The human body flourishes within the familiar embrace of Earth, but in space, survival transforms into a precarious, daily struggle. The impact of microgravity on fundamental human activities—from eating and sleeping to intimacy—is only now…

Embark on a cosmic treasure hunt, complete with a diamond mine on Neptune?! *Known Universe* investigates groundbreaking concepts that might enable humans to extract resources from space. One such idea involves utilizing Kevlar ribbons to s…

This episode of Known Universe examines how a star can become unimaginably potent in its dramatic supernova demise, and considers whether the most intense locale in existence might not be a star at all... but a black hole. We’ll also invest…

We’ve grown accustomed to viewing Earth as a domain under our influence. Our relentless innovation yields ever more powerful, rapid, and interconnected technologies. In this episode of KNOWN UNIVERSE, we'll examine how science is reassessin…

Volcanic eruptions are not limited to Earth; they are a frequent occurrence across our solar system. These events possess the power to both devastate and build, and we will explore their astonishing effects—on humanity and entire galaxies. …

Space engineering embodies the trajectory of human progress, yet presents us with formidable technological hurdles. Join us as we journey to NASA’s workshop to examine the specialized tools required for construction in such a demanding sett…

We’ve walked on the moon and sent probes to explore worlds hundreds of millions of miles distant. Yet, when it comes to venturing beyond Earth, we are only beginning. Of the many launches we have undertaken, remarkably few have actually esc…

The world did not meet its predicted end on May 21st, 2011, though such an event is inevitable—not just for Earth, but for asteroids, comets, moons, planets, stars, and all that exists within our observable universe. To illustrate this prof…