00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Avery: Hello and welcome to Astronomy Daily,
00:00:03 --> 00:00:05 the podcast that brings you the latest news
00:00:05 --> 00:00:08 from across the cosmos. I'm your host, Avery.
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 Anna: And I'm Ana. It's great to be with you
00:00:11 --> 00:00:14 today, Avery. We'll be looking at a swarm of
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 asteroids that could cross Earth's path.
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 China's latest mission to the Tiangong Space
00:00:19 --> 00:00:22 Station, and a major rocket test from blue
00:00:22 --> 00:00:23 origin.
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 Avery: We'll also dive into a fascinating new theory
00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 about the Fermi paradox and why we might
00:00:28 --> 00:00:31 not be seeing advanced alien civilizations.
00:00:31 --> 00:00:34 And finally, we'll cover the European Space
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 Agency's ambitious new plan to keep space
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 safe for everyone.
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 Anna: It's a lot to cover, so let's get started.
00:00:40 --> 00:00:43 Avery: Alright, our first story is one that hits
00:00:43 --> 00:00:46 close to home. A new study is focusing
00:00:46 --> 00:00:49 on something called the Taurid Resonance
00:00:49 --> 00:00:52 Swarm. Anna, this sounds a little ominous.
00:00:52 --> 00:00:54 What exactly are we talking about here?
00:00:54 --> 00:00:57 Anna: Well, the Taurids are an annual meteor
00:00:57 --> 00:01:00 shower, but this SWORD swarm is a specific
00:01:01 --> 00:01:03 dense cluster of celestial bodies
00:01:03 --> 00:01:06 within that broader stream of debris.
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 The concern and the focus of this new
00:01:08 --> 00:01:11 research is that this swarm's orbit could
00:01:11 --> 00:01:13 intersect with Earth's in the future.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:16 Avery: So a, higher potential for impact events.
00:01:17 --> 00:01:18 What are the researchers recommending?
00:01:19 --> 00:01:22 Anna: They're not sounding a five alarm fire just
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 yet. Instead they're emphasizing the need for
00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 enhanced monitoring and for bolstering our
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 planetary defense strategies. It's about
00:01:29 --> 00:01:32 understanding the risk more clearly.
00:01:32 --> 00:01:35 Avery: Right? Proactive observation. The study
00:01:35 --> 00:01:37 mentions a couple of specific years.
00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 2032 and 2036.
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 What's the significance there?
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 Anna: Those are identified as prime opportunities
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 for targeted surveys. During those
00:01:47 --> 00:01:50 years, the orbital mechanics will give us a
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 much better vantage point to observe the
00:01:52 --> 00:01:55 swarm, map out the objects within it, and get
00:01:55 --> 00:01:58 a more accurate assessment of any potential
00:01:58 --> 00:01:58 threat.
00:01:59 --> 00:02:02 Avery: So this is a call to get our best telescopes
00:02:02 --> 00:02:03 ready for some crucial work in the next
00:02:03 --> 00:02:06 decade. A classic case of good science giving
00:02:06 --> 00:02:09 us the foresight we need to stay safe.
00:02:09 --> 00:02:12 Anna: Exactly. And staying safe is always
00:02:12 --> 00:02:13 a good idea.
00:02:13 --> 00:02:16 Avery: Now moving from potential threats to definite
00:02:16 --> 00:02:18 triumphs, let's talk about human spaceflight.
00:02:19 --> 00:02:22 China has successfully launched its 10th crew
00:02:22 --> 00:02:23 to the Tiangong Space Station.
00:02:24 --> 00:02:27 Anna: That's right, avery. The Shinzo 21
00:02:27 --> 00:02:30 mission is now on its way. And by the time
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 listeners hear this, they should have
00:02:32 --> 00:02:35 arrived. The crew consists of three
00:02:35 --> 00:02:37 taikonauts, and it's a mission with a few
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 interesting milestones.
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 Avery: I saw that one of the crew members is the
00:02:41 --> 00:02:43 youngest person China has ever sent to space.
00:02:44 --> 00:02:47 Anna: Yes, just 32 years old. It
00:02:47 --> 00:02:50 shows a new generation of space explorers is
00:02:50 --> 00:02:53 taking flight. And they have a very Busy
00:02:53 --> 00:02:56 schedule ahead. The mission plan includes
00:02:56 --> 00:02:59 27 new scientific experiments to
00:02:59 --> 00:03:00 be conducted on the station.
00:03:00 --> 00:03:03 Avery: 27. That's a heavy workload. Anything
00:03:03 --> 00:03:05 particularly noteworthy in that list?
00:03:06 --> 00:03:09 Anna: One experiment that stands out is a study
00:03:09 --> 00:03:12 on rodent mammals in orbit. This
00:03:12 --> 00:03:15 kind of biological research is fundamental to
00:03:15 --> 00:03:18 understanding how microgravity affects
00:03:18 --> 00:03:21 complex living organisms over time. We
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 which is crucial for planning long duration
00:03:23 --> 00:03:26 missions to the moon or Mars, of course.
00:03:26 --> 00:03:28 Avery: And the launch itself was remarkably
00:03:28 --> 00:03:29 efficient, wasn't it?
00:03:30 --> 00:03:33 Anna: Extremely. The launch was flawless. And
00:03:33 --> 00:03:36 the spacecraft is on a fast track trajectory.
00:03:36 --> 00:03:38 It's expected to rendezvous and dock with the
00:03:38 --> 00:03:41 Tiangong Space Station in a record
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 setting. Three and a half hours.
00:03:43 --> 00:03:46 Avery: Three and a half hours. That's faster than
00:03:46 --> 00:03:48 some cross country flights. It's incredible
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 to see that process become so refined. A
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 huge success for the Chinese space program.
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56 Next up, we have some exciting news from the
00:03:56 --> 00:03:58 commercial space industry here in the U.S.
00:03:58 --> 00:04:01 blue Origin has hit a major milestone with
00:04:01 --> 00:04:03 its massive New Glenn rocket.
00:04:04 --> 00:04:06 Anna: Yes, this is a big step forward for them.
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 They successfully completed a 40 second
00:04:09 --> 00:04:12 static fire test of the New Glenn's first
00:04:12 --> 00:04:15 stage. This involves firing up the seven
00:04:15 --> 00:04:18 BE4 engines while the rocket is
00:04:18 --> 00:04:19 securely bolted to the launch pad.
00:04:20 --> 00:04:22 Avery: The final big dress rehearsal before an
00:04:22 --> 00:04:25 actual launch. And this first launch has a
00:04:25 --> 00:04:27 very important payload.
00:04:27 --> 00:04:30 Anna: It does. This test is a crucial milestone
00:04:30 --> 00:04:33 for the upcoming launch of NASA's Escapade
00:04:33 --> 00:04:36 mission. New Glenn's inaugural flight is
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 slated to carry these twin spacecraft which
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 are designed to orbit Mars and study its
00:04:41 --> 00:04:43 unique magnetosphere.
00:04:43 --> 00:04:46 Avery: Sending a NASA planetary science mission on
00:04:46 --> 00:04:49 the very first flight of a new rocket.
00:04:49 --> 00:04:50 That's a huge vote of confidence.
00:04:51 --> 00:04:54 Anna: It certainly is. And in the spirit of
00:04:54 --> 00:04:56 reusability, Blue Origin will also be
00:04:56 --> 00:04:59 attempting to recover the first stage booster
00:04:59 --> 00:05:01 after launch. They'll land it on a drone ship
00:05:01 --> 00:05:02 out in the Atlantic.
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 Avery: I heard they gave the booster a special name
00:05:05 --> 00:05:06 for this mission.
00:05:06 --> 00:05:09 Anna: They did. In a wonderful nod to Star wars.
00:05:09 --> 00:05:12 The booster is named Never tell me the odds.
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 Avery: That's brilliant. You have to appreciate the
00:05:15 --> 00:05:18 humor. Let's hope the odds are ever in its
00:05:18 --> 00:05:18 favor.
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 Anna: Can't you just see the meetings where they
00:05:21 --> 00:05:23 come up with these names? A bit of space fun.
00:05:24 --> 00:05:27 Avery: Okay, for our next story, we're shifting
00:05:27 --> 00:05:30 from the practical to the highly theoretical.
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 We're talking about one of the biggest
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 questions in all of science, the Fermi
00:05:34 --> 00:05:37 paradox. The famous question of where
00:05:37 --> 00:05:38 is everybody?
00:05:39 --> 00:05:41 Anna: It's a question that has puzzled scientists
00:05:41 --> 00:05:44 for decades. Given the sheer number of stars
00:05:44 --> 00:05:47 and planets, the universe should be teeming
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 with technological life. Yet we see no
00:05:49 --> 00:05:52 evidence of it. A New study proposes an
00:05:52 --> 00:05:54 answer it calls the Radical Mundanity
00:05:54 --> 00:05:55 principle.
00:05:55 --> 00:05:58 Avery: Radical Mundanity? It sounds like the
00:05:58 --> 00:06:01 opposite of science fiction. What's the idea?
00:06:01 --> 00:06:03 Anna: The principle suggests that we might be
00:06:03 --> 00:06:06 making a flawed assumption. We assume that
00:06:06 --> 00:06:09 technological civilizations will inevitably
00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 progress to super adv. Advanced levels,
00:06:11 --> 00:06:14 building Dyson spheres, colonizing galaxies,
00:06:14 --> 00:06:15 and so on.
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 Avery: Right. Things that would be pretty easy to
00:06:17 --> 00:06:18 spot from a distance.
00:06:19 --> 00:06:22 Anna: Exactly. Radical Mundanity proposes that
00:06:22 --> 00:06:24 this kind of super advancement might not be
00:06:24 --> 00:06:26 possible, or that it's just not a path
00:06:26 --> 00:06:29 civilizations take. Instead, they might hit
00:06:29 --> 00:06:32 technological plateaus or face existential
00:06:32 --> 00:06:34 crises that prevent them from becoming
00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 galactic superpowers.
00:06:36 --> 00:06:38 Avery: So they could be out there, but they're just
00:06:38 --> 00:06:41 quieter, harder to detect because they aren't
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 rearranging star systems for energy.
00:06:44 --> 00:06:46 Anna: That's the conclusion of the study. It
00:06:46 --> 00:06:48 suggests there might be a modest number of
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 civilizations out there with technology
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 levels that are only modestly higher than our
00:06:52 --> 00:06:55 own. Their technosignatures would be far
00:06:55 --> 00:06:56 fainter and harder to find.
00:06:57 --> 00:06:59 Avery: That's a really humbling thought. It changes
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 the search from looking for gods to looking
00:07:01 --> 00:07:04 for peers. It makes the silence of the
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 universe feel a bit less absolute.
00:07:06 --> 00:07:09 Anna: For our final story today, let's look at how
00:07:09 --> 00:07:11 we are working to protect our corner of the
00:07:11 --> 00:07:13 galaxy. The European Space Agency, or
00:07:13 --> 00:07:16 esa, is significantly expanding its
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 space safety program.
00:07:18 --> 00:07:20 Avery: This sounds like a great idea from the
00:07:20 --> 00:07:21 Europeans. Tell me more.
00:07:22 --> 00:07:25 Anna: This is a really important initiative. Space
00:07:25 --> 00:07:28 is an environment with a lot of hazards, both
00:07:28 --> 00:07:31 natural and man made. ESA is taking a
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 comprehensive approach to counter threats
00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 like asteroids, powerful solar storms,
00:07:35 --> 00:07:38 and the growing problem of space debris.
00:07:38 --> 00:07:41 Avery: Let's break that down. What are some of the
00:07:41 --> 00:07:42 key missions involved?
00:07:43 --> 00:07:45 Anna: On the space weather front, a cornerstone
00:07:45 --> 00:07:48 mission is Vigil. It will be a dedicated
00:07:48 --> 00:07:50 observatory positioned to give us advanced
00:07:50 --> 00:07:53 warnings of potentially dangerous solar
00:07:53 --> 00:07:55 flares and coronal mass ejection.
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 Avery: Critical for protecting satellites and even
00:07:58 --> 00:08:01 power grids on Earth and for planetary
00:08:01 --> 00:08:01 defense.
00:08:02 --> 00:08:04 Anna: They are continuing with the HERA mission,
00:08:04 --> 00:08:07 which will study the aftermath of NASA's dart
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 impact. And they're developing a new mission
00:08:09 --> 00:08:12 called Ramses, which is a rapid
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14 response interceptor concept for asteroids.
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17 Avery: Okay, that covers the natural threats, but
00:08:17 --> 00:08:20 what about the junk we've created ourselves?
00:08:20 --> 00:08:23 Anna: That's arguably the biggest part of the new
00:08:23 --> 00:08:26 strategy. The the program is heavily focused
00:08:26 --> 00:08:29 on active debris cleanup missions. But
00:08:29 --> 00:08:32 even more importantly, ESA is pushing
00:08:32 --> 00:08:35 for what it calls a zero debris approach for
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 all future satellites. The goal is
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 to stop adding to the problem.
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 Avery: A, leave no trace policy for space.
00:08:42 --> 00:08:45 That's fantastic. It's absolutely essential
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 if we want to ensure that space remains
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 usable and safe for generations to come.
00:08:50 --> 00:08:51 Anna: Amen to that.
00:08:52 --> 00:08:54 Avery: And that's all the time we have for today's
00:08:54 --> 00:08:57 episode of Astronomy Daily. From asteroids in
00:08:57 --> 00:08:59 our neighborhood to the grandest cosmic
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 questions, there's always something new to
00:09:01 --> 00:09:01 discover.
00:09:02 --> 00:09:05 Anna: It really demonstrates the incredible range
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 of activity and research happening in space
00:09:07 --> 00:09:09 science every single day.
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 Avery: A huge thank you for tuning in. For more
00:09:12 --> 00:09:14 details on all the stories we discussed
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 today, please visit our website at,
00:09:16 --> 00:09:18 astronomydaily.IO until next
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 time. I'm Avery.
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 Anna: And I'm Anna. Keep looking up.