Episode notes
In this special episode, funded by the National Science Foundation, we're taking a break from the headlines to share the background story of comets. Today, we'll focus on the origin of comets and their basic anatomy, and in future episodes, we'll dive deep into how comets are discovered, what we can learn from them, and how they can literally and figuratively impact our world.
Podcast
EVSN: Escape Velocity Space News
Dr. Pamela Gay, Erik Madaus, Ally Pelphrey · Tech & Science · English
Get your weekly dose of all that's new in space and astronomy with Escape Velocity Space News. The sky is not the limit, as we bring you the latest scientific discoveries and rocket launches. EVSN is brought to you by the team behind CosmoQuest at the Planetary Science Institute and features hosts
More from EVSN: Escape Velocity Space News All episodes →
-
S4 · E16 · 7 May 2026 · 19 min
The One With the Dark Matter
In this episode, we're going to be looking back in time at how Dark Matter may have influenced the formation of Supermassive Blackholes, newly catalogued remnants of left over hydrogen, an ancient star found as part of a class observing project, and tales from the launch pad.
-
S4 · 30 Apr 2026 · 49 min
After Hours: Launching the small(er) things with Exolaunch CEO Robert Sproles
As commercial space becomes a more and more mature industry, we're seeing new needs emerge. Front and the center is the need for someone - or some company - to make it easy for folks in need of a launch to find the right ride share for their satellite, no matter how small. Enter ExoLaunch. In this episode we talk with ExoLaunch CEO Robert Sproles about what their company is accomplishing as the shipping company to the stars (or at least Earth Orbit).
-
S4 · E15 · 23 Apr 2026 · 28 min
To Artemis, With Love
This is EVSN's love letter to the Artemis II mission.
-
S4 · E14 · 16 Apr 2026 · 14 min
Supervolcanoes: Erupt, Refill, Repeat
This week, in the first of our new shorter and more frequent episodes, we are going to take a look at the interplay of plate tectonics, geology, climate, and life. Specifically, we're looking at the interplay between super volcanoes and us! Did you know Naples is on a supervolcano? Also, in this episode: human sperm get lost in space.
-
S4 · E13 · 2 Apr 2026 · 26 min
Science in Pairs & Moon Plans Redux
Once again, we're going to attempt to get you up to date with what is going down at NASA. In addition to NASA updates, we have stories of science that comes in twos. From 2 planets forming in a disk to 2 stars coming together to shine brightly, to two asteroids that together orbit the Sun a bit faster, to two planets that collided, … it is a week for pairs.
-
S4 · E12 · 19 Mar 2026 · 34 min
Pretty Pictures & Ugly Artemis News
This episode went through a lot of rewrites as breaking news kept breaking our hearts. Artemis is still on, but there are delays and cancellations. Before we face that, let's look at some pretty pictures and remember the universe is pretty even when our Earthly-timeline is not.
-
S4 · E11 · 26 Feb 2026 · 27 min
Glaciers: Going, Going…Gone
The glaciers are melting, the volcanoes are erupting, and earthquakes are shaking things up. Let's discuss.
-
S4 · E10 · 13 Feb 2026 · 28 min
The sky is falling! Space Junk 411
In this episode, we take a closer look at how the increasing number of rockets and satellites going up mean there is also an unfortunate increase in the space junk coming down. We also cover dramatic weather, stars dying and disappearing, and update you on Maven and Paranal Observatory.
-
S4 · E9 · 29 Jan 2026 · 30 min
JWST Makes Sense of the Early Universe
In this episode we look at highlights from the latest American Astronomical Society Meeting. An accidental theme came out: with each new telescope and each improved instrument we can look more closely at our universe - we can and do learn more and understand more even about the things we thought we knew best. In this episode, Rubin Observatory brings rapidly rotating asteroids, and JWST peers at objects thriving in the first 2 billion years of our universe. Observatory after observatory brings us new science.
-
S4 · E8 · 8 Jan 2026 · 32 min
Astronomy Answers: What's that light?
In this episode, we're pleased to say we get to focus on science, as we bring you hot Jupiters, a tear-drop shaped Jupiter massed… something…? - and news of objects getting torn apart and other objects getting merged together as our universe lights up our night.
Take it with you
The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.
