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PODCAST · education

Spaced Out

Hi! I’m Diya — I study astrophysics and planetary science at Caltech, and I love breaking down complex space concepts so that anyone can understand them. Spaced Out is all about making astrophysics fun, accessible, and just the right amount of mind-blowing. Learn more at www.spacedoutpodcast.com and read about it on substack: diyasparkle.substack.com

  1. 19

    The Rhythm of the Cosmos

    Most planetary systems are born in beautiful orbital resonances, these elegant gravitational rhythms where planets lock into precise integer ratios.But when those resonances break, the resulting chaos might either destroy world... or deliver the ingredients for life! Please let me know if there are any topics you would like to break down or conversations you want to hear!Note: This music is not mine, you can find it on Youtube and other platforms.Title: Cosmic Storm by A Himitsu Images: Kosmos Institute, Wikipedia, NASA, Medium, Wikipedia, and Wikipedia (respectively)

  2. 18

    Hot Jupiters with Professor Malena Rice

    Hot Jupiters are some of the strangest planets we have discovered - they are giant planets that orbit scorchingly close to their stars. How do they exist, and what can they teach us about planetary systems? I chat with Yale Professor Malena Rice about her research into these mysterious planets and what they can reveal about planet formation. Enjoy!Please let me know if there are any topics you would like to break down or conversations you want to hear!Note: This music is not mine, you can find it on Youtube and other platforms.Title: Cosmic Storm by A Himitsu

  3. 17

    Lunar Origins: Long Before the Landing

    Long before humans left footprints on the Moon's surface, it had a much more violent beginning! In this episode we go back to the formation of the solar system to explore the Moon's origin story and understand how vital it is to life on Earth. Enjoy!Please let me know if there are any topics you would like to break down or conversations you want to hear!Note: This music is not mine, you can find it on Youtube and other platforms.Title: Cosmic Storm by A Himitsu

  4. 16

    Cosmic Fireworks with Professor Mansi Kasliwal

    An engaging discussion with Caltech Professor Mansi Kasliwal on what she describes as "Cosmic Fireworks" - the brightest, fastest, and most energetic events in our Universe! We break down what they are, why they are relevant, how we observe them, and what they have taught us! Enjoy!Please let me know if there are any topics you would like to break down or conversations you want to hear!Note: This music is not mine, you can find it on Youtube and other platforms.Title: Cosmic Storm by A Himitsu

  5. 15

    Explaining the Silence: Theories for Alien Life

    In this episode of Spaced Out, we dive deeper into one of the most puzzling questions: given the size and age of the universe, why haven't we found intelligent life yet? Building on the last episode about the Drake Equation and the Fermi Paradox, we explore several theories—some grounded in science, others leaning into sci-fi—that try to explain this silence.Whether you're curious about how fragile life might be, or wondering if aliens are deliberately hiding from us - this episode helps set the stage for even more questions about our place in the universe. Note: This music is not mine, you can find it on YouTube and other platforms!Title: Cosmic Storm by A Himitsu

  6. 14

    The Numbers Say Aliens Are Out There—So Where Are They?

    In this episode of Spaced Out, we look at one of the most fascinating questions in science: why haven't we found any aliens? Before we explore the many theories that try and explain this, I walk through the Drake equation - a super useful way to think about how many intelligent civilizations could be out there. It's not so much a strict calculation as it is a framework for searching for life. Then, we introduce Fermi's Paradox - the mystery that drives our theories, This episode sets up everything we’ll explore next time, where I’ll go through some of the theories people have come up with to explain the silence. Enjoy!Note: This music is not mine, you can find it on YouTube and other platforms!Title: Cosmic Storm by A Himitsu

  7. 13

    Planet Formation

    This is a crash course to planet formation! In this episode, you will learn how planets form from dust grains and gas, the different temperatures and compositions in the disk, and why the planets in our solar system exist where they do. This episode naturally follows the last one, the Physics of Star Formation. It is a bit longer of an episode, but is easy to follow. Enjoy! Note: This music is not mine, you can find it on YouTube and other platforms! Title: Cosmic Storm by A Himitsu

  8. 12

    The Physics Behind Star Formation

    The very beginning of one of my favorite astronomy topics (planet formation) is star formation! In this episode, I explain the basics of star formation (especially the physics behind it) in simple ways, with many analogies! I hope you all enjoy it!   Note: This music is not mine, you can find it on YouTube and other platforms! Title: Cosmic Storm by A Himitsu 

  9. 11

    Episode 11: Stellar Evolution- How Stars Form!

    This episode covers stellar evolution, specifically how stars form from nebula into protostars, failed stars, and T-tauri stars! Another episode will cover the end of a stars life. Let me know if you have any questions, suggestions for future episodes, or comments.

  10. 10

    Episode Ten- Mars Perseverance Rover

    An overview of the Perseverance rover's mission, the helicopter Ingenuity, and what we hope this mission will reveal to us!

  11. 9

    Episode Nine- Podcast with Astrophysics Researcher Christine

    This episode is one where I talk to an experienced researcher, Christine Ye, about black holes!

  12. 8

    Episode Eight- Crew Dragon Launch!

    This episode is about the recent launch from the Kennedy Space Center, a short one that explains the purpose of the mission, what it will accomplish in the future, and its significance. Let me know if you have any questions or what you think! I appreciate comments about the episodes or suggestions for new topics to cover!

  13. 7

    Episode Seven- The Planets in our Solar System Part 2

    Part 2! Some links I used:Jupiter- https://space-facts.com/jupiter/Saturn- https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/home/F_Saturn_Fun_Facts_K-4.htmlUranus- https://space-facts.com/uranus/Neptune- no specific site, but search some up!

  14. 6

    Episode Six- The Planets in our Solar System Part 1

    This episode is about the first 4 planets in our solar system! Ask me any questions you have and I'll do my best to answer!Here are some links to the resources I used for the interesting facts:Mercury- https://space-facts.com/mercury/Venus- https://theplanets.org/venus/Mars- https://space-facts.com/mars/

  15. 5

    Episode Five- The Kepler Space Telescope

    This episode is about the Kepler Space Telescope, its mission, the reaction wheel failure, and how the engineers and scientists overcame it.

  16. 4

    Episode Four- Exoplanets

    This episode is about exoplanets, the most commonly known ones and their classifications!

  17. 3

    Episode Three - Dark Matter and Energy

    This episode is on the explanation of what dark matter and dark energy are and how there is so much yet to discover about them. I hope you enjoy it and learn something new/refresh your memory!

  18. 2

    Episode Two -The Big Bang

    This episode is about the Big Bang and other components of the theory. I hope you enjoy it and if you have any ideas on topics for future episodes, please let me know!

  19. 1

    Episode One - Supernovae

    Welcome to the first episode of Spaced Out! Today, I am talking about Supernovae and how they are formed. Please listen to it and let me know what you think.

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Hi! I’m Diya — I study astrophysics and planetary science at Caltech, and I love breaking down complex space concepts so that anyone can understand them. Spaced Out is all about making astrophysics fun, accessible, and just the right amount of mind-blowing. Learn more at www.spacedoutpodcast.com and read about it on substack: diyasparkle.substack.com

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Spaced Out have?

Spaced Out currently has 19 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Spaced Out about?

Hi! I’m Diya — I study astrophysics and planetary science at Caltech, and I love breaking down complex space concepts so that anyone can understand them. Spaced Out is all about making astrophysics fun, accessible, and just the right amount of mind-blowing. Learn more at www.spacedoutpodcast.com...

How often does Spaced Out release new episodes?

Spaced Out has 19 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Spaced Out?

You can listen to Spaced Out on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Spaced Out?

Spaced Out is created and hosted by Spaced Out Podcast.
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