A 21-year-old’s Guide to Alien Worlds

A 21-year-old’s Guide to Alien Worlds

Author: Stitcher & Bill Nye May 7, 2020 Duration: 43:29
There are billions and billions of planets out there. What could they be like? Could any of them be alive? Exoplanet-hunter and undergraduate MIT student Charlotte Minsky is helping to vet discoveries of possible planets outside our solar system. She tells us what she finds, and how she finds them.

Curiosity drives Science Rules! with Bill Nye, a podcast built from listener voicemails. Each episode begins with a question from someone just trying to make sense of the world, whether it’s about their backyard or a distant galaxy. Bill Nye, alongside science writer Corey S. Powell, doesn’t just answer these questions off the cuff; they take them directly to top researchers and specialists who can provide real, evidence-based clarity. The conversation that unfolds is where this podcast finds its rhythm-it’s a deep yet accessible exploration that breaks down complex ideas without losing the wonder. You’ll hear discussions that pivot from the practicalities of daily life to the farthest reaches of theoretical science, all grounded in the methodical, question-everything spirit that defines true scientific inquiry. The tone is urgent and engaging, reflecting Bill’s genuine mission to foster a more scientifically literate society through direct dialogue. It’s that blend of everyday curiosity and expert insight that makes the show feel both personal and profoundly expansive. Tune in for a consistently surprising journey through the questions you have and the ones you haven’t even thought to ask yet, all handled with the show’s characteristic energy and depth.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Science Rules! with Bill Nye
Podcast Episodes
Science Stands Up to Politics [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:19
This year Science has published an unprecedented series of scathing articles by editor in chief Holden Thorp criticizing President Trump's handling of the dual crises of COVID-19 and climate change. It's finally time for…
Coronavirus: A Vaccine Maker Gets Personal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:14
We get a look inside the mind of Tal Zaks, the Chief Medical Officer at Moderna, as the company develops and tests what it hopes will become the first successful vaccine against the coronavirus. For more episodes like th…
Why You're Worrying About the Wrong Technologies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:23
Are robots coming for our jobs? (Probably not.) If we could remove cancer from our genome, should we? (Probably.) Can our codes of ethics keep pace with innovation? (Let's do our best.) Biotech entrepreneur Juan Enriquez…
The Asteroid Hunter Catches His Prey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:41
NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft has spent four years stalking Bennu, an asteroid that could one day collide with Earth. We speak with Dante Lauretta, the mission's leader, as the probe is about to grab a pebbly sample of Be…
Science is Racist. Here's How to Fix It. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:54
Dr. Dorothy Roberts explains the long history of racism in science and medicine — and where we go from here.
Coronavirus: Dude, Where’s My Vaccine? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:04
What happens when you try to develop a vaccine for a brand new disease at “warp speed”? Where do the various trials stand today, and what are the safety concerns associated with emergency use authorizations? Dr. Eric Top…
The Hidden Inventors Who Changed the World [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:13
Ainissa Ramirez is an expert in the unheralded field that shapes so much of the modern world: the science of materials. She explains how seemingly modest inventions like glass, the pocket watch, and the telegraph have tr…
Gene Editing and the Future of Us [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:12
Jennifer Doudna co-discovered CRISPR, a revolutionary tool for editing DNA and changing our genes. She joins us to talk about what her innovation means for health, medicine, and — for better or worse — the ability to red…