Podcasts and Vodcasts by Topic
Space and The Universe
Tracking Asteroids Before They Kill Us - June 18, 2010
Astronomers are tracking debris from outer space that could pose a potential threat to Earth. With 100 tons of material hitting the Earth daily, they are devising ways to destroy the most threatening objects.
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Life On Mars - April 12, 2010
Atmospheric Scientists and Physicists Discover Lightning on Mars Using Unique Detector
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Jupiter's Little Red Spot - December 08, 2008
Planetary Scientists Detect Strong Winds in Anticyclone on Jupiter
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Preparing for a Walk on the Moon - November 05, 2008
Astronomers Discover that the Earth's Magnetotail Charges the Surface of the Moon
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Tracking Pollution From Space - October 27, 2008
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineers Use Satellites to Track Ozone Levels
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Kids Discovering New Asteroids - March 01, 2008
Astronomy students looking for supernovae examined photographs and found asteroids. They used both unaided eyes and computer analysis to identify the asteroids. The images were composited from three separate images, one each of green, red, and blue. When combined into one image, asteroids stand out because they move against the background.
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Mystery Diamonds - June 01, 2007
Carbonados, black carbon formations that resemble diamonds, have been show to have a chemical spectrum that indicates they originated before the formation of the Earth; their high hydrogen content suggests they are from a star-like environment. Since this carbon is only found in two locations on our planet, it may have arrived via an asteroid.
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The Mysterious Gravity Hill - June 01, 2006
At several hilly locations around the U.S., know as "gravity hills," objects such as cars left on neutral supposedly roll uphill, driven by unknown forces and against the force of gravity. Physicists say -- and GPS measurements confirm -- that the effects are illusions caused by the landscape. The position of trees and slopes of nearby scenery, or a curvy horizon line, can blend to trick the eye so that what looks uphill is actually downhill.
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Einstein Rings - April 01, 2006
Images from the Hubble telescope reveal eight new Einstein rings, joining only three others previously known. Einstein rings are pairs of galaxies, with a foreground galaxy bending the light of a background galaxy into a ring by gravitational effects. The ring helps astronomers precisely estimate the mass of the foreground galaxy.
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Sun Darkens Electronics - March 01, 2006
Solar activity can wreak havoc in communications systems -- particularly during coronal mass ejections, when plumes of electrically charged particles hit earth's atmosphere. Scientists can now track the plumes down to the single affected cities, helping to predict disruptions.
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The Mystery of Black Holes - December 01, 2005
A satellite called Swift is revealing that black holes have a messier birth than previously thought. Instead of being created in one instant, astrophysicists now believe after a star dies and collapses -- ultimately forming a black hole -- it continues to cause havoc. The baby black hole devours material while at the same time spewing it back out, a process that is revealed in multiple outbursts of gamma rays.
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Flying and Radiation Risk - September 01, 2005
At the high altitudes and latitudes commercial airlines fly, crews are subjected to higher-than-normal radiation levels from the sun and cosmic rays. Physicist Robert Barish believes airline crew members are exposing themselves to more radiation than almost any other occupation and is calling for the airline industry to better educate workers about radiation.
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Einstein At Home - February 01, 2005
In a new project called "Einstein@Home," members of the general public can use their computers' downtime to analyze data that physicists are collecting from space. The data searches for gravitational waves, ripples of gravity predicted by Einstein but never directly observed.
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Out of This World - December 01, 2004
Designed to study gamma ray explosions in space, NASA's Swift satellite is the first spacecraft that automatically reorients itself to capture images of a gamma ray burst. When an explosion takes place in sensors pick up the flash of light, and the observatory swivels itself around to get the most ideal view. Researchers hope the Swift will help them discover the cause of the explosions and figure out what damage they do.
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Spotting Sunspots - July 01, 2004
Sunspots, large dark spots that dot the Sun's surface, reach a peak every 11 years, unleashing magnetic storms and solar flares that can disrupt communications. A new model focuses on electrified gas -- or plasma -- that flows around the sun because the plasma holds onto magnetic information from past sunspots.
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Samples From The Sun - January 01, 2004
A new NASA program called the Genesis Mission is launching a spacecraft to collect particles from the sunýs solar wind to obtain information on the origin of earth and other bodies in the solar system.
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Space-Age Windows - March 01, 2003
Aerogel, a new material first developed in space experiments and made of 97 percent air, could soon become an energy-saving solution for replacing glass in windows. It insulates from sound better and it is five times better than any other material at insulating heat. Aerogel is composed of a tight network of tiny pores and glass folded over and over.
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