SpaceBitesw/Benny

If you’ve ever felt like your dream was too wild, too far, or too much — this one’s for you.In this episode of IIAS Diaries, I sit down with Haylee Mroz to talk about the dream — where it started, how it faded, and what brought it back to life. From hiding under a dining table pretending it was a rocket ship, to flying high-G aerobatics in a pressurized spacesuit, Haylee opens up about the quiet beginnings of her astronaut journey and the moment she finally said, “This is where I’m meant to be.”We get into what it’s really like to chase a dream that doesn’t always make sense on paper, the turns her path has taken, and how training at IIAS helped reignite her purpose. Joined by our friend Jehan Shalabi, we dive into identity, courage, and what it means to stay grounded and true to yourself in a space world that often feels out of reach.Socials: 🔹 Haylee Mroz🔹 Jehan ShalabiJoin the community!🔹[email protected]🔹⁠https://www.reddit.com/r/SpaceBiteswBenny/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Legacy Survey of Space and Time, is a groundbreaking 10-year survey led by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile. With the most powerful digital camera ever built. LSST will scan the entire southern sky every few nights, building a dynamic, high-resolution map of the universe.Sean MacBride is a PhD student driven by two goals: improving the instruments we use to observe the cosmos, and making sense of the data they produce to better understand our universe.Together, LSST and Sean are getting ready to change the game. Sean helps commission the LSST camera—testing its performance, fixing issues, and making sure it’s ready for the sky. He also leads a program that enables LSST to quickly react to rare cosmic events like gravitational waves and neutrinos. And once the data starts flowing, Sean is building the tools to study dark sirens—a new way to unlock the secrets of space using light and gravity together.Check out Sean’s website: https://seanmacb.github.io/References: 🔹 National Geographic - LSST🔹 LSST Official Website🔹American Women Quarters Vera C. Rubin 🔹 Arxiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/0805.2366 Join the community!🔹[email protected]🔹⁠https://www.reddit.com/r/SpaceBiteswBenny/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What exactly is a dinosaur? Where did they come from? Why were some the size of buses and others no bigger than chickens? And did they really all go extinct?In this episode, we travel back over 250 million years to uncover the full story of the dinosaurs — from their humble, cat-sized origins to their rise as the most dominant animals Earth has ever seen. And yes… birds are dinosaurs.Let’s go back in time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What are spacesuits, and why are they essential for astronauts? In this episode, we explore these questions with Stephanie Johnston, a former NASA engineer and astronaut trainer who worked on spacesuit innovations for the Artemis Program.Tune in for a fascinating conversation that blends science, stories, and inspiration.Join the community: 🔹[email protected]🔹https://www.reddit.com/r/SpaceBiteswBenny/Stephanie’s Social Media🔹 Linked in:https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniejohnston334/🔹Website: https://gatheringmoonbows.com/about/NASA Astronaut Peggy Whitson, It Takes a NASA Village... To Train an Astronaut Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of IIAS Diaries, I sit down with Noel Padinjattekara — a driven and down-to-earth aspiring astronaut based in Boston, with roots in Kerala, India. By day, he’s worked in biotech and medical research with some of the top institutions in Boston. But his sights have always been set much higher — quite literally.Noel shares how childhood flights to India and sketching rockets in school sparked a lifelong dream: becoming a NASA astronaut. Today, he's building toward that goal — training as a pilot, diving into hypoxia and G-force simulations, and preparing to join the U.S. Air Force as an officer.We talk about:What it’s really like to train your mind and body for spaceHis “LinkedIn on the Go” approach to networking while Uber drivingHow biotech and aerospace medicine go hand-in-hand in human spaceflightThe importance of global collaboration in making space accessible to everyoneNoel’s story is about more than just space — it’s about grit, purpose, and staying grounded while chasing something bigger than yourself. Whether you're into space, science, or just good stories — this one’s worth a listen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We journey back 13.8 billion years to uncover the oldest light in existence — the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB).Often called the universe’s “baby picture,” the CMB is more than a snapshot — it's a fossil of the Big Bang itself, etched into the sky in microwaves. We’ll break down what the CMB is, how it formed, how it’s detected, and why it changed the course of cosmology forever. From blackbody radiation and photon decoupling to pigeons, Planck, and primordial ripples, this episode unpacks how a faint hiss across the sky became the smoking gun for the Big Bang.This is the story of the universe’s first light — and what it still reveals to us today.References: ▪️Introduction to Cosmology - Barbara Rayden▪️Lecture notes in Cosmology - Oliver PiattellaShould read: ▪️The First Three Minutes – Steven Weinberg▪️Cosmos – Carl Sagan▪️The Road to Reality – Roger PenroseSpecial thanks to Matteo Magi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we zoom all the way out — before we dive into equations, galaxies, or dark energy — to ask the most important question: What even is cosmology? References: 🔵 Introduction to Cosmology - Barbara Rayden🔵 Lecture notes in Cosmology - Oliver PiattellaShould read: 🔵 The First Three Minutes – Steven Weinberg🔵 Cosmos – Carl Sagan🔵 The Road to Reality – Roger Penrose Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gravitational waves are ripples in spacetime that reveal the universe’s most powerful events. In this episode, we break down the physics of waves, how GW travel through space and time, and why space itself can stretch and squeeze. We explore sources like pulsars and black hole mergers, the astrophysical types of GW, and the mysteries of cosmic inflation—how it solves the flatness and monopole problems and shapes the universe’s expansion.We also discuss the importance of science outreach, representation, and giving back.Interferometers: https://lisa.nasa.gov/Ligo: https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/WAVirgo: https://www.virgo-gw.eu/Kagra: https://gwcenter.icrr.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/Social Media:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphael-bertrand-delgado/Photography Portfolio: https://www.behance.net/raphaelbertrand1 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if time wasn’t absolute? What if space could bend and stretch like a cosmic fabric? In this 2 part episode, we dive into the mind-bending physics that reshaped our understanding of the universe. We start with Newton’s laws and build our way up to Einstein’s revolutionary ideas—introducing 4D spacetime, the metric, and how geodesics define motion in curved space. Through history, we discuss the development of general relativity and unravel the mysteries of black holes, Hawking radiation, and why Einstein’s equations hold the key to the universe’s biggest cosmic puzzles.Tune in as we break down relativity, gravity, and the invisible forces that shape reality itself!Einstein’ s field equation: https://bigthink.com/starts-with-a-bang/einstein-general-theory-relativity-equation/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is string theory? What are the particles that make up our universe? In this action-packed episode, we discuss general relativity, quantum mechanics, and the super cool string theory. Take a bite of this space chunk!String Theory Explained (Video) Standard Model SuperSymmetry Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What are galaxies, and how do we study them? In this special episode, we dive into these cosmic questions with guest Alex Potter, a 4th year student at Durham University working on studying galaxies using the DESI project. Together, we explore the universe, discuss life in the charming small town of Durham, and reveal Alex’s plans for the future with his physics degree. Tune in for an insightful mix of science, stories, and inspiration!READ MORE: https://www.desi.lbl.gov/Interactive visualization: https://www.desi.lbl.gov/education-outreach/interactive-visualizations/Read more about the SUPERCOMPUTER: https://www.nersc.gov/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode, I share my journey through astroparticle physics, my experiences as a student, and the fascinating three-body problem. We’ll explore how the tiniest particles connect to the grandest cosmic structures, dive into my research on binary star systems, and relate it to the Netflix series The Three-Body Problem.This episode is dedicated to my family—for their unwavering support, curiosity, and the love that keeps me grounded as I explore the stars.Music: artlist.io 3body problem | Netflix trailer: 3 Body Problem | Final Trailer | NetflixDownload NASA's James Webb Telescope 2025 calendar: https://esahubble.org/media/archives/calendars/pdfsm/cal2025.pdf Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are electrons particles or waves? What are quantum computers? Do we live in a multiverse?In this episode, I’m joined once again by Dillane as we dive into the fascinating world of quantum computers. We’ll explore the fundamentals of quantum mechanics that power these cutting-edge machines and discuss Google’s latest breakthrough, the Willow quantum chip. Don’t forget to hit the bell icon and follow to stay updated and receive alerts whenever a new episode drops.Learn more about Google’s Willow: https://blog.google/technology/research/google-willow-quantum-chip/Apple increases encryption to become “quantum proof”, read more here: https://security.apple.com/blog/imessage-pq3/Eagle Eye 2008 Thriller/action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wkqo_Rd3_QMusic: artlist.io Ice cream recommendation: https://www.benjerry.com/flavors/phish-food-ice-cream Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this debut episode of Spacebites, I introduce myself and share the inspiration behind this podcast.Whether you're a seasoned stargazer or just curious about the universe, this episode sets the stage for an exciting adventure through space and science. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is the universe made of? In this episode, I delve into the contents of the universe- dark matter and dark energy. The LCDM Model and the Euclid Mission. Featured in this episode is Dillane Wehbe, co-founder of Toutix and ex-division one athlete. Dillane keeps the episode fresh with his pop culture references and unique humour as I delve into the mysteries of our universe.music credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-DdNejsGKI Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.