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The Supermassive Podcast

The Royal Astronomical Society

The UK's #1 space podcast.

Science journalist Izzie Clarke and astrophysicist Dr Becky Smethurst whizz through the universe to explore the latest research with leading experts, dive to history from the society’s archives and take on your weird and wonderful questions about all things space. Can we gravitationally hitch-hike out of the solar system? Do we live in a multiverse? What is time? Plus Dr Robert Massey is on hand with his top star-gazing tips.

Want to support the show? Join The Supermassive Club for exclusive content, star-gazing forums and ad-free listening... supermassive.supportingcast.fm

And keep adding to The Supermassive Mailbox with your pictures and questions for the team. Send them to podcast@ras.ac.uk or follow them on Instagram, @SupermassivePod.

The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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24 episodes
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Avg 39 min
English

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Monday · 26 min
More space vampires and tea in orbit
The bonus Q and A that tackles some of the biggest questions in cosmology including: How many space vampires would you need to explain dark matter? and can you make a decent cup of tea on a space station? Dr Becky, Izzie and producer Richard also tackle questions on neutrinos, Lagrange points and black hole stars. Becky’s cake recipe in strange science units is here. For ad-free listening, join The Supermassive Club on Supporting Cast. Every paying member helps keep the show running, so thank you! Send us your astronomy attempts, questions (and nonsense!) to podcast@ras.ac.uk, on Instagram at @supermassivepod or post in The Supermassive Club. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 3 · 46 min
The Kuiper Belt...Revisited
Yes, it’s a welcome return for the giant doughnut at the edge of the solar system filled with lumpy space potatoes. Dr Becky and Izzie are joined by Meg Schwamb from Queen’s University to discuss all things Kuiper Belt, the New Horizons mission, Rubin telescope and mysterious planet 9. For ad-free listening, join The Supermassive Club on Supporting Cast. Every paying member helps keep the show running, so thank you! Send us your astronomy attempts, questions (and nonsense!) to podcast@ras.ac.uk, on Instagram at @supermassivepod or post in The Supermassive Club. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 20 · 28 min
Colanders and is space a stew?
How many colanders can you fit in a field? In, yet another, bonus episode Izzie Clarke, @DrBecky and producer Richard Hollingham share their experiences of the eclipse. Plus is space a stew? Pocket universes, and how fit do you have to be to be an astronaut? For ad-free listening, join The Supermassive Club on Supporting Cast. Every paying member helps keep the show running, so thank you! Here is the visualisation of space that Becky mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrwgIjBUYVc Send us your astronomy attempts, questions (and nonsense!) to podcast@ras.ac.uk, on Instagram at @supermassivepod or post in The Supermassive Club. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 7 · 25 min
Top Tips To See The Eclipse
There's an eclipse on Wednesday 12th August 2026. So where can you see it? And how do you do that safely? Izzie Clarke, Dr Becky Smethurst and Dr Robert Massey from have it covered. Plus, The Supermassive Book Club makes a return for your summer reading. We're (finally) on Youtube, watch us here. For ad-free listening, join The Supermassive Club on Supporting Cast. Every paying member helps to keep the show running, so thank you! Send us your eclipse photos, questions (and nonsense!) to podcast@ras.ac.uk, on Instagram at @supermassivepod or post in The Supermassive Club. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hayley Wilson is the video editor. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 24 · 49 min
Q&A: Could Dark Matter Be Space Vampires?
It's Q&A time! Izzie Clarke, Dr Becky Smethurst and the Royal Astronomical Society's Dr Robert Massey dive into The Supermassive Mailbox to answer your brilliant and ridiculous questions. 🌑 Do meteors hit the Moon during showers? ⏳ Could black holes create different 'eras' of time? ☄️ Where did the Kuiper belt come from? 🧛‍♂️ If space telescopes use mirrors and vampires don't have a reflection, could dark matter actually be space vampires? Want more of The Supermassive Podcast? Here are the previous episodes we mentioned and you can now watch us on Youtube! Do We Live in a Multiverse? (December 2023) How to Time Travel (December 2025) What the heck are Neutrinos? (June 2026) For ad-free listening, join The Supermassive Club on Supporting Cast. Every member helps keep the show running, so thank you! Send us your astronomy attempts, questions (and nonsense!) to podcast@ras.ac.uk, on Instagram at @supermassivepod or post in The Supermassive Club. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 10 · 19 min
Can Time Travel be sped up? What is the Bootes Void? And G'day to Australians
What is the Bootes Void? Why do we only see one side of the Moon? Can time travel be sped up? And what's the smallest amount of visible space debris? The Supermassive Podcast team answer your questions... And work on their Australian accents!? For the first time ever, you can now watch this episode on YouTube. For ad-free listening, join The Supermassive Club. Every member helps keep the show running, so thank you! Send us your astronomy attempts, questions (and nonsense!) to podcast@ras.ac.uk, on Instagram at @supermassivepod or post in The Supermassive Club. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media Production, the producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hayley Wilson is the video editor. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 23 · 54 min
What the heck are neutrinos?
Is this the toughest subject we’ve ever tackled? Izzie certainly thinks so and it’s even making Dr Becky and Dr Robert's brains hurt. Helping them to make sense of these ‘weird and interesting’ particles are Dr Kirsty Duffy at the University of Oxford and Director of the Paris Astrophysics Institute, Professor Kumiko Kotera. For ad-free listening and to view Izzie's trajectory to becoming a better astronomer, join The Supermassive Club. Every member helps keep the show running, so thank you! Send us your astronomy attempts, questions (and nonsense!) to podcast@ras.ac.uk, on Instagram at @supermassivepod or post in The Supermassive Club. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 12 · 18 min
Why Is There Motion in the Universe?
What happens if two diamond core stars collide? Will the Moon drift away from Earth? Why is there motion in the universe? And why we need a space AND time machine. Izzie, Dr Becky and Robert dive into The Supermassive Mailbox to answer your questions. For ad-free listening and to view Izzie's trajectory to becoming a better astronomer, join The Supermassive Club. Every member helps keep the show running, so thank you! Send us your astronomy attempts, questions (and nonsense!) to podcast@ras.ac.uk, on Instagram at @supermassivepod or post in The Supermassive Club. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 28 · 1 hr 3 min
How Do Space Telescopes Work?
Nancy Grace Roman. Ariel. The next generation of space telescopes are here. Astrophysicist Dr Becky Smethurst and science journalist Izzie Clarke explore how they work, what they can tell us and why they might unravel our current understanding of the universe. Plus Dr Robert has your stargazing tips for June. Thank you to Dr Tom Barclay from NASA's Roman telescope and Dr Chris Pearson from RAL Space. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 13 · 19 min
Did Gravity Wipe Out The Dinosaurs?
How do we calculate a black hole's event horizon? Does Mercury's tail impact Earth? Can we name a planet Rupert? And did gravity wipe out the dinosaurs? Izzie Clarke & Dr Becky Smethurst dive into the rather whimsical Supermassive Mailbox to answer your questions. Want to name an Exoworld? Here's the IAU website to start a campaign: https://nameexoworlds.iau.org/ Send your questions, whimsical messages and your night sky photos to podcast@ras.ac.uk or find us on Instagram @SupermassivePod. Or why not support the show by joining The Supermassive Club? You'll get ad-free listening and access to The Supermassive forum. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
April 30 · 49 min
Into the Space Debris Swamp
Izzie & Dr Becky think that space needs a spring clean, so this episode is all about space debris. What is it? How big of a problem is it? And what is being done to remove it? With thanks to PhD student Megan Perks from the University of Southampton, who studies how safe all these new satellite constellations are, and photographer Max Alexander, who has created an exhibition all about space debris. It’s called Our Fragile Space and it’s on for free outside of the Royal Astronomical Society until 10th May 2026. Join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening, forum access, and extra content from the team. And email your questions to podcast@ras.ac.uk or follow us on Instagram, @SupermassivePod. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
April 15 · 33 min
Our Artemis II Debrief
What. A. Mission. The Supermassive Team are in AWE of the Artemis II Crew and the people that helped them to loop around the Moon. From scientific aims to societal impact, Izzie Clarke, Richard Hollingham and Dr Robert Massey reflect on this latest step to returning to the Moon and their experiences of watching it unfold. Richard was at the launch, Robert is pen pals with Reid Wiseman, and Izzie... is extremely jealous of them both! Join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening, forum access, and extra content from the team. And email your questions to podcast@ras.ac.uk or follow us on Instagram, @SupermassivePod. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
April 1 · 47 min
When Space Goes Rogue....
The Supermassive Team are going rogue (more so that usual!) This time, it’s all about the non-conforming objects in space. Black holes, planets and the other rogue objects Izzie and Dr Becky can think of... Plus, Dr Robert Massey takes on your questions and shares his stargazing tips for April. A big thank you to Gavin Coleman from Queen Mary's University, and Astronomy Now magazine editor and owner, Stuart Clark. For more accessible astronomy, the recommend you read their brilliant articles on astronomynow.com. Join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening, forum access, and extra content from the team. And email your questions to podcast@ras.ac.uk or follow us on Instagram, @SupermassivePod. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
March 18 · 38 min
Black holes in the lab and meeting Ryan Gosling
It’s a massive bonus episode this month with both listener questions and an extended interview with the producer/directors of the new Ryan Gosling film: Project Hail Mary. Dr Becky and Dr Robert are joined by editor Richard to tackle questions on creating a black hole in the lab, how long a planet lasts and the size of the biggest black hole. Guest reporter, Sue Nelson, chats to Phil Lord and Chris Miller about Project Hail Mary and Becky reveals what she chatted about with Ryan Gosling. Join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening, forum access, and extra content from the team. And email your questions to podcast@ras.ac.uk or follow us on Instagram, @SupermassivePod. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
February 26 · 1 hr 5 min
What is the Hubble Tension?
There's a crisis in cosmology when it comes to understanding a little thing like the acceleration of our universe, aka The Hubble Tension. And in this episode, Izzie Clarke and Dr Becky Smethurst are digging into what this is and (trying to) explain the science behind it. A huge thank you to our guests, (Nobel Prize winning-) Professor Adam Riess from John Hopkins University and Professor Silvia Galli from Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris. Join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening, forum access, and extra content from the team. And email your questions to podcast@ras.ac.uk or follow us on Instagram, @SupermassivePod. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
February 11 · 26 min
2026: The year in space... And at sea?!
What are the biggest space missions of 2026? And what are the best stargazing opportunities this year? The Supermassive Team - Izzie Clarke, Dr Becky Smethurst, Dr Robert Massey and Richard Hollingham - share their astronomical excitement for the year ahead and ponder if they should charter a boat for the August eclipse. Thank you to listeners Anne Edgeworth and Karolina who inspired this episode. To support the show, join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening, forum access, and extra content from the team. If you have a question for the team - or have a boat we can borrow! - get in touch via podcast@ras.ac.uk or on Instagram, @SupermassivePod. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
January 29 · 51 min
Q&A: Meteors, Artemis II, and Space Bathtubs
The Supermassive Podcast is back for 2026, and we've got a MEGA Q&A. What happens when two nebulae collide? Where did Neptune and Uranus form? What’s the procedure for a medical emergency on the ISS? And more. Plus, Izzie, Dr Becky, Robert and Richard cover everything you need to know ahead of the launch of Artemis II. And here are the links to things we promised you in this episode... Our episode "How to Time Travel" Our episode "Do We Live in a Multiverse?" Richard's brilliant Space Boffins podcast Join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening, forum access, and extra content from the team. And email your questions to podcast@ras.ac.uk or follow us on Instagram, @SupermassivePod. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 23, 2025 · 54 min
How to Time Travel
Fire up your flux capacitor and dematerialise your Tardis because The Supermassive Podcast is traveling in time. Is it possible? How does it work? And, crucially, which films got the physics right (or wrong!)? Thank you to Dr Emma Osborne from the University of York, and Dr Alfredo Carpinetti from IFLScience for their help on this episode. Alfredo's upcoming book, Invisible Rainbows, will be available for pre-order soon. Here's the Time Travel in Fiction Rundown from Minute Physics Join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening, forum access, and extra content from the team. And email your questions to podcast@ras.ac.uk or follow us on Instagram, @SupermassivePod. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 15, 2025 · 24 min
Slingshots, Christmas Presents & Alien Communication
What would it be like to feel gravitational waves? How are satellites protected from extreme solar storms? How do gravity slingshots work? Are aliens potentially communicating outside of the electromagnetic spectrum? Plus Izzie, Dr Becky and Robert share their annual Christmas present recommendations. Keep sending your questions to podcast@ras.ac.uk, Instagram @SupermassivePod or members can post on The Supermassive Club's forum. Join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening, forum access, and extra content from the team. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 1, 2025 · 49 min
Protecting Our Dark Skies
What are the threats to our dark night skies? And what needs to be done to protect them? Izzie, Dr Becky and Robert explore this important topic and head outside (...and the weather was not on their side!) Thank you to Dr Samantha Lawler at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan and Andy Lawrence, the Regis professor of astronomy at the University of Edinburgh. Don't forget to join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening, forum access, and extra content from the team. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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