With NASA’s upcoming Artemis program promising a return to the moon, we explore why some Americans believe we never went in the first place. Why the moon landing conspiracy has staying power, on the latest Skeptic Check bigpicturescience.org/episodes/ske...
The moon landing conspiracy theory seems like old intrigue, but, it’s estimated that as many as 10% of Americans still don’t believe we landed on the moon. We consider why the “moon hoax” belief has been difficult to shake on this week's episode: bigpicturescience.org/episodes/ske...
There have been many ideas about how to protect the Earth from a falling asteroid - exploding it, knocking it out of the way, and even...painting it? We speak with science journalist and author Robin George Andrews about the science of planetary defense.
The NASA DART mission was a bold attempt to change an asteroid's orbit by crashing a spaceship into it. Think of it as a practice run for a real-life Armageddon. Was the mission successful? Find out in this week's episode, "Chasing an Asteroid" bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cha...
The asteroid Bennu is close enough to Earth that we were able to retrieve a sample from it. But it's also close enough that there's a chance Bennu could hit Earth in the future. How are scientists keeping the planet safe from falling asteroids? bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cha...
The threat of an asteroid crashing into Earth isn't just a favorite sci-fi storyline - it's reality. But how likely is it that a "city-killer" will strike Earth? We discuss with science journalist Robin George Andrews, author of "HOW TO KILL AN ASTEROID" bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cha...
The building blocks for life have been found on the asteroid Bennu, which demonstrates that the ingredients for life might be more widespread in the universe than we thought, explains Scott Sandford, co-investigator on NASA's OSIRIS REx mission. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cha...
In a historic first, the NASA space probe OSIRIS REx successfully retrieved a sample from the orbiting asteroid Bennu. Analysis of that sample shows that Bennu contains the building blocks of life, including 14 of the 20 amino acids found in life on Earth. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cha...
Asteroids formed 4.5 billion years ago, at the same time the planets formed around our sun. These rocky remnants are time capsules that give us a peek at what our solar system was like in its infancy. In this episode, we're Chasing an Asteroid bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cha...
Asteroids can be sources of mass destruction - just ask the dinosaurs. But we've also found the building blocks of life in asteroid samples. Could these space rocks have helped life on Earth get its start? This week, we're Chasing an Asteroid: bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cha...
A sample from the asteroid Bennu reveals that the building blocks of life were present in the early solar system. What this tells us about how life might have started on Earth, and the possibility that it might have begun elsewhere in the Solar System. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cha...
On this week's episode, a tale of two asteroid missions: one, a dry run to prevent a real-life Armageddon, and the other, a return sampling that brings part of an asteroid back to Earth. Could asteroids have helped seed life on Earth? bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cha...
Birds are indicators of changes to come, says Kristen Ruegg, co-director of the Bird Genoscape Project. Changes to bird populations can reveal changes happening to the broader ecosystem. How scientists use genomic data to track the threats birds face: bigpicturescience.org/episodes/bir...
Advances in genomic sequencing have made it easier for scientists to track bird populations. Genoscapes reveal which migratory birds are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and how certain populations have adapted to environmental stressors. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/bir...
Scientists from the Bird Genoscape Project are using DNA from feathers to map the migratory routes of birds and pinpoint threats to endangered bird populations. It's "Birds of a Feather" on this week's episode: bigpicturescience.org/episodes/bir...
The whole field of forensic ornithology traces back one woman at the Smithsonian, explains author @cbsweeney.bsky.social. He joins us to discuss the magnificent life of the world's first "feather detective" on this week's episode bigpicturescience.org/episodes/bir...
Bird expert Roxie Laybourne was often called to investigate feathers found at crime scenes, including poaching cases, homicides, and even an attack on a civil rights activist by a former KKK member. Learn more about feather forensics on this week's episode bigpicturescience.org/episodes/bir...
"Feather Detective" Roxie Laybourne could identify a bird from the tiniest fragment of a feather - even one that had been marred by plane engines. Her unique skill set helped bring attention to the danger of bird strikes. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/bir...
Using only a microscope and a collection of birds, taxidermist Roxie Laybourne pioneered the field of forensic ornithology, changing the world of crime scene investigation and aviation safety. Author @cbsweeney.bsky.social on the world's first feather detective bigpicturescience.org/episodes/bir...
In 1960, a tragic plane crash occurred in Boston Harbor. Amongst those summoned to the scene was a taxidermist from the Smithsonian, whose work identifying bird feathers would reshape aviation safety as we know it today. Learn more on this week's episode: bigpicturescience.org/episodes/bir...
The world's first forensic ornithologist used bird feathers to solve mysteries, from plane crashes to violent crimes. This week, we're diving into the story of "Feather Detective" Roxie Laybourne. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/bir...
Roxie Laybourne, the founder of forensic ornithology, used feathers to improve aviation safety. Today, genetic data is giving us an even clearer picture of where birds migrate across the globe. This week, we're “Birds of a Feather” bigpicturescience.org/episodes/bir...
The “feather detective” analyzed feathers to investigate plane crashes and solve murders. Now, DNA analysis is helping us unravel the mystery of where birds migrate and the threats they face. It's “Birds of Feather” this week: bigpicturescience.org/episodes/bir...
As a society that depends on technology, we have to care about space weather, says heliophysicist @craig.deforest.org. He explains how solar activity can affect the technology we rely on to navigate and communicate on Earth. It's a "Celestial Shake-Up" bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cel...
In 2025, NASA launched the "Punch Mission," a constellation of four satellites that will help scientists study the sun's corona and its solar wind. The data may improve our understanding of solar storms and prepare for their impact on electrical devices. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cel...
Two years ago, our sun reached a "solar maximum" in its continual solar cycle, resulting in geomagnetic storms that are dazzling to witness. But this increased activity can create problems for satellites and the GPS signals we get from them. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cel...
The moon still holds many mysteries, explains lunar seismologist Carrie Nunn. By measuring seismic waves, scientists hope to discover new insights about the moon's structure, including the possible impact of asteroid 2024 YR4. It's a "Celestial Shake-Up"! bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cel...
You may have experienced an earthquake before, but likely not a moonquake. A NASA mission called "The Farside Seismic Suite" will deliver two seismometers to a crater on the moon, both to measure moonquakes and the possible impact of an approaching asteroid. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cel...
We know that our moon pulls on the Earth, creating tides. But the Earth's tides also pull on the interior of the moon, creating interesting geological phenomena. Learn more on this week's episode, "Celestial Shake-Up" bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cel...
Humans are returning to the moon, but not to its surface - yet. Artemis II will orbit the moon over the course of 10 days. This crewed flyby will inform future moon landings, including one that NASA hopes to accomplish in 2028. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cel...
