How do planets get tidally locked? What are these systems typically like? Can life find a home in such a challenging environment?
May 21st: Can Life Survive on Locked Planets?
Paul M. Sutter Archive
May 7th: Why is it So Hard to Return to the Moon?
If we went to the Moon already, why can’t we go back so easily? What technology have we lost? What are we trying to do differently?
Apr 16th: What is the Most Distant Thing We Can See?
What’s the most distant thing we can see with the naked eye? What about with a telescope? What about at other wavelengths? Is there anything more to see?
Apr 2nd: Will Emergent Gravity Rewrite Physics?
What is “emergence” in physics and why is it a big deal? What would it mean for gravity to be emergent? How would we have to rewrite the laws of physics?
Mar 19th: Will Our Universe End in a Big Rip?
How can a “big rip” tear the Universe apart? What does that mean for existence itself? Is it going to happen, and what are we doing to find out? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman!
Mar 5th: What’s the Best Way to Defend Our Planet?
How do we track dangerous asteroids? What can impacts do to us? What do we plan to do if The Big One is headed for us? Is Armageddon a documentary?
Feb 20th: How Do We Know What the Milky Way Looks Like?
Why is it so hard to get a picture of the Milky Way? How much of our galaxy have we mapped?
Feb 6th: Will We Achieve Fusion Power Soon?
How do we achieve nuclear fusion in the laboratory? What are some experiments that are trying to achieve fusion power generation? Why is it so difficult?
Jan 16th: Do Aliens Look Like Us?
Is evolution universal throughout the cosmos? What are the different forms that life can take? When did life first appear in the universe? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman!
Jan 2nd: How Does Science Regain Trust?
What forces people to lose trust in science? How does this affect the process of science itself? What are scientists doing to make this worse? How can we fix it?