About this season
Space Time explores the outer reaches of space, the craziness of astrophysics, the possibilities of sci-fi, and anything else you can think of beyond Planet Earth.
Episodes (43)
1. What Planet is Super Mario World?
Aired 11 February 2015 • 7 min
We've run, jumped, and stomped all over the world of Super Mario, but, where in the universe is Super Mario EXACTLY? It's virtual so it obviously DOESN'T exist, but if it did, could Super Mario world be in our solar system? And what do the planet's dynamics reveal about Mario's crazy jumping ability? Join Gabe as he takes us on a rick-roaring tour of our known universe as we search for the answer in this week's SpaceTime!
2. Is It Irrational to Believe in Aliens?
Aired 18 February 2015 • 8 min
Aliens! Could humans really be alone in this expansive universe? And if we're not, how come we've never made contact with other intelligent life? Everyone's thought about it; especially members of the scientific community. Join Gabe as he presents some of the most popular theories that scientists use to rationalize their support or skepticism of the existence of aliens. We may never know the answer to this age old question, but a little scientific thinking never hurt anybody!
3. How Do You Measure the Size of the Universe?
Aired 25 February 2015 • 7 min
The universe is HUGE. But, there is only so much of the universe we can ACTUALLY see, and if we wanted to measure that FINITE space, how would we do it? A gigantic ruler? One really long car ride? Or maybe it's something even more spectacular, something that involves not only the observable universe as it is NOW, but how it was when it was first BORN?
4. Should We Colonize Venus Instead of Mars?
Aired 4 March 2015 • 8 min
Mars One. The Mars Rover. Bruno Mars. Mars Bars. It's pretty clear we're OBSESSED with the idea of Mars, especially in regard to it being a potential colony for earthlings. But is that really the best option? Is there a better place for us to colonize in our solar system? Well, how about Venus? Sure the surface temperature is over 450 degrees Celsius, with crazy pressure, but there might be a smart way around that, making Venus a better option for long term colonization than Mars!
5. What Will Destroy Planet Earth?
Aired 11 March 2015 • 9 min
Killing all the life on Earth is easy. But what about destroying the planet itself? That is DEFINITELY going to happen!! But HOW? Could it be Nukes? A Giant Asteroid? A Collision with another planet? And what’s more, will anyone be around to actually watch the world reach its ultimate demise?
6. Can A Starfox Barrel Roll Work In Space?
Aired 18 March 2015 • 10 min
DO A BARREL ROLL! Or at least, try…? The iconic move from Star Fox seems so easy, just press a button and BOOM. The ship rolls. But HOW? Barrel rolls in atmosphere are easy to execute with the use of ailerons, but in space, it's a different issue altogether. With no atmosphere (and no thrusters), how does one Barrel Roll like Star Fox in space?
7. Cosmic Microwave Background Explained
Aired 25 March 2015 • 8 min
HAS SPACE ALWAYS BEEN BLACK? As long as we've been around, YES. But the universe gets much more exciting, AND much BRIGHTER, as we start winding our clocks back to the early days of the universe. Near the beginning of the universe, when space was rapidly expanding, that dark night sky we know so well as actually…ORANGE! But why? Did the lights just go out, or did something more spectacular happen?
8. Is the Moon in Majora’s Mask a Black Hole?
Aired 1 April 2015 • 10 min
Is Link in Majora's Mask actually being overseen by a Black Hole (with teeth)? It's easy to take things at face value in video games. But when we take a deeper dive into the physics in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, it seems that the "MOON" might be one of those things that isn't quite what it seems. Given its size and the way it affects Termina, it actually appears that the moon is really a BLACK HOLE! Is that seriously the only possibility? What is the evidence that supports this theory?
9. Could You Fart Your Way to the Moon?
Aired 8 April 2015 • 9 min
Listen, we know you've thought about it, and we're here to give you THE DEFINITIVE ANSWER to one of the greatest science questions of all time. How long would it take to get to the MOON by farting?
10. How to Weigh a Fart
Aired 9 April 2015 • 2 min
EVER WANTED TO WEIGH A FART? Well, it isn't easy, but walk through the math, physics, and science behind farts and how to measure them!
11. Could NASA Start the Zombie Apocalypse?
Aired 15 April 2015 • 7 min
12. Are Space and Time An Illusion?
Aired 22 April 2015 • 9 min
13. What's the Most Realistic Artificial Gravity in Sci-Fi?
Aired 29 April 2015 • 12 min
14. Should the First Mars Mission Be All Women?
Aired 6 May 2015 • 11 min
15. 9 NASA Technologies Shaping YOUR Future
Aired 13 May 2015 • 10 min
16. The Real Meaning of E=mc²
Aired 20 May 2015 • 11 min
17. Habitable Exoplanets Debunked!
Aired 27 May 2015 • 11 min
18. Is Gravity An Illusion?
Aired 3 June 2015 • 13 min
19. Challenge: What Happens to a Helium Balloon in Freefall?
Aired 10 June 2015 • 2 min
20. How to Signal Aliens
Aired 17 June 2015 • 12 min
21. The Calendar, Australia & White Christmas
Aired 24 June 2015 • 8 min
22. Can a Circle Be a Straight Line?
Aired 2 July 2015 • 11 min
23. Curvature Demonstrated + Comments
Aired 8 July 2015 • 7 min
24. The Leap Second Explained
Aired 8 July 2015 • 3 min
25. Can You Trust Your Eyes in Spacetime?
Aired 15 July 2015 • 10 min
Last time we talked about what curvature means, looked at geodesics, great circles on spheres, and tried to understand the notion of "straightness". This week on Spacetime, we take a detour into how geometry works in spacetime. Get excited, because this episode is even more mind-bending than the last!
26. SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT + Flat Spacetime Geometry Comments
Aired 22 July 2015 • 7 min
27. General Relativity & Curved Spacetime Explained!
Aired 29 July 2015 • 9 min
28. What Physics Teachers Get Wrong About Tides!
Aired 5 August 2015 • 16 min
We all know tides have something to do with gravity from the Moon and Sun, but if gravity affects the motion of all objects equally, then how come oceans have large tides while other bodies of water don't? It's because your mental picture of the tides is probably WRONG!!! Join Gabe on this week’s episode of PBS Space Time as he sets the record straight on tidal force, gravitational differential and what role the moon actually plays in tides. Why don't lakes have tides? Watch the episode to find out!
29. Challenge: Which Particle Wins This Race?
Aired 12 August 2015 • 7 min
30. Do Events Inside Black Holes Happen?
Aired 19 August 2015 • 15 min
31. Watch THIS! (New Host + Challenge Winners)
Aired 27 August 2015 • 6 min
32. Does Dark Matter BREAK Physics?
Aired 23 September 2015 • 11 min
33. What Happens At The Edge Of The Universe?
Aired 30 September 2015 • 10 min
Lots of people believe the Universe is infinite, but there's a good possibility that might not be the case. Which means that there would be an actual edge of the Universe. What happens at that edge? Is there a restaurant? Join Matt on this week’s episode of Space Time as he explores the greatest expanses of our Universe. So what do you find when you reach the edge? More Universe? Bubble Universes? Back where you started?! Check out this episode of Space Time to find out!
34. The Speed of Light is NOT About Light
Aired 7 October 2015 • 13 min
35. 5 REAL Possibilities for Interstellar Travel
Aired 15 October 2015 • 14 min
36. Have Gravitational Waves Been Discovered?!?
Aired 22 October 2015 • 12 min
37. Is The Alcubierre Warp Drive Possible?
Aired 28 October 2015 • 10 min
38. Why Haven't We Found Alien Life?
Aired 5 November 2015 • 13 min
39. Challenge: Can you save Earth from a Killer Asteroid?
Aired 11 November 2015 • 4 min
40. 5 Ways to Stop a Killer Asteroid
Aired 18 November 2015 • 12 min
41. 100 Years of Relativity + Challenge Winners!
Aired 25 November 2015 • 9 min
42. How to Build a Black Hole
Aired 9 December 2015 • 14 min
43. The Higgs Mechanism Explained
Aired 16 December 2015 • 10 min