Jim Lovell’s Legacy, Black Holes & Searching for Alien Life (with Andrew Fraknoi)

Bill welcomes Professor Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer at the Fromm Institute at the University of San Francisco, for a wide-ranging conversation that looks from the headlines to the stars. Topics include:Remembering Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell, an American hero who inspired a nation long before Tom Hanks portrayed him on screen.The groundbreaking Rubin Observatory project in Chile, which will create “the greatest movie of all time” by photographing the entire sky 800 times over the next decade.How this observatory will improve detection of near-Earth asteroids and cosmic events invisible to the naked eye.The recent discovery of the largest known black hole, with the mass of 36 billion suns—and why black holes remain one of astronomy’s greatest mysteries.How astronomers are now using artificial intelligence to comb through cosmic radio waves, searching for potential technosignatures of alien life.It’s a fascinating conversation that blends history, science, and the future of space exploration.Learn more about Professor Fraknoi’s work at fraknoi.com.Explore Bill’s work & commentary at Bernardoni.blog and Bernardoni.media.