Episodes

  • 51: BONUS - Wobbly Planets and Baby Names

    51: BONUS - Wobbly Planets and Baby Names
    Apr 10 2024
    Can wobbly planets have more than two solstices? Are we earthlings receding from the sun and the other planets? What is dark flow and why is it controversial? When stars die, is their energy lost forever?

    Send your questions to podcast@ras.ac.uk or find us on Instagram @SupermassivePod.

    The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham.
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    14 mins
  • 51: Into The Interstellar

    51: Into The Interstellar
    Mar 26 2024
    Izzie and Dr Becky are venturing into interstellar space. What is it? Where is it? And what do we know about it?

    With special thanks to Professor Martin Barstow from University of Leicester and Professor Chris Lintott from the University of Oxford. Chris' new book "Our Accidental Universe" is out now.

    Check out the RAS's video on Pons Brooks here: https://ras.ac.uk/news-and-press/news/12ppons-brooks-how-and-when-see-devil-comet

    The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham.


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    46 mins
  • 50: BONUS - Dust, stars and alien streetlights

    50: BONUS - Dust, stars and alien streetlights
    Mar 13 2024
    What is cosmic dust? Could we reignite a dying Sun with a nuclear weapon? How do we know what galaxies stars are in, and can the JWST see streetlights on alien worlds?

    If you have a question for the Supermassive team, send them to podcast@ras.ac.uk or find us on Instagram, @SupermassivePod.

    The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham.

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    12 mins
  • 50: Quakes in Space

    50: Quakes in Space
    Feb 28 2024
    Izzie and Dr Becky are exploring shaky ground, whether that’s on Earth, other planets and even on our neighbour the Moon. This month is all about quakes.

    With special thanks to Mark Panning, the project scientist for NASA's InSight mission, and Dr Jess Johnson from the University of East Anglia.

    Join Izzie and the UK Space Education Office for Mars Day on Tuesday 5th March, sign up to the virtual event here.

    Explore the North Tyneside Solar Trail and discover models representing planets from our solar system, 16 & 17 March 2024

    The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham.



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    54 mins
  • 49: BONUS - Double Yolker Galaxies

    49: BONUS - Double Yolker Galaxies
    Feb 12 2024
    Do we see black hole mergers as a result of galaxy mergers? What did the night sky look like to the dinosaurs? Is a gas giant just a rocky planet with a huge and dense atmosphere? Do all orbits eventually end up in resonance?

    The Supermassive Team is back with the first bonus episode for 2024! Send in your questions to podcast@ras.ac.uk or find us on Instagram, @SupermassivePod.

    The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham.



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    13 mins
  • 49: The End of the World

    49: The End of the World
    Jan 30 2024
    The Supermassive Podcast is back for 2024 and putting the "happy" in Happy New Year! What could be a cheerier start to the year than an episode about the End of the World… Astronomically speaking!?

    From supernova explosions, to super volcanoes, Izzie Clarke, Dr Becky Smethurst and Dr Robert Massey are running through the checklist of big bad things that put our planet at risk. Special thanks goes to Professor Chris Impey from the University of Arizona and author of How It Ends, and Dr Mike Cassidy from the University of Birmingham.

    Things we promised we'd put in the show notes: 
    NASA worksheet - https://spacemath.gsfc.nasa.gov/earth/10Page5.pdf
    Recent Betelgeuse paper - Saio et al. (2023; Betelgeuse in carbon fusion stage) - https://arxiv.org/pdf/2306.00287.pdf 

    Don't forget to leave us a review, send in your questions ,or share your astrophotography using podcast@ras.ac.uk or find us on Instagram @SupermassivePod. 

    The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for The Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. 
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    48 mins
  • 48: Do We Live In A Multiverse?

    48: Do We Live In A Multiverse?
    Dec 22 2023
    Izzie Clarke and Dr Becky Smethurst are rounding off 2023 with a biggie. Arguably the biggest of them all. This episode is ALL about the Multiverse. What is it? What does it mean? Does it even exist?  

    A big thank you to Andrew Pontzen from UCL and author of "Universe in a Box" for explaining the basics, Katie Mack from The Perimeter Institute for going from physicist to film reviewer, and to listener Wendy Entwistle who suggested the Supermassive team cover this topic.

    The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. 
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    48 mins
  • 47: BONUS - Could Space Junk Block JWST's View?

    47: BONUS - Could Space Junk Block JWST's View?
    Dec 21 2023
    From barbie dolls, to birds baths, what will happen to all the stuff we have made between now and the end of time? Could a large black hole spaghettify a small black hole? Could more satellites block JWST's view? And what came first, the Big Bang or Inflation?

    It's time for another deep dive into The Supermassive Mailbox with Izzie Clarke, Dr Becky Smethurst and Dr Robert Massey. 

    The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media Production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. 
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    14 mins