Recycled Electrons

Some QVC hosts have been discussing the Moon, Dawn has a new view of Ceres, and New Horizons is closing in on Pluto. Rosetta is starting to get data about its comet, and the Planetary Society is going to build a Solar Sail.

Links:

• Science literacy and QVC: http://www.pleated-jeans.com/2015/01/15/qvc-hosts-literally-dont-know-what-the-moon-is/
• New Horizons is approaching the Pluto system http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-30954673
• Rich algae blooms under Earth’s polar ice: http://laughingsquid.com/submersible-vehicle-discovers-rich-algae-blooms-beneath-polar-ice-in-areas-previously-thought-barren/
• Dawn’s new view of Ceres: http://www.universetoday.com/118325/heres-dawns-best-view-of-ceres-yet/
• Planetary Society Lightsail : http://www.planetary.org/press-room/releases/2015/planetary-society-announces.html
• An asteroid comes to visit:
  http://www.skyandtelescope.com/press-releases/asteroid-2004-bl86/
• Rosetta results: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta/Getting_to_know_Rosetta_s_comet
• A dimming quasar: http://news.yale.edu/2015/01/22/black-hole-diet-creates-changing-look-quasar
• Fast Radio Burst: http://www.caastro.org/news/2015-livefrb
• Adler is crowdfunding an exhibit: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/adler-planetarium-mission-moon-exhibition
• Cheese or Font: cheeseorfont.com

[MP3 Link]

Episode #130. If you have anything you’d like us to look at, or any questions you’d like us to answer - use the links at the top of the web page at http://recycledelec.com. Follow us on Twitter @recycledelec @orbitingfrog and @chrislintott.

Credits:

Audio content Copyright 2011-2015 Chris Lintott and Robert Simpson. Many thanks to Oxford Press Office for recording space. Podcast Image of lightbulb courtesy of Flickr user bazik (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bazik/395792175/).

Rob and Chris talk about Uranus, moons, and nuclear fusion. May be there’s dark matter, maybe there’s not - and what angle should canned whipped cream be sprayed at?

Links:

• Ice on Mercury : http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/news_room/details.php?id=266
• Bruno Merin’s lovely multi-wavelength gallery http://brunomerin.com/slider/menu.html
• Optimal angle for spraying whipped cream: http://laughingsquid.com/a-father-and-his-two-kids-conduct-an-experiment-to-find-the-optimal-angle-for-spraying-whipped-cream/
• Lockheed announce fusion ‘breakthrough’ http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/oct/15/lockheed-breakthrough-nuclear-fusion-energy and http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/10/16/experts_skeptical_over_lockheed_martins_claims_to_have_cracked_fusion/
• UK Space Weather centre opening in Exeter: http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-10/09/uk-space-weather-forecasting-centre
• Mimas : http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4342
• Have we found dark matter? : http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/press/press-releases/2014/october/inexplicable-signal-from-the-unseen-universe-provides-tantalising-clue-about-one-of-astronomys-greatest-secrets-2013-dark-matter
• Hubble finds KBOs : http://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/october/nasa-s-hubble-telescope-finds-potential-kuiper-belt-targets-for-new-horizons/

[MP3 Link]

Episode #123. If you have anything you’d like us to look at, or any questions you’d like us to answer - use the links at the top of the web page at http://recycledelec.com. Follow us on Twitter @recycledelec @orbitingfrog and @chrislintott.

Credits:

Audio content Copyright 2011-2014 Chris Lintott and Robert Simpson. Many thanks to Oxford Press Office for recording space. Podcast Image of lightbulb courtesy of Flickr user bazik (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bazik/395792175/).

Chris and Rob discuss streetlights, astrology and Ceres: the dwarf planet. There are organic molecules at the centre of a galaxy, and a black hole that’s the wrong size.

Links:

• Ceres is getting odd: http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2015/02/26/ceres_shiny_spot_is_actually_twins.html
  
• Astrology on the NHS: http://boingboing.net/2015/02/25/uk-tory-mp-says-astrology-woul.html
  
• New jobs at Zooniverse: http://daily.zooniverse.org/2015/02/23/two-new-jobs-at-the-zooniverse/
  
• Organic molecules around a black hole: http://alma.mtk.nao.ac.jp/e/news/pressrelease/20150226alma_revealed_surprisingly_mild_environment_around_a_supermassive_black_hole_1.html
  
• Astronauts and street lamps http://io9.com/how-to-hack-your-street-lamps-like-an-astronaut-1686876944
  

[MP3 Link]

Episode #134. If you have anything you’d like us to look at, or any questions you’d like us to answer - use the links at the top of the web page at http://recycledelec.com. Follow us on Twitter @recycledelec @orbitingfrog and @chrislintott.

Credits:

Audio content Copyright 2011-2015 Chris Lintott and Robert Simpson. Many thanks to Oxford Press Office for recording space. Podcast Image of lightbulb courtesy of Flickr user bazik (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bazik/395792175/).

Chris is in Hawaii and Rob is not(!). They talk about observing at the CSO, the differing views of scientists and the public, and the new UK-based Twinkle exoplanet mission.

Links:

• (American) Public vs. (AAAS) Scientists http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/01/29/public-and-scientists-views-on-science-and-society/
  
• Curiosity form above: http://gizmodo.com/nasas-curiosity-rover-looks-like-a-tiny-pimple-on-mars-1684492070
  
• First images from New Horizons of Pluto and Charon: http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2015/02041311-new-horizons-returns-first.html
  

[MP3 Link]

Episode #132. If you have anything you’d like us to look at, or any questions you’d like us to answer - use the links at the top of the web page at http://recycledelec.com. Follow us on Twitter @recycledelec @orbitingfrog and @chrislintott.

Credits:

Audio content Copyright 2011-2015 Chris Lintott and Robert Simpson. Many thanks to Oxford Press Office for recording space. Podcast Image of lightbulb courtesy of Flickr user bazik (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bazik/395792175/).

Chris and Grant discuss the Comet that flew by Mars this week, strange organic molecules in Titan’s atmosphere, and the Rosetta mission, naturally. There is no Rob, but console yourself knowing that he typed this for you.

Links:

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-29661446
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deinocheirus
• http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta/Name_Rosetta_mission_s_landing_site
• http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/oct/20/comet-siding-spring-skims-close-to-mars-after-million-year-journey and http://mars.nasa.gov/comets/sidingspring/images/?ImageID=6682 and http://mars.nasa.gov/comets/sidingspring/images/?ImageID=6677
• http://www.science20.com/news_articles/the_strange_organic_molecules_in_titans_atmosphere-147536

[MP3 Link]

Episode #124. If you have anything you’d like us to look at, or any questions you’d like us to answer - use the links at the top of the web page at http://recycledelec.com. Follow us on Twitter @recycledelec @orbitingfrog and @chrislintott.

Credits:

Audio content Copyright 2011-2014 Chris Lintott and Robert Simpson. Many thanks to Oxford Press Office for recording space. Podcast Image of lightbulb courtesy of Flickr user bazik (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bazik/395792175/).