A Dark Universe Unveiled

A Dark Universe Unveiled

Author: Joshua Colwell, Adrienne Dove, and James Cooney January 29, 2026 Duration: 44:35

Scientists head to the volcanic fields of Iceland to test instruments for the VERITAS mission to Venus, Artemis II is ready for its historic flight to the Moon, and the Dark Energy Survey reveals the distribution of dark matter on an astounding scale. For mind-blowing astro-stuff, space news, and trivia, join the astroquarks on Walkabout the Galaxy.


Ever wondered what it would be like to grab a coffee with a few planetary scientists who can’t help but find the humor in the cosmos? That’s the feeling you get with Walkabout the Galaxy. Hosted by Joshua Colwell, Adrienne Dove, and James Cooney, this isn’t a dry lecture from a distant lecture hall. Instead, it’s a lively, often funny conversation that feels like you’re right there with them, unpacking the universe’s latest headlines. Each episode digs into the newest and most fascinating discoveries in astronomy and space science, but the approach is grounded and genuinely curious. You’ll hear the hosts’ real excitement and occasional friendly debates as they translate complex ideas from recent papers or major missions into stories anyone can connect with. The tone is naturally irreverent, which makes the science stick, and their camaraderie turns each discussion into an engaging journey. Tuning into this podcast means getting a front-row seat to a casual yet deeply informative chat about everything from quirky asteroids to the profound mysteries of distant galaxies, all delivered with a warmth that reminds you why looking up at the stars is so compelling in the first place. It’s a perfect blend of solid science and natural comedy, making the vastness of space feel a little more like home.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Walkabout the Galaxy
Podcast Episodes
An Ancient Moon of Mars? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:29
The story behind this investigation is almost more cool than the discovery itself. Microlayers of sediments in Mars' Gale Crater, observed by NASA's Curiosity rover, are indicative of tidal sloshing of water in the lake…
Why Is There A Universe At All? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:02
Things would be a lot simpler and a lot less interesting if charge parity existed in the universe, but there would be no one to appreciate that simplicity because we would not exist! New results from the Large Hadron Col…
The Amazing and Crazy Story of Gemini and Jumbo Black Holes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:46
The astroquarks are joined by Jeffrey Kluger, editor at large at Time Magazine and author of 13 books including Apollo 13 and the new book on the Gemini program. Tune in to hear about some of the outlandish ideas that we…
Rings Around a Comet, Betelbuddy, and Odd Jupiter Moons [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:48
These rings aren't around Uranus, they're somewhere even more odd. We discuss the mysterious and changing ring system around the Centaur object Chiron, new clues about the origin of the solar system from the irregular mo…
Adaptive LIGO and a New Look at an Old Crater [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:33
Adaptive optics techniques get applied to the mirrors in the LIGO gravitational wave observatory, promising a five-fold or greater improvement in sensitivity to gravitational waves from colliding black holes across the u…
Einstein Cross Reveals Dark Matter and a Life-y Mars Rock [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:00
We take a look the Cheyava Falls rock on Mars, or rather the Perseverance rover took a look at it, and we discuss what it saw which were some intriguing mineral formations that could have a biological origin. And gravita…
Exo-Pluto Debris in Our Solar System and Axions Galore [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:33
An interstellar interloper may have been a chip off the old block, where the old block was a Pluto-like planet around another star, and the chip is solid air (nitrogen that is)! And we revisit the potential role of axion…
Trappist-1, ESCAPADE, and Axions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:38
There is so much going on in the universe it's hard to keep track. That's why we have not one but two top astroquarks on this episode to cover the latest discoveries and news from the solar system to the deepest recesses…
Weird Black Hole Blazar and Water Ice Glaciers on Mars [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:25
There's more abundant and accessible water ice on Mars, ready for us to scoop it up, heat it up, and eat it up. And in the distant recesses of the universe there's a supermassive black hole with an interesting neighbor t…