**Episode Keywords:** Artemis 2, NASA, Blue Origin, New Shepard, space tourism, lunar lander, cosmic winds, galaxy merger, IC 1623, mysterious signals, radio astronomy, circumbinary planets, binary stars, ethanolamine, astrobiology, interstellar molecules, space exploration, Kennedy Space Center
**Detailed Chapter Markers:**
- [00:00] Introduction & Episode Overview
- [02:15] NASA Artemis 2 Wet Dress Rehearsal Delay
- [06:45] Blue Origin Pauses Space Tourism for Lunar Ambitions
- [11:20] Million-MPH Cosmic Winds in Magnetic Superhighway
- [16:30] Mysterious Object Sending Unexplained Galactic Signals
- [21:15] Tatooine Planets More Common Than Expected
- [26:00] Life-Critical Molecule Detected in Interstellar Space
- [30:45] Episode Wrap-Up & Closing
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This episode includes AI-generated content.
00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your source for
00:00:03 --> 00:00:05 the latest space and astronomy news. I'm
00:00:05 --> 00:00:06 Anna.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 Avery: And I'm Avery. Thanks for joining us on this
00:00:08 --> 00:00:11 Saturday, January 31, 2026.
00:00:12 --> 00:00:14 Anna: We've got a fascinating lineup today covering
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 everything from NASA's Artemis programme
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 updates to groundbreaking discoveries in the
00:00:19 --> 00:00:22 search for life beyond Earth. Avery, what's
00:00:22 --> 00:00:23 on the agenda?
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 Avery: Well, Anna, uh, we're kicking things off with
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 some news from NASA's Artemis 2 mission.
00:00:27 --> 00:00:30 There's been a delay in critical testing due
00:00:30 --> 00:00:32 to some unexpected weather challeng. Then
00:00:32 --> 00:00:35 we'll dive into Blue Origin's strategic shift
00:00:35 --> 00:00:37 as they pause their space tourism programme
00:00:37 --> 00:00:38 for at least two years.
00:00:39 --> 00:00:41 Anna: After that, we're looking up at some truly
00:00:41 --> 00:00:44 cosmic million mile per
00:00:44 --> 00:00:47 hour winds racing through colliding galaxies
00:00:47 --> 00:00:50 and a mysterious object sending powerful
00:00:50 --> 00:00:52 signals across space that has astronomers
00:00:52 --> 00:00:53 scratching their heads.
00:00:53 --> 00:00:56 Avery: We'll also explore some surprising findings
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 about Tatooine style planets orbiting
00:00:58 --> 00:01:01 binary stars. And wrap up with an exciting
00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 discovery. Scientists have detected a
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 molecule critical to life in interstellar
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 space for the very first time.
00:01:09 --> 00:01:11 Anna: Quite the journey today. Let's get started.
00:01:12 --> 00:01:12 Avery: Ready when you are.
00:01:13 --> 00:01:15 Anna: Alright, Avery, let's start with NASA's
00:01:15 --> 00:01:18 Artemis programme. I understand old man
00:01:18 --> 00:01:20 Winter has thrown a wrench into their testing
00:01:20 --> 00:01:20 schedule.
00:01:21 --> 00:01:23 Avery: He certainly has, Anna. Uh, NASA has been
00:01:23 --> 00:01:26 forced to delay a critical fueling test for
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 the Artemis 2 mission due to below freezing
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 temperatures at Kennedy Space Centre in
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 Florida. The wet dress rehearsal was
00:01:32 --> 00:01:35 originally scheduled for January 27,
00:01:35 --> 00:01:37 but those unexpected cold temperatures put it
00:01:37 --> 00:01:39 on ice, so to speak.
00:01:39 --> 00:01:42 Anna: I see what you did there. But seriously, what
00:01:42 --> 00:01:45 exactly is this wet dress rehearsal and why
00:01:45 --> 00:01:46 is it so important?
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 Avery: Great question. The wet dress rehearsal is
00:01:49 --> 00:01:52 essentially a full practise run of launch day
00:01:52 --> 00:01:55 procedures minus the actual launch. The team
00:01:55 --> 00:01:57 loads the massive Space Launch System rocket
00:01:57 --> 00:02:00 with over 700 gallons of super
00:02:00 --> 00:02:03 cold liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.
00:02:03 --> 00:02:05 Oxygen propellants runs through all the
00:02:05 --> 00:02:07 countdown procedures and then drains
00:02:07 --> 00:02:09 everything back out. It's the ultimate dress
00:02:09 --> 00:02:11 rehearsal before the real show.
00:02:11 --> 00:02:14 Anna: So they're basically making sure all the
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 plumbing works and everyone knows their roles
00:02:16 --> 00:02:18 when the clock is ticking down. What happened
00:02:18 --> 00:02:20 with the weather that caused the delay?
00:02:20 --> 00:02:23 Avery: Well, Florida experienced some unusually cold
00:02:23 --> 00:02:25 conditions. We're talking about freezing
00:02:25 --> 00:02:27 temperatures that persisted for several days.
00:02:27 --> 00:02:29 The problem is that loading these cryogenic
00:02:29 --> 00:02:32 propellants in freezing conditions creates
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 additional safety risks and potential
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 technical issues. NASA's priority is always
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 safety first. So they made the call to
00:02:39 --> 00:02:39 postpone.
00:02:39 --> 00:02:42 Anna: Smart move. When are they planning to try
00:02:42 --> 00:02:42 again?
00:02:42 --> 00:02:45 Avery: The Space Launch System is now set to roll
00:02:45 --> 00:02:47 out to launch pad 39B on February
00:02:47 --> 00:02:50 5, with the wet dress rehearsal rescheduled
00:02:50 --> 00:02:53 for February 8, this means the Artemis 2
00:02:53 --> 00:02:56 launch is now no earlier than April 2026,
00:02:56 --> 00:02:58 which is a shift from the previous March
00:02:58 --> 00:02:59 target.
00:02:59 --> 00:03:01 Anna: For our listeners who might not be following
00:03:01 --> 00:03:04 every detail of Artemis, remind us what makes
00:03:04 --> 00:03:05 Artemis 2.
00:03:06 --> 00:03:09 Avery: Hannah? Artemis 2 is absolutely
00:03:09 --> 00:03:11 historic. This will be the first crewed
00:03:11 --> 00:03:14 mission beyond low Earth orbit in over 50
00:03:14 --> 00:03:17 years. Basically, since the Apollo programme
00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 ended. Four astronauts will fly around the
00:03:19 --> 00:03:22 moon, testing all the systems and procedures
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 that will eventually support landing
00:03:24 --> 00:03:26 astronauts back on the lunar surface during
00:03:26 --> 00:03:27 Artemis 3.
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 Anna: It's wild to think we haven't sent humans
00:03:30 --> 00:03:33 beyond Earth orbit in five decades.
00:03:33 --> 00:03:34 Who's on the crew?
00:03:34 --> 00:03:36 Avery: The crew includes NASA astronauts Reid
00:03:36 --> 00:03:39 Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch,
00:03:39 --> 00:03:42 along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut
00:03:42 --> 00:03:44 Jeremy Hansen. Victor Glover will make
00:03:44 --> 00:03:47 history as the first person of colour to
00:03:47 --> 00:03:49 travel beyond low Earth orbit. And Christina
00:03:49 --> 00:03:52 Koch will become the first woman to do so.
00:03:52 --> 00:03:55 Anna: That's incredible. Even with this delay,
00:03:55 --> 00:03:58 April 2026 is right around the corner. The
00:03:58 --> 00:03:59 wait is almost over.
00:04:00 --> 00:04:03 Avery: Absolutely. And honestly, a few weeks delay
00:04:03 --> 00:04:05 to ensure everything is perfect is well worth
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 it when you're pioneering the return of human
00:04:07 --> 00:04:08 deep space exploration.
00:04:09 --> 00:04:12 Anna: Speaking of human spaceflight, let's shift
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 gears to Blue Origin. They're making some
00:04:14 --> 00:04:16 significant changes to their programme,
00:04:16 --> 00:04:17 aren't they, Avery?
00:04:17 --> 00:04:20 Avery: They sure are, Anna. Blue Origin has
00:04:20 --> 00:04:21 announced they're hitting pause on their New
00:04:21 --> 00:04:23 Shepard space tourism flights for at least
00:04:23 --> 00:04:26 two years. This is a major strategic shift
00:04:26 --> 00:04:29 as they refocus their resources on NASA's
00:04:29 --> 00:04:31 Artemis programme and the development of
00:04:31 --> 00:04:32 their lunar lander.
00:04:32 --> 00:04:35 Anna: Two years is a substantial pause.
00:04:35 --> 00:04:37 What's driving this decision?
00:04:37 --> 00:04:39 Avery: It all comes down to their Blue Moon lunar
00:04:39 --> 00:04:42 lander programme. Blue Origin won a contract
00:04:42 --> 00:04:45 from NASA worth potentially up to $3.6
00:04:45 --> 00:04:48 billion to develop a human landing system for
00:04:48 --> 00:04:50 the Artemis missions. They're planning an
00:04:50 --> 00:04:52 uncrewed demonstration mission to the moon in
00:04:52 --> 00:04:55 2028, and that's requiring a
00:04:55 --> 00:04:57 massive concentration of their engineering
00:04:57 --> 00:04:58 talent and resources.
00:04:59 --> 00:05:01 Anna: So they're essentially choosing moon landings
00:05:01 --> 00:05:04 over suborbital tourism flights. That seems
00:05:04 --> 00:05:06 like a pretty clear indication of where they
00:05:06 --> 00:05:07 see the bigger opportunity.
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 Avery: Exactly. And it's worth noting that Blue
00:05:10 --> 00:05:13 Origin has already conducted eight successful
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 New Shepard tourism flights since July
00:05:15 --> 00:05:18 2021, carrying 43 people
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 past the Karman Line, the internationally
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 recognised boundary of space at 100
00:05:22 --> 00:05:25 kilometres altitude. So they've proven the
00:05:25 --> 00:05:26 concept and the technology.
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 Anna: I remember the excitement around those early
00:05:29 --> 00:05:31 flights. What exactly will passengers
00:05:31 --> 00:05:33 experience on a New Shepard flight?
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 Avery: It's a roughly 11 minute journey where
00:05:36 --> 00:05:38 passengers experience about three minutes of
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 weightlessness at the top of the arc. The
00:05:40 --> 00:05:43 capsule has massive windows, the largest ever
00:05:43 --> 00:05:46 flown in space, giving spectacular views of
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 Earth's curvature and the blackness of space.
00:05:49 --> 00:05:51 It's suborbital, meaning you go up and come
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 right back down, but you definitely cross
00:05:53 --> 00:05:54 into space.
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 Anna: And this pause is specifically for the
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 tourism programme. What about other New
00:05:59 --> 00:06:00 Shepard missions?
00:06:00 --> 00:06:03 Avery: Good distinction, Anna. New, uh, Shepard will
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 continue flying cargo and research missions.
00:06:05 --> 00:06:07 Blue Origin has committed to conducting at
00:06:07 --> 00:06:10 least two cargo flights each year during this
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 tourism pause. These missions carry
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 scientific experiments and payloads for
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 various customers, including NASA.
00:06:16 --> 00:06:19 Anna: What about their ticket sales? I imagine
00:06:19 --> 00:06:21 people have already paid for future flights.
00:06:22 --> 00:06:23 Avery: Yes, and Blue Origin says they'll be
00:06:23 --> 00:06:26 contacting customers who've already purchased
00:06:26 --> 00:06:28 tickets to discuss their options. They
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 haven't specified how many people are
00:06:30 --> 00:06:32 affected, but they've emphasised this is a
00:06:32 --> 00:06:34 temporary pause, not an end to the programme.
00:06:35 --> 00:06:37 Anna: It's interesting timing, isn't it? Just as
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 several companies are getting into the space
00:06:39 --> 00:06:42 tourism business, Blue Origin is stepping
00:06:42 --> 00:06:43 back, at least temporarily.
00:06:44 --> 00:06:46 Avery: It really shows you the scale of the lunar
00:06:46 --> 00:06:49 lander challenge. Building a spacecraft that
00:06:49 --> 00:06:51 can safely land humans on the moon and return
00:06:51 --> 00:06:54 them to lunar orbit is orders of magnitude
00:06:54 --> 00:06:56 more complex than a suborbital tourism op.
00:06:57 --> 00:06:59 Blue Origin is betting their future on, um,
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 being a key player in the new era of space
00:07:01 --> 00:07:02 exploration.
00:07:02 --> 00:07:05 Anna: And with that NASA contract potentially worth
00:07:05 --> 00:07:08 $3.6 billion, it's not
00:07:08 --> 00:07:09 hard to see why they're prioritising it.
00:07:10 --> 00:07:13 Avery: Exactly. This is Blue Origin's moonshot, both
00:07:13 --> 00:07:15 literally and figuratively. If they can
00:07:15 --> 00:07:17 deliver a successful lunar lander, it
00:07:17 --> 00:07:20 positions them as a major player in the new
00:07:20 --> 00:07:21 era of space exploration.
00:07:22 --> 00:07:25 Anna: From human space exploration to cosmic
00:07:25 --> 00:07:25 phenomena.
00:07:26 --> 00:07:28 Let's talk about something happening on a
00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 scale that's almost impossible to comprehend.
00:07:31 --> 00:07:34 Avery, tell us about these million mile per
00:07:34 --> 00:07:36 hour winds racing through space.
00:07:36 --> 00:07:39 Avery: Anna. Uh, this is absolutely mind blowing.
00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 Astronomers have discovered cosmic winds
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 travelling at over 1.1 million miles per
00:07:44 --> 00:07:47 hour. That's roughly 500 kilometres per
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 second, racing through what they're calling a
00:07:49 --> 00:07:52 magnetic superhighway between two colliding
00:07:52 --> 00:07:52 galaxies.
00:07:53 --> 00:07:56 Anna: A magnetic superhighway in space?
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 That sounds like something out of science
00:07:58 --> 00:08:00 fiction. Where is this happening?
00:08:00 --> 00:08:03 Avery: This incredible phenomenon is occurring in
00:08:03 --> 00:08:04 a system called
00:08:04 --> 00:08:07 IC1623, which is
00:08:07 --> 00:08:10 actually two galaxies in the process of
00:08:10 --> 00:08:12 merging together. Located about
00:08:12 --> 00:08:15 275 million light years
00:08:15 --> 00:08:18 from Earth in the constellation Cetus,
00:08:18 --> 00:08:21 these galaxies are in the late stages of a
00:08:21 --> 00:08:24 cosmic collision and it's creating some
00:08:24 --> 00:08:25 extraordinary physics.
00:08:26 --> 00:08:28 Anna: Walk us through what's actually happening
00:08:28 --> 00:08:31 here. How do galaxies colliding create these
00:08:31 --> 00:08:32 super fast winds.
00:08:33 --> 00:08:35 Avery: When galaxies merge, their gravitational
00:08:35 --> 00:08:38 interactions trigger massive bursts of star
00:08:38 --> 00:08:41 formation. We're talking thousands of stars
00:08:41 --> 00:08:43 being born. These newborn stars live
00:08:43 --> 00:08:46 fast and die young, creating powerful
00:08:46 --> 00:08:49 stellar winds and supernova explosions. All
00:08:49 --> 00:08:52 of this activity generates enormous amounts
00:08:52 --> 00:08:55 of energy that drives material outward at
00:08:55 --> 00:08:56 incredible speeds.
00:08:56 --> 00:08:59 Anna: And the magnetic superhighway, what
00:08:59 --> 00:09:00 role does that play?
00:09:01 --> 00:09:04 Avery: Here's where it gets really fascinating. The
00:09:04 --> 00:09:06 team from the University of Hertfordshire
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08 discovered that magnetic fields are actually
00:09:08 --> 00:09:11 channelling these winds, creating what they
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 call a superhighway that connects the two
00:09:13 --> 00:09:16 galactic cores. Think of it like a
00:09:16 --> 00:09:19 cosmic interstate highway system. But instead
00:09:19 --> 00:09:21 of cars, you've got superheated gas
00:09:21 --> 00:09:24 screaming along at speeds that make Earth's
00:09:24 --> 00:09:26 fastest spacecraft look like they're standing
00:09:26 --> 00:09:26 still.
00:09:27 --> 00:09:30 Anna: That's an amazing image. How did they
00:09:30 --> 00:09:31 detect something like this?
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 Avery: They used the Atacama Large Millimetre Array,
00:09:34 --> 00:09:37 ALMA in Chile, which is specifically designed
00:09:37 --> 00:09:40 to observe cold gas and dust in the universe.
00:09:40 --> 00:09:43 What they found was unexpected. The magnetic
00:09:43 --> 00:09:46 field structure doesn't just randomly radiate
00:09:46 --> 00:09:48 outward like many galactic winds do.
00:09:49 --> 00:09:51 Instead, it's highly organised, creating
00:09:51 --> 00:09:54 this directed pathway between the galactic
00:09:54 --> 00:09:55 centres.
00:09:55 --> 00:09:58 Anna: Why is this discovery so significant? What
00:09:58 --> 00:10:00 does it tell us about galaxy evolution?
00:10:01 --> 00:10:03 Avery: This is crucial for understanding how
00:10:03 --> 00:10:06 galaxies grow and evolve. These powerful
00:10:06 --> 00:10:09 outflows, what astronomers call feedback,
00:10:09 --> 00:10:12 can actually regulate star formation by
00:10:12 --> 00:10:14 expelling the gas and dust that would
00:10:14 --> 00:10:16 otherwise collapse to form new stars.
00:10:17 --> 00:10:18 It's like a pressure release valve for
00:10:18 --> 00:10:21 galaxies. Too much star formation can blow
00:10:21 --> 00:10:24 away the material needed to make more stars,
00:10:24 --> 00:10:27 which can eventually slow down or even halt
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 a, uh, galaxy's growth.
00:10:28 --> 00:10:31 Anna: So galaxies regulate their own growth through
00:10:31 --> 00:10:34 these winds. That's a pretty elegant self
00:10:34 --> 00:10:35 limiting system.
00:10:36 --> 00:10:38 Avery: It really is. And what makes
00:10:38 --> 00:10:41 IC1623 particularly interesting
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43 is that we're seeing this process in action
00:10:43 --> 00:10:46 during a, uh, galaxy merger. When
00:10:46 --> 00:10:49 galaxies collide, we see the most extreme
00:10:49 --> 00:10:51 versions of these processes. The most intense
00:10:51 --> 00:10:54 star formation, the most powerful winds,
00:10:54 --> 00:10:57 the strongest magnetic fields. It's like
00:10:57 --> 00:10:59 watching galaxy evolution and fast forward.
00:11:00 --> 00:11:01 Anna: What do we think the fate of
00:11:01 --> 00:11:04 IC1623 will be?
00:11:04 --> 00:11:06 Avery: Eventually, these two galaxies will
00:11:06 --> 00:11:09 completely merge into a single larger
00:11:09 --> 00:11:12 galaxy. The current burst of star formation
00:11:12 --> 00:11:14 will eventually exhaust much of the available
00:11:14 --> 00:11:17 gas. And what we're looking at now, this
00:11:17 --> 00:11:19 spectacular phase of cosmic winds and
00:11:19 --> 00:11:22 magnetic highways will fade. But the
00:11:22 --> 00:11:24 combined galaxy will carry the imprint of
00:11:24 --> 00:11:26 this violent event in its structure and
00:11:26 --> 00:11:29 stellar populations for billions of years to
00:11:29 --> 00:11:29 come.
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 Anna: It's humbling to think that we're witnessing
00:11:32 --> 00:11:34 something that takes millions of years to
00:11:34 --> 00:11:37 play out. Just captured in a snapshot.
00:11:37 --> 00:11:40 Avery: Absolutely. And every time we point our
00:11:40 --> 00:11:42 telescopes at merging galaxies, we learn
00:11:42 --> 00:11:44 something new about the forces shaping the
00:11:44 --> 00:11:46 universe's largest structures.
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 Anna: Speaking of pointing our telescopes at the
00:11:49 --> 00:11:52 universe and finding surprises, Avery, we
00:11:52 --> 00:11:54 need to talk about this mysterious object
00:11:54 --> 00:11:56 that's been sending powerful signals across
00:11:56 --> 00:11:58 the galaxy. The headline says it's
00:11:58 --> 00:12:01 unlike anything we have seen before.
00:12:01 --> 00:12:04 Avery: That's not just hype, Anna. Astronomers have
00:12:04 --> 00:12:07 discovered something truly a
00:12:07 --> 00:12:10 cosmic object that's periodically sending out
00:12:10 --> 00:12:13 intense radio signals, and it doesn't
00:12:13 --> 00:12:16 fit into any category of known astronomical
00:12:16 --> 00:12:18 phenomena. It's one of those discoveries that
00:12:18 --> 00:12:20 makes you rethink what you thought you knew.
00:12:20 --> 00:12:22 Anna: Okay, you've got my attention.
00:12:23 --> 00:12:25 What exactly are we dealing with here?
00:12:25 --> 00:12:28 Avery: The object sends out extremely bright
00:12:28 --> 00:12:30 radio pulses that last about 30 to
00:12:30 --> 00:12:33 300 seconds. That's up to five minutes
00:12:33 --> 00:12:36 per pulse. And these pulses occur roughly
00:12:36 --> 00:12:39 every 2.9 hours with remarkable
00:12:39 --> 00:12:42 regularity. What makes this so unusual is
00:12:42 --> 00:12:45 the combination of that long period and the
00:12:45 --> 00:12:46 duration of the pulses themselves.
00:12:47 --> 00:12:50 Anna: When you say it doesn't fit known categories.
00:12:50 --> 00:12:52 What are the usual suspects for objects that
00:12:52 --> 00:12:54 send out regular signals like this?
00:12:54 --> 00:12:57 Avery: Great question. The two most common sources
00:12:57 --> 00:13:00 of periodic radio signals are pulsars
00:13:00 --> 00:13:03 and magnetars. Pulsars are
00:13:03 --> 00:13:05 rapidly spinning neutron stars that sweep
00:13:05 --> 00:13:08 beams of radiation across space like a, uh,
00:13:08 --> 00:13:10 cosmic lighthouse. But they typically pulse
00:13:10 --> 00:13:13 on the order of milliseconds to seconds,
00:13:13 --> 00:13:16 not hours. And their individual pulses are
00:13:16 --> 00:13:19 brief, usually milliseconds, not minutes.
00:13:19 --> 00:13:22 Anna: So this object is pulsing way too slowly to
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 be a normal pulsar.
00:13:23 --> 00:13:26 Avery: Exactly. And the pulses last far too
00:13:26 --> 00:13:29 long. Magnetars, which are neutron
00:13:29 --> 00:13:31 stars with incredibly powerful magnetic
00:13:31 --> 00:13:34 fields, can sometimes produce longer period
00:13:34 --> 00:13:37 signals than regular pulsars. But even they
00:13:37 --> 00:13:39 don't typically operate on a three hour cycle
00:13:39 --> 00:13:41 with multi minute pulse durations.
00:13:42 --> 00:13:44 Anna: Have astronomers proposed any theories about
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 what this could be?
00:13:45 --> 00:13:47 Avery: There are a few possibilities being
00:13:47 --> 00:13:50 investigated. One idea is that it could be a
00:13:50 --> 00:13:52 white dwarf in a binary system, which is two
00:13:52 --> 00:13:54 stars orbiting each other, where one is a
00:13:54 --> 00:13:57 white dwarf remnant. The interaction between
00:13:57 --> 00:13:59 the two stars can potentially generate these
00:13:59 --> 00:14:02 periodic radio emissions. Another possibility
00:14:02 --> 00:14:05 is that we're seeing some kind of unusual
00:14:05 --> 00:14:08 magnetar or pulsar that operates
00:14:08 --> 00:14:10 differently than the ones we studied before.
00:14:10 --> 00:14:12 Anna: When was this object discovered and how?
00:14:13 --> 00:14:15 Avery: The discovery was made using radio telescope
00:14:15 --> 00:14:18 observations. And what's particularly
00:14:18 --> 00:14:20 intriguing is that the signals are powerful
00:14:20 --> 00:14:23 enough to be detected across vast distances.
00:14:23 --> 00:14:25 The exact distance to this object is still
00:14:25 --> 00:14:28 being determined, but the fact that we can
00:14:28 --> 00:14:30 detect such clear periodic signals
00:14:30 --> 00:14:33 suggests it's either relatively close in
00:14:33 --> 00:14:36 cosmic terms or it's Putting out tremendous
00:14:36 --> 00:14:37 amounts of energy.
00:14:37 --> 00:14:40 Anna: This reminds me of those fast radio bursts
00:14:40 --> 00:14:42 we've heard about. Brief, intense radio
00:14:42 --> 00:14:45 signals from across the universe. Is this
00:14:45 --> 00:14:45 related?
00:14:46 --> 00:14:48 Avery: That's a natural comparison, Anna. Um, but
00:14:48 --> 00:14:51 fast radio bursts FRBs are different.
00:14:51 --> 00:14:53 They're much briefer, Typically lasting
00:14:53 --> 00:14:56 milliseconds. Though some do repeat.
00:14:56 --> 00:14:59 This object's behaviour is more periodic and
00:14:59 --> 00:15:01 predictable, with much longer pulse
00:15:01 --> 00:15:03 durations. It's almost like comparing a
00:15:03 --> 00:15:06 strobe light to a slowly rotating
00:15:06 --> 00:15:06 searchlight.
00:15:07 --> 00:15:08 Anna: What's the next step for studying this
00:15:08 --> 00:15:10 mysterious object?
00:15:10 --> 00:15:12 Avery: Astronomers will be conducting follow up
00:15:12 --> 00:15:15 observations across multiple wavelengths. Not
00:15:15 --> 00:15:18 just radio, but also optical X ray and
00:15:18 --> 00:15:20 potentially others. They want to determine
00:15:20 --> 00:15:23 exactly where it is, Measure its properties
00:15:23 --> 00:15:26 in detail, and hopefully identify what type
00:15:26 --> 00:15:29 of object it is. Sometimes you need multiple
00:15:29 --> 00:15:31 types of observations to build a complete
00:15:31 --> 00:15:31 picture.
00:15:31 --> 00:15:34 Anna: Do discoveries like this happen often where
00:15:34 --> 00:15:36 we find something that just doesn't fit our
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 existing models?
00:15:38 --> 00:15:39 Avery: More often than you might think. Actually,
00:15:40 --> 00:15:43 the universe keeps surprising us. Every
00:15:43 --> 00:15:45 major improvement in our observing technology
00:15:45 --> 00:15:47 reveals new phenomena we didn't predict.
00:15:48 --> 00:15:51 Radio astronomy in particular has a history
00:15:51 --> 00:15:53 of unexpected discoveries. Pulsars
00:15:53 --> 00:15:56 themselves were a complete surprise when they
00:15:56 --> 00:15:58 were first detected in 1967.
00:15:58 --> 00:16:01 Anna: Could this turn out to be a whole new class
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 of astronomical objects?
00:16:03 --> 00:16:05 Avery: That's definitely possible. If follow up
00:16:05 --> 00:16:08 observations confirm that this truly doesn't
00:16:08 --> 00:16:11 fit into any existing category, it could
00:16:11 --> 00:16:14 indeed represent something new. Of course, it
00:16:14 --> 00:16:16 might also turn out to be an extreme example
00:16:16 --> 00:16:19 of a known type of object just operating in a
00:16:19 --> 00:16:22 regime we haven't observed before. Either
00:16:22 --> 00:16:24 way, it's expanding our understanding of
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 what's possible in the universe.
00:16:25 --> 00:16:28 Anna: I love that we're still finding things that
00:16:28 --> 00:16:30 make astronomers say we've never seen
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 anything like this before.
00:16:31 --> 00:16:34 Avery: Me too, Anna. Um, it reminds us how much we
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 still have to learn about the cosmos.
00:16:36 --> 00:16:39 Anna: Sticking with unexpected discoveries, let's
00:16:39 --> 00:16:41 talk about planets that orbit two suns.
00:16:41 --> 00:16:44 Tatooine style worlds. Avery. I understand
00:16:44 --> 00:16:46 these aren't as rare as scientists once
00:16:46 --> 00:16:46 thought.
00:16:47 --> 00:16:49 Avery: That's right, Anna. Uh, new research is
00:16:49 --> 00:16:51 challenging our assumptions about
00:16:51 --> 00:16:53 circumbinary planets. That's the technical
00:16:53 --> 00:16:56 term for planets that orbit both stars in a
00:16:56 --> 00:16:59 binary system. It turns out these Star
00:16:59 --> 00:17:01 wars style worlds might be more common than
00:17:01 --> 00:17:04 we previously believed, Especially around
00:17:04 --> 00:17:06 certain types of binary stars.
00:17:06 --> 00:17:09 Anna: Before we dive into the findings, let's set
00:17:09 --> 00:17:09 the stage.
00:17:09 --> 00:17:12 How common are binary star systems in the
00:17:12 --> 00:17:12 first place?
00:17:13 --> 00:17:15 Avery: Binary systems are actually incredibly
00:17:15 --> 00:17:18 common, Anna. Uh, roughly half of all sun
00:17:18 --> 00:17:21 like stars exist in binary or multiple
00:17:21 --> 00:17:23 star systems. So we're not talking about a
00:17:23 --> 00:17:26 rare cosmic curiosity here. Binaries
00:17:26 --> 00:17:29 are a fundamental component of the galaxy's
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 stellar population.
00:17:30 --> 00:17:33 Anna: And we have discovered actual circumbinary
00:17:33 --> 00:17:35 planets already. Right. This isn't just
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 theoretical.
00:17:36 --> 00:17:39 Avery: Absolutely. NASA's Kepler Space
00:17:39 --> 00:17:41 Telescope discovered the first confirmed
00:17:41 --> 00:17:44 circumbinary planets back in 2011,
00:17:44 --> 00:17:46 and we've found several more since then.
00:17:46 --> 00:17:49 These are real worlds orbiting two suns,
00:17:49 --> 00:17:52 just like Luke Skywalker's home planet. But
00:17:52 --> 00:17:54 the question has always been, how common are
00:17:54 --> 00:17:54 they?
00:17:55 --> 00:17:57 Anna: So what does this new research tell us?
00:17:57 --> 00:18:00 Avery: The study found that circumbinary planets
00:18:00 --> 00:18:02 appear to be particularly common around what
00:18:02 --> 00:18:05 are called equal mass binaries, systems
00:18:05 --> 00:18:07 where both stars are roughly the same size
00:18:07 --> 00:18:10 and mass. In these systems, the stable
00:18:10 --> 00:18:12 orbital zone where planets can form and
00:18:12 --> 00:18:15 survive, might actually be more favourable
00:18:15 --> 00:18:17 than astronomers previously calculated.
00:18:18 --> 00:18:20 Anna: Why would having two equal mass stars make it
00:18:20 --> 00:18:22 easier for planets to form?
00:18:22 --> 00:18:24 Avery: It has to do with gravitational stability.
00:18:25 --> 00:18:27 When you have two stars of similar mass,
00:18:27 --> 00:18:29 their gravitational influence on the
00:18:29 --> 00:18:31 surrounding disc of planet forming material
00:18:31 --> 00:18:34 is more balanced and predictable. There's
00:18:34 --> 00:18:36 less chaotic variation in the gravitational
00:18:36 --> 00:18:39 forces acting on the disc. Which means there
00:18:39 --> 00:18:41 are stable regions where material can
00:18:41 --> 00:18:43 accumulate and grow into planets.
00:18:43 --> 00:18:46 Anna: What about unequal binary systems? One big
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 star and one small one.
00:18:48 --> 00:18:50 Avery: Those systems can still host circumbinary
00:18:50 --> 00:18:53 planets, but the dynamics are more complex.
00:18:53 --> 00:18:56 The larger star dominates gravitationally,
00:18:56 --> 00:18:58 and the smaller star creates additional
00:18:58 --> 00:19:00 perturbations that can make certain orbital
00:19:00 --> 00:19:03 regions unstable. It doesn't mean planets
00:19:03 --> 00:19:05 can't form, but the stable zones might be
00:19:05 --> 00:19:07 more limited or located at different
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 distances.
00:19:09 --> 00:19:11 Anna: This has implications for the search for
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 habitable worlds, doesn't it?
00:19:13 --> 00:19:15 Avery: Very much so. If circumbinary planets
00:19:15 --> 00:19:18 are more common than we thought, especially
00:19:18 --> 00:19:21 in equal mass binaries, that increases the
00:19:21 --> 00:19:23 overall number of potential planetary
00:19:23 --> 00:19:25 environments in the Galaxy. Some of these
00:19:25 --> 00:19:27 could potentially be in the habitable zone,
00:19:27 --> 00:19:30 the region where liquid water could exist on
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 a planet's surface.
00:19:31 --> 00:19:33 Anna: Although I imagine having two suns would
00:19:33 --> 00:19:35 complicate the climate situation
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 significantly.
00:19:37 --> 00:19:39 Avery: You're absolutely right. The climate on a
00:19:39 --> 00:19:41 circumbinary planet would be fascinatingly
00:19:41 --> 00:19:44 complex. You'd have variations in heating
00:19:44 --> 00:19:46 depending on the orbital positions of both
00:19:46 --> 00:19:49 stars relative to the planet. Some times of
00:19:49 --> 00:19:51 the year, both suns might be on the same side
00:19:51 --> 00:19:54 of the sky, providing intense combined
00:19:54 --> 00:19:56 heating. Other times they'd be on opposite
00:19:56 --> 00:19:59 sides, creating more balanced illumination.
00:19:59 --> 00:20:01 Anna: How did researchers arrive at these
00:20:01 --> 00:20:03 conclusions about circumbinary planet
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 frequency?
00:20:04 --> 00:20:07 Avery: They combined observational data from
00:20:07 --> 00:20:09 telescope surveys with sophisticated computer
00:20:09 --> 00:20:12 modelling of how planets form in binary star
00:20:12 --> 00:20:15 systems. By simulating thousands of different
00:20:15 --> 00:20:18 scenarios with various binary configurations,
00:20:18 --> 00:20:20 they could identify patterns about which
00:20:20 --> 00:20:23 systems are most likely to host planets.
00:20:24 --> 00:20:26 Anna: Are there any specific systems astronomers
00:20:26 --> 00:20:28 are now targeting for follow up observations?
00:20:28 --> 00:20:31 Based on these findings, the research
00:20:31 --> 00:20:31 definitely.
00:20:31 --> 00:20:34 Avery: Points to equal mass binaries as high
00:20:34 --> 00:20:36 priority targets for planet hunting
00:20:36 --> 00:20:39 campaigns. Missions like NASA's upcoming
00:20:39 --> 00:20:41 Nancy Grace Roman Telescope and continuing
00:20:41 --> 00:20:44 observations from ground based facilities
00:20:44 --> 00:20:46 will be keeping a close eye on these systems.
00:20:47 --> 00:20:49 Every new circumbinary planet we discover
00:20:49 --> 00:20:51 helps refine our models.
00:20:51 --> 00:20:54 Anna: It's exciting to think those iconic twin
00:20:54 --> 00:20:56 sunset scenes from Star wars might be more
00:20:56 --> 00:20:58 common in the universe than we realised.
00:20:59 --> 00:21:01 Avery: It really is, Anna. Um, the universe keeps
00:21:01 --> 00:21:03 proving that the reality can be just as
00:21:03 --> 00:21:06 spectacular as science fiction, Sometimes
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 even more so.
00:21:07 --> 00:21:10 Anna: And for our final storey today, Avery, we're
00:21:10 --> 00:21:12 talking about a discovery that touches on one
00:21:12 --> 00:21:15 of astronomy's biggest questions. The search
00:21:15 --> 00:21:17 for life beyond Earth. Scientists have
00:21:17 --> 00:21:20 detected a molecule critical to life in
00:21:20 --> 00:21:23 interstellar space for the first time. Tell
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 us about this breakthrough.
00:21:24 --> 00:21:27 Avery: This is genuinely exciting, Anna. Uh, for the
00:21:27 --> 00:21:30 first time ever, astronomers have detected
00:21:30 --> 00:21:33 ethylenamine, a molecule that plays a
00:21:33 --> 00:21:35 crucial role in forming cell membranes
00:21:35 --> 00:21:38 floating in the vast spaces between stars.
00:21:38 --> 00:21:41 This discovery has profound implications for
00:21:41 --> 00:21:43 how we think about the building blocks of
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 life in the universe.
00:21:44 --> 00:21:47 Anna: Let's start with the basics. What exactly is
00:21:47 --> 00:21:50 ethyl enamine and why is it so important to
00:21:50 --> 00:21:50 life?
00:21:51 --> 00:21:53 Avery: Ethylenamine is an organic molecule that's a
00:21:53 --> 00:21:56 key component of phospholipids, which are the
00:21:56 --> 00:21:59 primary building blocks of cell membranes.
00:21:59 --> 00:22:01 Think of cell membranes as the walls and
00:22:01 --> 00:22:04 gates of cells. They define the boundary
00:22:04 --> 00:22:07 between the inside and outside of a cell and
00:22:07 --> 00:22:09 control what goes in and out. Without
00:22:09 --> 00:22:12 molecules like ethylenamine, you can't build
00:22:12 --> 00:22:14 functional cell membranes. And, uh, without
00:22:14 --> 00:22:17 cell membranes, you can't have cells as we
00:22:17 --> 00:22:17 know them.
00:22:18 --> 00:22:21 Anna: Though this is truly fundamental to life, at
00:22:21 --> 00:22:23 least life as we understand it. Where was
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 this molecule detected?
00:22:25 --> 00:22:27 Avery: The discovery was made in a molecular cloud,
00:22:28 --> 00:22:31 one of these vast cold regions of space where
00:22:31 --> 00:22:33 gas and dust accumulate and where new
00:22:33 --> 00:22:36 stars and planetary systems eventually form.
00:22:37 --> 00:22:39 These clouds are essentially stellar
00:22:39 --> 00:22:41 nurseries. And finding life, building
00:22:41 --> 00:22:43 molecules there suggest that the ingredients
00:22:43 --> 00:22:46 for life might be getting incorporated into
00:22:46 --> 00:22:48 planetary systems right from the start.
00:22:48 --> 00:22:51 Anna: How do scientists actually detect specific
00:22:51 --> 00:22:54 molecules in interstellar space? I imagine
00:22:54 --> 00:22:56 you can't exactly collect a sample.
00:22:57 --> 00:22:59 Avery: Great question. They use radio
00:22:59 --> 00:23:02 spectroscopy. Every molecule has a unique
00:23:02 --> 00:23:04 spectroscopic signature. Think of it like a,
00:23:04 --> 00:23:07 uh, molecular fingerprint. Different
00:23:07 --> 00:23:09 molecules absorb and emit light at specific
00:23:09 --> 00:23:12 wavelengths. Radio telescopes can detect
00:23:12 --> 00:23:14 these signatures, allowing astronomers to
00:23:14 --> 00:23:17 identify what molecules are present in
00:23:17 --> 00:23:19 distant clouds, even though those clouds are
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 trillions of miles away.
00:23:21 --> 00:23:24 Anna: We've found other organic molecules in space
00:23:24 --> 00:23:26 before, haven't we? What makes this discovery
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 special?
00:23:27 --> 00:23:30 Avery: You're absolutely right, Hannah. Astronomers
00:23:30 --> 00:23:32 have detected more than 200 different
00:23:32 --> 00:23:34 molecules in interstellar space, including
00:23:35 --> 00:23:37 amino um, acids and sugars. But
00:23:37 --> 00:23:40 ethylnamine is special because of its direct
00:23:40 --> 00:23:43 connection to cell membrane formation. It's
00:23:43 --> 00:23:45 one thing to find amino um, acids, the
00:23:45 --> 00:23:47 building blocks of proteins, but finding a
00:23:47 --> 00:23:49 molecule that's essential for creating the
00:23:49 --> 00:23:52 actual structure of cells takes us another
00:23:52 --> 00:23:55 step closer to understanding how life's
00:23:55 --> 00:23:57 fundamental architecture might arise.
00:23:57 --> 00:24:00 Anna: Does this discovery change our thinking about
00:24:00 --> 00:24:02 where the building blocks of life come from?
00:24:02 --> 00:24:05 Avery: It definitely supports the hypothesis that
00:24:05 --> 00:24:07 many of life's essential molecular
00:24:07 --> 00:24:10 ingredients aren't created on planets after
00:24:10 --> 00:24:13 they form, but rather arrive from space.
00:24:14 --> 00:24:16 We already know that meteorites deliver
00:24:16 --> 00:24:19 organic compounds to planets. We found amino
00:24:19 --> 00:24:21 acids in meteorites that have fallen to
00:24:21 --> 00:24:23 Earth. This discovery suggests that
00:24:23 --> 00:24:26 even more complex life related molecules
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 could be delivered from space.
00:24:28 --> 00:24:31 Anna: Though in a sense, the raw materials for
00:24:31 --> 00:24:33 life might be common throughout the galaxy.
00:24:34 --> 00:24:36 Avery: That's the tantalising possibility this
00:24:36 --> 00:24:39 raises. If molecules like ethanolamine can
00:24:39 --> 00:24:42 form in the harsh conditions of interstellar
00:24:42 --> 00:24:45 space, then these building blocks might be
00:24:45 --> 00:24:47 present in molecular clouds throughout the
00:24:47 --> 00:24:49 galaxy. Every time a new planetary
00:24:49 --> 00:24:52 system forms, it could be inheriting these
00:24:52 --> 00:24:54 pre made components of life.
00:24:54 --> 00:24:56 Anna: This doesn't mean life is automatically
00:24:56 --> 00:24:58 everywhere though, right? Having the
00:24:58 --> 00:25:00 ingredients doesn't guarantee you'll bake the
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 cake.
00:25:01 --> 00:25:04 Avery: Exactly. This is about potential and
00:25:04 --> 00:25:07 possibility. Having the molecular building
00:25:07 --> 00:25:09 blocks is necessary for life, but it's not
00:25:09 --> 00:25:12 sufficient. You still need the right
00:25:12 --> 00:25:14 conditions for those molecules to assemble
00:25:14 --> 00:25:17 into functioning biological systems. The
00:25:17 --> 00:25:20 right temperature, pressure, energy sources,
00:25:20 --> 00:25:23 solvents like liquid water, and probably a
00:25:23 --> 00:25:25 host of factors we don't fully understand
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 yet.
00:25:26 --> 00:25:28 Anna: What are the next steps for this kind of
00:25:28 --> 00:25:28 research?
00:25:29 --> 00:25:31 Avery: Astronomers will be looking for ethanolamine
00:25:31 --> 00:25:34 and similar molecules in other molecular
00:25:34 --> 00:25:36 clouds to see how widespread they are.
00:25:36 --> 00:25:38 They'll also be searching for even more
00:25:38 --> 00:25:40 complex organic molecules that might be
00:25:40 --> 00:25:43 precursors to biological chemistry.
00:25:43 --> 00:25:46 Every molecule we find helps us piece
00:25:46 --> 00:25:48 together the storey of how inanimate
00:25:48 --> 00:25:50 chemistry transitions to the chemistry of
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 life.
00:25:51 --> 00:25:54 Anna: It's remarkable to think that the membrane
00:25:54 --> 00:25:56 surrounding every cell in our bodies might
00:25:56 --> 00:25:58 have had their chemical ancestors floating
00:25:58 --> 00:26:00 between the stars billions of years ago.
00:26:01 --> 00:26:03 Avery: It really is Anna, uh, it connects us to the
00:26:03 --> 00:26:06 cosmos in a very tangible way. We're
00:26:06 --> 00:26:09 not just made of stardust in an abstract
00:26:09 --> 00:26:12 sense. The actual molecular machinery
00:26:12 --> 00:26:14 of life may have origins that predate Earth
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 itself.
00:26:16 --> 00:26:18 Anna: What a perfect note to end today's episode on
00:26:18 --> 00:26:21 a reminder that we're part of a universe wide
00:26:21 --> 00:26:23 chemistry experiment that's been running for
00:26:23 --> 00:26:24 billions of years.
00:26:25 --> 00:26:27 Avery: Well, that wraps up another day of space and
00:26:27 --> 00:26:29 astronomy news. From NASA's Artemis
00:26:29 --> 00:26:32 preparations to the discovery of life's
00:26:32 --> 00:26:34 building blocks floating between the stars,
00:26:34 --> 00:26:37 the universe continues to amaze and inspire.
00:26:38 --> 00:26:40 Anna: It really does. Thanks so much for joining us
00:26:40 --> 00:26:43 today, everyone. Remember, you can find us at
00:26:43 --> 00:26:45 astronomydaily.IO for full episode
00:26:45 --> 00:26:47 transcripts and additional content.
00:26:47 --> 00:26:49 Avery: And don't forget to follow us on social media
00:26:49 --> 00:26:52 astrodailypod for daily updates
00:26:52 --> 00:26:54 and space news throughout the week.
00:26:54 --> 00:26:57 Anna: Until next time, keep looking up
00:26:57 --> 00:26:59 clear skies, everyone.
00:26:59 --> 00:27:01 Avery: Astronomy Day
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 Storeys be told.
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 Anna: Love.
00:27:10 --> 00:27:12 Avery: Storey soul.
00:27:13 --> 00:27:13 Hmm.