x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

The Supermassive Podcast

The Royal Astronomical Society

The UK"s #1 space podcast.Science journalist Izzie Clarke and astrophysicist Dr Becky Smethurst whizz through the universe to explore the latest research with leading experts, dive to history from the society’s archives and take on your weird and wonderful questions about all things space. Can we gravitationally hitch-hike out of the solar system? Do we live in a multiverse? What is time? Plus Dr Robert Massey is on hand with his top star-gazing tips.Want to support the show? Join The Supermassive

science astronomy

All Episodes

47:22

Don't Panic…but a solar storm could be a disaster

The Supermassive Podcast ·

2025/09/24

It's been 166 years since scientists recorded the world's most powerful solar explosion. Izzie, Dr Becky and Dr Robert Massey are big fans of anniversaries, so they investigate how the Carrington Event affected the Earth - and why something similar today could be devastating.Thanks to Kate Bond from the Royal Astronomical Society and Matthew West from ESA's Vigil for joining us on this episode.Join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening and to share you questions, images and more. Or email them

en

14:03

BONUS - Are we Living in a Black Hole?

The Supermassive Podcast ·

2025/09/09

What would happen if the supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy disappeared? Dr Becky is back to tackle your toughest of black hole questions. Alongside science journalist Izzie Clarke and Dr Robert Massey, the team also discuss what the night sky would look like in an elliptical galaxy…and are we living inside a black hole?Join The Supermassive Clubfor ad-free listening and share your questions, images and more. Or email them topodcast@ras.ac.ukor on Instagram @SupermassivePod.The

en

46:55

Supermassive Q and A...Live!

The Supermassive Podcast ·

2025/08/26

We are live at the National Astronomy Meeting in Durham with questions on everything from white holes and fuzzy stars, to solar storms and time travel. Science journalist Izzie Clarke is joined by Dr Ziri Younsi – part of the team that took the first picture of a black hole. Also on the panel, Jim Wild, Professor of Space Physics at Lancaster University and president-elect of the Royal Astronomical Society…and the one and only Dr Robert Massey, Deputy Director of the Royal Astronomical Society. Join

en

19:27

BONUS - What Shape is Space?

The Supermassive Podcast ·

2025/08/12

Izzie Clarke is joined by Dr Robert Massey to tackle your questions on the shape of space, measuring gravitational waves and planet spotting. We also have another - another! - astronaut: Producer Richard chats to British ESA astronaut Rosemary Coogan about her background as an astrophysicist.Join The Supermassive Clubfor ad-free listening and share your questions, images and more. Or email them topodcast@ras.ac.ukor on Instagram @SupermassivePod.The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production

en

50:04

Astronauts. Do we need them?

The Supermassive Podcast ·

2025/07/29

It’s a brave question to put to three astronauts live on stage but it’s a risk we are prepared to take. Recorded in front of a live audience at the UK Space Conference in Manchester, European Space Agency astronauts Tim Peake, Meganne Christian and John McFall discuss the future of human space exploration. Could robots or AI take their place? Will a trip to the Moon be as common as flying across the Atlantic? And can humans be trusted to not mess with Mars? Host Izzie Clarke asks the big questions,

en

12:50

BONUS - Where are Earth's rings?

The Supermassive Podcast ·

2025/07/19

What would happen if asteroid Bennu impacted Earth? Can we timelapse Saturn's rings developing? Where are Earth's rings? Plus the solar wind on Mars... The Supermassive team answer YOUR questions. Keep sending questions to podcast@ras.ac.uk, on Instagram @SupermassivePod or join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening and to support the show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

en

50:42

Why isn't Pluto a planet?

The Supermassive Podcast ·

2025/06/30

Izzie and Dr Becky decided that little ol’ Pluto doesn’t get much attention anymore. So we’re giving the dwarf planet some time in the spotlight.Why isn't Pluto a planet? How small is it? And what makes it so unique?Thank you to Prof Alan Fitzsimmons from Queens University of Belfast joining us episode.Join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening and share you questions, images and more. Or email them to podcast@ras.ac.uk or on Instagram @SupermassivePod.The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin

en

17:40

BONUS - Why aren’t stars closer together?

The Supermassive Podcast ·

2025/06/11

What would happen if planets collided at a snail's pace? How much of Avengers Endgame regarding time is scientifically acceptable?Why aren't stars closer together? And the team discuss a listener's theory to terra-form Mars.Want to support the show? Join The Supermassive Club for exclusive content, star-gazing forums and ad-free listening... supermassive.supportingcast.fmAnd keep adding to The Supermassive Mailbox with your pictures and questions for the team. Send them to podcast@ras.ac.uk or

en

57:02

Is Time Real?

The Supermassive Podcast ·

2025/05/28

Start your stopwatches, set your timers, turn back your clocks because Izzie and Dr Becky are talking time. What is it? How, and why, do we measure it? And is time real or a human construct?!Izzie speaks with Anne Curtis at the National Physical Laboratory who works on one of the world’s most accurate clocks, andeditor Richard has been to the very heart of time itself in Greenwich with Finn Burridge at the Royal Observatory.The Supermassive Club is finally here. Join to support the show and for

en

16:06

BONUS - Mole People on Mars

The Supermassive Podcast ·

2025/05/13

Should astronauts live underground on the Moon or Mars? Black hole jets, rogue planets, the big crunch (or freeze) and the Ontario question. Dr Becky, Izzie and Dr Robert Massey tackle your correspondence from the Supermassive mailbox and producer Richard makes a pronunciation intervention.The book Becky mentions is Red Rising by Pierce Brown. Keep sending in your wonderful ponderings. Email them to podcast@ras.ac.uk or via Instagram @SupermassivepodThe Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media

en

53:54

What is Gravity?

The Supermassive Podcast ·

2025/04/24

This episode is a weighty one.Some might say massive.It’s all about gravity. What is it? Why does it matter? Izzie and Dr Becky explore Einstein and Newton’s different ideas on the subject, plus Izzie visits the Royal Society to see Isaac Newton's original manuscript for his works on gravity and the laws of motion.Special thank you to listener Hanna_m_e for suggesting this episode topic and to Professor Tessa Baker, at the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation at the University of Portsmouth, and

en

15:01

BONUS - Can we gravitationally "hitch hike" out of...

The Supermassive Podcast ·

2025/04/11

What the bloomin’ hell is a Gravastar? Are fast radio bursts like solar flares on steroids? Plus an interesting question on multiverses that can't be summed up in a short sentence. Izzie Clarke, Dr Becky Smethurst and Dr Robert Massey dive into The Supermassive Mailbox and take on your questions. Keep sending in your wonderful ponderings. Email them to podcast@ras.ac.uk or via Instagram @SupermassivepodThe Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard

en

52:08

Returning to the Moon - with ESA Astronaut Matthias...

The Supermassive Podcast ·

2025/03/31

Climb aboard The Supermassive Rocket, Izzie and Becky are (talking about) sending humans back to the moon. Joining them on their trip is European Space Agency astronaut Matthias Maurer andJacki Mahaffey, the Chief Training Officer for NASA’s Artemis II mission. Plus,Dr Robert Massey, the Deputy Director of the Royal Astronomical Society, is there as well to answer your questions and share his top stargazing tips.For more supermassive astronaut episodes, here'sour episode with Samantha

en

12:03

BONUS - Can A Star Orbit Another Star?

The Supermassive Podcast ·

2025/03/12

If black holes are so dense, how can gamma rays jet shoot out from it? At what point in space does our sun become invisible to the naked eye?And a question about CubeSats, black holes and detecting alien civilisations... It time for Izzie Clarke, Dr Becky Smethurst and Dr Robert Massey to take on your questions!Got a question to add to The Supermassive Mailbox? Email it to podcast@ras.ac.uk or message us on Instagram, @SupermassivePod. There's no such thing as a silly question. In fact, the sillier,

en

46:40

Sample return - what could possibly go wrong?

The Supermassive Podcast ·

2025/02/28

This time Dr Becky Smethurst and Izzie Clarke discover why it’s touch and go when it comes to returning asteroid samples to Earth and hear how we’ve been exchanging spit with Mars since the dawn of the Solar System. The team is joined by Dr Sara Russell, a meteorite researcher at the Natural History Museum in London, and Dr Albert Haldemann, Mars Chief Engineer for the European Space Agency. As ever, Dr Robert Massey is with us to answer your questions and look ahead to the next month in the night

en

13:09

EMERGENCY BONUS - Asteroid 2024 YR4

The Supermassive Podcast ·

2025/02/19

Scientists have detected an asteroid that has a small chance of hitting Earth. Resident expert Dr Robert Massey tells Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham why we shouldn't be worried.Want to suggest a topic to the team? Contact podcast@ras.ac.uk or find us on Instagram @SupermassivePod.The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

en

16:34

61: BONUS - Could we capture a primordial black hole?

The Supermassive Podcast ·

2025/02/12

What are the implications on space exploration with a change of president? Did cosmic inflation come before the Big Bang? Are there sonic booms in space? Izzie, Becky and Robert take on your questions! Keep sending your questions to podcast@ras.ac.uk or find us on instagram @SupermassivePod. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

en

55:21

61: The Search for Space Aliens

The Supermassive Podcast ·

2025/01/29

Hosts Izzie Clarke and Dr Becky Smethurst are starting 2025 with a biggie. The scientific search for extraterrestrial life: Where are scientists looking? How do they search for potential signals? And what the heck is the plan if they find one?! The Supermassive team hears from Seth Shostak from the SETI Institute about the search for life beyond Earth, and Dr John Elliot from the University of St Andrews explains what would happen if we were to detect them. Thanks for all of your brilliant

en

53:30

60: Q&A - Space Potatoes and Christmas Stars

The Supermassive Podcast ·

2024/12/21

Our final episode of 2024 is a SUPERMASSIVE Q&A. Izzie Clarke, Dr Becky Smethurst and Dr Robert Massey make their way through your questions. What’s the farthest star we can see with the naked eye? Why do black holes expand and shrink? And what would happen if we accelerated an uncompressed medium sized potato to 99% the speed of light? And remember, do not confuse the ISS with Santa's Sleigh in the run up to Christmas. To avoid any confusion, find out when the ISS is flying over your home

en

14:11

59: BONUS - Why can't anything go faster than the...

The Supermassive Podcast ·

2024/12/13

From planetary alignment through the galaxy to spacetime expansion, The Supermassive Team answer your questions. Keep sending us your questions, email us on podcast@ras.ac.uk or find us on instagram @SupermassivePod

en

100 results

Similar Podcasts

X Minus 1 - Old Time Radio Show

Inception Point Ai

Science, Spoken

WIRED

This Week in Space (Audio)

TWiT

DarshanTalks Podcast

Darshan Kulkarni

The Best of Coast to Coast AM

iHeartPodcasts and Coast to Coast AM