astro[sound]bites
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Astrobites for your ears. Three grad students bring you cutting-edge research findings in astronomy and connect the dots between diverse subfields.
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3 days ago
Episode 79: The Vanishing Act
Spooky season is here! In this episode, we’re investigating the ghostly disappearances of astrophysical objects. Sabrina does some detective work to solve the mystery of a missing black hole, and Kiersten tries to convince her that Halloween is the best holiday. Meanwhile, Cormac convenes with ghosts of stars to figure out where they have vanished off to. It turns out that gravitational waves are the perfect medium for an astrophysical seance!
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2022/05/10/missing-black-hole/
https://astrobites.org/2023/08/12/vanishing-stars-massive-island/
Space sound:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Xo3HajfkrKQ
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Sep 17, 2023
Episode 78: There’s More Air out There
We went on summer break (or winter break for our astronomer down under) but JWST did not! In our first episode back, we report on two new JWST Astrobites about exoplanet atmosphere. Kiersten tells us about the search for an atmosphere in a famous planetary system, Sabrina explains how poisonous gasses can signal “pre-life,” and Will appreciates null results that aren’t his own.
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2023/08/08/vibe-checking-trappist-1c/
https://astrobites.org/2023/08/19/signs-of-pre-life-jwst/
Space sound:
https://chandra.si.edu/photo/2022/sonify5/animations.html
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Jul 31, 2023
Episode 77.5: Astro[sound]bites on three continents
In this episode, astro[sound]bites gets even more international as we welcome our new co-host, Cormac Larkin, based in Europe! We sit down in three different time zones and continents to learn more about Cormac and discuss what we’re each excited about for the next year of astro[sound]bites.
Introduction to research with astro[sound]bites:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1ztsQ92NeV0Nzhg0ZaohNB?si=a5a06325cb444076
Introduction to exoplanets with astro[sound]bites:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4YQaowzQUGlSiyQdtdglUy?si=9e1201dbabf34ba8
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Jul 3, 2023
Episode 77: The Air out There
We take a deep breath of exoplanet atmospheres, discussing what JWST is capable of and what it already has accomplished using transmission spectroscopy. In this episode, we learn that Sabrina misses SOFIA, brown dwarfs have sandy clouds, and Will knows a thing or two about Picaso (yes, that’s with one “s”). AND as a tribute to Black Space Week, following up from Episode 76, the papers we presented in this episode were both written by Black astronomers.
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2021/12/22/atmospheres-small-planets-big-telescope/
https://astrobites.org/2022/09/02/jwsts-first-direct-spectrum/
Space sound: HARP. You can sign up to be a part of this amazing citizen science research!
https://listen.spacescience.org/
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Jun 18, 2023
Episode 76: Black In Astro 2023
Only 1% of Physics PhDs awarded to US citizens were to Black students in 2019 (according to the American Institute of Physics). In celebration of Juneteenth, we’ve invited the Black In Astro team to chat about their mission to support and highlight Black people in space science-related fields. We hear about their trajectories in space sciences and astronomy and their perspectives on the future. This episode’s release also marks the beginning of Black Space Week hosted by Black in Astro! They tell us how the celebration will be bigger and better in 2023 to continue celebrating Black scientists worldwide.
Black In Astro: https://www.blackinastro.com/
Black Space Week 2023: https://www.blackinastro.com/posters-and-advertisements-for-bsw2023
Juneteenth: https://www.nytimes.com/article/juneteenth-day-celebration.html
Black Representation in Physics & Astronomy: https://astrobites.org/2020/06/12/blackinastro-black-representation-in-astro-physics-and-the-impact-of-discrimination/
American Institute of Physics Report: https://www.aip.org/statistics/reports/trends-physics-phds-171819
Articles:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41578-021-00361-5
https://hbr.org/2019/11/the-costs-of-codeswitching
https://onezero.medium.com/a-break-up-letter-with-astronomy-from-a-young-black-woman-a30de24fe209
https://www.forbes.com/sites/janicegassam/2022/02/11/does-academia-actually-want-black-professors/?sh=6af2a1b1f4ca
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-diversity-makes-us-smarter/
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May 29, 2023
Episode 75: Stellar Snacks
Did you know that talking about astronomy can actually make you hungry? In this episode, Kiersten and Will take us on a culinary adventure through food themed astrobites. Instead of starting with the main course, Will takes us to Mars for dessert where we dine on a meteorite that initially got confused for a huge piece of chocolate. Then, Kiersten takes us to a stellar cooking class where we learn about the ingredients needed to make small exoplanets and its striking similarities to baking a cake.
Sonification & Visualization:
Sounds of Exoplanet Systems: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idlB8JgKGU4
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2023/04/29/cacao-meteorite-and-other-fe-ni-meteorites-on-mars/
https://astrobites.org/2022/10/21/the-great-planet-bake-off/
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May 14, 2023
Episode 74: Super Co-Host, Super Alex, Supernova
Before we bid our tearful farewells to Alex, Sabrina and Kiersten present and discuss two of his three publications. We learn how Alex developed and deployed a machine learning model to classify supernovae using only photometry from their host galaxies! Now that Alex is a *doctor*, he’s taking his machine learning and supernova expertise to MIT and Harvard. During the episode, Will peppers Alex with some important and some…less than important interview questions. Together the gang explores what happens when you try to replace your friend with an AI.
Paper Kiersten presented: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2105.09963.pdf
Paper Sabrina presented: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2305.08894.pdf
Another of Alex’s papers (for the supernova lovers): https://arxiv.org/pdf/2008.09630.pdf
Alex’s inspiration for Will’s space sound: https://twitter.com/alexgagliano/status/1648034047942066176?cxt=HHwWgICw1YSP_94tAAAA
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Apr 29, 2023
Episode 73: Astrophysical Prison Break
Episode 73: Astrophysical Prison Break
We’re planning a prison break! But first, we’re consulting the experts on this topic. Sabrina takes us to a distant galaxy cluster to figure out how so much light is escaping. Once we know how it’s breaking free, Will brings us back a little closer to home where he consults with the Trojans (and we don’t mean the ones from Homer’s Odyssey) about how a fraction of their fellow soldiers made a successful getaway. As Kiersten comes along for the ride, she makes the terrible mistake of mentioning the dreaded space sound by name. Will we successfully escape? Or will we be caught and forced to listen to space sounds forever?
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2023/03/11/
https://astrobites.org/2020/05/13/
Space sound:
https://youtu.be/BAWkuv1HXy4
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Apr 15, 2023
Episode 72: A Trip to the Optometrist
In case your graduate student insurance doesn’t cover you over the summer, join us now as we take a quick trip to the optometrist! Kiersten checks the prescription of a neural network in finding strong lenses, and compares the results to those found by the original signers of the Declaration of Independence (there were 56, not 55, but Will gets his facts from National Treasure). Will takes us to the bleeding edge of the early Universe to a tiny protocluster lensed by JWST. Alex can’t decide on a final space sound so he chooses a black hole, a giant star, an X-ray transient, a quasar, AND a nova, all wrapped into one.
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2023/02/16
https://astrobites.org/2022/12/17
Space sound:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m1QE3lVDi8
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Mar 25, 2023
Episode 71: Galaxies Say Halo
Today we say halo from a bird’s eye view of the Universe by exploring some of the largest simulations that exist. Kiersten tells us how cosmological simulations help us study the black hole populations that the next generation of gravitational wave detectors will discover. We also say our first goodbye to Alex as he presents his last astrobite (but don’t worry, he’ll still be around for a few more episodes!). He teaches us that most astrophysicists do not have an aversion to genetically modified organisms, especially when those GMOs are dark matter halos in the early universe.
Want to join the team? Apply to be an a[s]b co-host here!
Sonification & Visualization: https://vimeo.com/160122270
The Datasaurus Dozen: https://www.autodesk.com/research/publications/same-stats-different-graphs
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2023/03/09/smbh-mergers-in-cosmological-simulations/
https://astrobites.org/2021/05/03/genetic-galaxy-halos/
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Mar 11, 2023
Episode 70: Astronomy 10 Years into the Future Part II
Who knew a decade would fly by so quickly? In the dramatic conclusion of our two-part series, we explore cosmology, supernovae, and galaxy evolution in the year 2033 (or 2034, if you ask Kiersten about Dragonfly). Alex tells us how massive stars might live out their final days (after a few too many disclaimers), and Sabrina portmanteaus her way through the early universe with a baby quasar in tow. We get eight futuristic forecasts from colleagues near and far (and none of them are Australian), and then we throw out our wildest predictions to tie it all together.
Do you think we’ll see a Galactic supernova soon? Will we discover life on Mars, Titan, or in the surface chemistry of some distant exoplanet? Or will a solar storm fry all our tech before we get there? Let us know by tweeting at us @astrosoundbites. We can’t wait to discuss.
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2021/09/29/a-stars-final-words/
https://astrobites.org/2022/05/11/missing-link-quasars/
Space sound:
https://twitter.com/esascience/status/990625583989186560
AGN/Galaxy classification guide:
https://astrobites.org/guides/galaxy-and-agn-types/
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Feb 26, 2023
Episode 69: Astronomy 10 Years into the Future Part I
What will astronomy be like in the year 2033?
In the first of this two-part series, we predict the (short-term) fate of the solar system, exoplanets, and the culture of astronomy a decade down the line. Kiersten and Will both focus on planets, one close to home and the other (hopefully) not too far away. We then get futuristic forecasts from six guest astronomers working around the world, who paint us an exciting (and slightly troubling) picture of new-wave astrophysics, covering everything from the role of machine learning to a crisis in publishing, with discoveries of Earth-like exoplanets in between!
Stay tuned for Part II, in which Alex and Sabrina will talk about the more distant universe and eight more guest astronomers describe the future of their fields.
Astrobites:
astrobites.org/2023/02/13/earth-as-an-exoplanet/
astrobites.org/2021/05/08/where-to-find-biosignatures-on-mars-a-case-for-clays/
Space sound:
https://eos.org/articles/nasas-perseverance-rover-records-the-firs…
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Feb 12, 2023
Episode 68: Breaking the Stigma around Community College Part II
Episode 68: Breaking the Stigma Around Community College Part II
In our second episode taking another in-depth look into community college, we start off by hearing about Sabrina’s experiences. She tells us about her journey from attending high school abroad to starting community college. Kiersten also interviews , Prof. Andria Schwortz, a physics and astronomy professor at Quinsigamond Community College. Join us on an adventure to Europe, community college, and with a second love story sprinkled in. Don’t forget to check out our associated astrobites beyond post!
Prof. Andria Schwortz twitter: https://twitter.com/aschwortz
Equity image link: https://healthcity.bmc.org/policy-and-industry/health-equity-vs-health-equality-whats-difference
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Jan 29, 2023
Episode 67: Breaking the Stigma Around Community College Part I
Did you know that half of our astro[sound]bites co-hosts went to community college? We’re here to talk about our experiences and work towards breaking the stigma! This is our first episode in this two part series which features Kiersten’s trajectory from community college into a brilliant exoplanet scientist. Next, Alex interviews Dra. Natalie Nicole Sanchez, an NSF MPS-Ascend postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Observatories and Caltech, whose interest in astrophysics was sparked while studying art at community college. Join us on a whirlwind tour of engineering, love affairs, and artistic endeavors - and stay tuned for an associated astrobites post!
Link to Dra. Sanchez’s twitter: https://twitter.com/the_n_nicole
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Dec 17, 2022
Episode 66: B-Field Bonanza
This episode is all about magnetic fields because we couldn’t stay away from such a polarizing topic! Alex takes us on a journey to the center of a star where we find how intense its magnetic field actually is. Along the way, Kiersten brings up a blast from the past with a sonification that had its own record release. To wrap up, Sabrina tells how we can use radio waves to find an exoplanet with a magnetic field because cosmic rays and solar winds don’t sound like a pleasant time for us humans.
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2022/07/19/
https://astrobites.org/2022/09/08/
Space sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5MHsnc67yw
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Dec 4, 2022
Episode 65: A Tale of Sixes
In this episode, the gang catches multiplicity mania and learn about sextuple systems of stars, galaxies, and planets. Sabrina brings us an astrobite that resonates with us all (or maybe none of us), Will the Fourth carries the torch in studying the hierarchical Castor system, and Alex speeds through a requiem for high-redshift galaxies taken from us too soon.
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2021/09/30
https://astrobites.org/2022/11/07
https://astrobites.org/2022/02/26
Compact Object Merging with its Companion Star Triggering a Supernova:
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/astronomy-star-swallow-black-hole-supernova-cosmology
Space sound: https://vimeo.com/621744665
A transient radio source consistent with a merger-triggered core collapse supernova: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abg6037
In-Vitro Is Not The Only Reason Older Women Have More Twins:
https://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20060222/older-women-more-likely-to-have-twins
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Nov 21, 2022
Episode 64: Our Take on Landmark Papers Part II
We’re back with more of the most important papers in our subfields. Sabrina tells us how Karl, an engineer at Bell Labs, became the father of radio astronomy and stole her heart through time and space. Kiersten couldn’t pick just one paper so she choses a review article and gives it a favorable review on our own little a[s]b revue program.
The gang really struggles on the space sound and then decides it just might be okay to peak in grad school.
Papers:
https://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/pdf/1933PA.....41..548J
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1086/428383/pdf
Space sound: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/14/19/5065
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Nov 8, 2022
Episode 63: Our Take on Landmark Papers Part I
Episode 63: Our Take on Landmark Papers Part I
In this week’s episode, we take a deeper look into Alex and Will’s research through two landmark papers in their field. Will pulls out a strip chart to teach us about how Neptune’s atmosphere looked in the 1960s (and why it’s still important today). Alex gives us a deeper look into explosive transients and presents a paper on supernovae from the early 1970s that reveals the power of fermi estimation and a little intuition. Meanwhile, Sabrina kicks off a conversation about the ethics of research and faces the reality of not being able to check every line of source code from the simulations she uses. See you next episode for Kiersten and Sabrina’s turn!
Link to sonification competititon: https://astrosoundbites.com/astrosoundbites-sonification-challenge-2022/
Papers:
https://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/pdf/1969A%26A.....2..398K
https://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/pdf/1973A%26A....29..393D
Space Sound:
https://www.youtube.com…
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Oct 22, 2022
Episode 62: Skeletons and Monsters
Halloween is in the air! Get ready for a spoooooky episode where we take a stroll through the haunted side of the Universe. Alex takes us on a trek through a graveyard to investigate the skeletons the Milky Way is hiding - and no, we’re not talking about the candy! Then Will tells us a ghost story about the old blue monsters hiding under our extragalactic beds, but don’t worry too much. He reassured us that they only eat dust.
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2022/06/22/galactic-skeletons/
https://astrobites.org/2022/09/27/did-blue-monster-galaxies-in-the-early-universe-sweep-away-their-dust/
Space Sound:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfFoUWm3NDA
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Oct 11, 2022
Episode 61: What’s the Tea on JWST?
The gang is back! In this episode, we take a trip to the largest and the smallest astronomical scales to learn about all the exciting new ways that JWST is transforming the field in its first 100 days. Sabrina zooms out to find some sparkly galaxies and catch a glimpse into the dazzling high-redshift Universe. Then Kiersten zooms into JWST’s first directly imaged exoplanet to figure out why it’s making us all so hungry. We round out the episode with an interview from York University Professor Sarah Rugheimer, who tells us all about the science to get excited about in the years to come.
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2022/09/06/sparkling-stars/
https://astrobites.org/2022/09/01/jwsts-first-directly-imaged-exoplanet/
Space Sound:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=49&v=La9DB-bcy5Y&feature=emb_title
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Aug 15, 2022
Sabrina Holds a Press Conference
We’re herded into a crowded auditorium for a press conference held by our very own Sabrina Berger. The breaking news? We’re going on break! But not just that, we’re launching our second sonification challenge! This challenge is focused on using sound for instruction, so submit a sound that teaches us about an astronomy concept in two minutes or less. Click the link below for details. To get inspired, we hear from Jendaya Wells, a music major at Lincoln University and a member of the team using sonification to explore data from the upcoming Vera Rubin Observatory! Both her and her sonifications are very bright.
Links:
Astro[sound]bites Sonification Contest: https://astrosoundbites.com/astrosoundbites-sonification-challenge-2022/
Rubin Rhapsodies: https://lsst-tvssc.github.io/RubinRhapsodies
Sound Effects: https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk
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Aug 2, 2022
Episode 60: An Ear for Education (Sonification 2)
It’s time for our jam-packed sonification sequel, which includes two interviews, 5 (!) space sounds, and a critical fourth “i” for how sonification is used in astronomy! We’re first joined by Paul Green and Afra Ashraf, the creators of the new sonification project Sensing the Dynamic Universe. Then Sarah Kane, a senior undergrad at the University of Pennsylvania, joins us to talk about her journey in astronomy and sonification while being legally blind. We round things out by listening to kilonovae, radio interferometers, and the atmosphere of Uranus! Is there anything we didn’t discuss?
0:00 First 3 “i”s
5:05 Sensing the Dynamic Universe interview (4th “i”)
29:17 Reflections on SDU
32:14 Sarah Kane interview
55:31 Our educational sonifications
Sensing the Dynamic Universe: https://lweb.cfa.harvard.edu/sdu/index.html
Our sonification astrobite from last year: astrobites.org/2021/06/17/getting-started-in-sonification/
An article about Sarah Kane (isn’t she so…
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Jul 5, 2022
Episode 59: Staring into the Voids in the Universe
Is it Halloween yet? This week, Alex, Kiersten, and Sabrina zoom out to stare at the spookiest voids on the most massive scales. Alex tells us how we can use baryonic acoustic oscillations, or BAOs – the astrophysical counterpart to the delicious buns – to study the shapes of these voids. Sabrina turns up the power for her space sound, and we turn on the lights while listening to Kiersten describe a chilling cold spot in the CMB.
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2022/06/11/stare-into-the-void/
https://astrobites.org/2021/12/21/eridanus-supervoid/
Space Sounds:
https://www.matrix441.eu/2020/07/cmb-anisotropy/
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Jun 19, 2022
Episode 58: Funky Fluids
Episode 58: Funky Fluids
To take a break from the summer heat, Sabrina, Will, and Kiersten don their floaties and take a dive into some space fluids. Sabrina plays in the sandbox of granular instabilities, explaining how solids can behave like fluids. Then Will teleports everyone to a planet with an ocean where you’re guaranteed not to get a sunburn, but getting zapped by galactic Cosmic Rays™ might be worse.
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2022/02/11/giant-impacts-small-moons/
https://astrobites.org/2021/10/07/liquid-water-on-exomoons-beneath-sunless-skies/
Space Sounds:
https://www.system-sounds.com/5000exoplanets/
Rayleigh Taylor Instability Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HV0xE5J_HVM
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Jun 4, 2022
Episode 57: Hot Planet Summer
Break out your swim suits and fire up your Weber Spirit II 3-Burner Liquid Propane Grills, it’s summer vacation for those of us in the states! With their time off, Will, Kiersten, and Alex take a trip around the solar system in search of the best sunbathing spots. Will takes us to a molten Earth in search of the planet’s first “little dudes”, while Kiersten surfs on metallic Venusian lava flows. Alex made our road trip playlist, but it’s more ominous than we wanted.
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2022/04/19/how-a-moon-sized-deep-impact-affected-early-life-on-earth/
https://astrobites.org/2021/07/22/from-radar-mystery-to-volcanic-history-dating-venus-lava-flows-with-temperature-sensitive-minerals/
Space Sounds:
https://astrosom.com/Mar2018.php
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egmmYxXhScQ
Geological Time Scales Poster:
https://www.geosociety.org/documents/gsa/timescale/timescl.pdf
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May 21, 2022
Episode 56: Overpowered in the Universe
Episode 56: Overpowered in the Universe
In this episode, Sabrina teaches Will gamer lingo and the gang applies it to astronomy. Alex discusses a class of super-charged supernovae with bumpy and clumpy physics, and Sabrina shows us how to use pulsars to upgrade our data security (once we figure out how to uninstall Norton Antivirus).
Then we discuss whether objects in the universe really can be OP (overpowered) and Alex begins to question if he ever really understood the definition (spoiler: he didn’t).
Astrobites: https://astrobites.org/2022/02/05/slsne-show-bumps-and-wiggles-at-late-times/ https://astrobites.org/2022/03/03/pulsars-the-key-to-secure-encryption/
Space sound: https://chandra.si.edu/photo/2022/sgra/animations.html#audio
Sonification Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida); Image Credit: Radio: EHT Collaboration; X-ray (NASA/CXC/SAO); Infrared (NASA/HST/STScI)
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May 7, 2022
Episode 55.5: Four Moving For-ward
Our astro[sound]bites family has grown! New co-hosts Kiersten Boley and Sabrina Berger join Alex Gagliano and Will Saunders as the four moving forward. From now on, you’ll be hearing from three of us in each episode, so get ready to mix and match your favorite a[s]b combo pack.
In this mini-episode, we get to know our new co-hosts a little and share some of the things we’re excited about in the coming year. We also learn that Kiersten’s voice is smooth as silk, Sabrina definitely doesn’t hate radio astronomy, Will is ready to be a 3am disc jockey, and Alex sleeps soundly at night, unafraid of the carnivorous cosmos.
Space sounds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESz8Cvirh00&ab_channel=ChandraX-rayObservatory (NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida))
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGXCRtMzdSE&ab_channel=atzan
(NASA/STScI/Lightkurve Collaboration
More about sonification: https://astrosoundbites.com/2021/04/11/episode-33-scintillating-sounds-of-science/
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Apr 24, 2022
Episode 55: Exoplanets, Exits, and Exciting New Directions
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end. In her final episode as co-host, Malena reflects on her graduate school experience, research interests, and celebrity crushes. Will brings us Malena’s research to unlock the mysteries of planet formation through interstellar aliens, and Alex shifts the conversation and stacks together Malena’s results on the hunt for Planet 9. He also spends way too long making the space sound.
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2019/09/23/aliens-among-us/
https://astrobites.org/2020/12/15/shift-stacking/
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Apr 9, 2022
Episode 54: Dusting off the Disks
Episode 54: Dusting off the Disks
We recorded this episode a few months ago and are dusting it off today. We’re leaving a bit of dust though, because that’s what makes debris disks so exciting! Malena tells us about a disk that is both beautiful in appearance and in its scientific potential to reveal planetary dynamics. Alex tells us about a disk that might have as much water as the solar system, but unfortunately none of it is liquid (or confirmed). Will brings us a space sound that makes the episode a little more trashy.
Astrobites:
astrobites.org/2019/07/09/potential-comets-water-vapor-around-beta-pic/
astrobites.org/2017/06/30/a-ring-of-ice-and-glows-around-fomalhaut/
The “fabulous four”:
Vega (https://www.star-facts.com/vega/vega-debris-disk/),
Beta Pictoris (https://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/hubble-gets-best-view-of-circumstellar-debris-disk-distorted-by-planet),
Fomalhaut (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/science/rogue-fomalhaut.html), Epsilon Eridani…
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Mar 27, 2022
Episode 53: Lethargic Lads and Ladies
What’s the opposite of high-energy astrophysics? In today’s episode, we recognize the unsung heroes of astronomy: the low-energy, sleepy objects that keep on chugging in spite of it all. Will describes recent findings that the Sun is a bit sleepier than its peers, Alex Illustr(is/ates) how galaxy cluster fly-bys can make an ultra-diffuse galaxy a little more chill, and Malena delivers an uncharacteristically non-thematic space sound. To top it off, we learn about the slowest song ever written (hold your applause until the end).
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2021/10/04/dead-udgs/
https://astrobites.org/2022/01/29/is-the-sun-a-lazy-star/
Space Sound:
https://www.eso.org/public/announcements/ann19045/
Fate of the Universe video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD4izuDMUQA
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Mar 12, 2022
Episode 52: Spectacular Stellar Streams
In this episode, the gang struggles to come up with a title (and Will manages to still get it wrong in the outro). More importantly, we are joined by PhD student Sophia Lilleengen, who tells us about her research into stellar streams and dark matter in the Milky Way, as well as her career in astronomy so far. Malena presents research about a quirky stellar stream and wonders if it could contain the answers to everything, all of it.
Sophia Lilleengen’s website: sophialilleengen.me
Twitter: twitter.com/sophililleengen
Space sound:
aip.de/en/news/exploring-the-history-of-the-early-milky-way-with-sound/
Astrobite: astrobites.org/2022/02/14/analyzing-orphan-stream/
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Feb 26, 2022
Episode 51: A Picture of Polarization
How are your sunglasses like the stars, planets, and galaxies that comprise our universe? Not only do they look cool – they’re also no stranger to polarization! In today’s episode, Will describes a mysterious transient lurking within our own galaxy, while Malena shares how baby magnetic fields might have polarized the baby Universe. Alex guides us through a trashy symphony of delightful debris, showing that even space junk can be eerily beautiful.
Astrobites:
astrobites.org/2021/10/18
astrobites.org/2021/10/05
Space Sound: http://www.projectadrift.co.uk/#jumplisten
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Feb 12, 2022
Episode 50:50 Careers in 50 Minutes
Pop the champagne and blow out the candles, it’s our fiftieth episode!! To celebrate, we’ve prepared a list of fifty different paths that you can take with a degree in physics or astronomy. What’s the difference between soft money and hard money? What does Sir David Attenborough think about the moon? How do you really pronounce the word “potpourri”? Listen to this episode to have two of these questions answered.
Career Resources:
https://beyondprof.com/
https://myidp.sciencecareers.org/?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
https://versatilephd.com/options-4-success/
https://theprofessorisin.com
https://astrobites.org/2018/08/17/what
https://www.astrobetter.com/wiki/Possible+Career+Paths
https://www.npr.org/2022/01/31/1076978534/the-trouble-with-passion-when-it-comes-to-your-career
Space Sound(s):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tvA3Ezqjl8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXDhCHWkeRM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li5Xi9mIvDg&t=394s
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Feb 5, 2022
Episode 49.5: Astro[sound]bites is Hiring!
For the first time ever, astro[sound]bites is holding a hiring call. We’re looking to add a new co-host to the show! Why is that? Listen to this bite-sized episode to find out, and head over to astrosoundbites.com to learn more about the application process and what our team is looking for. Applications are due March 5th, 2022. We’re delighted to be adding a new voice to the team – and it might just be yours!
Link to application: astrosoundbites.com/astrosoundbites-is-hiring2022
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Jan 29, 2022
Episode 49: A Fine Dining Experience
Alex and Malena sit down for a gourmet meal and Will, with curved mustache and slicked hair, pours the wine. Alex enjoys his star cluster soup as he tells us about the state-of-the-art in star formation simulations. The gang then enjoys a space sound entremet (served chilled) before moving onto a main course of freshly seared planet. Malena explains how we might tell if a sun-like star has dined on a planet, and shockingly enough, we learn that these stars like to eat. Malena also tells us all about the kind of puns she’d like to make…but she doesn’t actually make them.
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2022/01/17/recipe-for-star-cluster-soup/
https://astrobites.org/2021/09/28/yum-planets/
Space Sound: (NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/Univ of Iowa) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_09R6jIo74U&ab_channel=JPLraw
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Jan 15, 2022
Episode 48: The Astrophysical Merry-Go-Round
We’re kicking off the new year by spinning a record from a few months back, about all the ways that rotation teaches us about the universe. Malena describes a few energetic stars lurking around the Main Sequence, and Will keeps his opinions about MOND to himself. Alex brings us home with an orchestral sonification to rival Stravinsky’s best.
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2020/05/20/blue-lurkers-and-blue-stragglers-rapidly-rotating-stars-and-their-fountain-of-youth/
https://astrobites.org/2021/03/25/galaxies-in-more-crowded-environments-rotate-slower-implications-for-gravity/
Space Sound:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtymxN67eEE&t=24s
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Dec 18, 2021
Episode 47: Gracefully Aging Galaxies
In today’s episode, we learn all about the clues that Kevin has benevolently placed within the Universe to teach us about the graceful and multifaceted field of galaxy evolution. Alex describes how much the galaxies of today can learn from their wise, high-redshift ancestors through Lyman-alpha emission, while Will segues into the mysterious properties of one of the most nearby aged galaxies. Malena shares a snazzy sonification of a hidden neighbor, as well as her school bus seating habits.
Astrobites:
astrobites.org/2021/01/22
astrobites.org/2021/10/13
Space sound: https://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2021/sonify4/
(Chandra sonification of M87)
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Dec 4, 2021
Episode 46: Brown Dwarfs in Unusual Places
Ever misplace a brown dwarf? If re-tracing your astrophysical steps doesn’t help, it’s probably where you least expect to find it. In this episode, Alex and Malena bring us some brown dwarfs discovered in truly unusual locations. Alex sees the glass half full when he tells us how brown dwarfs could explain long secondary periods in red giants, solving a longstanding mystery. Malena guides us to a brown dwarf oasis in the phase space desert and manages to still talk about planets.
(Listen to the outro to hear Alex’s impersonation of an asteroid.)
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2021/05/13/red-giants-and-brown-dwarfs-an-unusual-friendship/
https://astrobites.org/2021/04/05/template-post-4/
Space sound: https://youtu.be/o0UOguMeaAE
(Ruben Garcia-Benito and CosMonic project)
CosMonic: http://rgb.iaa.es/cosmonic/#1559689666254-6a21da11-a004
Astronomy Beyond the Common Senses: https://accefyn.com/microsites/nodos/astroco/ii-workshop-on-astronomy-beyond-the-common-senses-for-…
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Nov 21, 2021
Episode 45: Jamming with the GBT
It’s time to talk radio on the radio! In this episode, we explore some of the research beaming out of the world's largest fully steerable radio dish -- the Green Bank Telescope (GBT)! We hear from Brenne Gregory, a Scientific Data Analyst at GBT, about her trek from the rolling hills of Scotland to the heart of the Allegheny Mountains. Will keeps his finger on the pulse of a pair of neutron stars, and Alex listens for a lawn mower at the heart of the Crab Nebula.
Astrobite:
https://astrobites.org/2021/08/21/double-neutron-star-trouble/
Space Sound:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5BQV3WX80E
Green Bank REU and Internship page:
http://greenbankobservatory.org/about/careers/
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Nov 6, 2021
Episode 44: Fast and Slow
All speeds are relative—especially in astrophysics. In today’s episode, we learn about the timescales of different transients and explore what the fastest and slowest events can teach us. Alex describes the fastest koala in the universe, Will shares the slowest rotating lighthouse known to date, and Malena tosses in a magnetic curveball to bring us home.
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2019/05/20/radio-pulsars-how-slow-do-they-go/
https://astrobites.org/2020/04/20/a-fast-blue-koala-shines-bright-in-a-distant-galaxy/
Space sound: https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Sounds_from_space
Randall Munroe’s mole of moles calculation: https://what-if.xkcd.com/4/
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Oct 23, 2021
Episode 43: Welcome to the World of Science Communication
Do you enjoy reading and listening to science communication? Are you ready to get involved with it yourself? From chatting with friends to podcasting, blogging to writing magazine stories, the world of SciComm is more accessible and more diverse than you may have thought.
We share some personal stories about how we got started in scicomm and hear from 2 SciCommers who made the leap from being PhD students to full-time communicators. Kerry shares her experience pitching magazine articles and discusses her new job as a Communications Specialist for the American Astronomical Society. Stephanie tells us how she discovered her passion for public outreach and how it led to her dream job as the head of the social media campaign for the Vera Rubin Observatory.
Kerry’s article on the Green Bank Observatory: highland-outdoors.com/green-bank-observatory-wild-wonderful-radio-quiet/
SciComm Resources:
* ComSciCon: comscicon.com/
* The Open Notebook: theopennotebook.com/
* NPR Scicommers…
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Oct 9, 2021
Episode 42: Where Sci-Fi Meets Reality
This is Episode #42, so it might just contain the Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything. Today we set our phasers to stun and dig into some astrophysics research that brings science fiction one step closer to becoming science fact! Will teaches us what it takes to become a class II civilization on the Kardashev scale, and Malena gently reminds us that we can’t stop the change, any more than we can stop the suns from setting. Plus, Alex has a space sound that’ll leave you all starry-eared.
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2021/09/15
https://astrobites.org/2021/01/26
Space Sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESz8Cvirh00&t=41s
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Sep 25, 2021
Episode 41: Weighing the Universe
How do we figure out the masses of astronomical objects far too large to fit on any human-made scale? In this episode, Alex tracks the paths of planets to figure out which ones are winning a gravitational game of tug-of-war, while Will describes a mysterious little galaxy that seems to be missing a key component. And, you won’t want to miss our spectacular sonification contest runner-up from Tharindu Jayasinghe, who brought to sound the most extreme heartbeat star known to date!
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2021/08/17
https://astrobites.org/2021/07/07
HR 8799 gif: https://jasonwang.space/orbits.html
ASAS-SN variable star sonifications: https://asas-sn.osu.edu/atlas
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Sep 11, 2021
Episode 40: Space Summer Surprise
We’re back from vacation! We play 2 truths and a lie about what we did this summer and learn that the truth might be subjective. Alex brings a BBQ-themed Astrobite about the brightest galaxies, teaching us that “astronomical Hot DOG” is a state of being. Malena discusses how planets vacation to the outer solar system (spoiler: they never return home).
For this week’s space sound, we speak with the winner of the 2021 Sonification Competition, Misty Bentz. Listen to and view her winning sonification, Fantasy on Active Galaxies: https://astrosoundbites.com/2021/09/11/episode-40-space-summer-surprise/
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2021/07/21/cosmic-bbq-hot-dogs/
https://astrobites.org/2021/06/26/super-jupiters-be-like-im-getting-outta-here-the-disk-is-too-eccentric/
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Jul 3, 2021
Episode 39: Polarizing Protostars
Billions of years before Van Gogh put paint to canvas and immortalized them forever, the stars in the sky were nothing more than an intricate tangle of magnetic fields and swirling gas. Turn the clock back with us as we learn about the physics of these protostellar systems! Northwestern/CIERA postdoctoral associate Erin G. Cox teaches us about the polarization patterns of Class 0 and Class I systems, and Will gets all turbulated as he discovers how HII regions might drive star formation.
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2021/05/05/inflating-hii-regions-cause-star-formation-to-pop/
https://astrobites.org/2020/08/05/protostar-polarization/
Erin’s website:
https://sites.northwestern.edu/eringcox/
Space sound:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8qdJsLqR7w
Credit: System Sounds (M. Russo & A. Santaguida) and NASA/CXC/SAO/K. Arcand
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Jun 19, 2021
Episode 38: Keep Your Head in the Clouds
Tired of vacations being ruined by cloudy weather? Alex the travel agent can book your next trip to brown dwarf binary 1416B, where it’s always a balmy 2000 degrees and never cloudy. Or maybe a sojourn to a hot Jupiter is more your style? Malena the meteorologist has you covered with your 10-million year forecast: cloudy and lopsided.
In recognition of Juneteenth and the start of #BlackInAstro week, both papers featured in this episode were led by Black astronomers.
Read our new Astrobite about sonification: astrobites.org/2021/06/17/getting-started-in-sonification
Submit for the competition: astrosoundbites.com/sonification-competition-2021
Astrobites:
astrobites.org/2020/08/18/inhomogeneous-clouds/
astrobites.org/2020/10/14/brown-dwarf-weather-forecast/
Space sound: nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2021/Parker-Discovers-Natural-Radio-Emission-in-Venus-Atmosphere. (Credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio/Mark SubbaRao/Glyn Collinson)
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Jun 6, 2021
Episode 37: How to Date a Star
In this episode, we discuss the varied methods used to determine stellar ages. Alex shares how planetary companions can slow the spin of twirling stars, Will compares the spectroscopic fingerprints of binary systems (thanks, Barium!), and Malena provides some peaceful pulsations to enjoy on your next afternoon walk.
Astrobites:
astrobites.org/2021/05/24
astrobites.org/2019/05/21
Space sound: http://www.classicalmusicsentinel.com/KEEP/keep-talman.html
Credit: Jeff Talman and Daniel Huber
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May 22, 2021
Episode 36: A Dance with Dark Matter
How can astronomers study something that nobody has ever seen? In this episode, we switch to the dark side to shine a light on one of the biggest questions in all of astrophysics: the nature of dark matter. Malena teaches us how dark matter helps galaxy clusters glow up, and Will takes a journey to the center of the Earth to find prehistoric prints from a big WIMP. Plus, Alex brings us our most romantic space sound yet.
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2019/02/12
https://astrobites.org/2018/06/19
Space sound: https://www.system-sounds.com/heartbeat-stars/
Credits: NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)
Credit: SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo & A. Santaguida). Data recorded by Kepler and accessed from MAST.
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May 8, 2021
Episode 35: The Road Less Traveled
In this Beyond episode, we veer off the traditional path to a PhD with three interviews from early-career astronomers who did things a little bit differently.
Tim Holt shares his transitions from zoology to teacher and, finally, to astronomer. Ashley Walker describes how perseverance helped her to realize her dream as Chicago State University’s very first astrochemistry major. Natalia Guerrero paints a story of her journey leaving a graduate program, taking a leadership role on the TESS team, and reentering academia more inspired than ever.
Hear all about Tim’s research in Episode 15
Listen to Ashley discuss her research in Episode 16
Learn about Natalia’s research and art at https://www.nataliaguerreroart.com/
Space sound: youtu.be/t7rMtVctvag. Credits: NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)
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Apr 24, 2021
Episode 34: Where Classifications Crumble
You’ve heard about planets, stars, galaxies, and other “types” of astronomical objects on the show -- but what about the objects that defy our classification schemes? Will discusses how a mysterious system of massive planets(?) came to be, Alex puts on his thinking cap and tells us about the Universe’s biggest hat, and we top it all off with a discussion of the benefits and shortcomings of classifications in astronomy.
Astrobites:
astrobites.org/2021/02/05
astrobites.org/2020/03/07
Classifying the Cosmos: https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030103798
Book review of Classifying the Cosmos: https://astrobites.org/2019/11/21/book-review-classifying-the-cosmos/
System Sounds: https://www.system-sounds.com/
Space sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHNeDlZp-Uk&t=3s
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Apr 10, 2021
Episode 33: Beyond A[S]B -- Scintillating Sounds of Science
Do we have to explore astronomy data with our eyes? What if we used our ears? In this episode, we explore these and other questions in the growing field of sonification. Find out what an interstellar pancake sounds like, discover the piano sonatas of a Martian atmosphere and an unusual stellar explosion, and learn how astronomer Garry Foran at Swinburne University, despite a visual impairment, sees deeper into space than most to study the properties of high-redshift star-forming galaxies. Plus, we announce our sonification contest! We can’t wait to hear what you come up with. Click the link below for details and to submit your audio piece.
Links:
Astro[sound]bites Sonification Contest: astrosoundbites.com/sonification-competition-2021
Data from Sonifications:
Alex: www.wis-tns.org/object/2005bf
Malena: www.nature.com/articles/nature25020
Will: (pre-print of my accepted paper: http://williamrsaunders.com/Saunders_et_al_2021.pdf)
Benefits of Sonification: https://ui.adsabs.harva…
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Mar 28, 2021
Episode 32: Highlights of Undergraduate Research
In this episode we zip through a flurry of exciting undergraduate research Astrobites. Malena weaves a tale of solar tornadoes and cometary corkscrews, Alex spins a yarn of spiders and snowy telescopes, and Will answers the age-old question of nature versus nurture...for stars. We offer some of our favorite astronomy resources, provide tips on doing a literature search, and lend advice on balancing coursework and research.
Submit your own research as an undergraduate Astrobite:
astrobites.org/about/undergraduate-research-abstract-submission/
All undergraduate Astrobites:
astrobites.org/category/undergraduate-research/
Astrobites featured on the show:
astrobites.org/2018/11/28/two-solar-tornadoes-observed-with-iris/
astrobites.org/2020/09/07/ur-seek-spider-pulsars-jerk-search/
astrobites.org/2020/11/10/ur-cluster-nature-nurture/
astrobites.org/2020/12/10/investigation-of-coma-morphology/
astrobites.org/2020/06/18/pointing-the-green-bank-telescope/
Some of our favorite astrono…
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Mar 13, 2021
Episode 31: Hypervelocity Heavens
Episode 31: Hypervelocity Heavens
Today we pump the gas to get up to speed on the hypervelocity objects of our universe. Alex divulges how hypervelocity stars tell us about their black hole origins, Will discusses a beehive of stars marching to the tune of its own drummer, and Malena shares plans for our first shot at reaching another stellar system.
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2020/03/25
https://astrobites.org/2021/02/16
https://astrobites.org/2021/02/02
Space Sound: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-mars-perseverance-rover-provides-front-row-seat-to-landing-first-audio
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Feb 27, 2021
Episode 30: Carnivorous Cosmos
It’s a harsh world out there, as the gang learns by trekking out to observe accretion in the wild. Will peers through his simulation binoculars to see whether tidal disruption events can really satisfy a hungry black hole, and Malena grabs her spectroscopic scalpel to pick apart a white dwarf’s last meal. Plus, we learn a few life lessons from planetesimals.
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2021/01/07
https://astrobites.org/2020/07/07
Astrobites Advisors Conference: https://astrobites.org/advising-webinar-2021/
Space sound: https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/multimedia/audio/
Rainforest Sound Effects: https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search
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Feb 13, 2021
Episode 29: Walking on Sunshine
In this episode, we’re blown back and blown away by the solar wind. Will offers a historical overview of how Eugene Parker discovered the solar wind without running a single experiment. Malena covers early results and next steps for the eponymous and incredibly hot Parker Solar Probe, as it ~enters the Sun~. Postdoc Chris Spalding also discusses Mercury’s (literally) impactful and (solar) windy childhood.
Astrobites:
astrobites.org/2020/02/13/visiting-the-sun/
astrobites.org/2020/09/03/parker-solar-wind-2/
Original solar wind paper:
ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1958ApJ...128..664P/abstract
Chris’ personal website:
christopherspalding.net
Space sound:
https://www.system-sounds.com/exoplanets4k/
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Jan 16, 2021
Episode 28: Blink and You'll Miss It
We were going to write show notes, but it’s been a little while since we recorded and we forgot what we talked about. I guess you could call our memory…. transient!
In this episode we discuss some of the quickest, most high-energy astrophysical phenomena in the Universe. Will describes a possible explanation for some of the speediest and most mysterious flashes of energy ever detected, while Alex describes a bizarre and brilliant stellar explosion.
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2019/03/05
https://astrobites.org/2020/12/29
More on FRBs with the SKA:
https://astrobites.org/2020/08/27
Space Sound:
https://blogs.nasa.gov/GLAST/2012/06/21/post_1340301006610/
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Jan 2, 2021
Episode 27: Where the Sidewalk Bends
We’re starting off the new year right by getting ahead of the curve! In this topsy-turvy episode, we tackle the stretching and curving of non-Euclidean geometry -- where it came from, why it teaches us about black holes and the shape of the universe, and how conformal diagrams help us wrap our minds (and our spacetime) around it all. Alex amazes with ascending audio, Will gives the all-clear to keep eating Pringles and Malena explains how theorists can help save trees.
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2020/12/03
https://astrobites.org/2020/11/23
Penrose’s Nobel Prize: https://astrobites.org/2020/10/15
Space sound: https://soundcloud.com/nasa/quake-sol-173
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Dec 20, 2020
Episode 26: Surfing on a Dream
Ever experience the last rays of sunlight sparkling across the ocean? In this episode, PhD student Michael Heslar tells us how we can use this twinkling across the methane seas of Titan to study waves, winds, and much more. Plus, Alex brings us an Astrobite using shimmering starlight to help you find your next exoplanet vacation destination!
Michael’s published paper: doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/aba191
Article about Michael’s paper: skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/winds-and-tides-drive-sea-waves-on-titan
Related Astrobite: astrobites.org/2020/10/22/
Exoplanet seas: astrobites.org/2019/05/10/
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Dec 5, 2020
Episode 25: Beyond A[S]B -- Great Advisors, Gap Years, and Getting into Grad School
Please describe a time in your life when you experienced and overcame hardship.
Well, middle school wasn’t great...I stubbed my toe this morning….how much detail are you looking for here??
The decision to apply to grad school can be both thrilling and terrifying. And, just like in research, one question can lead to ten more. Have no fear, the team is here! Will the Worthful helps you find the perfect advisor, Malena the Musicological shares her tips for crafting the perfect personal statement, and Alex the Acaudal weighs the pros and cons of taking a gap year.
Links referenced in the show: astrosoundbites.com/episode-25-resources/
Advice on writing a personal statement: astrosoundbites.com/personal-statement-advice/
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Oct 11, 2020
Episode 24: The Stargazing Automata, Part IV
Planets and quenching and stars, oh my! In this finale to our four-part series on machine learning in astrophysics, the team hits the (virtual) road to hear from the experts. Our first stop is Irvine, California, where Tae Baxter teaches us that even galaxies struggle to stay active during quarantine. Next, we’re off to Porto, Portugal, where Ana Barboza uses the planetary ends to justify the k-means. We also make a pit stop for some banana-inspired techno.
Tae’s Website:
sentientstarstuff.github.io
Ana’s UMAP result:
astrosoundbites.files.wordpress.com/2020/10/ana-epsc-figure.png (EPSC)
Space Sound:
Video: https://photos.app.goo.gl/TR1wdozUYvkqmxqd6
Source: https://experiments.withgoogle.com/ai/giorgio-cam/view
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Sep 26, 2020
Episode 23: The Stargazing Automata, Part III
They say the 20th century explorers were astronauts. The 21st century explorers might be data scientists using unsupervised learning methods to explore big data. In this episode, we learn Alex and computers have a love-hate relationship with authority, Will struggles to introduce his space sound, and Malena tells us she has enough coffee tables.
Astrobites
astrobites.org/2017/09/21
astrobites.org/2020/09/12
Space Sound + Reference
merl.com/demos/deep-clustering
ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7471631
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Sep 12, 2020
Episode 22: The Stargazing Automata, Part II
Today we get to talk about everyone’s favorite problem: too much data and too little time! It’s not yet Halloween, but today’s spooky episode is full of GHOSTs and ASSASNs. Alex shares his recent work applying random forests to create a supernatural catalog and predictor of supernova types, and Will describes a tremendous classification effort to automatically sort variable stars.
Alex’s GHOST website + paper:
ghost.ncsa.illinois.edu
https://arxiv.org/abs/2008.09630
Astrobites:
astrobites.org/2020/01/30
Space Sound: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/09/this-is-the-sound-of-a-forest-changing/499802/
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Aug 29, 2020
Episode 21: The Stargazing Automata, Part I
This episode takes us into dark notions and oscillating questions! Malena spices rocks that orbit remote places and Will covers his dwarfs with tenderness and instability.
Okay, so none of this is true. But we used machine learning to generate this text! Episode 21 is the first in our three part series covering machine learning methods in astronomy. First up? Neural networks!
https://astrobites.org/2019/04/02/
https://astrobites.org/2020/01/02/
Space sound: https://openai.com/blog/jukebox/
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Aug 15, 2020
Episode 20: Power Law School
Why are power laws so ubiquitous in nature? And how can they teach us about space? In today’s episode, we dive into some classic research results to understand the properties of objects at all scales and sizes. Malena has her head in the (molecular) clouds, Will gets a little peculiar, and Alex takes pulsars for a spin.
astrobites.org/2012/11/18
astrobites.org/2016/06/30
astrobites.org/2017/04/11
Space sound: youtube.com/watch?v=WJ9Go1PnAVA
Power laws derivation: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/courses/2006/cmplxsys899/powerlaws.pdf
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Aug 1, 2020
Episode 19: Little Green Men, or Big Glowing Trees?
Is there extraterrestrial life? Are they on giant glowing planets? Do they listen to Bach? We explore three papers in the field of astrobiology that take concrete, experimental steps toward an answer. "Everything not forbidden is compulsory,” so we speculate wildly about first contact.
astrobites.org/2020/03/12
astrobites.org/2019/08/27
astrobites.org/2020/04/06
Space sound: youtube.com/watch?v=qTpCD2Xvh_s
Cinder lake crater fields: youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=FVkBaaOBejc&feature=emb_title
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Jul 19, 2020
Episode 18: Hazy High-z
We venture far beyond the local universe, outside our subfields, and back in time to look at galaxies when they just formed for the first time. In doing so, we learn Malena’s beagle was a good boy, Alex has a soft spot for dropouts, and Will’s doppelganger is a more prolific publisher.
Astrobites:
astrobites.org/2020/05/16
astrobites.org/2020/05/02
astrobites.org/2020/02/05
Space Sound: Prof. Alicia Margarita Soderberg
scholar.harvard.edu/asoderberg/supernova-sonification
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Jul 4, 2020
Episode 17: Beyond A[S]B -- Success and Publishing in Astronomy
What does it mean to be a successful astronomer? In our second Beyond episode, we delve into the notion of personal and professional success in the field, and revisit the constant expectation to "publish or perish".
Astrobites:
astrobites.org/2017/10/27
astrobites.org/2016/12/16
astrobites.org/2018/08/17
astrobites.org/2020/06/19
Other links:
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/04/21/early-journal-submission-data-suggest-covid-19-tanking-womens-research-productivity
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/06/upshot/pandemic-chores-homeschooling-gender.html
Space Sound:
https://youtu.be/yT50Q_Zbf3s
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Jun 21, 2020
Episode 16: The Elementals
Water, Earth, Fire, Air. Long ago, we thought these substances were the building blocks for everything except Space. Today we know better. In this episode, we scour the furthest reaches of the Cosmos for the Elementals. Will goes with the flow, Malena keeps us grounded, and NASA Intern Ashley Walker and Alex take us over the (Titan) rainbow.
Ashley Walker: @That_Astro_Chic
https://astrobites.org/2018/07/18
https://astrobites.org/2017/06/01/
Space Sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7PX51IeMbU
#BlackInAstro
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Jun 6, 2020
Episode 15: Minor Planets, Major Problems
Little rocks rock! We learn from Will and PhD student Tim Holt that home is where the collision is, from Alex that Pluto is cold-hearted, and from Malena that rocks that orbit together, stay together.
astrobites.org/2020/05/13
astrobites.org/2020/02/14
astrobites.org/2019/07/01
Euler Diagram: wikipedia.org/wiki/Minor_planet
Space Sound: ESA
We begin with a statement of solidarity with the Black community. We are working with Astrobites to better elevate Black voices in STEM. #blackinastro #blm
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May 23, 2020
Episode 14: Baby Photos
This Memorial Day weekend, we're dusting off the baby photos! We discuss how these snapshots of planets, galaxy clusters, and even the Universe itself can help us to understand where we came from and how the Universe evolved.
Astrobites:
astrobites.org/2019/07/26
astrobites.org/2018/10/30
astrobites.org/2016/11/28
Space Sound: youtube.com/watch?time_continue=160&v=IzeJq3CbiZM&feature=emb_title
CMB Sound: youtube.com/watch?v=2WuIWyxZ1D4
Music: Joel Ong
Logo: Joanna Ramasawmy
** After recording, we found another paper demonstrating that brown dwarf disks may, indeed, be common! https://arxiv.org/abs/1606.06448
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May 9, 2020
Episode 13: My Chemical AstRomance
This episode takes us as far out as Taurus and as far back as Will’s middle school days as we review exciting research into the chemical composition of our universe. Malena spices up the episode, Alex stays COM and collected, and Will sets his PHAZERs to stun.
Chembites: https://chembites.org/
Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2018/03/20/
https://astrobites.org/2020/02/24/
https://astrobites.org/2020/03/16/
Space sound: https://soundcloud.com/colchrishadfield/space-station-noise
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Apr 25, 2020
Episode 12: Beyond A[S]B -- Our First Research Experiences
In our first Beyond A[S]B episode, we take you all the way back to the beginning...of our research careers. We share the disappointment of unanswered emails, excitement of unexpected opportunities, and hard lessons learned.
Did you like hearing about us? Email us: astrosoundbites@gmail.com.
Astrobite:
astrobites.org/2013/02/21
Malena’s particle physics video:
youtu.be/oTUPOoy7YL8
12th grade Will’s interview:
soundcloud.com/the-lisa-wexler-show/wiiliam-saunders
ISO Opening Ceremony:
youtu.be/8YKnKBNcPKM
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Apr 11, 2020
Episode 11: The Chaotic Universe
In today's episode, we delve into the realm of unpredictable astrophysical phenomena. Will explores chaos and instability in multiplanet systems, Alex explains what happens when >2 black holes don't practice social distancing, and Malena describes the algorithms we use to simulate it all.
Featured Astrobites:
astrobites.org/2020/02/11
astrobites.org/2018/02/23
astrobites.org/2017/05/01
Credits:
Music: Joel Ong
Logo: Joanna Ramasawmy
Space Sound: ESA, https://soundcloud.com/esa/philae-touchdown-thud
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Mar 21, 2020
Episode 10: Baryonic Banter
Why aren’t galaxies randomly distributed in space? In this episode, we explore this and other questions from the field of cosmology! Malena goes on a hunt for missing baryons, Alex surfs the Cosmic Web, and Will does a deep dive into dark matter.
Featured Astrobites:
astrobites.org/2020/01/27
astrobites.org/2019/11/18
astrobites.org/2020/02/06
Links:
Saturn Lightning: solarsystem.nasa.gov/resources/10611/lightning-sounds-from-saturn/
Credits:
Music: Joel Ong, Scott Buckley
Logo: Joanna Ramasawmy
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Mar 8, 2020
Episode 9: Beyond the Grave
We may never know if there’s an afterlife, but we do know that death isn’t the end for some unusual objects in space. Alex tells us about a zombie star that may have gone supernova twice, Will covers white dwarfs with a (potentially) explosive afterlife, and Malena talks about planets that might survive a supernova.
Astrobites:
astrobites.org/2019/05/13
astrobites.org/2016/10/05
astrobites.org/2020/01/31
Credits:
Music: Joel Ong
Logo: Joanna Ramasawmy
Space Sound: NASA, youtube.com/watch?v=H-Ci_YwfH04
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Feb 22, 2020
Episode 8: Beyond Exoplanets with TESS
The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite was designed to find exoplanets -- but, it turns out that there's a huge amount of other science that it can do, too! In this episode, we provide an inside look at the TESS Ninja 3 conference and explore the range of science being studied with TESS: comets, stellar clusters and flares, trans-Neptunian objects, black holes, and more.
Featured Astrobites:
astrobites.org/2019/12/06
astrobites.org/2019/11/19
Credits:
Interviews: Isabel Colman, Kareem El-Badry
Space sound: http://www-pw.physics.uiowa.edu/space-audio/sounds/
Music: Joel Ong
Logo: Joanna Ramasawmy
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Feb 8, 2020
Episode 7: Constants....Or Not?
The laws of physics that govern our universe rely on only a handful of constants. But are these values really constant after all? In this episode, we explore new research into the gravitational constant, the diffuse gas fraction in the universe, and a very peculiar planet's orbital period.
Featured Astrobites:
https://astrobites.org/2018/09/27/
https://astrobites.org/2019/09/24/
https://astrobites.org/2019/09/11/
Credits:
Music: Joel Ong
Logo: Joanna Ramasawmy
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Jan 25, 2020
Episode 6: Farewell Spitzer
Join us in celebrating the life of the Spitzer Space Telescope! Malena talks about Spitzer’s discovery of exoplanets, Alex explains Spitzer’s fascination with dust, and Will presents a brown dwarf that Spitzer found to be much more luminous than expected.
Featured Astrobites:
astrobites.org/2011/08/04
astrobites.org/2018/09/17
astrobites.org/2018/08/06
Links:
Harmonics: https://bit.ly/30PzNJH
M31: https://go.nasa.gov/36uFYUN
Credits:
Music: Joel Ong, Scott Buckley
Logo: Joanna Ramasawmy
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Jan 11, 2020
Episode 5: Astrophysical Beasts and Where to Find Them
Goblins, giants, and dwarfs, oh my! Today we discuss the variety of mythical creatures in astronomy, including ghost and goblin galaxies, sneezy M dwarfs with cyclops planets, and oscillating giant stars.
Featured Astrobites:
astrobites.org/2018/11/22
astrobites.org/2019/09/16
astrobites.org/2019/11/20
Credits:
Music: Joel Ong
Logo: Joanna Ramasawmy
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Dec 21, 2019
Episode 4: Cosmic Recycling
"Reduce, reuse, recycle." You may practice this advice in your own life, but did you know the universe does the same thing on a much larger scale? Will tells us about quasars that reduce, Malena talks about galactic recycling, and Alex describes galaxies that reuse hydrogen.
Featured Astrobites:
astrobites.org/2019/07/24
astrobites.org/2019/11/13
astrobites.org/2019/11/26
Credits:
Music: Joel Ong
Logo: Joanna Ramasawmy
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Dec 7, 2019
Episode 3: 6 Unbelievable Facts about Black Holes
They're sources of unending creation, they're tearing apart spacetime, they're...bald? Tune in as we explore the newest research on black holes!
Featured Astrobites:
astrobites.org/2019/11/06/elusive-black-holes-have-we-found-the-middle-sibling/
astrobites.org/2019/10/22/how-to-glo-up-black-hole-neutron-star-mergers/
astrobites.org/2019/09/19/spinning-down-the-origins-of-black-hole-mergers/
Credits:
Music: Joel Ong
Logo: Joanna Ramasawmy
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Nov 23, 2019
Episode 2: Getting to Know the Neighbors
Let’s get to know the neighbors: our dear friends in the solar system! In today’s episode, we explore mysteries of the Sun, the Moon, and the giant planets.
Featured Astrobites:
astrobites.org/2019/08/12/a-proposed-moon-formation-theory-the-multiple-impact-hypothesis
astrobites.org/2018/12/24/vary-vary-little-star
astrobites.org/2019/08/21/why-are-jupiter-and-saturn-spinning-so-slowly
Credits:
Music: Joel Ong
Logo: Joanna Ramasawmy
Featuring Raluca Rufu
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Nov 1, 2019
Episode 0: What, Who, and Why?
Astrobites for your ears. Three grad students bring you cutting-edge research findings in astronomy and connect the dots between diverse subfields.
Credits:
Music: Joel Ong
Logo: Joanna Ramasawmy
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Nov 1, 2019
Episode 1: Disks, Discs, and Disques
Disks, discs, and disques...no matter the spelling, disks are relevant to many areas of astronomy! In this episode, we discuss three recent papers about disks of different size scales: circumplanetary, circumstellar, and galactic.
Featured Astrobites:
astrobites.org/2019/08/08/moonetesimals_from_nondetections
astrobites.org/2019/08/14/invisible-giant
astrobites.org/2019/09/02/with_age_comes_wisdom
Credits:
Music: Joel Ong
Logo: Joanna Ramasawmy
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