Site • RSS • Apple PodcastsDescription (podcaster-provided):
Do you ever feel dizzy when you think about the incomprehensible scale of space? We call that feeling Cosmic Vertigo. Welcome to a head-spinning conversation between two friends about the sparkly -- and not so sparkly -- stuff in the sky.Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ Astronomy and cosmology explainers • Space missions and Moon landing history • Telescopes, observatories, and space agencies • Space junk and ethics • Indigenous sky stories • Search for aliens • Fast radio bursts • NASA sound sonification gamesThis podcast explores astronomy and space science through conversational episodes that mix big-picture cosmic ideas with grounded stories about how we study the universe. Across the feed, the hosts return to the feeling of “cosmic vertigo” that comes from thinking about vast distances, deep time, and extreme physical conditions, using everyday analogies and a casual tone to make abstract concepts more tangible.
A recurring theme is the universe at its limits: episodes range across questions of scale and density, emptiness and vacuum energy, temperature extremes, and high-energy phenomena such as brief, intense signals from space. There is also attention to observational astronomy—how telescopes work, what they’ve helped reveal, and the practical and social complications that can surround major observatories and scientific projects.
The show often connects space to Earthly institutions and decisions. It spends time on contemporary space activity, including the role of a national space agency and the growing problem of orbital debris, looking at space as a domain shaped by engineering, policy, and human behavior rather than just distant objects.
Another consistent thread is people in science: what draws someone into STEMM fields, the obstacles that can shape careers, and the perspectives brought by scientists and researchers, including guest experts. The podcast also weaves in cultural astronomy, highlighting how sky stories—particularly Indigenous Australian traditions—intersect with constellations and can inform modern understandings of the night sky.
Interspersed among longer discussions are short game-like segments built around “space sounds,” drawing on sonified data and recordings associated with space missions to prompt curiosity about what is being heard and what it represents. The overall result is a mix of science explanation, space-history storytelling, and human and cultural context around astronomy.
