Best Space Administration (NASA Podcasts (2025)

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Appeals Court Allows National Guard To Remain In Los Angeles 11:17

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3h ago11:17

11:17

A federal appeals court has blocked a judge’s ruling regarding the Trump administration's use of the California National Guard in Los Angeles. Federal Judge Charles Breyer ruled late Thursday that President Trump must return control of the National Guard to Governor Newsom. But the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals allowed the deployment to continue, sc…

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Runway to the Stars 34:54

1d ago34:54

34:54

A NASA aircraft operations expert discusses the aviation history and work being done at Ellington Field in Houston as a training ground for astronauts. HWHAP 389.By National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

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RFK Jr. Reshuffles CDC Vaccine Panel With Vaccine Skeptics 25:26

1d ago25:26

25:26

On Monday, US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired all 17 members of the panel that advises the CDC on who should get certain vaccines and when. Then on Thursday, he appointed eight new members, some of whom have been critical of vaccines in the past. So who exactly is new on the panel and how are medical experts reacting? Sophie Bushwick f…

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Increased ICE Raids Send Shock Waves Through Farm Worker Community 11:02

2d ago11:02

11:02

Multiple federal immigration enforcement actions involving farm workers have taken place in recent days in multiple regions of California including those in Ventura, Kern, and Tulare counties. Workers are being detained without warning, at job sites and in the fields. U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are calling these actions “unjustified…

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What’s Next For China’s Space Program? 19:24

2d ago19:24

19:24

This week, China’s Tianwen-2 spacecraft sent back its first image from space. It’s headed to a rendezvous with the asteroid Kamoʻoalewa, one of Earth’s “quasi-moons,” where it will collect samples in 2026. The mission comes after several successful lunar missions, including a lunar rover and a sample return mission from the far side of the moon. Ho…

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Risk Management at NASA 33:38

3d ago33:38

33:38

Big or small, we all take risks nearly every day. But how does NASA manage it? Dr. Mary Skow, NASA’s first agency risk management officer, explains.By National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

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What Immigrants Should Know As ICE Enforcement Continues 11:32

2d ago11:32

11:32

As Immigration and Customs Enforcement escalates its efforts to detain as many people without legal status as possible in California, immigration advocates are reminding people of their constitutional rights. Guest: Nisa Khan, KQED Thousands of migrant families across the country received a text message from Immigration and Customs Enforcement last…

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The Ruin And Redemption Of The American Prairie 18:31

3d ago18:31

18:31

The prairie might just be the most underappreciated landscape in the United States. Beginning in the early 1800s, the majority of these grasslands were converted into big industrial farms. Now, some unaffectionately refer to it as “flyover country.” Host Ira Flatow talks with Dave Hage and Josephine Marcotty, authors of Sea of Grass: The Conquest, …

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More Protests Held Across Southern California As Trump Administration Orders More National Guard To LA 11:40

4d ago11:40

11:40

Protests continued across Southern California, and the rest of the state on Monday over the Trump administration's immigration actions. Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW A labor leader was released from custody on Monday after his arrest during a downtown L.A. immigration raid set off a firestorm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a…

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Bedbugs Have Been Bugging Us Since Before Beds 18:48

4d ago18:48

18:48

Bedbug infestations are not just a modern problem—these pests have been with early human ancestors for 245,000 years, causing problems long before the invention of beds. Lindsay Miles, an entomologist at Virginia Tech, has found that changes in bedbug population size mirrored those of humans, proving they might be our first pest. Miles talks with H…

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National Guard Deployed As Protesters Clash With Law Enforcement 11:46

4d ago11:46

11:46

Protests were held over the weekend across Los Angeles because of the Trump Administration's immigration crackdown in the city. Things ratcheted up even further after President Trump announced the planned deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops in Los Angeles, in light of the protests. Guest: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report When the immigrat…

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The Leap: A Scientist’s Quest To See Every Organism On Earth 25:55

5d ago25:55

25:55

Manu Prakash is many things—biologist, engineer, inventor, philosopher—but what he isn’t is conventional. Following his instincts has led Manu to his most ambitious project yet: mapping the whole tree of life, with the help of everyone on this planet. Step one: make a cheap microscope anyone can use. Foldscope co-inventor Jim Cybulski describes the…

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Latest Travel Ban Blasted By Immigrant Rights Groups 11:43

8d ago11:43

11:43

Immigrant-serving groups across the Bay Area are condemning a Trump administration travel ban that will bar most of the citizens of 19 countries from entering the U.S. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Immigration lawyers and advocates say at least 15 people, including some children, were arrested outside of ICE offices in San Francisco this week. Re…

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Private Astronaut Mission Management 53:28

8d ago53:28

53:28

NASA and Axiom Space mission managers discuss how they work together to enable private astronaut missions ahead of Axiom Mission 4’s launch. HWHAP 388.By National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

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Are We Prepared To Fight ‘The New Polio’? 25:17

8d ago25:17

25:17

A mysterious disease called acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) has been appearing in emergency rooms for about a decade. The disease has caused otherwise healthy children to lose the ability to move their arms and legs, and some become completely paralyzed. AFM is caused by a virus that's a cousin of the polio virus, earning it the nickname "the new poli…

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Community Outrage Continues Over ICE Raid At San Diego Restaurant 11:45

9d ago11:45

11:45

The fallout from the recent ICE raid on a San Diego restaurant continues as union leaders condemn the raid on Buona Forchetta, calling it cruel and an attack on workers. Reporter: Alexander Nguyen, KPBS One of the fiercest critics of the restaurant raid has been a San Diego City Councilman, who has called it terroristic and fascist, earning the con…

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How Science Communication Can Step Up Amid Federal Cuts 18:21

9d ago18:21

18:21

It’s a precarious time for science in the United States. Federal funding is being slashed, career scientists are being laid off, and researchers are considering leaving to work abroad. On top of that, public trust in science and experts has declined. Besides acknowledging the federal attacks on science, a lot of scientists are also asking themselve…

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California Supreme Court To Hear Case On State's Rooftop Solar Policy 11:32

10d ago11:32

11:32

It's an important day for the future of solar energy in California. Three environmental groups are set to go before the state Supreme Court to challenge a state policy on solar panels. Guest: Malena Corollo, CalMatters and The Markup The California Air Resources Board has launched a mobile monitoring program to collect pollution data from neighborh…

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Cosmic Dawn with Nobel Laureate John Mather 18:47

10d ago18:47

18:47

The James Webb Space Telescope is doing something astronomers dreamed about for decades: peering into our universe’s early past, a period known as cosmic dawn. A new NASA documentary—also called Cosmic Dawn—chronicles the inside story of Webb’s design, construction, and launch. John Mather, who won the 2006 Nobel Prize for Physics, proposed the tel…

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How Cannibalistic Tadpoles Could Curb Invasive Cane Toads 18:49

10d ago18:49

18:49

South American cane toads were brought to Australia in 1935 to help eradicate native beetles that were destroying sugar cane crops. The toads didn’t care much for the beetles, but they did spread across the coast of Queensland and beyond, with no natural predators to stop them. Their own deadly toxin devastated local reptiles along the way, and the…

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Banks Asking For Customer's Voice Samples 11:33

11d ago11:33

11:33

Many of us have become accustomed to giving up some personal data to access financial services accounts, like Social Security numbers and the places we were born. But a growing number of financial institutions are also asking for customers’ voice samples. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED Bay Area members of Congress are pushing the Trump administratio…

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Turning The Binoculars On Birders 18:24

11d ago18:24

18:24

Birding is a hobby that attracts a very particular group of people: the kind who get up at sunrise, go into the woods, and wait for hours for a little tiny feathered friend to fly past. Author and illustrator Rosemary Mosco guides us into the world of birding with her new book, The Birding Dictionary. Plus, biologist Sara Lipshutz fills us in on th…

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Los Angeles Ramps Up Preparations For Summer Olympics 11:32

12d ago11:32

11:32

In Los Angeles, the clock is ticking down, faster and faster it seems, to July 14th, 2028. That's the opening day of the Summer Olympics Games, followed shortly by the Paralympic Games. And as that date draws closer, the scale of the challenges that face Los Angeles to get ready is starting to sink in. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report…

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The Leap: Be Bold Or Just Don't Do It 26:22

12d ago26:22

26:22

As a young plant scientist, Joanne Chory shook up the research establishment with her unconventional approach to figuring out how plants work. Her methods and success changed the field, and led her to her biggest project yet—tackling climate change, with the help of millions of plants. Colleagues Steve Kay, Detlef Weigel, and Jennifer Nemhauser des…

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California Pelicans Experience Third Starvation Event In Four Years 11:20

15d ago11:20

11:20

Brown pelicans are in trouble again — and this time it involves infant birds. This spring marks the third starvation event in four years for the iconic California seabirds. Scientists are still looking for answers. Reporter: Anna Guth, KQED Overdose deaths are falling nationwide—but in California, they continue to rise. Reporter: Lesley McClurg, KQ…

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Mission Control: Eye of the Storm 1:01:43

15d ago1:01:43

1:01:43

A NASA Flight Director and Capsule Communicator, or CAPCOM, discuss their roles and journeys to some of the most recognizable positions in Mission Control. HWHAP 387.By National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

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What Huge Cuts To NSF Funding Mean For Science 19:58

15d ago19:58

19:58

Grant funding by the National Science Foundation has been cut by more than half this year, bringing the foundation’s science funding to its lowest level in decades. Katrina Miller, who covers science for the New York Times, joins Host Flora Lichtman to unpack the cutbacks and discuss where the funding changes might lead. And, the FDA has cleared a …

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Newsom, Local Leaders Scuffle Over Homelessness Solutions 11:45

16d ago11:45

11:45

California is home to a quarter of the nation’s unhoused population. That’s around 187,000 people. As the state grapples with homelessness, tensions are hitting a high point between Governor Gavin Newsom and local leaders when it comes to funding solutions. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald, CapRadio A family in Bakersfield is facing deportation, despite …

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What Happens When Air Traffic Control Systems Go Dark? 16:58

16d ago16:58

16:58

At the end of April, air traffic control radar surveillance and radio communication systems at Newark Liberty International Airport went dark for over a minute. A week and half later, radar went down again briefly. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has since cut down the number of flights in and out of Newark. But, how does our air traffic …

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NASA's Air Traffic Management-eXploration Project 30:06

17d ago30:06

30:06

NASA’s Air Traffic Management-eXploration Project aims to accommodate the growing demand of traditional and emerging aircraft that share the friendly skies.By National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

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Ethiopian Woman Flees Torture, But Still Facing Deportation 11:31

17d ago11:31

11:31

Though the Trump administration has made it impossible to ask for asylum at the southern border, the U.S. is bound by international law to protect migrants who are likely to be tortured by their own governments if they go home. It’s called the United Nations Convention Against Torture. But it turns out that the administration has quietly dismantled…

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Could The NIH Plan For A ‘Universal Vaccine’ Really Work? 27:56

17d ago27:56

27:56

At the beginning of May, the National Institutes of Health, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, announced a plan to develop a universal vaccine platform. Think: a single shot for flu or COVID-19 that would last years, maybe a lifetime. The plan—called Generation Gold Standard—has a reported budget of $500 million, and a tight deadl…

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Food Insecurity A Major Challenge For Central Coast Farmworkers 11:40

18d ago11:40

11:40

May marks the beginning of harvest season when some 800,000 farmworkers in California get to work picking food that lands on tables around the world. Though agriculture is a nearly $60 billion industry in the state, many farmworkers on the Central Coast don't have enough to eat. Reporter: Katie Brown, KAZU A school board in Temecula, that’s been em…

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The Leap: This Is Going To Kill Your Career 23:53

18d ago23:53

23:53

Betül Kaçar started her scientific career as a biochemist, working on an enzyme found in zebrafish. But then she found her calling: investigating some of the hardest questions in evolutionary biology by resurrecting ancient life forms. NASA administrator Melissa Kirven-Brooks recalls the fellowship application that put Betül on her radar. And evolu…

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What Makes A Song Song Of The Summer 11:35

19d ago11:35

11:35

Monday is Memorial Day. For many people, this holiday marks the unofficial start to the summer season. And no summer is truly complete without the perfect summer music playlist. Reporter: Billy Cruz, The California Report A race known as the “triathlon of the art world” is underway this Memorial Day weekend in Humboldt County. Founded in 1969, it’s…

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Moon Material Flammability 46:17

22d ago46:17

46:17

Two NASA experts discuss an experiment that will further our understanding of flame behavior on the lunar surface to keep astronauts safe. HWHAP 386.By National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

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Six People Presumed Dead After Private Jet Crashes In San Diego Neighborhood 11:46

22d ago11:46

11:46

Six people are presumed dead after a private jet crashed into a San Diego neighborhood early Thursday morning. Sound Talent Group, a music talent agency based in the San Diego area, confirms that it lost three employees in the crash, including co-founder Dave Shapiro. California is suing the federal government for blocking the state’s ability to se…

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The Science Of That Big Stunt From The New ‘Mission: Impossible’ 19:02

22d ago19:02

19:02

The “Mission: Impossible” franchise is known for its big stunts, and the newest film is no exception. Producer Kathleen Davis talks to the film’s stunt coordinator, Wade Eastwood, about the science behind one big underwater scene. Plus, psychologist Kenneth Carter joins Host Flora Lichtman to talk about what makes high-adrenaline adventurers tick. …

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Cap And Trade Debate Includes Controversial Proposals 11:38

23d ago11:38

11:38

Governor Gavin Newsom is proposing an extension of the state's landmark climate program known as cap-and-trade. The program limits greenhouse gas emissions and raises money from polluters. And the governor has some controversial ideas for how to spend that money. Guest: Guy Marzorati, KQED The US senate is moving ahead with plans to block Californi…

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Meet A Pioneer Of Modern Weather Prediction 18:51

23d ago18:51

18:51

Climate scientist Jagadish Shukla grew up in a small village in rural India, where people starved if the monsoon season didn’t bring rain. To help his village, he set out to become a scientist and discover a way to predict the seasons—an unthinkable idea at the time, in the 1960s and ‘70s. Shukla became a pioneer in modern weather forecasting, and …

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Two California Counties Battle Trump Administration Over Homelessness Funding 11:30

24d ago11:30

11:30

Lawyers for San Francisco and Santa Clara counties are back in court Wednesday. They’re fighting with the Trump administration over new rules around homelessness funding. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Teachers in Temecula can teach about race without fear of running afoul of the school board, at least for now. This comes after a California Appeals C…

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Are Physical Buttons And Knobs Making A Comeback? 20:10

24d ago20:10

20:10

In recent years, digital touchscreens have replaced many of the buttons and knobs that control various functions in cars. But when Host Ira Flatow went shopping for a new car, he noticed that physical controls seemed to be making a comeback. But will the rise of technologies like voice recognition and automation make cars more button-centric, or le…

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California Medicaid Recipients In GOP District See Potential Cuts As A "Disaster" 11:40

25d ago11:40

11:40

Part of President Trump's self-described big, beautiful bill includes congressional Republicans' plans to change Medicaid. The proposal would cut billions from the safety net program. Many Republican lawmakers see this as a needed savings to slash what they see as waste in the system, but recent estimates show millions of Americans stand to lose th…

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Earth Series: What's Next for NASA Earth Science 28:51

25d ago28:51

28:51

NASA has a record of Earth observations going back more than 50 years. What might be in store for the next 50 years? In this finale of our Earth series, we hear from two scientists helping to chart the course of NASA Earth science. There are still many unanswered questions about our home planet. As the only planet that we know to have life, studyin…

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Scientists Identify Genes For Tomato And Eggplant Size 18:48

25d ago18:48

18:48

Tomatoes come in all kinds of colors, sizes, and flavors. But what’s going on at the genetic level? What makes a tomato red or yellow? Tiny or giant? Researchers are mapping the genomes of 22 varieties of nightshades—the family of plants that includes tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplants. They located the genes that control the size of tomatoes and eg…

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Independent California Pharmacies Brace For Tariffs On Imported Medication 11:45

26d ago11:45

11:45

Law enforcement authorities are seeking help to piece together the timeline of their primary suspect in the explosion at a Palm Springs fertility clinic over the weekend. Authorities identified 25 year old Twentynine Palms Guy Edward Bartkus in connection with the bombing and said he was likely killed in the blast. (Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR) …

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The Leap: The Volcano Whisperer 28:26

26d ago28:26

28:26

As a teenager living in St. Vincent, Richie Robertson saw first-hand what a volcanic eruption did to life on the island. Forty years later, he was the scientist the community turned to when the same volcano roared back to life. Richie’s colleague, Stacey Edwards of the UWI Seismic Research Centre, explains how Richie earned the trust of the communi…

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Farmworker Assistance Bill Patterned After Nonprofit's Work 11:35

29d ago11:35

11:35

As the state legislature works to tackle a $12 billion budget deficit, a bill aimed at delivering vital resources right to farmworkers’ front doors is being put on hold. It’s modeled after an existing program run by Ayudando Latinos a Soñar, a nonprofit based in Half Moon Bay. Reporter: Madi Bolanos, The California Report The federal government and…