Universe Today Podcast

Fraser Cain

NASA

Moon

Mars

James Webb Space Telescope

Dark Matter

Vera Rubin Observatory

Astronomy

Spacex

Black Holes

Artificial Intelligence

Exoplanets

Europa

Earth

Titan

Jupiter

Space Exploration

3I Atlas

Vera Rubin

Milky Way

Comet 3I Atlas

Public feed with [Space Bites+], [Q&A+], [Interview+] and other episodes. Free for everyone.

1.6k ratings

Publishes	Daily	Episodes	1636	Founded	13 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	AstronomyScience

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Latest Episodes

[Space Bites+] Vera Rubin Delivers Even More Discoveries

5-hour Patreon Q&A show: www.patreon.com/universetoday/posts/patreon-q-2026-174012731

Rubin finds Neptune’s trojans and two new companions to the Milky Way, China reveals more of its plans to send humans to the Moon, finding the seeds of sup... more

6 Nov 2026 • 20 min

YouTube

[Q&A+] Moon/Mars VS Underwater

BONUS QUESTION STARTS AT 17:10

Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube: youtu.be/lwi6J0h2EhI

What if We Can't Detect Dark Matter? www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXXqSh5qAuA Dark Matter Is Not a Theory: www.youtube.com/watc... more

5 Nov 2026 • 24 min

YouTube

[Interview+] Is The Human Body Ready For A Real Mars Mission?

BONUS PART STARTS AT 43:53

Watch here (with no ads) or on YouTube: youtu.be/jiCigIHzyI8

City on Mars Interview: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQ8sZtg-Kdc

Clearly, a journey to Mars and back is the next huge leap for human space flight. ... more

4 Nov 2026 • 1 hr 4 min

AI Is Destroying YouTube. But NOT In The Way You Think

🔵 Vote in the poll www.youtube.com/@frasercain/posts

3 Nov 2026 • 6 min

YouTube

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Number of Listeners

Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Astronomy CastFraser Cain and Dr. Pamela Gay

SpaceTime with Stuart GaryStuart Gary

The Supermassive PodcastThe Royal Astronomical Society

Ask a Spaceman!Paul M. Sutter

Space Nuts: Astronomy Insights & Cosmic DiscoveriesProfessor Fred Watson and Andrew Dunkley

Recent Guests

Allison Youngblood

Research astrophysicist at NASA Goddard and principal investigator of the ESCAPE mission concept

NASA Goddard

Episode: [Interview+] Going Beyond Hubble and Roman to Find Planets With Atmospheres

Artur Davoyan

Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, UCLA

University of California, Los Angeles

Episode: [Interview+] Two Football Fields of Solar Sail in One Rocket | NIAC 2026

Ben Zuckerman

Emeritus research professor; author of Broadband Searches for Extraterrestrial Technological Intelligence, A New Strategy to Find Nearby Alien Civilizations

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Episode: [Interview+] How Good Was Our Search for Extraterrestrial Life, Really?

Dr. Brian Coberline

Researcher contributing to stories on space phenomena

Episode: [Space Bites+] Turns Out, Superflares Are Quite Possible for Our Sun

Andy Tomaswick

Science writer contributing Space Bytes stories

Universe Today

Episode: [Space Bites+] Turns Out, Superflares Are Quite Possible for Our Sun

Carolyn Collins Peterson

Science writer/reporter contributing to large-scale structure story

Episode: [Space Bites+] Turns Out, Superflares Are Quite Possible for Our Sun

Dave Deboer

Researcher at University of Oxford and UC Berkeley; PI for the Lunar Far Side Transients and Technology Telescope (LFT3/LIFT3)

University of Oxford; University of California, Berkeley

Episode: [Interview+] A Far Side of The Moon Radio Telescope May Happen Sooner Than You Think

Evan Goff

Space journalist providing stories for the episode

Universe Today Podcast

Episode: [Space Bites+] Moon Cities Are Not Happening. Here's Why

Martin Elvis

Astronomer providing input on lunar habitability paper

Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics / university research

Episode: [Space Bites+] Moon Cities Are Not Happening. Here's Why

Host

Fraser Cain

Astronomy communicator, science journalist, and publisher

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 1.6k ratings

Love!
I really enjoy these. Thanks for all you do! No ads is amazing and makes it my top night time drifting to sleep option (in addition to my normal day time listening!)
Just wish you would ad video for the times photos are referenced on space bites. Please at least add video for these shows! Otherwise audio is perfect.
Apple Podcasts
5
SpaceRacer22
United States2 months ago
Extremely good but…
You should do the video on Apple podcast
Apple Podcasts
5
Jimmy 1 1 1
United States4 months ago
Mick West??
I was a regular listener until the episode where the host lauds Mick West, who is no more qualified to analyze video than you or I.
Apple Podcasts
1
4sd..o
United States6 months ago
Manned Missions are such a waste
I am finding the bias of this show tilted so far to manned missions to the moon, mars, and space that it is hard to keep listening to.
IMO this pursuit is such a waste of time and resources and adds very little to man’s knowledge and understanding of the universe that cannot be obtained by much less costly unmanned missions.
It is such an ego trip brought to you by the Billionaires Ego Industrial Complex.
I wish you would address this issue.
Apple Podcasts
3
jmdarri
United States7 months ago
for space and science enthusiasts
As an amateur learning skywatching through a telescope: I started about 20years ago reading www.universetoday.com which introduced me to Universe today. When I discovered Fraser Cain doing youtube interviews with Astronomers and other scientists, I became hooked. Now the website, newsletter and shows are updated often and regularly. But I found that I mostly enjoyed listening to it. Thats where these Apple podcasts and google podcasts come in really handy. Thank-you Fraser and the team at univer... more
Apple Podcasts
5
Sabwap
New Zealand7 months ago

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Listeners Say

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

Listeners praise the clear, brisk delivery and concise coverage of astronomy and space news.

A few listeners criticize the host's framing of particular topics, including human spaceflight and claims about extraterrestrial life.

Listeners appreciate the lack of advertising and straightforward production, while some want video when episodes refer to images.

Many describe the material as accessible and inspiring, though some technical discussions can challenge beginners.

The mix of audience Q&A, interviews, and regular updates is a strong draw.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts	#1	United States/Science/Astronomy
Apple Podcasts	#41	United States/Science
Apple Podcasts	#1	Canada/Science/Astronomy
Apple Podcasts	#6	United Kingdom/Science/Astronomy
Apple Podcasts	#24	Canada/Science
Apple Podcasts	#58	United Kingdom/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

[Q&A+] Exciting Telescopes Coming After JWST and Roman

Q: If Planet Nine was in the Rubin data, would we know right away, or would it be lost in the data until someone found it?

Researchers are likely already searching the nightly data for moving objects. A candidate could be announced quickly, but follow-up observations and spectroscopy from other telescopes would be needed to confirm it.

[Q&A+] Exciting Telescopes Coming After JWST and Roman

Q: What telescopes are you excited about after Nancy Grace Roman?

The host highlights PLATO, Ariel, Xuntian, the Habitable Worlds Observatory, LIFE, LISA, and the Extremely Large Telescope as major upcoming missions and facilities.

[Q&A+] Space Lasers VS Space Nukes

Q: What is the next upcoming best celestial event in your opinion that you could recommend can be seen with the naked eye?

He recommends the Leonids in November and Geminids in December as dependable meteor showers, and also suggests watching planetary encounters with the Moon. Bright comets and major meteor storms can be spectacular but are unpredictable.

[Q&A+] Space Lasers VS Space Nukes

Q: When do we get research on what low gravity does to our health as compared to microgravity?

The host says research will require people to spend sustained periods on the Moon or Mars, or the development of artificial-gravity facilities. He expects lunar stays to provide data in the 2030s and possible Mars research in the 2040s, while emphasizing that major health questions remain unanswered.

[Q&A+] Why Are There No Binary Planets?

Q: Do you buy into dark matter?

Cain accepts that observations of galaxy rotation, gravitational lensing, and the cosmic microwave background show that current cosmological explanations are incomplete. Dark matter is one possible explanation, though modified theories of gravity have not been ruled out.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About Universe Today Podcast

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

Accessible, frequent coverage of astronomy and space science, from new telescope observations and planetary research to human spaceflight, mission concepts, and the search for life. Fraser Cain moves between concise space-news roundups, audience Q&A, and interviews with researchers who explain their work and the missions behind it. The Q&A format connects broad questions about the universe with practical topics such as observing tools, spacecraft, and life in space, while interviews offer closer looks at active research and engineering ideas. The mix suits curious newcomers as well as experienced space enthusiasts, though some discussions assume a basic grounding in science. A brisk, direct presentation and a steady focus on current discove... more

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To see how many followers or subscribers Universe Today Podcast 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 Universe Today Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Universe Today Podcast:

1. Astronomy Cast
2. SpaceTime with Stuart Gary
3. The Supermassive Podcast
4. Ask a Spaceman!
5. Space Nuts: Astronomy Insights & Cosmic Discoveries

How many episodes of Universe Today Podcast are there?

Universe Today Podcast launched 13 years ago and published 1636 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 Universe Today Podcast?

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What guests have appeared on Universe Today Podcast?

Recent guests on Universe Today Podcast include:

1. Allison Youngblood
2. Artur Davoyan
3. Ben Zuckerman
4. Dr. Brian Coberline
5. Andy Tomaswick
6. Carolyn Collins Peterson
7. Dave Deboer
8. Evan Goff

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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