Do Aliens Speak Physics?

Do Aliens Speak Physics?

Author: The Planetary Society November 5, 2025 Duration: 59:44
Physicist Daniel Whiteson and cartoonist Andy Warner join Sarah Al-Ahmed to explore their new book, “Do Aliens Speak Physics?”

Every week, Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science charts the human adventure from our own Solar System out to the distant cosmos. This isn't just a recap of headlines; it's a direct conversation with the people making discovery happen. Host Sarah Al-Ahmed guides these discussions, sitting down with the engineers plotting spacecraft trajectories, the scientists interpreting data from alien worlds, and the astronauts who have experienced orbit firsthand. The Planetary Society's own advocates and experts, like Bill Nye and Bruce Betts, frequently join in to offer their unique perspective, making complex topics both accessible and genuinely exciting. You'll hear the latest on robotic missions to Mars, the search for exoplanets, and the technology pushing our boundaries. Alongside these deep dives, the podcast includes lighter, regular segments designed to inform and entertain, turning abstract concepts into engaging stories. It’s a comprehensive audio journey for anyone curious about our place in the universe, offering both the grand vision of exploration and the detailed human stories behind it. Tune in to let your curiosity roam as far as the subjects covered in each episode of this essential science podcast.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science
Podcast Episodes
A Day of Action to save NASA science [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:17
Hundreds of advocates joined The Planetary Society and partner organizations in Washington, D.C., to urge Congress to protect NASA’s science budget. Hear from Ari Koeppel, Britney Schmidt, Bill Nye, Rep. Glenn Ivey, Marc…
Space Policy Edition: China’s growing space science ambitions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:53
If the United States is indeed in a space race with China, why are we abandoning space science programs across the Solar System? This question, posed by guest Maxwell Zhu in a recent op-ed co-authored by The Planetary So…
Perseverance finds potential biosignatures in Jezero Crater [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:22
NASA’s Perseverance rover has found potential biosignatures in Jezero Crater’s Bright Angel formation. Host Sarah Al-Ahmed speaks with Joel Hurowitz, associate professor of geosciences at Stony Brook University and lead…
Bill Nye: A star in Hollywood, a voice for NASA [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:18
Bill Nye, CEO of The Planetary Society, celebrates his new star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and joins us to reflect on its meaning. We also receive the latest space policy updates as NASA faces significant budget chall…
A cosmic travel guide: 111 Places in Space That You Must Not Miss [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:36
Join host Sarah Al-Ahmed and Mark McCaughrean, adjunct scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, for a tour of “111 Places in Space That You Must Not Miss”, a cosmic travel guide to the Universe.
International Observe the Moon Night 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:51
Host Sarah Al-Ahmed speaks with Staci Horvath, outreach coordinator at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and director of International Observe the Moon Night, and Theresa Summer, astronomy educator at the Astronomical Soc…
Uranus revealed: Solving the ice giant’s heat mystery [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:18
Michael Roman, assistant professor at the Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez in Chile, joins Sarah Al-Ahmed to discuss new research confirming that Uranus radiates excess heat, finally resolving a decades-long mystery first spark…
Esports and space: BASILISK’s quest for “Science Victory” [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:18
What happens when pro gaming and space science collide? Kyle Hill, head of science education and outreach for the esports team BASILISK, joins us to share how the team is inspiring the next generation of scientists.