What temperature do astronauts experience? What about Pluto, or the depths of space. What’s the coldest possible temperature space can get?
May 12th: How Cold is Space?
Fraser Cain Archive
May 6th: Will the Universe Run Out Of Energy?
It seems like the good times will go on forever, so feel free to keep on wasting energy. But entropy is patient, and eventually, it’ll make sure there’s no usable energy left in the Universe.
Apr 28th: Is Human Hibernation Possible?
We know trips in space will take a long time. Can we go to sleep for the journey and then wake up when we arrive?
Apr 13th: The Militarization of Space. Do We Really Need a Space Force?
Today’s show is about the idea of space force to deal with the future warfighting in space. It turns out, this already exists, space is already well militarized.
Mar 31st: The Problem of Power in Space
Space is the worst. It’s got hostile radiation, a total lack of atmosphere, near absolute zero temperatures, problematic gravity wells, and worse. So how to get enough power in space?
Mar 24th: What Do We Do With Aging Spacecraft?
We try to avoid thinking about it, but spacecraft are machines that break down and eventually fail. Some can last for years, others decades, but in the end they’ll be gone forever.
Mar 17th: Just How Tough Is Earth Life?
Every time we send a spacecraft to another world, our Earth-based lifeforms are going with us. No matter how well we try to keep them clean, a few stowaways will always come along for the ride.
Mar 10th: Living Off The Land On Mars
Extending humanity to other worlds in the Solar System is at the very limits of our modern technology. Extending humanity to other worlds in the Solar System is at the very limits of our modern technology. And unless there are dramatic discoveries in new propulsion systems or we learn how to build everything out of carbon nanotubes, the future of space exploration is going to require living off the land.
Feb 17th: Missing Baryonic Mass in the Universe… Found!
Astronomers have finally solved one of the outstanding mysteries in cosmology. Forget about all the dark matter and dark energy, where’s all the missing regular mass in the Universe? This has been called the “missing baryon problem”.
Feb 10th: Is There A Shadow Biosphere? Searching For Life On Earth That Isn’t Related To Us
Why does life rely on water? Couldn’t there be lifeforms which are completely different from life on Earth? Isn’t that the textbook definition of alien?