Story Archives of 'Space'

Science Round-up: How to Live on the Moon & More

By Virginia Prescott on Tuesday, September 9, 2008.

When the United States entered the space age in the mid-20th century, most Americans began to wonder when – not if – we would eventually colonize the moon. In 2008, we’re not much closer to living on the moon than we were in 1970. But that doesn’t mean scientists have given up the ghost. In fact, in 2004, President Bush outlined a new vision for NASA that would put humans back on the moon by 2015. But how to get our earthly supplies up into orbit is still a big question. Scientists are working on new space equipment that could help colonize the moon. Reporter Clara Moskowitz joins us to talk about this and some other stories she’s been working on. Clara writes for the news services LiveScience and Space.com.

Stories Discussed in Today's Roundup:

How to Build Lunar Homes from Moon Dirt

Galaxy Surprise Sheds Light on Dark Matter

Bats Shut Traps When Flying in Groups

The Pose of a Champion is Innate

(Photo by Fort Photo)

listen: Listen with Windows Media PlayerListen with an MP3 Player

Science's Greatest Mysteries

By Virginia Prescott on Thursday, August 14, 2008.

Today on Word of Mouth we’re looking at the things that make scientists want to tear their hair out - the mysteries that defy explanation, the unanswered questions that lie just outside the frontier of knowledge.

Science reporting tends to herald new explanations for things - the latest ideas on how the universe was formed, how our brains work, or uncovering a new species.

But Dr. Michael Brooks is more interested in what scientists don’t know. His new book is "Thirteen Things That Don't Make Sense: The Most Baffling Scientific Mysteries of Our Time." He was formerly the senior features editor at New Scientist magazine.

He joins Word of Mouth by phone from his home in England to discuss some embarassing problems for scientists, including dark matter and dark energy, cold fusion, the search for extraterrestrial life, the placebo effect, free will, and the evolutionary origins of death and sex.

(Photo by ~BostonBill~)

listen: Listen with Windows Media PlayerListen with an MP3 Player

A Mars Update

By Laura Knoy on Thursday, July 31, 2008.

Two months ago, the Mars Phoenix Lander began drilling and collecting samples to learn more about what is contained below the Martian surface. Meanwhile, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has been circling the planet to learn about Mars’s past. We’ll talk about what we’ve learned about Mars through these missions and what may come next as we explore what’s called the “most Earthlike planet”.

Guests

  • Mal Cameron, Coordinator of the NASA Educator Resource Center at the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium in Concord
  • Dr. Suzanne Young, research associate and adjunct professor of chemistry at Tufts University and member of the Phoenix Mars Mission
listen: Listen with Windows Media PlayerListen with an MP3 Player

Astronomical Medicine

By Abby Goldstein on Wednesday, July 23, 2008.

Some of the most exciting and groundbreaking work being done at the forefront of science and technology is happening where disciplines intersect.

One example we came across involves a young researcher at Harvard who’s just two years out of her undergraduate program in astronomy. Michelle Borkin found that using 3D visualization software commonly used in medicine could also reveal the hidden secrets of the cosmos. She’s a research assistant at Harvards's Initiative in Innovative Computing, where she's helping to pioneer a new field called "astronomical medicine." And she joins Word of Mouth to explain just what this field entails.

listen: Listen with Windows Media PlayerListen with an MP3 Player

An Astronomical Update

By Laura Knoy on Thursday, May 29, 2008.

A successful landing on Mars means scientists may finally learn if there was ever life on the Red Planet, a chance sighting of the beginning of a supernova explosion makes the history books, a third red spot on Jupiter means strange new atmospheric happenings there and the appearance of Mars, Saturn and later Jupiter in our summer skies means a great show for vernal stargazers. We’ll look at the latest that’s happening in our skies and beyond.

Guests

listen: Listen with Windows Media PlayerListen with an MP3 Player

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Spaceship Captains

By Andrew Walsh on Friday, February 22, 2008.

If you haven't already read the Seven Habits of Highly Effective Spaceship Captains over at the io9 blog, you might want to check it out. Turns out, all those hours of watching Star Trek reruns may have been even more useful than you thought.

(Photo by Kevin McGladdery)

The Final Countdown

By Laura Knoy on Friday, February 22, 2008.

NASA’s Shuttle program is slated to shut down in 2010 with only a few more missions left. We get an insider's perspective on the past, present and future of the manned space program from someone who has covered the ups and downs of the shuttle program for more than twenty years.

Guest

  • Pat Duggins, Senior News Analyst and News Director for WMFE and author of “Final Countdown: NASA and the End of the Space Shuttle Program”. Duggins has covered almost ninety shuttle missions and has been the voice of NASA coverage on NPR for over a decade.

This program was first broadcast on November 15, 2007

listen: Listen with Windows Media PlayerListen with an MP3 Player

New Hampshire Skies To See Lunar Eclipse

By Amy Quinton on Wednesday, February 20, 2008.

Sky gazers across New Hampshire are preparing to watch tonight's lunar eclipse.

listen: No audio currently available. Order on CD (pdf).

Holiday Astronomy Update

By Jon Greenberg on Friday, December 14, 2007.

As we approach the longest nights of the year, the Winter skies will not disappoint. The Geminid meteor showers make a great show this week, and a powerful comet becomes even more powerful. Plus another mission to Mars and global warming...on Neptune.

Guest

  • John Gianforte, Amateur Astronomer, Astronomy Instructor for the Granite State College, Co-Founder of the Astronomical Society of Northern New England and Monthly Astronomy Columnist for Foster's Daily Democrat
listen: Listen with Windows Media PlayerListen with an MP3 Player

Final Countdown

By Laura Knoy on Thursday, November 15, 2007.

NASA’s Shuttle program is slated to shut down in 2010 with only a few more missions left. Today on The Exchange we get an insider's perspective on the past, present and future of the manned space program from someone who has covered the ups and downs of the shuttle program for more than twenty years.

Guest

  • Pat Duggins, Senior News Analyst and News Director for WMFE and author of “Final Countdown: NASA and the End of the Space Shuttle Program”. Duggins has covered almost ninety shuttle missions and has been the voice of NASA coverage on NPR for over a decade.
listen: Listen with Windows Media PlayerListen with an MP3 Player
NPR News