Mars
The surprising way Mars affects our oceans
A study from the University of Sydney has revealed a surprising link between Mars and Earth. The gravitational interaction between the two planets drives a 2.4-million-year cycle of global warming -… Audio
Why Homo sapiens are doomed to go extinct
In his new book, A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth, British palaeontologist and evolutionary biologist Dr Henry Gee offers a rather blunt assessment of why humanity might already be a dead… Audio
Dr Matt Baker: elephant trunks and DNA data storage
Sydney-based New Zealander Dr Matt Baker joins the show for a chat about some of the latest science news. This week he looks at elephant trunks, and the work of the Mars rover Perseverance. Audio
NASA rover Perseverance collects first Martian rock sample
NASA's Mars science rover Perseverance has collected the first of numerous mineral samples that the US space agency hopes to retrieve from the surface of the Red Planet for analysis on Earth.
How Elon Musk's 'bet of the century' is paying off
Wall Street Journal reporter Tim Higgins' new book, Power Play: Tesla, Elon Musk and the Bet of the Century, examines the history of the world's most famous electric car company. He joins Jim to… Audio
Dr. Pan Conrad: when science meets religion
Her fulltime job is as a priest at St. Alban's Episcopal Church in Maryland, Virginia, but in her 'other' life, Rev. Pamela 'Pan' Conrad has worked as a member of the tactical operations team for… Audio
Life on Mars by 2050?
Space Mining specialist, Serkan Saydam believes the red planet could be colonised by 2050. So far only uncrewed spacecraft have landed on surfaces described as dusty and dry. But, decades of… Audio
NASA lands perserverance on Mars
NASA's rover Perseverance has this morning successfully landed on Mars.
Perseverance has spent seven months travelling from Earth, and is NASA's most ambitious attempt at searching for signs of life… Audio
Covid super-spreader events, Martian houses and IgNobels
Science commentator Siouxsie Wiles joins Kathryn to talk about the latest Covid studies, including one into super-spreading events. Researchers have figured out how houses could be made on Mars from a… Audio
Thinking about life - and death - on Mars
The prospect of humans landing on the Red Planet is possibly a step closer with the US President's State of the Nation speech in which he promises we will be going there. Audio
Thinking about life - and death - on Mars
The prospect of humans landing on the Red Planet is possibly a step closer with the US President's State of the Nation speech in which he promises we will be going there.
Audio‘Lots of life might be out there, but it might be really stupid.’ - Kim Hill
Kim Hill explores what life is, where it began and what conditions it needs with two astrobiologists, an expert in microbial evolution, and an expert in Matauranga Maori, at Auckland University. Audio
Engineer and baker off to Mars (well almost!)
Deep in a desert in the heart of the US state of Utah there's a research facility, which allows scientists to develop the technology and science required for exploration to Mars
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Dr. Alice Gorman: Junk in space reflects life on earth
Australian archaeologist Dr. Alice Gorman (aka Dr Space Junk) has been a pioneering figure in the field of space archaeology for over 15 years. She speaks to Jim about about space junk and our… Audio
Saeed Ghandhari: Optimistic Mars One applicant
In spite of the financial demise of the company behind the ambitious plans to colonise the red planet, New Zealand Mars One applicant, Saeed Ghandhari, is hopeful the project will still go ahead. Audio
NASA's Mars rover pronounced dead: 'Farewell, Opportunity, and well done'
NASA has announced the space mission that sent the longest-lived robot ever from Earth to the surface of another planet is over.
The threat humans pose to Mars's environment
Humans are poised to try to colonise Mars some time in the next few decades - and if there IS life on Mars, we'll have to be careful not to jeopardise it. Audio
Insight lander touches down on Mars
The InSight lander touched down on the surface of Mars just before nine o'clock this morning - the culmination of a US$1 billion international effort. Otago Museum director Dr Ian Griffin joins us to… Audio
There's water on Mars so how about food?
Mars has been in the news quite a bit recently, last week it was revealed scientists had discovered an underground lake on the planet. So what are the possibilities here, could food be grown there… Audio
Mars underground lake raises possibility of life
Scientists say they've spotted what appears to be a sizable salt-laden lake under ice on the southern polar plain of Mars, raising the possibility of life on the Red Planet. Jillian Kitchener reports.
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