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…
In yet another mind-bending episode, we take on antimatter – What is it? How do you make it? And can you use it to power a spaceship? Dr Becky, Izzie and Dr Robert Massey (he’s back!) are joined by Professor Jeffrey Hangst from CERN in Switzerland, home of an antimatter factory. We also discover that every time you eat a banana, antimatter is being destroyed. For ad-free listening, join The Supermassive Club on Supporting Cast. Every paying member helps keep the show running, so thank you! https://supermassive.supportingcast.fm/ Send us your astronomy attempts, questions (and nonsense!) to…
The bonus Q and A that tackles some of the biggest questions in cosmology including: How many space vampires would you need to explain dark matter? and can you make a decent cup of tea on a space station? Dr Becky, Izzie and producer Richard also tackle questions on neutrinos, Lagrange points and black hole stars. Becky’s cake recipe in strange science units is here . For ad-free listening, join The Supermassive Club on Supporting Cast . Every paying member helps keep the show running, so thank you! Send us your astronomy attempts, questions (and nonsense!) to podcast@ras.ac.uk, on Instagram…
Yes, it’s a welcome return for the giant doughnut at the edge of the solar system filled with lumpy space potatoes. Dr Becky and Izzie are joined by Meg Schwamb from Queen’s University to discuss all things Kuiper Belt, the New Horizons mission, Rubin telescope and mysterious planet 9. For ad-free listening, join The Supermassive Club on Supporting Cast. Every paying member helps keep the show running, so thank you! Send us your astronomy attempts, questions (and nonsense!) to podcast@ras.ac.uk , on Instagram at @supermassivepod or post in The Supermassive Club. The Supermassive Podcast is a…
How many colanders can you fit in a field? In, yet another, bonus episode Izzie Clarke, @DrBecky and producer Richard Hollingham share their experiences of the eclipse. Plus is space a stew? Pocket universes, and how fit do you have to be to be an astronaut? For ad-free listening, join The Supermassive Club on Supporting Cast. Every paying member helps keep the show running, so thank you! Here is the visualisation of space that Becky mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrwgIjBUYVc Send us your astronomy attempts, questions (and nonsense!) to podcast@ras.ac.uk , on Instagram at…
There's an eclipse on Wednesday 12th August 2026. So where can you see it? And how do you do that safely? Izzie Clarke, Dr Becky Smethurst and Dr Robert Massey from have it covered. Plus, The Supermassive Book Club makes a return for your summer reading. We're (finally) on Youtube, watch us here . For ad-free listening, join The Supermassive Club on Supporting Cast. Every paying member helps to keep the show running, so thank you! Send us your eclipse photos, questions (and nonsense!) to podcast@ras.ac.uk, on Instagram at @supermassivepod or post in The Supermassive Club. The Supermassive…
It's Q&A time! Izzie Clarke, Dr Becky Smethurst and the Royal Astronomical Society's Dr Robert Massey dive into The Supermassive Mailbox to answer your brilliant and ridiculous questions. 🌑 Do meteors hit the Moon during showers? ⏳ Could black holes create different 'eras' of time? ☄️ Where did the Kuiper belt come from? 🧛♂️ If space telescopes use mirrors and vampires don't have a reflection, could dark matter actually be space vampires? Want more of The Supermassive Podcast? Here are the previous episodes we mentioned and you can now watch us on Youtube ! Do We Live in a Multiverse?…
What is the Bootes Void? Why do we only see one side of the Moon? Can time travel be sped up? And what's the smallest amount of visible space debris? The Supermassive Podcast team answer your questions... And work on their Australian accents!? For the first time ever, you can now watch this episode on YouTube. For ad-free listening, join The Supermassive Club . Every member helps keep the show running, so thank you! Send us your astronomy attempts, questions (and nonsense!) to podcast@ras.ac.uk , on Instagram at @supermassivepod or post in The Supermassive Club. The Supermassive Podcast is a…
Is this the toughest subject we’ve ever tackled? Izzie certainly thinks so and it’s even making Dr Becky and Dr Robert's brains hurt. Helping them to make sense of these ‘weird and interesting’ particles are Dr Kirsty Duffy at the University of Oxford and Director of the Paris Astrophysics Institute, Professor Kumiko Kotera. For ad-free listening and to view Izzie's trajectory to becoming a better astronomer, join The Supermassive Club . Every member helps keep the show running, so thank you! Send us your astronomy attempts, questions (and nonsense!) to podcast@ras.ac.uk , on Instagram at…
What happens if two diamond core stars collide? Will the Moon drift away from Earth? Why is there motion in the universe? And why we need a space AND time machine. Izzie, Dr Becky and Robert dive into The Supermassive Mailbox to answer your questions. For ad-free listening and to view Izzie's trajectory to becoming a better astronomer, join The Supermassive Club . Every member helps keep the show running, so thank you! Send us your astronomy attempts, questions (and nonsense!) to podcast@ras.ac.uk, on Instagram at @supermassivepod or post in The Supermassive Club. The Supermassive Podcast is…
Nancy Grace Roman. Ariel. The next generation of space telescopes are here. Astrophysicist Dr Becky Smethurst and science journalist Izzie Clarke explore how they work, what they can tell us and why they might unravel our current understanding of the universe. Plus Dr Robert has your stargazing tips for June. Thank you to Dr Tom Barclay from NASA's Roman telescope and Dr Chris Pearson from RAL Space. 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.
How do we calculate a black hole's event horizon? Does Mercury's tail impact Earth? Can we name a planet Rupert? And did gravity wipe out the dinosaurs? Izzie Clarke & Dr Becky Smethurst dive into the rather whimsical Supermassive Mailbox to answer your questions. Want to name an Exoworld? Here's the IAU website to start a campaign: https://nameexoworlds.iau.org/ Send your questions, whimsical messages and your night sky photos to podcast@ras.ac.uk or find us on Instagram @SupermassivePod . Or why not support the show by joining The Supermassive Club ? You'll get ad-free listening and access…
Izzie & Dr Becky think that space needs a spring clean, so this episode is all about space debris. What is it? How big of a problem is it? And what is being done to remove it? With thanks to PhD student Megan Perks from the University of Southampton, who studies how safe all these new satellite constellations are, and photographer Max Alexander, who has created an exhibition all about space debris. It’s called Our Fragile Space and it’s on for free outside of the Royal Astronomical Society until 10th May 2026. Join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening, forum access, and extra content…
What. A. Mission. The Supermassive Team are in AWE of the Artemis II Crew and the people that helped them to loop around the Moon. From scientific aims to societal impact, Izzie Clarke, Richard Hollingham and Dr Robert Massey reflect on this latest step to returning to the Moon and their experiences of watching it unfold. Richard was at the launch, Robert is pen pals with Reid Wiseman, and Izzie... is extremely jealous of them both! Join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening, forum access, and extra content from the team. And email your questions to podcast@ras.ac.uk or follow us on…
The Supermassive Team are going rogue (more so that usual!) This time, it’s all about the non-conforming objects in space. Black holes, planets and the other rogue objects Izzie and Dr Becky can think of... Plus, Dr Robert Massey takes on your questions and shares his stargazing tips for April. A big thank you to Gavin Coleman from Queen Mary's University, and Astronomy Now magazine editor and owner, Stuart Clark. For more accessible astronomy, the recommend you read their brilliant articles on astronomynow.com. Join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening, forum access, and extra…
It’s a massive bonus episode this month with both listener questions and an extended interview with the producer/directors of the new Ryan Gosling film: Project Hail Mary. Dr Becky and Dr Robert are joined by editor Richard to tackle questions on creating a black hole in the lab, how long a planet lasts and the size of the biggest black hole. Guest reporter, Sue Nelson, chats to Phil Lord and Chris Miller about Project Hail Mary and Becky reveals what she chatted about with Ryan Gosling. Join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening, forum access, and extra content from the team. And…
There's a crisis in cosmology when it comes to understanding a little thing like the acceleration of our universe, aka The Hubble Tension. And in this episode, Izzie Clarke and Dr Becky Smethurst are digging into what this is and (trying to) explain the science behind it. A huge thank you to our guests, (Nobel Prize winning-) Professor Adam Riess from John Hopkins University and Professor Silvia Galli from Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris. Join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening, forum access, and extra content from the team. And email your questions to podcast@ras.ac.uk or follow…
What are the biggest space missions of 2026? And what are the best stargazing opportunities this year? The Supermassive Team - Izzie Clarke, Dr Becky Smethurst, Dr Robert Massey and Richard Hollingham - share their astronomical excitement for the year ahead and ponder if they should charter a boat for the August eclipse. Thank you to listeners Anne Edgeworth and Karolina who inspired this episode. To support the show, join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening, forum access, and extra content from the team. If you have a question for the team - or have a boat we can borrow! - get in…
The Supermassive Podcast is back for 2026, and we've got a MEGA Q&A. What happens when two nebulae collide? Where did Neptune and Uranus form? What’s the procedure for a medical emergency on the ISS? And more. Plus, Izzie, Dr Becky, Robert and Richard cover everything you need to know ahead of the launch of Artemis II. And here are the links to things we promised you in this episode... Our episode "How to Time Travel" Our episode "Do We Live in a Multiverse?" Richard's brilliant Space Boffins podcast Join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening, forum access, and extra content from the…
Fire up your flux capacitor and dematerialise your Tardis because The Supermassive Podcast is traveling in time. Is it possible? How does it work? And, crucially, which films got the physics right (or wrong!)? Thank you to Dr Emma Osborne from the University of York, and Dr Alfredo Carpinetti from IFLScience for their help on this episode. Alfredo's upcoming book, Invisible Rainbows , will be available for pre-order soon. Here's the Time Travel in Fiction Rundown from Minute Physics Join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening, forum access, and extra content from the team. And email…
What would it be like to feel gravitational waves? How are satellites protected from extreme solar storms? How do gravity slingshots work? Are aliens potentially communicating outside of the electromagnetic spectrum? Plus Izzie, Dr Becky and Robert share their annual Christmas present recommendations. Keep sending your questions to podcast@ras.ac.uk, Instagram @SupermassivePod or members can post on The Supermassive Club 's forum. Join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening, forum access, and extra content from the team. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The…
What are the threats to our dark night skies? And what needs to be done to protect them? Izzie, Dr Becky and Robert explore this important topic and head outside (...and the weather was not on their side!) Thank you to Dr Samantha Lawler at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan and Andy Lawrence, the Regis professor of astronomy at the University of Edinburgh. Don't forget to join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening, forum access, and extra content from the team. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hosted on…
Can JWST detect exomoons? How can black holes keep absorbing more mass? How big is our cosmic neighbourhood? And what is a rogue black hole?! Izzie, Dr Becky and Robert answer YOUR questions. You can add to The Supermassive Mailbox by emailing podcast@ras.ac.uk or messaging us on instagram @SupermassivePod . To support the show join The Supermassive Club and access ad-free listening, forum discussions, and member's only content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Grab your space swimsuit, Izzie and Dr Becky explore Mars' wet past. When did the red planet have water? Where did it go? And were there canals on Mars? Thank you to Joe McNeil from the Natural History Museum and Sian Prosser from the Royal Astronomical Society. If you like this topic, you might want to check out the NHM's new exhibition Space: Could life exist beyond Earth? Don't forget to join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening, forum access, and behind the scenes from the team. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard…
It’s space book club time, featuring the latest book by author and photography expert Andy Saunders: Gemini and Mercury Remastered. Producer Richard enthuses about these mid-60s missions and we talk to the author. Meanwhile, Dr Becky, Izzie and Dr Robert also discuss Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir and A City on Mars by Kelly and Zach Weinersmith. With questions on the size of space and why the centres of galaxies are brighter, it really is quite the bonus episode. You can hear a longer version of the interview with Andy Saunders in the latest Space Boffins Podcast. Join The Supermassive Club…
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 to podcast@ras.ac.uk or on Instagram @SupermassivePod. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin…
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 Club for ad-free listening and share your questions, images and more. Or email them to podcast@ras.ac.uk or on Instagram @SupermassivePod. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard…
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 The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening and share your questions, images and more. Or…
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 Club for ad-free listening and share your questions, images and more. Or email them to podcast@ras.ac.uk or on Instagram @SupermassivePod. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hosted on Acast. See…
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, producer Richard Hollingham threatens the audience, and (soft sceptic) Dr Robert Massey is…
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.
About The Supermassive Podcast
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 Club for exclusive content, star-gazing forums and ad-free listening... supermassive.supportingcast.fm And keep adding to The Supermassive Mailbox with your pictures and questions for the team. Send them to podcast@ras.ac.uk or follow them on Instagram, @SupermassivePod . The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Supermassive Podcast is a English tech & science podcast from The Royal Astronomical Society. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.
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.
