How Do Space Telescope Work?

What the heck are neutrinos?

Jun 23, 202654 minSummary

In this episode of The Supermassive Podcast, hosts Izzy Clark and Dr. Becky Smethurst explore the mysterious world of neutrinos, the subatomic particles that pass through our bodies by the trillions every second. Joined by experts including Dr. Robert Massey and Dr. Kirsty Duffy, the hosts peel back the layers on these incredibly light, uncharged, and elusive particles that have baffled scientists for decades. The discussion covers the fundamental nature of neutrinos, explaining how they exist in three flavors and why their surprising discovery of mass challenges the Standard Model of particle physics. The episode highlights why neutrinos are vital messengers from the "violent universe," detailing their role in supernova explosions and the potential to signal the birth of black holes. Listeners will learn why these particles are not considered dark matter, how they have been used to capture an image of the sun from beneath the Earth's surface, and the cutting-edge theory that neutrinos might hold the key to understanding why matter dominates over antimatter in our universe. It is a fascinating look at the particles that influence existence itself.

Why Is There Motion in the Universe?

Jun 12, 202618 minSummary

In this bonus episode of The Supermassive Podcast, the hosts tackle a variety of listener-submitted questions that bridge the gap between complex astrophysics and everyday curiosity. The team begins by addressing the mechanics of stellar collisions, explaining how white dwarf stars, often described as crystalline diamond cores, might merge rather than simply bounce off one another in a cosmic billiards scenario. The conversation then shifts to the Earth-Moon system, detailing the precise ways scientists measure the Moon’s slow recession from our planet and clarifying why a future state of perfect tidal locking is unlikely to occur before the Sun expands into a red giant. The hosts also explore the fundamental nature of motion in the universe, discussing how energy, temperature, and quantum mechanics contribute to the movement of matter from the earliest moments of existence. Finally, the episode touches on the fascinating reality that our solar system is constantly traveling through different galactic neighborhoods, meaning that if one were to travel back to the age of the dinosaurs, they would find themselves in a completely different sector of the Milky Way with an unrecognizable night sky.