Is there life in our galaxy? How would we know if we spotted it? Dr. Moiya McTier, astrophysicist and folklorist, joins us to talk about her Ph.D. research on exactly that, plus the many surprising ways we get data about our universe (plus some existential pondering, of course)! Warning: we will be talking about the vastness of space and it's *no joke*!
If you're overwhelmed by the universe but want to be its friend, be sure to check out Moiya's fantastic podcast Pale Blue Pod! I'm also a guest on an episode this week hooray :).
Follow Moiya!
Links & references in the episode:
Our music is from Music Radio Creative and we are proudly part of the Daily Tech News Show ecosystem! Find me at @jonesrooy and jonesrooy.com.
Chapters
00:00 Exploring Life in the Milky Way
04:09 Astrophysics vs. Astronomy: Understanding the Differences
10:30 Data Collection in Astrophysics
16:42 The Breakthrough of Gravitational Waves
21:13 The Sound of Space: Gravitational Waves and Data Representation
22:19 Multi-Messenger Astronomy: A New Era of Discovery
24:48 The Cosmic Gold Rush: Understanding Element Formation
26:21 Data Overload: The Stress of Astronomical Discoveries
28:50 Big Data in Astronomy: The Challenge of Analysis
31:12 AI in Astronomy: The Future of Data Processing
33:33 Bias in Data: The Challenges of Observational Astronomy
36:14 Null Results: The Importance of Scientific Rigor
38:37 The Search for Life: Habitable Zones in the Milky Way
40:54 Existential Reflections: Finding Meaning in the Vastness of Space
42:05 Exploring Space Data: Resources for the Curious
Keywords
Milky Way, life, astrophysics, astronomy, gravitational waves, data collection, science communication, cultural astronomy, world building, aliens, gravitational waves, multi-messenger astronomy, data analysis, AI in astronomy, bias in data, habitable zones, cosmic discoveries, Milky Way, space exploration, scientific rigor
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