Best Astrophysics News Podcasts (2025)

1
Flight simulator for moths reveals they navigate by starlight 30:37

Play Pause

2d ago30:37

30:37

We’d like to learn more about our listeners, please help us out by filling in this short survey. In this episode: 00:45 The tiny moths that use the stars to navigate Bogong moths use the stars to help them navigate during their enormous migration across Australia, according to new research. Every year, billions of these nocturnal moths travel up to…

1
June 15, 2025 | Books and Authors: Inspiring Trailblazers 28:00

6d ago28:00

28:00

It’s Books and Authors Week on Catholic Review Radio, and Catholic Review Editor Christopher Gunty talks with two authors whose books feature literal and spiritual trailblazers. First up is Josh McMullen, who wrote about “The Glacier Priest: Father Bernard Hubbard and America’s Last Frontier,” about the Jesuit’s amazing adventures exploring in Alas…

1
Forget Mars: Blue Origin Wants Earth as a National Park! 52:04

7d ago52:04

52:04

Heather Nelson, Director of the Club for the Future at Blue Origin, is at the forefront of inspiring the next generation to dream boldly about humanity’s role as an interplanetary species. In this expansive conversation, Heather provides a rare peek behind the curtain of Blue Origin’s ambitious plans and philosophical vision for the future of human…

1
Astrophiz216: 10thAnniversarySpecial 30:31

8d ago30:31

30:31

10th Anniversary Special ~ The history of satellites from Sputnik 1 to mega-constellations of Satellites Swarming Our Once Quiet and Dark Skies - Dark Sky Parks are fighting backBy Astrophiz

1
Hundreds of physicists on a remote island: we visit the ultimate quantum party 9:07

8d ago9:07

9:07

According to legend, physicist Werner Heisenberg formulated the mathematics behind quantum mechanics in 1925 while on a restorative trip to the remote North Sea island of Heligoland. To celebrate the centenary of this event, several hundred researchers have descended on the island to take part in a conference on all things quantum physics. Nature r…

1
This stretchy neural implant grows with an axolotl's brain 36:55

10d ago36:55

36:55

00:45 A flexible neural-implant that grows with the brain Researchers have developed a soft electronic implant that can measure brain activity of amphibian embryos as they develop. Understanding the neural activity of developing brains is a key aim for neuroscientists, but conventional, rigid probes can damage growing brains. To overcome this, a te…

1
June 8, 2025 | From astrophysics to religious life: Mount de Sales shares faith journey 28:00

13d ago28:00

28:00

As a young woman, Dominican Sister Albertine Cevallos thought for sure that her life would center on science. Growing up in a rationalist, science-focused home, she graduated from Caltech with an astrophysics degree.But along her journey, she discovered serving God and advancing scientific knowledge are not mutually exclusive.Today, she serves as a…

1
Trump wants to put humans on Mars: what scientists think of the plan 11:47

16d ago11:47

11:47

In this Podcast Extra, we examine President Donald Trump's calls for NASA to land humans on Mars. Although the White House has proposed spending some US$1 billion in 2026 on Mars plans, critics say the final cost will likely be hundreds of billions of dollars spread over a number of years. This call comes amidst plans to drastically reduce NASA's f…

1
Male mice can grow female organs — if their mothers lack iron 30:08

17d ago30:08

30:08

00:45 Iron’s role in mice sex determination Iron deficiency in mice mothers can sometimes result in their offspring developing female sex organs despite having male sex genes, according to new research. While genetics has been thought to be the primary factor in determining offspring sex in mammals, the new work shows that a lack of iron disrupts a…

1
Lancing Galaxies and Angry Emails 1:11:00

18d ago1:11:00

1:11:00

This month we have Galactic sized lancing battles, Jupiter twice its size, Wales entering the space race and we have emails! Oh we have emails!By Awesome Astronomy

1
This Architect Is Redesigning Humanity for Life in Space 1:02:13

19d ago1:02:13

1:02:13

🚀 The Cosmic Scoop In this expansive and deeply human conversation, Phnam Bagley challenges everything we think we know about architecture. From floating tables to engineered space hearts, she reimagines what it means to design for a future where gravity is optional and emotion is essential. Together, we explore the untold questions of life in spac…

1
June 1, 2025 | Baltimore sports broadcaster shares the importance of his Catholic faith 28:00

20d ago28:00

28:00

Jim Hunter, the former longtime play-by-play announcer for the Baltimore Orioles and a fixture in Baltimore sports broadcasting, is a devoted Catholic and an active parishioner of St. Mark in Fallston. Mark Viviano talks with Hunter about his years in broadcasting, his journey of faith, his openness to sharing his spiritual beliefs with others and …

1
Astrophiz215:JuneSkyGuide 23:10

22d ago23:10

23:10

Astrophiz 215: Dr Ian Musgrave’s June SkyGuideSummary: Mars close to thin crescent moon.Occultation of Antares behind the moon in the early evening sky.The moon comes close to some of the bright planets.… and Mars is close to the moon again at the end of the month.Moon Phases:June 3 ~ 1st Quarter Moon, and another time to catch the ‘Lunar X’ late i…

1
Audio long read: Three ways to cool Earth by pulling carbon from the sky 15:59

23d ago15:59

15:59

With the world looking likely to blow past the temperature targets laid out in the 2015 Paris climate agreement, a growing number of voices are saying that carbon removal technologies will be necessary if humanity is to achieve its long-term climate goals. If these approaches succeed, they could help nations and corporations to meet their climate c…

1
AI linked to boom in biomedical papers, infrared contact lenses, and is Earth's core leaking? 20:11

25d ago20:11

20:11

00:33 Was a boom in papers driven by AI? A spike in papers formulaically analysing a public data set has sparked worries that AI is being used to generate low quality and potentially misleading analyses. Nature: AI linked to explosion of low-quality biomedical research papers 08:07 Lenses that give humans infrared vision Researchers in China have c…

1
May 25, 2025 | The beginning of Pope Leo’s ministry 28:00

27d ago28:00

28:00

Pope Leo XIV was formally inaugurated as the successor of Peter in a Mass May 18 in St. Peter’s Square. Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori was among the concelebrants of the Mass, and he shares his reflections about being there for the historic event, and his hopes for the future of the church with Pope Leo. Catholic Review Editor Christopher Gun…

1
Hearing a Universe: How a Blind Scientist Uncovers Hidden Patterns in Astronomical Data 1:02:55

1M ago1:02:55

1:02:55

Guest: Wanda Diaz Merced This very special episode of the Space Café Podcast introduces Wanda Diaz Merced, a visionary scientist who, after losing her sight in her twenties, pioneered a groundbreaking new method of exploring space through sound—sonification. Wanda shares her remarkable story and insights, showing us that blindness does not limit on…

1
These malaria drugs treat the mosquitos — not the people 31:40

1M ago31:40

31:40

00:45 Treating mosquitoes for malaria Researchers have developed two compounds that can kill malaria-causing parasites within mosquitoes, an approach they hope could help reduce transmission of the disease. The team showed that these compounds can be embedded into the plastics used to make bed nets, providing an alternative to insecticide-based mal…

1
May 18, 2025 | Grow in your relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary 28:00

1M ago28:00

28:00

May is traditionally celebrated as a month dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Catholic Church — a time for special devotions, prayers and reflection on her role in salvation history.George Matysek talks with Father Brian Nolan, pastor of St. Ignatius of Loyola in Ijamsville, about why Catholics have such love for Mary and ways for drawing …

1
How to transport antimatter — stick it on the back of a van 30:31

1M ago30:31

30:31

00:46 An antimatter delivery van takes its first road trip Researchers have developed a portable antimatter containment device and tested it by putting it in a truck and driving it around CERN. Their system could represent a big step forward in efforts to take particles made at CERN’s ‘antimatter factory’ and transport them to other labs, something…

1
NSF terminates huge number of grants and stops awarding new ones 11:15

1M ago11:15

11:15

In this Podcast Extra, we examine recent developments US National Science Foundation, which has seen significant numbers of research grants terminated. In addition, there have been freezes on funding for new grants and any additional money to existing ones. We also discuss US President Donald Trump’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2026, which call…

1
May 11, 2025 | Meet the Mount St. Mary's graduate and Vatican journalist who served as a lector at the papal funeral 28:00

1M ago28:00

28:00

Millions of people around the world watched or listened to the funeral of Pope Francis live from Rome on April 26 — a solemn and historic moment for the Catholic Church.One of the voices heard during that liturgy was Kielce Gussie, a Vatican journalist who had the honor of proclaiming the first reading at the Mass.A graduate of Mount St. Mary’s Uni…

1
Astrophiz214-DrAnyaNugent 46:23

1M ago46:23

46:23

Please meet Dr Anya Nugent … she is amazing … and she has some beautiful stories for us … let’s hear all about unbelievably powerful Gamma Ray bursts and their host galaxies from an amazing Harvard and Smithsonian astrophysicist who uses incredible observatories like CHANDRA, XMM-Newton, ALMA, CHIME, MEERKAT, the VLA and even our old friend Hubble …

1
Herring population loses migration 'memory' after heavy fishing 37:34

2M ago37:34

37:34

00:46 How fishing activity altered the migration pattern of Herring Selective fishing of older herring has resulted in a large shift in the migration pattern of these fish, according to new research. For years, herring have visited sites on the south coast of Norway to spawn, but in 2020 a rapid shift was seen, with the fish instead visiting areas …

1
AstroCamp Spring 2025! 1:22:55

2M ago1:22:55

1:22:55

We come at you with all the fun of AstroCamp in Welsh Wales. Chat, debate and birdsong! Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & DustinBy Awesome Astronomy

1
Someone is Seriously Putting a Swedish House on the Moon—Right Now! 1:29:30

2M ago1:29:30

1:29:30

Guest Introduction: In an extraordinary fusion of art, engineering, and cosmic ambition, Swedish artist Mikael Genberg and space engineer Emil Vinterhav have realized what many deemed impossible—a traditional Swedish red house, journeying through space toward the lunar surface. This Moonhouse symbolizes humanity’s unyielding aspiration and our inna…

1
May 4, 2025 | Preparing for the Conclave 28:00

2M ago28:00

28:00

As the College of Cardinals prepares for the conclave to elect a new pope May 7, Catholic Review Editor Christopher Gunty gets some inside info from Monsignor Richard Hilgartner, pastor of St. Joseph parish in Cockeysville, Md., and former executive director of the Secretariat of Divine Worship at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Monsignor …

1
The dismantling of US science: can it survive Trump 2.0? 27:52

2M ago27:52

27:52

In this episode: 00:46 What will be left of US science after Trump 2.0? 100 days into his term, President Donald Trump and his administration have already caused the biggest shakeup in modern scientific history, slashing funding, bringing large swathes of US research to a standstill and halting many clinical trials. But many fear these actions are …

1
Astrophiz 213: Dr Ian Musgrave's MaySkyGuide 30:11

2M ago30:11

30:11

May Moon Phases:May 4 ~1st QuarterMay 11 ~ Moon at ApogeeMay 13 ~ Full Moon May 20 ~ Last Quarter Great for star gazingMay 26 ~ Moon at PerigeeMay 27 ~ New Moon Great for star gazingWhat’s Up in May?Planets:Evening SkiesJupiter is difficult to see this monthMars is visible, and nice to see just an hour after sunsetUranus will return in a couple of …

1
Apr. 27, 2025 | The Death of Pope Francis and the Upcoming Conclave 28:00

2M ago28:00

28:00

As the world mourns the passing of Pope Francis April 21 at age 88, Catholic Review Editor Christopher Gunty talks with people who have experienced the pope personally. Baltimore Archbishop William Lori recalls his encounters with the pope. Cardinal Edwin O’Brien, former archbishop of Baltimore and retired grand master of the Equestrian Order of th…

1
Audio long read: Do smartphones and social media really harm teens’ mental health? 17:33

2M ago17:33

17:33

Research shows that, over the past two decades, rates of mental illness have been increasing in adolescents in many countries. While some scientists point to soaring use of smartphones and social media as a key driver for this trend, others say the evidence does not show a large effect of these technologies on teenagers’ psychological health. At th…

1
Memory Meltdown in Microgravity: Why you may just not remember your pioneering visit to Mars. 1:24:02

2M ago1:24:02

1:24:02

This episode's guest, Dr. Heather Collins, cognitive neuroscientist, brain-hack expert, and sought-after keynote speaker, takes us on a fascinating - and slightly unsettling - journey into how space travel changes the human brain. Buckle up as Heather reveals the extraordinary findings and crucial insights at the forefront of cognitive neuroscience…

1
A brand-new colour created by lasers, a pig-liver transplant trial gets the green light, and a nugget-sized chunk of lab-grown meat 20:27

2M ago20:27

20:27

00:27 Five people see ‘olo’, a brand-new colour Using a laser system to activate specific eye cells, a team has allowed five study participants to perceive a vibrant blue-greenish hue well outside the natural range of colours seen by humans. Although the setup required to accomplish this feat is currently complicated, this finding could provide mor…

1
‘Dark matter’, 'Big Bang' and ‘spin’: how physics terms can confuse researchers 33:11

2M ago33:11

33:11

Categorizing things is central to science. And there are dozens of systems scientists have created to name everything from the trenches on the sea bed to the stars in the sky. But names have consequences. What’s in a name is a series exploring naming in science and how names impact the world. We look at whether the system of naming species remains …

1
Apr. 20, 2025 | Archdiocese of Baltimore embraces lower age for confirmation 28:00

2M ago28:00

28:00

Earlier this year, Archbishop William E. Lori announced that the standard age for receiving the sacrament of Confirmation will be lowered to 9 in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The previous age had been set at 14-16.George Matysek discusses the reasons for the change with Stacy Golden, director of the Office of Family, Youth and Young Adult Ministry…

1
What a trove of potato genomes reveals about the humble spud 32:41

2M ago32:41

32:41

In this episode: 00:46 A potato pangenome Researchers have created a ‘pangenome’ containing the genomes of multiple potato types, something they believe can help make it easier to breed and sequence new varieties. The potato's complicated genetics has made it difficult to sequence the plant's genome, but improvements in technology have allowed the …

1
Astronomy Astrophiz 212-CiaraGuy-Space Governance 49:53

2M ago49:53

49:53

In Astrophiz 212, 'Space Governance’ we are speaking with Space Lawyer, Ciara Guy, who has worked in the Justice system and Magistrates Courts. After completing her first law degree, she is now an assistant astronomer at Battlesteads Observatory and is majoring in Space Law for her Master's Law degree at Northumbria University. Her specialties are …

1
Apr. 13, 2025 | Books and Authors: “Fulton Sheen” and “Pain to Peace” 28:00

2M ago28:00

28:00

It’s a books and authors episode of Catholic Review Radio. Catholic Review Editor Christopher Gunty talks with authors of two new books. First up is Cheryl C.D. Hughes, whose book “Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen: Convert Maker” talks about how the famed televangelist brought people to the Catholic faith – sometimes in well-attended revivals and rallies…

1
Did NASA Miss This? How Artists Are Starting to Unlock Space Travel’s Future 54:55

2M ago54:55

54:55

🎙 Guest: Dr. Claudia Schnugg, Curator of the Universe Pavilion at the Venice Biennale & Art-Science Visionary The Cosmic Scoop: What if art could transform how we design habitats beyond Earth—and inspire new ways to live here at home? Dr. Claudia Schnugg is making this vision a reality. As curator of the groundbreaking Universe Pavilion at the pres…

1
Long-awaited ape genomes give new insights into their evolution — and ours 29:48

2M ago29:48

29:48

00:46 Complete sequencing of ape genomes Researchers have sequenced the complete genomes of six ape species, helping uncover the evolutionary history of our closest relatives and offering insights into what makes humans human. The genomes of chimpanzee, bonobo, gorilla, Bornean orangutan, Sumatran orangutan and siamang have been sequenced end-to-en…

1
From Hippocrates to COVID-19: the scientific fight to prove diseases can be airborne 32:27

3M ago32:27

32:27

Science writer and New York Times columnist Carl Zimmer's latest book Air-Borne: The Hidden History of the Life we Breathe dives into the invisible maelstrom of microbial life swirling in the air around us — examining how it helped shape our world, and the implications that breathing it in can have on human health. Carl joined us to discuss histori…

1
Trump team removes senior NIH chiefs in shock move 11:32

3M ago11:32

11:32

In this Podcast Extra, we hear the latest on how decisions by the Trump administration are affecting science in the US. Most recently, a purge of National Institutes of Health (NIH) leadership has seen the chiefs of multiple institutes and centres removed from their posts. Plus, after cancelling nearly all NIH projects studying transgender health, …