Big Picture Science for Aug 26, 2024 - Life in the Solar System

Big Picture Science - Life in the Solar System

REPEAT
Spewing lava and belching noxious fumes, volcanoes seem hostile to biology. But the search for life off-Earth includes the hunt for these hotheads on other moons and planets, and we tour some of the most imposing volcanoes in the Solar System.

Plus, a look at how tectonic forces reshape bodies from the moon to Venus to Earth. And a journey to the center of our planet reveals a surprising layer of material at the core-mantle boundary. Find out where this layer was at the time of the dinosaurs and what powerful forces drove it deep below.

Guests:

• Samantha Hansen – Geologist at the University of Alabama
• Paul Byrne – Associate professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis
• Robin George Andrews – Science journalist and author of “Super Volcanoes: What They Reveal about Earth and the Worlds Beyond”

This repeat podcast originally aired on May 29, 2023

Download podcast at - https://bigpicturescience.org/episodes/life-in-the-solar-system

You can listen to this and other episodes at http://bigpicturescience.org/

Get early access to ad-free versions of every episode by joining us on Patreon. Thanks for your support!

Big Picture Science for May 29, 2023 - Life in the Solar System

 

Big Picture Science - Life in the Solar System

Spewing lava and belching noxious fumes, volcanoes seem hostile to biology. But the search for life off-Earth includes the hunt for these hotheads on other moons and planets, and we tour some of the most imposing volcanoes in the Solar System.

Plus, a look at how tectonic forces reshape bodies from the moon to Venus to Earth. And a journey to the center of our planet reveals a surprising layer of material at the core-mantle boundary. Find out where this layer was at the time of the dinosaurs and what powerful forces drove it deep below.

Guests:

• Samantha Hansen – Geologist at the University of Alabama
• Paul Byrne – Associate professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis
• Robin George Andrews – Science journalist and author of “Super Volcanoes: What They Reveal about Earth and the Worlds Beyond”

Download podcast at - https://bigpicturescience.org/episodes/life-in-the-solar-system

You can listen to this and other episodes at http://bigpicturescience.org/, and be sure to check out Blog Picture Science, the companion blog to the radio show.

Get early access to ad-free versions of every episode by joining us on Patreon. Thanks for your support!

Big Picture Science for 05/19/14 - We Can Rebuild It

Big Picture Science - We Can Rebuild It

What goes up must come down. But it’s human nature to want to put things back together again. It can even be a matter of survival in the wake of some natural or manmade disasters.

First, a portrait of disaster: the eruption of Tambora in 1815 is the biggest volcanic explosion in 5,000 years. It changed the course of history, although few people have heard of it.

Then, stories of reconstruction: assembling, disassembling, moving and reassembling one of the nation’s largest T. Rex skeletons, and what we learn about dinos in the process.

Also, the reanimation of Gorongosa National Park in Africa, after years of civil war destroyed nearly all the wildlife.

And a handbook for rebuilding civilization itself from scratch.

Guests:

• Gillen D’Arcy Wood – Professor of English, University of Illinois, author of Tambora: The Eruption That Changed the World
• Patrick Leiggi – Museum of the Rockies, Bozeman, Montana
• Matt Carrano – Curator of dinosauria, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution
• Greg Carr – Entrepreneur and philanthropist, president of Gorongosa National Park, in Mozambique
• Lewis Dartnell – Astrobiologist, University of Leicester, author of The Knowledge: How to Rebuild Our World from Scratch

Permalink: http://radio.seti.org/episodes/We_Can_Rebuild_It

You can listen to this and other episodes at http://radio.seti.org/, and be sure to check out Blog Picture Science, the companion blog to the radio show.

Are We Alone for 11/29/10 - Extreme Geology

Are We Alone - Extreme Geology

ENCORE We think of major geologic events as taking place a long time ago – but the Earth is just as active as it ever was. We’re a planet in motion. Discover why earthquakes might be increasing worldwide… descend into daring cave exploration… and take a trip to Hawaii where new volcanoes are gurgling up right now.

Plus – the supervolcano under Yellowstone Park… when might it erupt again?

Guests:

• Robert Nadeau – Geologist, University of California, Berkeley Seismological Laboratory and part of a team from Rice University researching the San Andreas Fault
• Joel Achenbach – Reporter, author of “When Yellowstone Explodes”, August 2009 National Geographic cover story
• Jim Kauahikaua – Scientist-in-Charge, United States Geologic Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
• Pat Kambesis – Geologist, Assistant Director of the Hoffman Environmental Research Institute at Western Kentucky University

Permalink: http://radio.seti.org/episodes/Extreme_Geology

You can listen to this and other episodes at http://radio.seti.org/, and be sure to check out Are We A Blog?, the companion blog to the radio show

Are We Alone for 10/13/09 - Extreme Geology

Are We Alone - Extreme Geology

We think of major geologic events as taking place a long time ago – but the Earth is just as active as it ever was. We’re a planet in motion. Discover why earthquakes might be increasing worldwide… descend into daring cave exploration… and take a trip to Hawaii where new volcanoes are gurgling up right now.

Plus – the supervolcano under Yellowstone Park… when might it erupt again?

Guests:

• Robert Nadeau – Geologist, University of California, Berkeley Seismological Laboratory
• Joel Achenbach – Reporter, author of “When Yellowstone Explodes”, August 2009 National Geographic cover story
• Jim Kauahikaua – Geologist, United States Geologic Survey Hawaii Volcano Observatory
• Pat Kambesis – Geologist, Assistant Director of the Hoffman Environmental Research Institute at Western Kentucky University

You can listen to this and other episodes at http://radio.seti.org/, and be sure to check out Are We A Blog?, the companion blog to the radio show.