The Supermassive Podcast
The UK's #1 space podcast.
Science journalist Izzie Clarke and astrophysicist Dr Becky Smethurst whizz through the universe to explore the latest research with leading experts, dive to history from the society’s archives and take on your weird and wonderful questions about all things space. Can we gravitationally hitch-hike out of the solar system? Do we live in a multiverse? What is time? Plus Dr Robert Massey is on hand with his top star-gazing tips.
Want to support the show? Join The Supermassive Club for exclusive content, star-gazing forums and ad-free listening... supermassive.supportingcast.fm
And keep adding to The Supermassive Mailbox with your pictures and questions for the team. Send them to [email protected] or follow them on Instagram, @SupermassivePod.
The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham.
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- Update frequency
- every 21 days
- Average duration
- 36 minutes
- Episodes
- 98
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2025
37: BONUS - The Supermassive Mailbox
You spoke. We listened. We're releasing more episodes! Izzie, Dr Becky and Robert answer your questions in this first bonus episode of The Supermassive Podcast.
How hard is life for an astronomer tha…
How hard is life for an astronomer tha…
00:13:53 |
Sat 11 Feb 2023
37: Q&A - Black Hole Burps and Space Station Pacman
Can a black hole eat a black hole, whole? Is there a Universal now? Which household appliances wouldn't work on the International Space Station? Izzie Clarke puts your questions to Dr Becky Smethurst…
00:48:16 |
Tue 31 Jan 2023
36: Stargazing with Team Supermassive
Find out what happened when Izzie Clarke and Dr Robert Massey used a 12 tonne telescope at an observatory in Herstmonceux, Sussex. Plus, Dr Becky Smethurst explains the benefit of using space telesco…
00:47:03 |
Wed 21 Dec 2022
Double Astronaut Special: Returning to the Moon
The Astronaut Alarm is in overdrive... Izzie, Dr Becky, and his excellency Richard Hollingham have not one but TWO astronauts on this month's episode.
From the archive, Richard speaks to NASA astrona…
From the archive, Richard speaks to NASA astrona…
00:50:55 |
Fri 25 Nov 2022
34: How to Deflect an Asteroid
Terrified that an asteroid could wipe out the planet? Don’t panic…the Supermassive team are here to help. Izzie and Dr Becky talk to Professor Alan Fitzsimmons about the results of the DART asteroid …
00:46:12 |
Thu 27 Oct 2022
33: Q&A - The Year in Space
It's been an exciting time for space exploration, so Izzie and Dr Becky celebrate the year in space.... co-incidentally the title of The Supermassive Podcast's book which is out in October. How do pl…
00:54:00 |
Fri 30 Sep 2022
32: JWST First Images... FINALLY!
Izzie and Dr Becky freak out over the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope. From seeing the deep (not so deep) field with Steve Wilkins from the University of Sussex, to exploring exoplan…
00:55:00 |
Sat 27 Aug 2022
31: Life on Mars - LIVE from Standon Calling
The Supermassive team dust off their wellies and peg down their tents for Standon Calling. And to celebrate 10 years of NASA's Curiosity rover landing on Mars, Izzie and Dr Becky are asking the quest…
00:42:56 |
Fri 29 Jul 2022
30: Rocky Planets Rock
Izzie and Dr Becky are flying closer to home to look at the Rocky Planets; Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. How are they different? How are they similar? And can understanding their past tell us anyth…
00:51:49 |
Fri 01 Jul 2022
29: Gas Giants are Weird
From hexagonal shaped storms to spinning sideways, Izzie and Dr Becky are exploring our weird and wonderful Gas Giants. Joining them are Dr Tom Stallard from the University of Leicester and Dr Robert…
00:49:10 |
Tue 31 May 2022
28: How to Kill a Galaxy
How does a galaxy evolve and die? Izzie and Dr Becky find out with help from Tim Davis at Cardiff University. Plus, Dr Robert Massey from the Royal Astronomical Society answers your questions and exp…
00:43:45 |
Sat 30 Apr 2022
27: How to Build a Galaxy
Izzie and Dr Becky are attempting to tackle the massive subject of building a galaxy.
Professor Mike Merrifield from The University of Nottingham explains how galaxies form and our very own galaxy e…
Professor Mike Merrifield from The University of Nottingham explains how galaxies form and our very own galaxy e…
00:44:38 |
Fri 25 Mar 2022
26: The Marvellous Moon
Who doesn’t love looking up at the moon?! Joining Izzie and Dr Becky, Professor Katherine Joy from the University of Manchester explains what past and future lunar missions can tell us, and Dr Megan …
00:52:11 |
Fri 25 Feb 2022
25: A Supermassive Q&A!
The Supermassive team is finally doing something about all the questions that have been sent in. It’s Q&A time! From "fluffy" planets, to cake on the moon, join Izzie Clarke as she puts your question…
00:44:10 |
Fri 28 Jan 2022
24: Eclipses & Expeditions
Join Dr Becky Smethurst and Dr Robert Massey as they explore eclipses; what are they and how have they been studied throughout history? Plus Izzie Clarke visits the Royal Astronomical Society Library…
00:40:08 |
Fri 24 Dec 2021
23: The End of the Universe
What will the end of days actually look like? And how will it happen? This month, Izzie and Dr Becky explore the end of the Universe with cosmologist Dr Katie Mack - author of The End of Everything (…
00:43:44 |
Fri 26 Nov 2021
22: JWST - Seeing the First Stars
Finally, Izzie and Dr Becky are talking about the James Webb Space Telescope but why is this telescope so impressive? NASA’s Keith Parrish, the observatory manager for Webb, covers the basics and Pro…
00:39:34 |
Fri 29 Oct 2021
21: Icy Worlds
Wrap up warm, because this month Izzie and Dr Becky are exploring the icy worlds in the solar system. To help, they're joined by Caroline Harper, Head of Space Science at the UK Space Agency, to disc…
00:39:37 |
Fri 01 Oct 2021
20: Firey Worlds
Izzie and Dr Becky are turning up the heat and exploring the fiery worlds in our solar system. From planets close to the Sun to a distant world of volcanoes and lava.
Joining them are planetary scien…
Joining them are planetary scien…
00:43:20 |
Fri 27 Aug 2021
19: Radiation Belts and Billionaires
This month it’s all about the trapped charged particles around our planet - the Van Allen radiation belts. Izzie and Dr Becky find out all about them with the help of Dr Maria Theresia Walach from La…
00:40:44 |
Fri 30 Jul 2021
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