Second Generation Black Hole Mergers and Solar System Chaos

Second Generation Black Hole Mergers and Solar System Chaos

Author: Joshua Colwell, Adrienne Dove, and James Cooney June 4, 2026 Duration: 46:34

Exquisitely detailed measurements of the ripples in spacetime from the mergers of black holes now show that some of these merging black holes were, themselves, created by an earlier black hole merging event. While this had been suspected to take place, we now have clear evidence of it. On a less dramatic scale but much closer to home, new simulations of the early solar system suggest the large population of moons of Uranus needed help from a now long lost fifth giant planet to survive. Join us for all this, space news, trivia, and a generally good time.


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
OG Top Goes to Europa [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:24
Original Top Quark Dr. Tracy Becker returns to her old stomping grounds to hang with the Walkabout crew and send Europa Clipper on its way to Jupiter. Join us for a preview of this mission's ambitious goals and the excit…
Back in Black Holes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:58
We've got mini black holes as potential dark matter candidates and monstrous black holes spewing jets to cosmological scales. Who better than Top quark Jim Cooney to take us through these black holes? No one, that's who.…
Black Hole Spindown Chirp and a 9-Day Geologic Rumble [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:03
Gravitational waves may provide a new way to observe supernovae in our own Milky Way galaxy and determine when they produce black holes and when they result merely in neutron stars. Closer to home, scientists did some cl…
Recent Lunar Volcanic Activity and the Metallicity Cliff [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:01
Tiny samples brought back from the Moon hint at surprisingly recent volcanic activity. What's up with that?! Elsewhere in the galaxy, a detailed study of over 100,000 stars identifies the metallicity cliff. This is where…
Adventures in Space the Cady Way [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:31
The Astroquarks are joined by former NASA astronaut, PhD Chemist, and retired USAF Colonel Cady Coleman at Dragon Con 2024 for a wide ranging discussion of space flight, institutional challenges, training, flute playing,…
Ocean World Mimas and the JUICE Slingshot [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:01
Recent (astronomically speaking, of course!) perturbations to Mimas's orbit may be the explanation for the surprising presence of a global subsurface ocean in this tiny moon of Saturn. Meanwhile, the European Space Agenc…
Barney the Dinosaur Killer from Outer Space and Water Inside Mars [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:24
New research shows that the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs some 66 million years ago formed in the colder, more distant reaches of the solar system. The Astroquarks have taken it upon themselves to dub this asteroid…
The Fermi Paradox - Are We Truly Alone? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:00
When Frank Drake created his famous eponymous equation to estimate the number of advanced communicative civilizations in the Milky Way, we had little more than educated guesses for most of the factors in that equation. D…
Chemical Whispers of Life on Mars [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:24
The astroquarks assemble for their 365th episode, about 10 years after their first, with a look at a canceled mission to the Moon and tantalizing observations from an ongoing mission at Mars. The Perseverance rover has s…
Lunar Caves for Future Habitation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:42
In this light episode of Walkabout the Galaxy, Josh and Audrey discuss the first confirmation of open spaces in lava tubes connected to lunar pits on the Moon. 200 lunar pits have been observed on the Moon, and now scien…