Did Gravity Wipe Out The Dinosaurs?

Did Gravity Wipe Out The Dinosaurs?

Author: The Royal Astronomical Society May 13, 2026 Duration: 19:24

How do we calculate a black hole's event horizon? Does Mercury's tail impact Earth? Can we name a planet Rupert? And did gravity wipe out the dinosaurs? Izzie Clarke & Dr Becky Smethurst dive into the rather whimsical Supermassive Mailbox to answer your questions.


Want to name an Exoworld? Here's the IAU website to start a campaign: https://nameexoworlds.iau.org/


Send your questions, whimsical messages and your night sky photos to podcast@ras.ac.uk or find us on Instagram @SupermassivePod. Or why not support the show by joining The Supermassive Club? You'll get ad-free listening and access to The Supermassive forum.


The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham.


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Hosted by science journalist Izzie Clarke and astrophysicist Dr. Becky Smethurst, The Supermassive Podcast is a journey through the cosmos produced by The Royal Astronomical Society. Each episode blends cutting-edge science with historical context, creating a rich narrative that connects past discoveries to present-day mysteries. You’ll hear conversations with leading researchers breaking down complex ideas, from gravitational slingshots to the nature of time itself, alongside deep dives into archival material that reveals how our understanding of the universe has evolved. The tone is both curious and conversational, making even the most profound concepts in physics and astronomy feel accessible and exciting. Regular contributions from Dr. Robert Massey offer practical guidance for observing the night sky, grounding the theoretical in the tangible. This isn't just a series of interviews; it's an exploration driven by listener questions, which range from the wonderfully weird to the fundamentally profound, ensuring every topic has a direct link to shared human curiosity. Tuning into this podcast feels like having a front-row seat to the latest scientific discussions while being reminded of the long, fascinating history that got us here. It’s where the biggest questions about black holes, multiverses, and our place in the cosmos are met with genuine enthusiasm and expert insight, all delivered with a distinctly engaging energy.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Supermassive Podcast
Podcast Episodes
40: Becky Loves Saturn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:19
It's FINALLY happening. Izzie is letting Dr Becky have an entire episode about her favourite planet, Saturn. Professor Geraint Jones from UCL's Mullard Space Science Laboratory tells the Supermassive Team about the Satur…
39: BONUS - Do black holes stop time? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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39: Jupiter The Monster [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Izzie and Dr Becky explore the largest planet in our solar system, Jupiter. What do we know about this big ol’ planet? And what are the missions that will find out even more? The team is joined by Scott Boulton, Principa…
38: BONUS - More Comets, Less Asteroids [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:30
Is there a Cosmological Horizon? Can we change a comet's orbit to see more of them? What's the most distant human-made object in space? Izzie, Dr Becky and Robert dive into The Supermassive Mailbox to answer your questio…
38: Gettin' Gravitational Wave-y [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:08
The Supermassive team take on their toughest challenge (and most tenuous title) yet…Gravitational Waves. Izzie and Dr Becky explore what they are and ask how the heck to detect something so small? With special thanks to…
37: BONUS - The Supermassive Mailbox [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:53
You spoke. We listened. We're releasing more episodes! Izzie, Dr Becky and Robert answer your questions in this first bonus episode of The Supermassive Podcast. How hard is life for an astronomer that's a morning person?…
37: Q&A - Black Hole Burps and Space Station Pacman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:16
Can a black hole eat a black hole, whole? Is there a Universal now? Which household appliances wouldn't work on the International Space Station? Izzie Clarke puts your questions to Dr Becky Smethurst, Dr Robert Massey an…
36: Stargazing with Team Supermassive [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:03
Find out what happened when Izzie Clarke and Dr Robert Massey used a 12 tonne telescope at an observatory in Herstmonceux, Sussex. Plus, Dr Becky Smethurst explains the benefit of using space telescopes and takes on your…
Double Astronaut Special: Returning to the Moon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:55
The Astronaut Alarm is in overdrive... Izzie, Dr Becky, and his excellency Richard Hollingham have not one but TWO astronauts on this month's episode. From the archive, Richard speaks to NASA astronaut Gene Cernan about…
34: How to Deflect an Asteroid [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:12
Terrified that an asteroid could wipe out the planet? Don’t panic…the Supermassive team are here to help. Izzie and Dr Becky talk to Professor Alan Fitzsimmons about the results of the DART asteroid deflection mission an…