Planetary Resources is an asteroid mining company. Its president, Chris Lewicki, joins Glenn Reynolds to discuss the profit potential from space exploration. Platinum and other precious metals exist in abundance in space. Is space the next big growth industry? Find out. Also, watch for our companion piece coming later today — Hank Green on the topic of Asteroid Wranglin.’ H/T PJTV
Cosmic Journeys examines the immense promise of the Voyager mission and where it will lead us in our grand ambition to move out beyond our home planet. The two Voyager spacecraft are now tens of billions of kilometers from Earth. As the spacecraft streak out into the void, what will we learn about the galaxy, the universe and ourselves?
Earth’s orbit has a bit of a litter problem. Hank Green outlines a few proposals scientists have floated to help clean things up.
A new study using observations from NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope reveals the first clear-cut evidence that the expanding debris of exploded stars produces some of the fastest-moving matter in the universe. This discovery is a major step toward meeting one of Fermi’s primary mission goals. H/T SpaceRip
Our dear planet Earth is the hotbed of cosmic activity this year. Let’s recap some recent news. A meteor explodes over Russia, an asteroid barely missed crashing into Earth, and later this year, we will see a comet in the skies that will shine brighter than the full Moon.
Asteroids, Comets, Meteors. Ever wonder about the difference among those 3 celestial bodies?
minutephysics often tackles the big scientific issues. This episode tackles perhaps the biggest question out there — What is the Universe?
Astronomers are beginning to unravel the secrets of Messier 106, a nearby galaxy marked by a ravenous black hole at its core and mysterious gaseous arms that spiral outward.
Intelligent life barely exists on Earth. Can scientists ever find it beyond our planet?
The crew at the SETI Institute are certainly giving the search the old college try. SETI is shorthand for “Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.” Headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., the institute does not receive any tax support, but relies exclusively on private contributions. Dr. Seth Shostak, senior astronomer, and Dr. Jill Tartar, the institute’s director, discuss their latest research initiatives.
On January 28, 1986, NASA Challenger mission STS-51-L ended in tragedy when the shuttle exploded 73 seconds after takeoff. On board was physicist Ronald E. McNair, who was the second African American to enter space. But first, he was a kid with big dreams in Lake City, South Carolina. This moving animation, narrated by his brother, celebrates McNair’s dreams and legacy. H/T Kuriositas
Iran might have sent a monkey into space, but if so, it never came home. The monkey appearing on national television after the space launch was a different monkey than the one sent up. Western critics of Iran believe the space-faring primate died in space.
