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Pale Blue Pod

Multitude
Astronomy
Astrophysics
NASA
Earth
Exoplanets
Black Holes
Dark Matter
Gravity
Supernovae
Venus
Space Exploration
Space
Cosmic Microwave Background
Asteroids
Outer Wilds
Galileo Galilei
Uranus
Jupiter
Space Colonization
International Space Station

Pale Blue Pod is an astronomy podcast for people who are overwhelmed by the universe but want to be its friend. Astrophysicist Dr. Moiya McTier and comedian Corinne Caputo demystify space one topic at a time with open eyes, open arms, and open mouths (from so much laughing and jaw-dropping). By the end of each episode, the cosmos will feel a little less “ahhh too scary” and a lot more “ohhh, so co... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes204Founded4 years ago
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AstronomyScience

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Artwork for Pale Blue Pod

Latest Episodes

Moiya interviews fellow astronomy writer Dr. Seven Rasmussen about her new book. They discuss the Drake equation, Fermi paradox, and Hollywood's disappointing portrayal of alien diversity.

Guest

Dr. Seven Rasmussen is an astrobiologist and author ... more

Moiya and Mischa gather around a campfire to play the video game Outer Wilds... or rather, Mischa plays and Moiya watches in fascination. Listen to hear what Moiya thinks about the game's ancient alien architecture and planet surface textures.

Gue... more

Moiya invites Rory to talk about his black hole-inspired symphony composition and explain how he got musical instruments to sound like event horizons and gravitational time dilation. This episode features a recorded performance by the Yale Symphony O... more

Merry Muses Week! This week, Connie interviews Moiya about her new book, Mothers of Invention. They cover Moiya's inspiration for the book, the muses personalities, and a dream casting for a TV adaptation of the book.

*Note* since recording this epi... more

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Recent Guests

Seven Rasmussen
Astrobiologist and author of Cloudy With a Chance of Starships
Author of Cloudy With a Chance of Starships
Episode: Cloudy With a Chance of Starships by Dr. Seven Rasmussen
Mischa Stanton
Storyteller, world builder, and editor
Multitude
Episode: Rerun: Let's Play Outer Wilds
Rory Bricca
Composer and conductor; student at Yale University
Yale University
Episode: Rerun: "Active Galactic Nuclei" with Rory Bricca
Moiya McTier
Astrophysicist, folklorist, author of Mothers of Invention
University/Book Author
Episode: Mothers of Invention: A History of Creativity from the Greek Muses
Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
Theoretical cosmologist, particle physicist, and author
University of New Hampshire
Episode: The Edge of Space-Time with Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
Nya Abernathy
Creative writer and classmate of Dr. Moiya
Episode: Life and Work of Dr. Mercedes Richards
Brandon Grugle
Audio producer, composer, and head of productions at Multitude
Multitude
Episode: Scariest Planets with Brandon Grugle
Dr. Deboki Chakravarti
Science writer and co-host of Tiny Matters
Tiny Matters
Episode: The Week NASA Started with Dr. Deboki Chakravarti
Maria DeCotis
Comedian, actress, and writer based in New York City.
Episode: Collisions in Space with Maria DeCotis

Hosts

Moiya McTier
Host of Pale Blue Pod, astrophysicist and science communicator
Connie Gibbs
Co-host of Pale Blue Pod, enthusiastic science explainer

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 436 ratings
  • My stress relief while here on Earth

    I love riding around in the universe and world of awesomeness you two create! I feel like I’m learning space right alongside Connie, also a friend to the Universe! Much love!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    lbeans2788
    United States2 months ago
  • Kerfufuffled

    Is this Moose? Gumshoes and Dragons??

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    🤖💩
    United States6 months ago
  • To be fair, I only made it through the first episode, so it's probably a better podcast now than what I listened to. But it has the two-friends-just-talking format that I don't like, and episode 1 is very, very, very giggly. Some people love this format, but to me it wastes too much time that we could be using to talk about science. It's just not my vibe.

    Podchaser
    2
    Sarah B
    a year ago
  • Waste of time

    I was hoping to learn things I did not know about space physics etc but to get to anything interesting one has to endure ages of meaningless conversation between host and guest about nothing of any consequence.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    pctwi
    United States2 years ago
  • Lovely for scientists and non-scientists

    I could listen to Moiya McTier all day. And Corinne Caputo makes an excellent Watson to Moiya’s Sherlock Holmes. Together the two of them present a variety of topics on the Universe, cosmology, planetology, and the history of science in a very humanities-friendly manner. As a working scientist and science communicator, I love watching them in action and get something out of every episode. I can count on Pale Blue Pod to provide an unfailingly chill, calming touch to my often crazy work days.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dr.rickloftus
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the hosts' chemistry and accessible science explanations, describing the show as comforting and engaging.
Some critiques note heavy banter or slow pacing in spots, but many return for the hosts' warmth and clarity.
Feedback highlights the mix of humor, demonstrations, and layperson-friendly astronomy.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Rerun: "Active Galactic Nuclei" with Rory Bricca
Q: What astronomy concepts did you incorporate into the piece and how did you translate them musically?
He details representing the accretion disk as swirling textures, using silhouettes of instruments to mimic falling matter, and employing motifs that evolve into a swirling, growing texture that captures the dynamics of a black hole.
Rerun: "Active Galactic Nuclei" with Rory Bricca
Q: What inspired you to write a piece about black holes in the first place?
Rory describes how a Relativity in Black Holes course at Yale, and the awe of supermassive black holes with accretion disks, sparked the idea to translate those visuals into musical textures.
Rerun: "Active Galactic Nuclei" with Rory Bricca
Q: Hi Rory. Welcome.
Rory explains his excitement to be there and shares a bit about his background and interest in combining astronomy with music.
The Universe has a Queer Agenda
Q: How does queerness relate to astronomy beyond just sexual orientation?
Queerness is a mindset and a way of challenging normative structures; in astronomy, it shows up as recognition of spectra, non-binary states, and the diverse, interconnected nature of cosmic systems, not merely as a metaphor for sexuality.
The Edge of Space-Time with Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
Q: You mention metaphors in the book; do you have a favorite metaphor used to explain science to general readers?
A favorite is space-time as a fabric or rubbery surface, which provides a vivid, tangible intuition for how mass curves space-time, while also acknowledging the metaphor's limits and boundaries to avoid oversimplification.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Pale Blue Pod

What is Pale Blue Pod about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Two hosts explore astronomy and space science with accessibility and humor, covering topics from heliocentrism and exoplanets to cosmology and planetary defense. Episodes balance rigorous science with storytelling, cultural callbacks, and practical notes about sponsorships and community, making complex ideas feel approachable for curious non-experts. Noteworthy strengths include high ease of listening, strong host chemistry, and frequent cross-promo and merch shout-outs that signal an active creator-network presence. The show often features historical context, mythological parallels, and real-world applications, appealing to listeners who enjoy human-centered science communication and a welcoming, nerdy vibe.

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How many listeners does Pale Blue Pod get?

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How many subscribers and views does Pale Blue Pod have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Pale Blue Pod has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Pale Blue Pod?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Pale Blue Pod:

1. The LIUniverse with Dr. Charles Liu
2. The Supermassive Podcast
3. Astrum Space
4. Spirits: Mythology, Legends, & Folklore
5. Ask a Spaceman!

How many episodes of Pale Blue Pod are there?

Pale Blue Pod launched 4 years ago and published 204 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Pale Blue Pod?

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What guests have appeared on Pale Blue Pod?

Recent guests on Pale Blue Pod include:

1. Seven Rasmussen
2. Mischa Stanton
3. Rory Bricca
4. Moiya McTier
5. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
6. Nya Abernathy
7. Brandon Grugle
8. Dr. Deboki Chakravarti

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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