Pulsar
140 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 39 ratingsWe hear amazing questions in the exhibit halls of the Museum of Science, Boston. Do woodpeckers get headaches? How many colors are in the rainbow? Who gets to drive the Mars rovers? Pulsar features short interviews with our education staff along with scientists, engineers, and experts from around the world in order to find the answers.
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Episodes
What Is It Like to Experience a Total Solar Eclipse?
February 29, 2024 17:57 - 8 minutes - 7.67 MBWith a total solar eclipse coming up on April 8th, 2024, we ask planetarium educator Talia what it feels like to actually witness the moon totally blocking the sun.
How Was the Hubble Telescope Fixed?
December 20, 2023 13:22 - 9 minutes - 8.74 MBWe celebrate the 30th anniversary of a daring Space Shuttle mission that fixed the Hubble Space Telescope by chatting about the experience with astronaut Jeff Hoffman.
What Kind of Space Research Happens Here in Massachusetts?
November 13, 2023 12:03 - 13 minutes - 12 MBDr. Supriya Chakrabarti, the Director of UMass Lowell's Center for Space Science and Technology, explains some of the exciting space research and engineering that is happening right here in our backyard.
Why Do Narwhals Have Tusks?
October 30, 2023 11:02 - 13 minutes - 12.8 MBWe ask marine mammal odontologist Dr. Martin Nweeia about one of the most amazing teeth anywhere in the animal kingdom and get the full story of the narwhal and its ten-foot tusk.
What Is It Like to Look Down at the Earth from Space?
October 16, 2023 11:02 - 7 minutes - 6.73 MBOne of the more hopeful results of human spaceflight has been the Overview Effect, when astronauts feel the awe in looking down at our home planet while orbiting above. NASA Astronaut Bob Hines details his experience earthgazing from the International Space Station in 2022.
How Can I Help Fight Climate Change?
October 02, 2023 11:03 - 12 minutes - 11.2 MBMaybe the most frequent questions we have gotten this century at the museum is what people can do personally to mitigate the effects of climate change. Frank Lowenstein from Rare's Climate Culture Boston gives a short list of big-impact actions.
How Smart Are Ants?
September 18, 2023 11:27 - 14 minutes - 13.6 MBThere are an astonishing number of ant species living on our planet. One of the world's foremost experts on ants, Dr. Susanne Foitzik, explains how their society is different from ours in many ways.
Are Sci-Fi Authors Scientists or Writers?
July 27, 2023 17:24 - 14 minutes - 13.4 MBThere are so many amazing writers of science fiction. When they were young, did they dream of bring famous authors, or amazing scientists? Author Katie Slivensky shares her journey through the worlds of science and fiction.
How Do Scientists Make Discoveries?
July 03, 2023 11:02 - 14 minutes - 13.3 MBLast month, MIT's Kishalay De published the first ever observations of a star destroying a planet. Hear about the detective work it took to realize what some of the world's largest telescopes were seeing as this cataclysmic event unfolded.
What Do You Mean, That Isn’t a Dinosaur?
June 12, 2023 11:01 - 13 minutes - 12.8 MBThe word 'dinosaur' refers to a specific group of animals. Many animals get included under the dinosaur umbrella when they are actually from different groups. Becca from our programs team helps us set the fossil record straight.
How Do Spacecraft Move Around the Solar System?
May 29, 2023 11:01 - 11 minutes - 10.6 MBTalia from our planetarium team talks about calculating the most efficient trajectories for spacecraft in order to get to interesting places from Mercury to Pluto and beyond.
How Many Moons Are There In The Solar System?
May 15, 2023 11:00 - 13 minutes - 12.8 MBWith 62 new moons announced last week, Talia from our Charles Hayden Planetarium tells us how Saturn is once again the grand champion of the solar system in terms of natural satellites.
Where Do Volcanoes Come From?
May 08, 2023 11:00 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MBVolcanoes are incredibly powerful, but what causes one to form? Becca from our programs team talks about the origins of these explosive entities.
What Counts As Artificial Intelligence?
April 24, 2023 11:25 - 7 minutes - 6.95 MBWith so many stories in the news about the new capabilities of artificial intelligence, Emily from the museum's programs team explains what that term means and how AI works.
Why Is It Important To Look For Life On Mars?
April 10, 2023 11:00 - 13 minutes - 12.7 MBDr. Michael Meyer has been the lead scientist for NASA's Mars Exploration Program for over 25 years. He tells us what the possibility of life on the red planet would mean for science and our understanding of the universe.
I Found This Strange Rock...Is It A Meteorite?
March 27, 2023 11:20 - 15 minutes - 13.8 MBWe ask Dr. Ben Weiss, an MIT expert on meteorites, how to spot the difference between rocks that formed on Earth and ones that fell from space.
I Think I Saw a Right Whale! Who Should I Call?
March 13, 2023 11:30 - 15 minutes - 14 MBNorth Atlantic Right Whales are critically endangered. We chat with Tim Cole and Lieutenant Christopher Licitra from NOAA Fisheries about efforts to identify, track, and conserve this fragile population.
Do Vampire Bats Really Drink Blood?
November 14, 2022 12:37 - 14 minutes - 13.1 MBIn part two of our conversation with evolutionary biologist Dr. Nancy Simmons, we discuss the astonishing diversity of bats and how they came to dominate Earth's night skies.
How Did Bats Evolve Flight?
October 31, 2022 11:19 - 10 minutes - 9.3 MBBats are the only mammals in Earth's history to achieve powered flight. We ask evolutionary biologist Dr. Nancy Simmons how bats gained this ability and why.
What’s a Typical Day Like for a Mars Rover?
October 17, 2022 11:20 - 16 minutes - 14.7 MBKim Steadman, an engineer who operates the Perseverance Mars rover, details the how, when, what, and why behind our incredible discoveries on Mars.
Boston Has A City Archaeology Program? What Does It Do?
October 03, 2022 10:13 - 16 minutes - 14.7 MBJoe Bagley has been Boston's City Archeologist for over a decade. He shares some of the historic science that his department uncovers all around Beantown.
What’s So Special About Gold, Anyway?
September 19, 2022 11:15 - 10 minutes - 9.41 MBThe metal gold has been highly valued by humans throughout our history, but what makes it so unique? Museum educator Colin gives us insight into its amazing properties, from its cosmic origins to its use in some of the most advanced technology humans have ever created.
Hurricane Hunters Part Three: Why Fly Though A Hurricane?
September 06, 2022 11:39 - 16 minutes - 14.7 MBFor the exciting conclusion of our series on NOAA's Hurricane Hunter aircraft, we ask meteorologist Nikki Hathaway how flights through tropical storms can give us insight into their origins, mechanics, and perhaps most importantly, their trajectories.
Hurricane Hunters: How Do You Study A Hurricane From Inside Of It?
August 22, 2022 11:11 - 10 minutes - 9.9 MBWe continue our series on NOAA's Hurricane Hunter aircraft with aerospace engineer Nick Underwood, who flies on missions through hurricanes and collects data to study their behavior and predict their movement.
Hurricane Hunters Part Two: How Do You Study A Hurricane From Inside Of It?
August 22, 2022 11:11 - 10 minutes - 9.9 MBWe continue our series on NOAA's Hurricane Hunter aircraft with aerospace engineer Nick Underwood, who flies on missions through hurricanes and collects data to study their behavior and predict their movement.
Hurricane Hunters Part One: Can A Plane Really Fly Through A Hurricane?
August 08, 2022 11:20 - 14 minutes - 13.4 MBNOAA aircraft scout out hurricanes that may threaten the United States by flying aircraft over and even right through them. We ask Lieutenant Commander Kevin Doremus what it's like to pilot an airplane through the eyewall of a massive storm.
What’s Next for the Museum of Science?
July 25, 2022 11:21 - 14 minutes - 13.6 MBFor our hundredth episode, we're joined by the Museum of Science's president, Tim Ritchie, to answer one of the most common questions we are asked: what exciting things are coming up in the museum's future?
What’s Your Favorite Unsolved Space Mystery?
July 11, 2022 11:40 - 16 minutes - 14.9 MBSometimes the most exciting thing to talk about is what scientists don't know...yet. Georgia from our programs team tells us about the mystery of fast radio bursts, and how scientists are getting closer to explaining their origin.
How Do We Know What Extinct Animals Ate?
July 05, 2022 11:45 - 13 minutes - 12.6 MBWe can learn a lot about animals that lived millions of years ago from studying their fossils. Morgan from our education team explains how we can analyze fossil teeth to tell us amazing things about ancient diets.
Will Any Stars In Our Sky Explode Soon?
June 27, 2022 11:45 - 10 minutes - 9.45 MBWe chat with astronomy graduate student Daisuke Taniguchi about his clever method of looking back in time at the peculiar behavior of the star Betelgeuse, which will explode and disappear from our skies (relatively) soon.
Do You Get To Choose Which Animals to Work With?
June 13, 2022 11:46 - 14 minutes - 13.1 MBWe have over one hundred species of animals living at the museum. Visitors often ask our educators: are you assigned an animal for a live show, or do you get to pick your partner? Lauren from our programs team tells us more about the process of selecting and getting to know our live animal co-stars.
What’s The Most Powerful Rocket Ever?
May 30, 2022 11:10 - 13 minutes - 11.9 MBWe ask NASA's Jay Hollenbeck about the Space Launch System, a towering new rocket that will soon launch humans on a path back to the moon while claiming the title of most powerful rocket ever built.
What’s The Most Powerful Rocket Ever, as of 2022?
May 30, 2022 11:10 - 13 minutes - 11.9 MBWe ask NASA's Jay Hollenbeck about the Space Launch System, a towering new rocket that will soon launch humans on a path back to the moon while claiming the title of most powerful rocket ever built.
Do Snakes Have Tails?
May 09, 2022 12:00 - 9 minutes - 8.79 MBAre snakes all tail? Or do they not even have tails? We ask museum educator and snake superfan Becca about snake anatomy as well as some of our most frequently received snake questions, such as: Why is that snake sticking its tongue out? And: Is that snake venomous?
Can Ancient Sea Level Rise Prepare Us for the Future?
April 05, 2022 15:05 - 11 minutes - 11 MBWe talk with geologist and climate scientist Dr. Patrick Nunn, who has studied the history of sea level rise and its effect on human civilizations.
What Happens When the Sun Runs Out of Fuel?
March 21, 2022 11:14 - 12 minutes - 11.2 MBWe talk with astronomer Dr. Joshua Blackman about the fate of the Earth at the very end of our solar system, when the sun will render our planet quite uninhabitable.
Where Do the Museum‘s Animals Come From?
January 17, 2022 12:00 - 11 minutes - 10.3 MBWith over 100 species of animals living here at the museum, visitors are always asking how they got here. We chat with Stacy, the Curator of our Live Animal Care Center, to get the whole story.
What Happens If You Stick Your Finger in a Venus Fly Trap?
January 03, 2022 12:00 - 10 minutes - 9.92 MBCarnivorous plants exist all around the world. People sometimes ask us, why do they need to eat bugs? And...what happens if I stick my finger in one?
Will We Ever Cure Food Allergies?
December 20, 2021 12:00 - 9 minutes - 8.47 MBAllergies to food are becoming more common and more severe in modern times. We talk with members of the Food Allergy Science Initiative to discuss why that is, as well as the scientific work being done right now that may one day lead to a cure for food allergies.
What is the Fastest Animal?
December 06, 2021 12:00 - 12 minutes - 11.9 MBMarcus from our education team gives us the scoop on all of the speed records in the animal kingdom - land, sea, air, and more.
Could the Earth Be Destroyed by a Black Hole?
November 22, 2021 12:00 - 8 minutes - 8.08 MBIf a black hole came wandering through the solar system, would we notice? We're joined by the Bad Astronomer, Dr. Phil Plait, to chat about the possibility of Earth meeting its end via gravitational catastrophe.
Why Are Flowers So Brightly Colored?
November 08, 2021 12:00 - 10 minutes - 9.24 MBWe get tons of questions about plants - what's the biggest one? The largest flower? Why do leaves change color in the autumn? We go to Sue from our education team to dig up the answers.
How Can Artificial Intelligence Help Us Learn?
October 25, 2021 11:00 - 13 minutes - 12.1 MBWe ask Dr. Sidney D'Mello, a cognitive and computer scientist, about his AI-assisted research on the connection between our emotions and how we learn.
How Often Do You Brush a Triceratops Fossil’s Teeth?
October 11, 2021 14:00 - 7 minutes - 6.96 MBTaking care of our 65 million-year-old Triceratops fossil is a delicate task. We ask Katie from our Collections department how, and how often, it gets cleaned.
Dr. Ashish Jha, Part Two: When Will the Pandemic End?
October 04, 2021 14:00 - 11 minutes - 10.4 MBWe connect live with pandemic expert Dr. Ashish Jha and pose our most asked coronavirus question: when will the pandemic be over?
Dr. Ashish Jha, Part One: How Did the Pandemic Start?
September 27, 2021 11:00 - 10 minutes - 9.81 MBWe feature an 'interview' with our virtual exhibit, Covid Conversations with Dr. Ashish Jha, to discover the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.
Why is Our Lightning Purple?
September 20, 2021 11:00 - 7 minutes - 7.16 MBThe indoor sparks we create in our Theater of Electricity are purple, and visitors often ask what causes the color. We explore the reasons behind different shades of lightning.
What‘s the Fastest Thing in the Universe? Part Two
September 17, 2021 17:33 - 8 minutes - 7.92 MBAward-winning science fiction author Jack McDevitt discusses how we can imagine a universe where human space travel is not limited to the speed of light, and our civilization can explore the galaxy and beyond.
What‘s the Fastest Thing in the Universe? Part One
September 06, 2021 11:01 - 8 minutes - 7.83 MBWe ask Caity from our Charles Hayden Planetarium what the universe's speed limit is, and how that limits our ability to explore the beyond the solar system.
Which Mars Rocks Are Best?
August 30, 2021 11:06 - 12 minutes - 11.5 MBDid life ever exist on Mars? The Perseverance rover is working hard to find out by studying rocks on Mars, and we ask NASA geologist Katie Stack Morgan which rocks could tell us definitively that Earth is not the only living planet in the universe.