Universe Today Podcast

Fraser Cain

NASA

Mars

Moon

James Webb Space Telescope

Vera Rubin Observatory

Black Holes

Dark Matter

Spacex

Astronomy

3I Atlas

Artificial Intelligence

Space Exploration

Exoplanets

Earth

Milky Way

Europa

Comet 3I Atlas

Titan

Jupiter

Vera Rubin

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

1.6k ratings

Publishes	Daily	Episodes	1625	Founded	13 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	AstronomyScience

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Latest Episodes

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

BONUS QUESTION STARTS AT 15:22

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

Why are there no binary planets? Should you buy into dark energy and dark matter? What apps are best for stargazing? And in Q&A+, why don'... more

Yesterday • 21 min

YouTube

[Space Bites+] Turns Out, Hypernovae Might Not Exist At All

BONUS STORY STARTS AT 14:37

Watch here (with no ads) or on YouTube: youtu.be/Qpthhx9svK8

Do hypernovae actually exist? The science is in from the Artemis 2 mission. A second generation planet found around a white dwarf. Starship 40 finally... more

17 Oct 2026 • 19 min • Popular

YouTube

[Q&A+] Should We Still Be Worried About The Apophis Asteroid?

BONUS QUESTION STARTS AT 14:25

Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube: youtu.be/99euKNYNKIE

Are interferometers the future of telescopes? Can we aim at stars by knowing only where they were billions of years ago? Is the Apophis as... more

15 Oct 2026 • 21 min • Most popular

YouTube

[Q&A+] Why Won't NASA Just Buy Falcon 9 from SpaceX?

BONUS QUESTION STARTS AT 14:14

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

If SpaceX no longer want Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon, why won't NASA just buy them for themselves? What would a perfect space station look li... more

14 Oct 2026 • 19 min • Popular

YouTube

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Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Astronomy CastFraser Cain and Dr. Pamela Gay

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Ask a Spaceman!Paul M. Sutter

The Supermassive PodcastThe Royal Astronomical Society

Recent Guests

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?

Andy Tomaswick

Science writer contributing Space Bytes stories

Universe Today

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

Dr. Brian Coberline

Researcher contributing to stories on space phenomena

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

Jonathan McDowell

Space journalist, author of Jonathan's Space Report

Centre for Astrophysics / independent researcher

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

Brian Coberline

Astrophysicist providing black hole discussion

(as described)

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

Scott Johnson

Contributor on solar mysteries and sun-planet interactions

(as described)

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

Host

Raoul Cohen

Host of the Universe Today channel, frequently leads Q&A and livestream episodes

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 Statesa month ago
Extremely good but…
You should do the video on Apple podcast
Apple Podcasts
5
Jimmy 1 1 1
United States3 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 States5 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 States6 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.

Guests and topics are consistently strong and informative

High-quality, accessible science reporting with deep dives

No ads across channels is appreciated by patrons

Great podcast for space enthusiasts who want concise, insightful content

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts	#1	United States/Science/Astronomy
Apple Podcasts	#61	United States/Science
Apple Podcasts	#2	Canada/Science/Astronomy
Apple Podcasts	#5	United Kingdom/Science/Astronomy
Apple Podcasts	#42	Canada/Science
Apple Podcasts	#83	United Kingdom/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

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

Q: Artur, what are you obsessed with right now?

Exploring propulsion options that outperform chemical rockets and ion engines, including solar sails, laser ablation, beam-powered propulsion, and even more speculative ideas, while keeping a flexible, multi-technology approach to push performance.

[Q&A+] What’s The Best Way To Go Under The Ice of Europa?

Q: How feasible is it to use an RTG-based heat drill to get under Europa's ice, and what are the tradeoffs in probe size?

A smaller, needle-like probe could potentially reach the ice in a couple of years, whereas a larger probe with significant payload would face more friction and take longer; overall, the concept depends on optimizing payload versus diameter and the energy delivery method, with current testing in Greenland showing melt-probe effectiveness.

[Q&A+] We Were Promised A Firehose of Results From Vera Rubin. Where Are They?

Q: When will we see the surfaces of exoplanets? What non-Western telescopes should we expect? Where are all the big promised results from Vera Rubin?

The host explains that even with a telescope as powerful as JWST or the planned Habitable Worlds Observatory, we will often only obtain single-pixel data for exoplanets, which can still yield valuable information such as atmospheric composition, brightness changes, and potential biosignatures. Real progress will come gradually as Vera Rubin builds thousands of exposures over years, ramping up the data volume and enabling longer-term studies.

[Q&A+] What Happened At the Very Beginning?

Q: A six-year-old asks whether outer space is dirty; what is the real answer and why does dust exist in space?

Space is mostly a hard vacuum with a small number of particles per cubic meter, but dust—tiny particles from stellar processes—pervades and reddens or obscures light, especially around star-forming regions and the Milky Way's center.

[Q&A+] What Happened At the Very Beginning?

Q: How do we know what happened before the cosmic microwave background, and what techniques allow us to look earlier in the universe?

We use multi-messenger astronomy; neutrinos and gravitational waves can escape from epochs prior to last scattering, and laboratory particle physics allows us to recreate similar conditions to infer the state of the early universe.

Audience Metrics

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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?

A science-focused show that concentrates on space, astronomy news, and thoughtful explorations of big questions in cosmology. Episodes mix concise space news roundups, ambitious technical interviews, and accessible Q&A that help listeners understand complex topics—from exoplanets and black holes to mission concepts and NIAC-funded research. Notable strengths include a steady stream of expert guests, a bias toward education and curiosity over hype, and a rare ad-free model supported by Patreon, which keeps the content audience-first and transparent. This mix makes it a strong fit for listeners who enjoy rigorous yet approachable science storytelling and expert perspectives on current and near-future space exploration.

It tends to attract li... more

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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. Space Nuts: Astronomy Insights & Cosmic Discoveries
4. Ask a Spaceman!
5. The Supermassive Podcast

How many episodes of Universe Today Podcast are there?

Universe Today Podcast launched 13 years ago and published 1625 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 Universe Today Podcast?

Recent guests on Universe Today Podcast include:

1. Artur Davoyan
2. Ben Zuckerman
3. Andy Tomaswick
4. Dr. Brian Coberline
5. Carolyn Collins Peterson
6. Dave Deboer
7. Jonathan McDowell
8. Brian Coberline

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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