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No, really, this time. :)
Anyone who knows me probably knows I'm a podcast junkie. I have a bunch of them I listen to on a regular basis. One of my favorites is a little science podcast called Astronomy Cast.
The hosts are Fraser Cain, producer/publisher of Universe Today, and Dr. Pamela Gay. Dr. Gay has a PhD in astronomy and teaches at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
The two of them are excellent hosts who have a great rapport together and share an incredible, infectious enthusiasm for science, astronomy, mysteries of the universe, and knowledge. The podcast is not scripted and flows naturally as Fraser asks Dr. Gay questions about the topic at hand and she answers. (And because it's not scripted, there are occasionally times when she or Fraser misspeaks something, like saying "galaxy" when they mean "universe," but everyone makes mistakes.)
The last few shows are a good introduction to the series is why I bring it up now. Fraser decided it would be a neat idea to present some of the unsolved mysteries that exist in astronomy, starting with those in our own stellar neighborhood (i.e., the Solar system), then outward into the Milky Way galaxy itself, and finally into the entire universe.
You can tell that Dr. Gay is amused at having to say, "We just don't know," to almost every question Fraser asks. But you can also tell that whereas in some that lack of knowledge engenders frustration or embarrassment, in the realm of astrophysics and astronomy and quantum mechanics, it's viewed as a challenge. "We don't know yet," might be a better response.
So here's my gift/challenge to you. Go forth and listen to these episodes of Astronomy Cast. See what the mysteries of our Solar system, galaxy, and universe are. And then, if moved to do so, look through the archive of episodes and maybe something will catch your eye. "Ooooh! I've always wondered what a supernova really was!" "Hmmm. What is a black hole?" "What is the difference between a pulsar, a magnetar, and a neutron star?"
You know you want to know. Go on. Click it.
Episode 174: Mysteries of the Solar System, Part 1
Episode 175: Mysteries of the Solar System, Part 2
Episode 176: Mysteries of the Milky Way, Part 1
Episode 177: Mysteries of the Milky Way, Part 2
Episode 178: Mysteries of the Universe, Part 1
I hope you can find the time to listen. I really love this podcast and I'd like to share some of the enjoyment I've gotten out of it for the last several years. I'm a huge fan of science, and this is science podcasting at its best.
Oh, and if the dates on the episodes look confusing, ignore it. They're producing episodes "weekly" even though they occasionally have to skip weeks due to (usually) Dr. Gay's scheduling. They're currently dating their new episodes in February of this year, and hope to catch up to "real time" later on. That way, if you happen upon the podcast a year from now, it looks as though there is an unbroken chain of episodes, dated very neatly a week apart. :)
Anyone who knows me probably knows I'm a podcast junkie. I have a bunch of them I listen to on a regular basis. One of my favorites is a little science podcast called Astronomy Cast.
The hosts are Fraser Cain, producer/publisher of Universe Today, and Dr. Pamela Gay. Dr. Gay has a PhD in astronomy and teaches at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
The two of them are excellent hosts who have a great rapport together and share an incredible, infectious enthusiasm for science, astronomy, mysteries of the universe, and knowledge. The podcast is not scripted and flows naturally as Fraser asks Dr. Gay questions about the topic at hand and she answers. (And because it's not scripted, there are occasionally times when she or Fraser misspeaks something, like saying "galaxy" when they mean "universe," but everyone makes mistakes.)
The last few shows are a good introduction to the series is why I bring it up now. Fraser decided it would be a neat idea to present some of the unsolved mysteries that exist in astronomy, starting with those in our own stellar neighborhood (i.e., the Solar system), then outward into the Milky Way galaxy itself, and finally into the entire universe.
You can tell that Dr. Gay is amused at having to say, "We just don't know," to almost every question Fraser asks. But you can also tell that whereas in some that lack of knowledge engenders frustration or embarrassment, in the realm of astrophysics and astronomy and quantum mechanics, it's viewed as a challenge. "We don't know yet," might be a better response.
So here's my gift/challenge to you. Go forth and listen to these episodes of Astronomy Cast. See what the mysteries of our Solar system, galaxy, and universe are. And then, if moved to do so, look through the archive of episodes and maybe something will catch your eye. "Ooooh! I've always wondered what a supernova really was!" "Hmmm. What is a black hole?" "What is the difference between a pulsar, a magnetar, and a neutron star?"
You know you want to know. Go on. Click it.
Episode 174: Mysteries of the Solar System, Part 1
Episode 175: Mysteries of the Solar System, Part 2
Episode 176: Mysteries of the Milky Way, Part 1
Episode 177: Mysteries of the Milky Way, Part 2
Episode 178: Mysteries of the Universe, Part 1
I hope you can find the time to listen. I really love this podcast and I'd like to share some of the enjoyment I've gotten out of it for the last several years. I'm a huge fan of science, and this is science podcasting at its best.
Oh, and if the dates on the episodes look confusing, ignore it. They're producing episodes "weekly" even though they occasionally have to skip weeks due to (usually) Dr. Gay's scheduling. They're currently dating their new episodes in February of this year, and hope to catch up to "real time" later on. That way, if you happen upon the podcast a year from now, it looks as though there is an unbroken chain of episodes, dated very neatly a week apart. :)
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