Space Nuts: Astronomy Insights & Cosmic Discoveries

Professor Fred Watson and Andrew Dunkley

Black Holes

Mars

Dark Matter

James Webb Space Telescope

NASA

Dark Energy

Gravitational Waves

Titan

Gravity

Spacex

Exoplanets

Astronomy

Astrobiology

3I Atlas

International Space Station

Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation

Time Dilation

Moon

Big Bang

Astrophysics

Join Professor Fred Watson and Sci-Fi Author Andrew Dunkley on Space Nuts as they delve into astronomy, space travel, and cosmic mysteries. Explore groundbreaking discoveries and listener Q&A in captivating discussions. Follow us on social media to engage with our community!Two episodes a week with news and explainer focused editions published on Thursday's and our Listener Q&A focused edition on ... more

1.2k ratings

Publishes	Twice weekly	Episodes	724	Founded	10 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	ScienceAstronomyNatural Sciences

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Latest Episodes

Primordial Black Holes, Planetary Chemistry & Lunar Crater Discoveries

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Primordial Black Holes, Ultra Hot Jupiters, and a New Moon Crater In this captivating episode of Space Nuts, hosts Andrew Dunkl... more

Yesterday • 34 min

Planetary Orbits, Cosmic Expansion & The Nature of Nothing | Space Nuts Q&A

Planetary Orbits, Cosmic Expansion, and the Nature of Nothingness In this thought-provoking Q&A episode of Space Nuts, hosts Andrew Dunkley and Professor Fred Watson tackle a diverse array of listener questions that delve into the intricacies of our ... more

20 Apr 2026 • 28 min

Lunar Water Mysteries, Interstellar Juice & Graphene's Cosmic Potential

In this intriguing episode of Space Nuts, hosts Andrew Dunkley and Professor Fred Watson explore the latest revelations in space science, focusing on the presence of water on the Moon, the fascinating findings from the comet 3I Atlas, and the innovat... more

16 Apr 2026 • 33 min

Relativistic Beaming, Martian Waters & Cosmic Trash: The Space Nuts Q&A

Relativistic Doppler Beaming, Martian Water, and Fusion Confusion

In this engaging Q&A edition of Space Nuts, hosts Andrew Dunkley and Professor Fred Watson dive into a variety of thought-provoking listener questions that explore the depths of astron... more

13 Apr 2026 • 31 min

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Recent Guests

Sunny Skies

Listener who asked a question about Mars water

Listener/Space Nuts audience

Episode: Relativistic Beaming, Martian Waters & Cosmic Trash: The Space Nuts Q&A

Martin Berman-Gorwein

Writer extraordinaire in many genres

Episode: Solar Secrets, Cosmic Siblings & the Quest for Breathable Exoplanets

Jonti Horner

Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Southern Queensland

University of Southern Queensland

Episode: Meteorite Myths, Daylight Fireballs & the Secrets of Ultra-Faint Galaxies

Professor Jonti Horner

Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Southern Queensland

University of Southern Queensland

Episode: Snowball Earth Theories, High-Energy Neutrinos & The Fascinating MWC349A

Michelle Doherty

First female Astronomer Royal and notable planetary scientist

Episode: Little Red Dots, Astronomer Royal & Life on Mars

Doug Stone

Operator at Bruno Doon State Park Observatory and Planetarium

Bruno Doon State Park Observatory and Planetarium

Episode: Black Holes, Cosmic Questions & TRAPPIST Tales

Mark Rabelais

Listener from Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Episode: Black Holes, Cosmic Questions & TRAPPIST Tales

Heidi Campo

Science communicator and former host of Reality Check podcast

Episode: Alien Objects, Seismic Signals & Mars Missions: Investigating Cosmic Curiosities

Professor Fred Watson

Astronomer at Large

Episode: Dyson Spheres, Dark Matter Mysteries & Time Twists: #480 Q&A

Hosts

Andrew Dunkley

Co-host and science communicator; long-running host of the show; makes space science approachable and entertaining

Professor Fred Watson

Astronomer at large; co-host providing expert astronomical context and explanations

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 1.2k ratings

My Weekly Education
Thanks for the weekly education, facts and entertainment! Keep up the fun times! 🇨🇦
Apple Podcasts
5
coolfactor
Canada3 months ago
Jabbering Jibberish
If you’re keen on listening to a pair of boomers wank on about cruise ship holidays and golf this is the podcast for you.
Apple Podcasts
1
kiwidogman
New Zealand3 months ago
The right side of history
Space IS nuts. I like this pod, I see people leaving negative reviews on politics. In the US its influence on space is notable. Just be on the right side of history.
Apple Podcasts
5
Pizzamonster817nomnom
United States6 months ago
Political
You can tell that they can’t help themselves! They have to get political every chance they get!
Apple Podcasts
1
Almostgood07
United States6 months ago
Delete
Delete
Apple Podcasts
2
MarkChicagoIL
United States6 months ago

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Listeners Say

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

General praise for approachable space content

Positive feedback on clarity and explanations of complex topics

Some criticisms about politics or longer listener questions in certain episodes

Appreciation for host chemistry and humor

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts	#10	United States/Science/Astronomy
Apple Podcasts	#186	United States/Science
Apple Podcasts	#7	United Kingdom/Science/Astronomy
Apple Podcasts	#14	Canada/Science/Astronomy
Apple Podcasts	#118	United Kingdom/Science
Apple Podcasts	#225	Canada/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Black Hole Dilemmas, Pulsar Planets & Bennu's Chemical Secrets | Q&A

Q: Long time listener, first time caller. With time dilation at the event horizon, how are black holes able to accrete enough matter to grow to supermassive scales within cosmological time scales?

The growth depends on the observer's frame of reference; while an external observer sees time slow near the horizon, the infalling material experiences normal time and can continue accreting rapidly, especially if the black hole has abundant gas to feed it, permitting rapid growth that can outpace simple, slow accretion expectations.

Artemis 2 Success, ESO Fallout & The Intriguing World of X-Ray Binaries

Q: Any hope of a turnaround or reconsideration of the ESO relationship for Australia?

There is cautious optimism that new discussions could yield more affordable or alternative arrangements, such as in-kind contributions or a revised partnership, but ESO's membership rules and the scale of the ELT make a quick reversal unlikely without a broader political agreement across multiple member countries.

Artemis 2 Success, ESO Fallout & The Intriguing World of X-Ray Binaries

Q: I was wondering what an X-ray binary is.

An X-ray binary is typically a system where a normal star orbits a compact object like a white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole; material pulled from the companion gets heated to extreme temperatures as it falls onto the compact object, emitting X-rays in the process. In the new discovery, Gandalf and Moonsized appear to be X-ray emitting objects without an obvious stellar companion, suggesting a previously unknown feeding mechanism or debris ring.

Hawking Radiation, Dark Energy Dilemmas & Listener Curiosities

Q: Thomas from Virginia asks a what-if about moving Earth to another star's habitable zone as the Sun dies; what would happen to the atmosphere during and after the journey?

The hosts discussed that atmospheric gases would likely freeze if moved far enough from the Sun's current warmth, with residual gases possibly remaining; upon returning to a favorable zone, some gases would re-vaporize and regain gaseous states. The scenario also highlighted the challenges of physically relocating a planet and the speculative nature of such a move, including potential reliance on exotic physics or dimensional shortcuts in theory.

Hawking Radiation, Dark Energy Dilemmas & Listener Curiosities

Q: Stuart from Tasmania asks how dark energy can drive the expansion of the universe without the energy density decreasing in newly formed space, given conservation considerations.

Experts explained that dark energy is modeled as a property of space itself, with energy density remaining roughly constant as space expands, which leads to the observed acceleration. Recent work from the Dark Energy Survey suggests the cosmological constant may not be truly constant, implying more complex physics may be at play; thus the simple conservation picture can be more nuanced in the context of general relativity and evolving spacetime.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Two seasoned science communicators cover a broad swath of space news, exploration, and cosmic curiosities with accessible explanations and lively banter. Episodes frequently alternate between timely spaceflight updates (e.g., Artemis programs, NASA missions, and international collaboration) and deep dives into astronomical phenomena (black holes, planetary science, exoplanets, cosmic evolution), often interspersed with listener Q&A. The format blends news-style context, expert commentary, and approachable explanations, making complex topics understandable for curious beginners and science enthusiasts alike. A standout element is the chemistry between the hosts—rooted in humor, historical anecdotes, and a shared love of space—that helps new ... more

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These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. SpaceTime with Stuart Gary
2. Universe Today Podcast
3. The Supermassive Podcast
4. Ask a Spaceman!
5. The 365 Days of Astronomy

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 10 years ago and published 724 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Sunny Skies
2. Martin Berman-Gorwein
3. Jonti Horner
4. Professor Jonti Horner
5. Michelle Doherty
6. Doug Stone
7. Mark Rabelais
8. Heidi Campo

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