astro[sound]bites
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In celebration of the a-bit-over-a-week after St. Patrick’s (definitely not Patty’s) Day, we bring you another Ireland-related episode. Due to historically unsupported stereotypes about the Irish being lucky, we bring you two astrobites busting with cosmic coincidences and a dash of luck. Kiersten tells about a plucky planet that avoided a hangry host star, while Will brings us yet another binary black hole bonanza. Cormac shares a bit of an infamous Irish space sound that you could call cosmic comic relief. In the spirit of luck, we talk about the role of luck in our own journeys to space and in the field of astronomy as a whole. This week’s “space sound” - https://www.tiktok.com/@ladbibleireland/video/7278649311334780192?lang=en
In celebration of St. Patrick’s (not Patty’s) Day, we share a super short sneak peek at next week’s episode, featuring fun Irish astronomical facts. We’re calling it the Shamrock Shake-up! In addition to the astronomical facts, Will takes us on a journey to the past with some wild Irish lore of his own! We hope you enjoy what might be our first “Beyond the beyond” episode, and Lá Fhéile Pádraig faoi mhaise daoibh go léir! Intro music excerpt: “Granny hold the candle while I shave the chicken’s lip” - Bodega https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz4IxFy27dw
We talk about gravitational waves again, but this time, in ways you wouldn’t expect. Cormac tells us how you could use gravitational waves to study the interior of the Sun, if the alignment is just right. Sabrina explores whether gravitational waves could be detected by Earth’s magnetosphere through the Gertsenshtein effect. Simultaneously, we learn that Sabrina knows how to pronounce Russian names properly and Will isn’t the biggest fan of theory. Astrobites: https://astrobites.org/2023/06/20/using-planetary-magnetospheres-to-detect-gravitational-waves/ https://astrobites.org/2023/11/11/using-gravitational-waves-to-peer-inside-of-the-sun/ Additional thematic material: https://astrobites.org/2023/02/08/detecting-gravitational-waves-with-the-moon/ https://astrobites.org/2022/12/22/gravitational-wave-parallax/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273117723009171?via%3Dihub Space sound: https://www.nasa.gov/solar-system/sounds-of-the-sun/ Ultra-high-frequency gravitational wave conference: https://www.ctc.cam.ac.uk/activities/UHF-GW.php
In the second episode of the astro[sound]bites series focusing on Indigenous astronomy, we interview Duane Hamacher, a physics professor at the University of Melbourne and a world leading researcher in Indigenous astronomy. Duane shares his journey from Missouri to pursuing a PhD in Australia and immersing himself in the study of astronomy within the Torres Strait community, learning from Indigenous knowledge holders. He tells us how Indigenous peoples around the world have seen astronomy more as a way of life that’s embedded in their culture. Through our discussion, we challenge common misconceptions and gain insight into the profound significance that Indigenous astronomy has held for humanity, long preceding the invention of telescopes. However, our interview only scratches the surface of the field of Indigenous astronomy. Thank you to Prof. Duane Hamacher https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/799321-duane-hamacher for taking the time to be interviewed for this episode! (Also sorry for the construction noise in the background of this episode! We hope the exciting interview makes up for it.) Duanes’ book The First Astronomers: https://www.thefirstastronomers.com/
Did you know that Indigenous communities around the world have been doing astronomy since ancient times? Indigenous peoples studied the night sky with great precision. In this episode, we talk to five indigenous astronomers from across the world to understand how their identity and communities shaped their journey to science. Their interviews tell us about their cultures from who their Elders are to how they used the constellations to harvest emu eggs. Thank you to Kirsten Banks https://astrokirsten.com.au/, Krystal de Napoli https://www.rrr.org.au/explore/presenters/krystal-de-napoli, Hilding Nielson http://hildingneilson.com/, Bridget Kimsey https://bridgetkimsey.com/?page_id=83, and Corey Gray https://www.npr.org/2022/11/11/1136191593/corey-gray-is-picking-up-cosmic-vibrationsfor taking the time to be interviewed for this episode! Check out these astrobites: https://astrobites.org/2018/10/26/additional-arguments-that-aboriginal-australians-observed-variable-stars/ https://astrobites.org/2022/11/11/book-review-the-first-astronomers/ https://astrobites.org/2023/07/01/betelgeuse-betelgeuse-betelgeuse-is-it-supernovatime/ The First Astronomers Book: https://www.thefirstastronomers.com/
Did we mention we’re recruiting two new co-hosts? And also our new Mars Office Manager and Chief Astrologer? Lots of exciting things are happening on a[s]b (and on Mars) in 2024 and we want you to be a part of it! Find out more and apply to be a co-host here: https://astrosoundbites.com/recruiting-2024/. We can’t wait to hear from you.
It’s all about ice, ice, baby! In this episode, Sabrina takes us on a trek to Antarctica. While we hide from Cthulhu, she tells us how the frigid observatory IceCube is using elusive neutrinos to tell us about the Milky Way. Meanwhile, our meteorologist Will does some investigation of the flavors of ice we can expect to find on some potentially habitable planets. Astrobites: https://astrobites.org/2023/06/29/ https://astrobites.org/2023/06/29/neutrinos-from-our-backyard-icecube-sees-the-milky-way-in-neutrinos/ https://astrobites.org/2022/01/07/ https://astrobites.org/2022/01/07/icy-planets/ Space sound: https://webbtelescope.org/contents/media/videos/2022/040/01GA960MD71VJ5ZE3EDFRT72NE
In this week’s episode, Cormac has somehow made it to hosting a second time (applause). This time, we discuss the smallest, reddest and exoplanetiest(?) stars - M dwarfs! Find out why we call them that, and why these temperamental ‘tars are interesting for exoplanets. Sabrina tells us about not-so-boring M stars showing complex and periodic behaviour, and Will shares some *gasp* lab work-based results showing that M dwarfs may be more habitable than we think… This week’s episode rounds off with a discussion about what the “Search for Life” really means, and how it’s (sometimes mis)used in astronomy. Astrobites: astrobites.org/2023/11/02/ripples-in-time-the-transient-nature-of-mysterious-m-stars/ astrobites.org/2023/03/22/could-some-earthlings-survive-in-exoplanets-around-m-dwarfs/ Space Sound: “The Sound of Two Black Holes Colliding” by LIGO Lab Caltech : MIT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyDcTbR-kEA
This week, our astro[sound]bites co-host crew starts a dance crew with the help of Kiersten, a former professional ballerina. We get a sample of Kiersten’s ballet skills through her astrobite, which tells us all about the secret spinning life of black holes. Our space sound sounds like something only those black holes could dance to! Cormac takes us through our first ever physics education astrobite on viewing solar eclipses with a disco ball. Do not fret if our dancing analogy still did not get you to put on your tap shoes as we also discuss the importance and diversity of analogies within astronomy and the podcast. Astrobites: https://astrobites.org/2023/09/01/bhballet/ https://astrobites.org/2023/10/13/doing-astronomy-with-disco-balls/ Space Sound: https://www.mso.anu.edu.au/pfrancis/Music/library/QSOcomp.mp3 Paper on space sound: https://www.mso.anu.edu.au/pfrancis/Music/
In this week’s episode, Cormac makes his hosting debut as we talk about the most pressing threat to modern Astronomy (other than a worldwide coffee shortage) – megaconstellations! Despite sharing a majority of syllables with the collective noun of asterisms we all know and pretend to remember, these formations of hundreds of satellites are becoming more and more of an issue for astronomers. Will tells us about how satellites are sprinkling spectra with a side of the Sun and Kiersten reveals how even the Hubble Space Telescope is not safe from the multi-headed monsters of Musk et al. Join us as we find out that things might not be as bad as they seem, and discuss the pros and cons of these developments. Astrobites: https://astrobites.org/2023/09/07/satellites-in-weave/ https://astrobites.org/2023/08/10/telescopes_in_orbit/ Space Sound: Handcrafted by Cormac using twotone.io, based on a MESA stellar evolution model by Harim Jin.
In this week’s episode, we meet some of the animals in the neutron star zoo through astrobites with two surprising observations. Will tells us about a mysterious signal from a magnetar that appeared two years ago for 20 minutes and has yet to come back. Meanwhile, Cormac provides Will’s magnetar with some hope by telling us the story of a pulsar signal that appeared 20 years ago and just reappeared recently. Come along for a boomerang of a journey as we discuss observing pulsars from Earth, what it’s like at the pulsars themselves, and all the way back to Earth for a discussion of bad naming and bad programming languages. Astrobites: https://astrobites.org/2023/07/31/disappearing-pulsar/ https://astrobites.org/2023/08/21/long-period-magnetar/ Space Sound: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/musicshow/the-black-of-the-star--for-percussion-and-pulsar/5011294 Performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okeBqktyyS4
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
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
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
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/
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/
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/
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: coming soon! Check out the episode for a sneak-peak. 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
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
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/2023/02/16/how-good-are-humans-at-visually-identifying-gravitational-lenses/ https://astrobites.org/2022/12/17 Space sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m1QE3lVDi8
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 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdUe-7huyeYObWIpylguKbCB3xCxBU-O0DneD0KGfzSSp7b0w/viewform! 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/
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/
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/ https://astrobites.org/2023/02/13/earth-as-an-exoplanet/ astrobites.org/2021/05/08/where-to-find-biosignatures-on-mars-a-case-for-clays/ https://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-first-sounds-of-a-dust-devil-on-mars Imaginable book: janemcgonigal.com/2021/12/17/imaginable-how-to-see-the-future-coming-and-feel-ready-for-anything-even-things-that-seem-impossible-today/ https://janemcgonigal.com/2021/12/17/imaginable-how-to-see-the-future-coming-and-feel-ready-for-anything-even-things-that-seem-impossible-today/ Superforcasting book: wsp.wharton.upenn.edu/book/superforecasting/
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
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
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/2022/07/19/first-inference-mag-field-main-sequence/ https://astrobites.org/2022/09/08/ https://astrobites.org/2022/09/08/radio-transits-2/ Space sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5MHsnc67yw
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/2021/09/30/requiem-for-dead-galaxies/ https://astrobites.org/2022/11/07 https://astrobites.org/2022/11/07/castor-interferometry-orbits/ https://astrobites.org/2022/02/26 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
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
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/watch?v=i3x0sBCQ_c8 Acoustic dispersion (and its connection to laser beams and FRBs): https://www.npr.org/2016/12/21/506305383/why-does-a-frozen-lake-sound-like-a-star-wars-blaster Link to Will’s research graphic: https://williamrsaunders.com/#occ-movie
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
