agency tracks lunar space junk, so two astronomers decided to do it themselves.

Vishnu Reddy, Professor of Planetary Science, University of Arizona • conversation
Feb. 6, 2023 • ~9 min

Seti: alien hunters get a boost as AI helps identify promising signals from space

Can artificial intelligence transform the search for alien intelligence?

Michael Garrett, Sir Bernard Lovell chair of Astrophysics and Director of Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, University of Manchester • conversation
Feb. 1, 2023 • ~7 min

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