The Supermassive Podcast

The Royal Astronomical Society

This is The Supermassive Podcast from the Royal Astronomical Society. Every month, science journalist Izzie Clarke and astrophysicist Dr Becky Smethurst take you through the universe with the latest research, history from the society’s archives and astronomy you can do from your own home. Support the team by buying their book, The Year in Space - https://geni.us/jNcrw You can send your questions to the team via [email protected] or follow them on Instagram @SupermassivePod. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media Production by Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham.

  • 43 minutes 57 seconds
    57: Untangling the Cosmic Web
    Izzie and Dr Becky are untangling the cosmic web - the large scale structure of the universe - with help from Dr Chiara Mingarelli from Yale University. What the heck is it? What do we know about it? And can we use gravitational waves to "see" it? Plus, Dr Robert Massey is on hand to answer your questions.

    Got a question for the team? Contact us on [email protected] or find us on Instagram, @SupermassivePod.

    The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media Production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. 
    2 October 2024, 1:00 am
  • 15 minutes 53 seconds
    56: BONUS - What distorts time?
    What happens when a black hole and gravitational wave collide? How will the moon's gravity impact tides with rising sea levels? And "the Supermassive Wise Ones" discuss Einstein vs Newton in this bonus episode. 

    Send your questions to [email protected]


    26 September 2024, 1:00 am
  • 35 minutes 25 seconds
    56: We Made It To Mercury!
    Izzie and Dr Becky complete their tour of the solar system with a trip to Mercury, the space spirograph (copyright: Dr Becky). Join them as they explore what we know about the planet so far and what ESA's current mission, BepiColombo, is hoping to find. Plus, Dr Robert Massey is on hand to answer your questions. 

    Special thanks to guests Dr David Rothery from the Open University and Dr Simon Lindsay from the University of Leicester. 

    Don't forget to send your questions to the team via [email protected] or Instagram @SupermassivePod

    The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. 
    4 September 2024, 1:00 am
  • 13 minutes 41 seconds
    55: BONUS - Galaxy Spin and Saving Herstmonceux Observatory
    Does an instantaneous star map exist? Where are the perfect spheres in space? How did Venus get so close to the Sun? It's a bonus episode from The Supermassive team. 

    Sign the petition and support Herstmonceux Observatory here... https://www.change.org/p/save-the-observatory-science-centre-herstmonceux
    21 August 2024, 1:00 am
  • 42 minutes 49 seconds
    55: Venus aka "Earth's Evil Twin"
    This is Venus’ moment in the supermassive spotlight. What do we know about this hellish planet? And what missions are going there in the near future? 

    Izzie and Dr Becky speak with Dr Phillipa Mason from Imperial College London about EnVision, an upcoming mission to Venus, as well as RAS librarian Sian Prosser to explore the archive. Plus Dr Robert Massey is here to take on your questions.

    The paper about the sounds on Venus can be found here

    The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production by Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. 
    1 August 2024, 1:00 am
  • 22 minutes 39 seconds
    54: BONUS - Overmassive Galaxies
    The Supermassive Overmassive Podcast has a special bonus episode. Join Izzie, Dr Becky, Dr Robert and Richard as they discuss the last two years of JWST and share their recommendations for Space Book Club. 

    Recommendations:
    • Unseen Universe: New Secrets of the Cosmos Revealed by the James Webb Space Telescope by Dr Caroline Harper 
    • The Possibility of Life by Jaime Green
    • When Galaxies Were Born - Richard Ellis 
    • Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space By Adam Higginbotham

    20 July 2024, 1:00 am
  • 50 minutes 18 seconds
    54: Q&A - Black Hole Special
    Have black holes existed since the beginning of the Universe? Could we produce a black hole in the lab? Could we use gravitational waves to probe beyond the event horizon? 

    It's a black hole Q&A as Izzie put your questions to Becky and Robert. Plus, author and broadcaster, Marcus Chown, runs through a potted history of discovering black holes. His latest book on the same topic, A Crack In Everything, is out now: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/crack-in-everything-9781804544303/

    The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production by Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. 
    3 July 2024, 10:37 am
  • 14 minutes 4 seconds
    53: BONUS - Lumpy Space Potatoes
    In this month's bonus episode Izzie, Dr Becky Smethurst and Dr Robert Massey tackle questions on pulsars, woo woo sounds from black holes, imperfect spheres and alien aurorae. Send your questions to: [email protected], and we’re also on instagram @SupermassivePod. 

    The Supermassive podcast is produced by Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham and is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society.

    21 June 2024, 11:01 pm
  • 47 minutes 52 seconds
    53: The Major Lunar Standstill
    Every 18.6 years, our moon reaches its farthest northern and southern point, known as a major lunar standstill. This month, Izzie and Dr Becky are exploring why this might be significant to Stonehenge in the UK and another historical site in the US called Chimney Rock. With special thanks to Dr Heather Sebire, Dr Amanda Chadburn and Dr Erica Ellingson.

    The southernmost Moonrise at Stonehenge will be livestreamed, allowing viewers to witness this celestial spectacle firsthand. Plus, there'll be events throughout the standstill season which include talks, a pop-up planetarium, stargazing sessions, storytelling, and a new exhibition display at the Stonehenge visitor centre in October. To find out more, visit...  
    https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/things-to-do/major-lunar-standstill/#:~:text=Stonehenge%20is%20famous%20for%20its,'major%20lunar%20standstill'%20occurs.

    Or have a look at Chimney Rock in Colorado: 
    https://www.chimneyrockco.org/puebloan-resources/lunar-standstill/

    The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media Production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. 
    4 June 2024, 1:00 am
  • 19 minutes 50 seconds
    52: BONUS - Why does the Aurora Borealis look better on my phone?
    The UK witnessed the most amazing Northern Lights in years.... And Izzie missed it.

    In this bonus episode, Dr Becky Smethurst, Dr Robert Massey and Izzie Clarke talk about those Northern Lights and answer your questions. What is Jupiter's giant blue dot? If the sun is losing mass (by giving out energy) will that affect the gravity and orbit of the solar system? And how do you date a rock? 
    23 May 2024, 7:31 am
  • 47 minutes 58 seconds
    52: Voyager: Where no-one has gone before...
    Two of the most remarkable spacecraft ever launched are the stars of this month’s episode: Voyager 1 and Voyager 2. Izzie and Dr Becky talk to Dr Jamie Rankin, the mission’s current Deputy project scientist, and editor Richard gets to chat to Ann Druyan, the original Creative Director of the Golden Record project, who worked alongside her husband Carl Sagan.

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

    29 April 2024, 11:01 pm
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