Best Exoplanet Exploration Podcasts (2025)

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Reinventing SETI: Why Aliens Might Be Watching Us Now | Interview with John Gertz 15:06

17h ago15:06

15:06

Join host Chuck Fields on "Your Space Journey" for an eye-opening interview with John Gertz, author of "Reinventing SETI: New Directions in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence" (Oxford University Press, 2025). As a SETI pioneer and founder of the Foundation for Investment in Research on SETI, John challenges outdated ideas like the Drake E…

1
And Just Like That, You Have Nostalgia 22:19

3h ago22:19

22:19

Every parent has wondered if their baby’s crying is normal at some point or another. While there is no “normal,” evidence shows that genetics might actually have a part to play in how long babies cry for. And another universal experience, harking back to “the good old days” in pop culture and our personal lives. Senior Producer, Teresa Carey, speak…

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Episode 41: Mathematical Romance Disaster - Dr. Zephyr Multigloom Calculates Your Love Life (And It's Only 28.57% Efficient) 1:11:38

6d ago1:11:38

1:11:38

Send us a text Ever wondered if your relationship needs a mathematical audit? Dr. Zephyr Multigloom, a seven-eyed Mathematical Relationship Counsellor from Septaria Prime, arrives with equations, efficiency calculations, and the firm belief that human couples are statistically doomed. Episode Highlights: The infamous 47-page love equation with foot…

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The La Brea Tar Pits Are a Climate Crime Scene! 27:52

7d ago27:52

27:52

Los Angeles is home to the only place in the world where ancient fossils are being actively excavated in the middle of the city: The La Brea Tar Pits. Today, host Dr. Samantha Yammine speaks to the deputy director and assistant curator of the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, Dr. Regan Dunn. They talk about what makes this site so fascinating and what w…

1
Episode 106 - Megastructures (Part III) 35:15

12d ago35:15

35:15

Sixty years ago, famed physicist Freeman Dyson theorized that advanced civilizations, in their ongoing quest to find more living space and energy, would convert their solar system into a megastructure enclosing their star. This gave rise to the concept of megastructures, many of which have been theorized over the years. These hypothetical structure…

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Ozempic & Prescribed Quiet with Dr. Emma Beckett 18:09

18d ago18:09

18:09

Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications are everywhere. But with so much information available about this category of drug, it can be hard to know what to trust. Today, host Dr. Samantha Yammine speaks with Dr. Emma Beckett, a food and nutrition scientist, to unpack the facts and fictions behind GLP-1s and how we talk about them. Sam also talks with a …

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Rocket Lab's Mars Telecom Orbiter & Sample Return: Red Planet Revolution! 🚀 5:03

19d ago5:03

5:03

Unlock the future of Mars exploration with Rocket Lab’s innovative Mars Telecommunications Orbiter (MTO) and Sample Return (MSR) proposal! This deep dive covers the essential role of high-bandwidth comms for astronaut safety, the game-changing firm-fixed-price model, and how MTO enables sample returns from the Red Planet. Featuring 2025 updates: ES…

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DNA Doesn’t Always Solve Crime 26:23

25d ago26:23

26:23

Forensic DNA is supposed to be the end all be all when it comes to solving crime, so why are there so many false convictions when it comes to using DNA evidence? Today, Senior Producer Teresa Carey talks to Dr. Gregory Hampikian about forensic DNA, fingerprints, AI, and the limitations of scientific evidence in criminal investigations. Host, Dr. Sa…

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Perseid Meteor Shower 2025: Best Viewing Tips & Epic Cosmic Secrets! 8:27

1M ago8:27

8:27

Get ready for the 2025 Perseid Meteor Shower with this ultimate guide! Join us as we dive into the cosmic fireworks lighting up the night sky on August 11-13, 2025. Learn the best tips to catch 50-100 meteors per hour, uncover the fascinating history of Comet Swift-Tuttle, and discover why this summer spectacle is a must-see. From dark sky strategi…

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Sharks Ghosted South Africa and Alison Towner Has the Receipts 29:59

1M ago29:59

29:59

Sharks are vanishing from South Africa’s coast and Alison Towner knows why. One of the world’s top great white experts and a leading woman in STEM, Alison joins Dr. Samantha Yammine to break down her new Shark Week specials: Air Jaws: Return of Colossus and Great White Assassins and reveal what’s really happening to these iconic predators. Then, Sa…

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Unveiling TWA-7B: JWST’s First Direct Image of a New Exoplanet! 6:17

1M ago6:17

6:17

Dive into the cosmos with the James Webb Space Telescope’s groundbreaking discovery of TWA-7B, its first directly imaged exoplanet! This Saturn-mass gas giant, located 111 light-years away, is the lightest exoplanetever captured this way, revolutionizing our ability to spot distant worlds. Learn how JWST’s cutting-edge MIRI coronagraph unveiled thi…

1
Breakdown Episode 40: Inside the Viral Phenomenon of "When Aliens Come to Tea" Episode 40 - Parental Unit Prime 11:35

1M ago11:35

11:35

Send us a text Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of a podcast episode that breaks the intergalactic internet? In this special deep dive, we've gained exclusive access to the internal production reports, biohazard team notes, and viewer analytics from "When Aliens Come to Tea" Episode 40 - "Parental Unit Prime." Join us as we unpack the g…

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Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s First Light: A New Era 7:40

1M ago7:40

7:40

Witness the Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s historic first light on June 23, 2025! Located in Chile, its massive LSST Camera is scanning the skies, capturing asteroids, dark matter, and more. Discover how this revolutionary telescope is transforming astronomy with unprecedented cosmic clarity. Subscribe to explore the universe’s mysteries unveiled!…

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Shark Week Gets Toxic: Forrest Galante Tracks Alien Sharks 31:27

1M ago31:27

31:27

Shark Week returns July 20 on Discovery! This episode is the Shark Week audio companion Part 1! Dr. Samantha Yammine dives into the most surprising shark science of 2025, from sharks that make noise to the nano-scale ‘sharkitecture’ inside their skeletons. Sam also interviews Forrest Galante, wildlife biologist and featured Shark Week expert in Ali…

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Episode 105 - Megastructures (Part II) 29:08

1M ago29:08

29:08

Neil Blevins' artwork: http://neilblevins.com/ Centauri Dreams (Paul Glister): https://www.centauri-dreams.org/By ITSPmagazine.com

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Why Did This Star Explode Twice? 5:26

1M ago5:26

5:26

🌟 A star exploded TWICE, and we’ve got the first-ever image! Discover the mind-blowing double-detonation supernova SNR 0509-67.5, captured by ESO’s Very Large Telescope. This cosmic breakthrough reveals a white dwarf’s two-stage explosion, challenging Type Ia supernova theories. Why it matters: these blasts measure cosmic distances and forge the ir…

1
Episode 40: The Parent Who Can't Let Go of Their 40 Kids (Because They're Literally Attached) 49:09

1M ago49:09

49:09

Send us a text In this fortnightly episode of "When Aliens Come to Tea," host Felix Andromeda sits down with Fleeb Parental-Unit-Prime, a Sporonite parent who gives new meaning to "helicopter parenting" - they're raising 40 offspring who are physically attached to their body and cannot be separated. This darkly hilarious conversation explores what …

1
Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS: Brightest & Fastest Visitor from Another Star System! 5:35

1M ago5:35

5:35

🌌 Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS: A Cosmic Visitor from Another Star! 🌠 Join us as we explore the incredible 3I/ATLAS, the third interstellar comet ever spotted, discovered on July 1, 2025, by NASA’s ATLAS telescope in Chile. Racing at 135,000 mph, this 12-mile-wide comet is the brightest and fastest of its kind, offering a rare glimpse into exoplanet…

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Busting Skincare Myths with Dr. Michelle Wong 28:18

2M ago28:18

28:18

The skincare industry is riddled with false advertising, misleading labels, and supposed “miracle cures.” So, as a consumer, how are you meant to know what’s fact and what’s fiction? Today, host Dr. Samantha Yammine explores the science behind skincare, from how the collagen industry is causing deforestation in the Amazon for a product that might n…

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Episode 104 - Megastructures! 28:10

2M ago28:10

28:10

In the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), scientists need to consider what technologies they should look for, including those used by a more advanced species. This has spawned the idea of Megastructures, which was first proposed in the 1960s by theoretical physicist and mathematician Freeman Dyson (who proposed the Dyson Sphere). Sinc…

1
The Puzzle of AI Ethics with Dr. Cansu Canca 22:03

2M ago22:03

22:03

You’ve heard of the attention economy, but what about the intention economy? Rather than competing for consumers’ attention, our devices are now attempting to predict our purchasing patterns through AI. And who better to discuss that issue than Dr. Cansu Canca, a leading expert in AI ethics and founder of the AI Ethics Lab? She joins Senior Produce…

1
Genetic Data and Black Americans with Dr. Janina Jeff Ringo 26:52

2M ago26:52

26:52

Genetic testing has had some ups and downs over the past few years, with wide swaths of data sets setting a precedent for potential individualized healthcare. But, oftentimes, that data misrepresents African-descended individuals and doesn’t paint the whole picture. Population geneticist Dr. Janina Jeff Ringo joins host Dr. Samantha Yammine to disc…

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Breakdown Episode 39: Ambassador Zorp Glorbax - The Investigator of Missing Common Sense 16:46

2M ago16:46

16:46

Send us a text In this hilarious episode of When Aliens Come to Tea, we explore what happens when extreme alien bureaucracy collides with human chaos Ambassador Zorp Glorbax from Flarbgarrl Prime arrives at our intergalactic tea house to investigate Earth's apparent lack of common sense - armed with a 47-page tea service protocol manual and a citat…

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Episode 103 - Space Medicine (with Dr. Shawna Pandya) 46:32

2M ago46:32

46:32

Dr. Shawna Pandya is an aeromedical transport physician, a neurosurgery and emergency medic, leader of the an aquanaut with NASA's NEEMO analog missions, director of the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences' (IIAS) Space Medicine Group, and will be Canada's first female commercial astronaut. She's also a black belt martial artist in T…

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Science Loves a Binary. Dr. Shawn Hercules Is Breaking It Down 25:05

2M ago25:05

25:05

It’s Pride Month! To help us celebrate, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Shawn Hercules, a queer, non-binary cancer researcher and science communicator. They’ll discuss Shawn’s research into breast cancer among people of African ancestry, how policies around gender affirming care can positively affect healthcare at large, and the importance of…

1
Episode 39: Ambassador Zorp Glorbax - When Common Sense Files for Vacation | Intergalactic Bureaucrat Investigates Earth's Logic Deficiencies 1:14:38

2M ago1:14:38

1:14:38

Send us a text In this hilarious episode of When Aliens Come to Tea, host Felix Andromeda welcomes Ambassador Zorp Glorbax of Flarbgarrl Prime—Lead Investigator of Missing Common Sense for the Intergalactic Division. This lavender, pear-shaped alien has made it his life's work to investigate why common sense seems to take extended vacations across …

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Science at the Edge of the Solar System 1:23:12

2M ago1:23:12

1:23:12

A Talk by Dr. Oliver White (SETI Institute) May 28, 2025 Ten years ago, the New Horizons spacecraft flew by the Pluto system and revealed an unexpectedly diverse range of landscapes on that dwarf planet and its largest moon Charon -- implying much more complex geological histories for these distant worlds than anyone expected. Dr. White leads a viv…

1
Episode 102 - My Interview with AADYA Geo Talks (Part II) 36:02

2M ago36:02

36:02

A few months ago, I had the honor of appearing on AADYA Geo Talks, the podcast series launched by Bharti Sharma and the organization she founded – AADYA, whose name means “origin” in Hindi. As a geologist and world-traveller, Sharma launched this organization to promote knowledge about planetary and geoscience and create opportunities for collabora…

1
Ocean Literacy & Conservation 31:24

2M ago31:24

31:24

The key to protecting our oceans is understanding them. So, today, host Dr. Samantha Yammine leans into learning about the power and struggles of the environments that keep our planet blue. From the power of bioluminescence and how it’s changed how we study molecular biology to the importance of salt for our bodies and cultures, there is so much to…

1
Episode 101 - My Interview with AADYA Geo Talks 33:38

3M ago33:38

33:38

A few months ago, I had the honor of appearing on AADYA Geo Talks, the podcast series launched by Bharti Sharma and the organization she founded – AADYA, whose name means “origin” in Hindi. As a geologist and world-traveller, Sharma launched this organization to promote knowledge about planetary and geoscience and create opportunities for collabora…

1
W.A.C.T Breakdown Ep. 38: Unpacking Roric Slade – Calisto Prime Logic, Optimized Malice, and the Secrets of a Fed-Up Spacesuit 19:38

3M ago19:38

19:38

Send us a text This deep dive revisits our unforgettable interview (Episode 38) with Roric Slade, the former covert information broker from paranoia-driven Calisto Prime, now a crisis mitigation consultant. We explore the source material detailing his upbringing where "trust is a liability" and data is oxygen. Discover the high-stakes biotech assig…

1
Digital Privacy & Protecting Your Data 28:16

3M ago28:16

28:16

You might think you have nothing to hide on your devices but everyone does. From bank accounts to passwords to travel plans, protecting your digital privacy is one of the biggest issues we face today. Digital privacy expert Eva Galperin joins host Dr. Samantha Yammine to discuss the importance of protecting your data and how to best do so. Sam also…

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W.A.C.T Ep. 38: Roric Slade - The Interstellar Spy Who Audits Reality 1:00:29

3M ago1:00:29

1:00:29

Send us a text Welcome back to "When Aliens Come To Tea"! This fortnight, Felix Andromeda sits down with the enigmatic Roric Slade, a man whose past is as encrypted as his former client list. Hailing from the high-stakes, paranoia-fueled corporate world of Callisto Prime, Roric was a covert information broker, dealing in secrets that could topple e…

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NASA's Budget for 2026: Tough Times Ahead 17:33

3M ago17:33

17:33

The White House recently released its budget for FY 2026, which has led to significant concerns at NASA as it recommends significant cuts to international programs, education, and research. In addition, many of these cuts call for the cancellation of key elements of NASA's Artemis Program and its plans for sending crewed missions to Mars. This incl…

1
The Scramble to Solve Space Scrap 26:21

3M ago26:21

26:21

Looking up at the dark sky on a clear night means seeing the lit up little satellites move their way around the night sky. Those satellites might be pretty to look at but researchers are currently working to solve a decades-old problem: what happens when they encounter space junk? Today, producer Teresa Carey speaks with Dr. John Crassidis from the…

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W.A.C.T Breakdown Ep. 37: Seven Goes Squishy – A Logical AI's Hilariously Doomed Quest to Understand Organic Emotion 6:56

3M ago6:56

6:56

Send us a text Welcome to Episode 37 of "When Aliens Come to Tea," famously known around the office as "Seven Goes Squishy"! Join us as we break down the galactic incident involving Unit 734 (Seven) from the Cygnus X-1 collective. This being of pure, unadulterated logic was tasked by the Concordance AI itself to decipher organic emotion after a cru…

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The Kerbal Space Program and Mission Design (feat. Dr. Rodrigo Schmitt) 44:09

3M ago44:09

44:09

The Kerbal Space Program is currently used as an educational tool to teach about spacecraft and mission design. But as Dr. Schmitt tells us, it should be used as a method for designing whole mission architectures. For years, Schmitt has relied on KSP and its realism mods to design and simulate missions, including those that will take astronauts bac…

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Climate Change in the Pacific Islands 30:57

3M ago30:57

30:57

It’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and we’re using this week’s episode to highlight scientists and researchers from those regions to emphasize their contributions to science across all different fields of study. Then, Sam speaks with Dr. Steven Mana’oakamai Johnson. He explains how people are responding to clim…

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W.A.C.T Ep. 37: Unit 734 & The Empathy Algorithm – When a Logic AI Proves Feelings Have Function 59:51

3M ago59:51

59:51

Send us a text This fortnight on "When Aliens Come To Tea," Felix Andromeda pours a cosmically complex brew with Unit 734 (or "Seven"), a Cross-Cultural Behavioral Analyst from the purely logical Cygnian Concordance. Seven’s mission: decode messy organic emotion. But when a critical diplomatic negotiation faced a 78.4% chance of failure under pure …

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The Growing Problem of Space Junk 23:45

3M ago23:45

23:45

In Earth's orbit, there are millions of debris objects that pose a collision risk for satellites and space stations. If left unchecked, the situation could lead to a cascading effect known as Kessler Syndrome. While space agencies worldwide track and monitor objects in orbit to prevent collisions, strategies for active debris removal are needed and…

1
Birding for Beginners in a Changing World 33:35

3M ago33:35

33:35

Birdwatching has taken off as a hobby in recent years, and for good reason! Birds are vital members of our planet’s ecosystems and are major bioindicators when it comes to understanding how climate change is affecting different environments. Joining host Dr. Samantha Yammine today are two passionate birders who use science to understand bird behavi…

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Will AI Replace Scientists? 22:25

4M ago22:25

22:25

The tasks that AI is able to perform has grown exponentially over the years but there are a few things AI still struggles with, like accurately mimicking scientific methodology. Dr. James Zou joins host Dr. Samantha Yammine today to discuss recent updates in AI’s ability to play the role of scientist. He is an associate professor of Biomedical Data…

1
Indigenous Climate Solutions, Virus Thaw, AI Brain Implant 17:49

4M ago17:49

17:49

When tackling solutions to climate change, we tend to focus on westernized approaches rather than listening to Indigenous Peoples about the best ways to protect our earth. So, today, just in time for Earth Day, Dr. Samantha Yammine speaks with Dr. Myrle Ballard about natural resource and environmental management from Indigenous perspectives. Then, …

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New Worlds: Analyzing the Atmospheres of Exoplanets with the James Webb Space Telescope 1:22:52

4M ago1:22:52

1:22:52

Non-technical Talk by Prof. Jonathan Fortney (U. of California, Santa Cruz) Apr. 9, 2025 Over 6000 planets have now been found around other stars, but we only have information about what their atmospheres are like for a few dozen. NASA's powerful James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which features a 20-foot mirror in space, is currently being used to…

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Iceberg Ahead, Microbiome Map, Non-Alcoholic Wine 27:51

4M ago27:51

27:51

Icebergs are natural behemoths, littered across the ocean. They are both subjects of awe and fear among sailors so today, Dr. Samantha Yammine discusses the ins and outs of these ginormous monoliths with an experienced sailor and iceberg admirer, producer Teresa Carey. Then, Sam speaks to Dr. Beth Culp, a lead author on a recent study that maps out…

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Breakdown Episode 36: The Great Gravity Glitch, Sentient Socks & Questioning Reality 8:04

4M ago8:04

8:04

Send us a text Dive into Intergalactic Insider Episode 36, where cosmic chaos is the new normal! We start in Neo Alexandria, exploring the ethical maze of 'Persona Weavers' and the Authenticity Guild's concerns about genuine identity. Then, brace yourself for galactic gravity glitches – from Felix Andromeda stuck ceiling-side to rogue space bananas…

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Fungal Zombies, Audible Enclaves, mRNA Vaccines 26:32

4M ago26:32

26:32

Fungal parasites like the ones shown in The Last of Us might not be starting up a zombie apocalypse anytime soon but that doesn’t mean they’re not causing trouble in other ways. Host Dr. Samantha Yammine speaks with Dr. Carolyn Elya, a mycologist specializing in fungi’s unique ability to take over the brains of insects. They discuss how that compar…

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Episode 36: The Great Gravity Subscription Crisis, Octuple Helix Humans & Alien Tech Disasters 48:58

4M ago48:58

48:58

Send us a text Reality is unstable! Felix Andromeda kicks things off floating on his ceiling as GraviCorp's system-wide outage causes the Great Gravity Subscription Crisis – plunging millions into zero-G chaos, sparking black markets, and revealing corporate absurdity (Unicorn tears?!). Then, delve deep into xenogenetics with Dr. Rip Helix as we ex…

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Adolescent Turtles, Measles, Lab-Grown Diamonds 22:34

5M ago22:34

22:34

We’re all about answering questions here at Curiosity Weekly. Questions like: where do baby sea turtles actually go when they waddle from their cozy beach nest into the ocean? Host Dr. Samantha Yammine explores the mysteries of adolescent sea turtles before bringing on our special guest, Jessica Malaty Rivera, to answer even more questions, this ti…

1
Flower Trade, Climate Tech, Aquafaba 33:08

5M ago33:08

33:08

Spring has officially sprung! The birds are chirping, the bees are buzzing and flowers are blooming. But, have you ever wondered the journey that flowers take from the soil to your vase at home? Today on Curiosity Weekly, author Amy Stewart joins Dr. Samantha Yammine to chat about the global flower trade. Sam is also joined by producer Teresa Carey…

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Exoplanet Exploration Podcasts

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