Book Club Edition: Diane Ackerman and “The Planets: A Cosmic Pastoral”

NASA's Curiosity rover has been exploring Mars' Gale Crater for over a decade. A new analysis of samples collected there reveals something remarkable: more than 20 different organic molecules preserved in ancient rock, including the first detection of a nitrogen-bearing heterocycle on Mars, a type of molecule that's a precursor to compounds essential for life as we know it. While these molecules aren't evidence of life, they tell us that the chemical building blocks for life were present in ancient Martian environments. In this episode, we talk with Amy Williams, an astrobiologist and associate professor at the University of Florida, about what this discovery means for our understanding of Mars' habitability. Then, Planetary Society Chief Scientist Bruce Betts joins us for What's Up, where we compare the results to samples collected from asteroid Bennu. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2026-diverse-organics-gale-crater-marsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Author, poet, and science communicator Diane Ackerman is our guest. Her wonderful collection of poems, with one devoted to each of the worlds in our Solar System, was first published in 1976. Carl Sagan said she had produced, “...a stunning book of poetry in The Planets. The work is scientifically accurate and even a convenient introduction to modern ideas on the planets, but much more important, it is spectacularly good poetry, clear, lyrical, and soaring. . . One of the triumphs of Ackerman’s pastoral is the demonstration of how closely compatible planetary exploration and poetry, science and art really are.” “The Planets” is now available in a brand new edition, and is as sublime, entertaining, and enlightening as it was half a century ago. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/book-club-diane-ackermanSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Planetary Society's 2026 Day of Action brought something new this year. For the very first time, the advocacy day was followed by a showcase of NASA funded science in an event called Igniting Discovery. Host Sarah Al-Ahmed speaks with Jack Kiraly, Director of Government Relations at the Planetary Society, about how the event came together, and with first-time advocate Julianna Charlene Kolczynski, whose passion for space traces back to her grandfather's dreams. Megan McKeown, Director of Governmental Affairs at the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, opens the event. Then we hear from the scientists themselves: Blake Schreurs of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, planetary scientist Kirby Runyon of the Planetary Science Institute, Christine McCarthy of Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Brent McBride of the University of Maryland Baltimore County, biomechanics PhD student Liliana Delgado of the University of Nebraska Omaha, and science communicator Sarah Treadwell, also known as Space Case Sarah. Planetary Society member Ari Gozlan closes with a reflection on what it means to celebrate science after the Day of Action. Plus, Chief Scientist Bruce Betts joins Sarah for What's Up. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2026-igniting-discoverySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every year, members of The Planetary Society travel to Washington, D.C., to make their voices heard on Capitol Hill. This year, just days after the Artemis II crew splashed down off the coast of San Diego, the Presidential Budget Request dropped once more, proposing a 46% cut to NASA's science budget.  Planetary Radio host Sarah Al-Ahmed was on the ground capturing the passion, the preparation, and the people behind one of the largest Days of Action in the Planetary Society's history. In this episode, we hear from Bill Nye, Planetary Society chief ambassador. Sarah speaks with Planetary Society CEO Jenn Vaughn, charter members and advocates David Johnson and Philip Shane, healthcare researcher and human factors scientist Gabe Segarra, astrobiologist and postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Science Earth & Planets Laboratory Michael Wong, and Colossus Computing CEO Jason Cerundolo and CTO Alex Swehla. Plus, Chief Scientist Bruce Betts joins us for What's Up, where we discuss the missions at stake if NASA's science budget is cut. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2026-day-of-actionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Artemis II returned its crew safely to Earth, millions of people found themselves unexpectedly moved. The mission was a test flight, a proof-of-concept, and yet it felt like something far greater than the sum of its parts. In this episode, Casey Dreier, chief of space policy at The Planetary Society, sits down with Rebecca Lowe, philosophy senior fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, to explore the deeper meaning of humanity's return to deep space. Drawing on philosophy of mind, aesthetics, and theories of value, they unpack why human presence in space feels fundamentally different from even the most sophisticated robotic mission, and why that difference matters. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/spe-philosophy-of-artemis-iiSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On April 12th, 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space. Sixty-five years later, we celebrated that milestone at Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, CA.  We began on the lawn of Griffith Observatory, where host Sarah Al-Ahmed spoke with exhibitors about the tools, dreams, and technology that drive space exploration. Laura Tomlin, CEO of Space for Teachers, shares how microgravity research projects inspire the next generation. Robotics engineer Kalind Carpenter from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) walks us through the machines he’s helping to build to explore the moon and beyond. Software engineer David Hernandez from Blue Origin describes the work happening at Club for the Future to get young people excited about space. Research scientist Robert Green from JPL talks about the invention of imaging spectroscopy and how it’s used to unlock the secrets of distant worlds. And aerospace engineer Andy Sadhwani, who flew to space aboard Virgin Galactic, reflects on seeing Earth from above and what the Artemis II astronauts experienced. We then move inside for Yuri's Night's evening stage show, where the focus shifts to human experience and the overview effect. Cinematographer and polar explorer Jannicke Mikkelsen, Norway's first astronaut, shares her experience as part of the first crew to orbit over both Earth's north and south poles. Space philosopher Frank White, author of "The Overview Effect," leads a panel discussion with actress Nadine Nicole from The Expanse and commercial space explorer Christopher Huie about what happens to humans when we see Earth from space. Finally, NASA astronaut Ron Garan brings it all together with a powerful vision of our planet's fragility, our interconnectedness, and humanity's potential when we work together. The episode closes with Bruce Betts' What's Up segment, revealing a little-known story about what went wrong during Yuri Gagarin's historic first flight. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2026-yuris-night-2026See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Project Hail Mary” is finally in theaters, and the science is just as thrilling as the story. This week on Planetary Radio, Sarah Al-Ahmed and senior communications adviser Mat Kaplan share their first reactions fresh from the theater. Author and producer Andy Weir tells us in his own words what the story is really about, in a flashback conversation with Mat. Award-winning Nature correspondent Alexandra Witze takes a critical scientific eye to the film. Virginia Tech astrophysicist Nahum Arav walks us through the real-life fate of our Sun. And in What's Up, Bruce Betts joins us to explore just how long it would actually take humanity to reach Tau Ceti at the fastest speed a spacecraft has ever traveled.  Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2026-project-hail-mary-hits-the-big-screenSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He built a rocket-powered bike when he was a kid. Now he leads the company that has made New Zealand number three among nations that launch big rockets, following the United States and China. Sir Peter Beck joins us for a deeply revealing and entertaining conversation about “The Launch of Rocket Lab,” the beautiful book that tells his and Rocket Lab's inspiring story. His dedication to advancing planetary science missions will make members of The Planetary Society proud! Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/book-club-peter-beckSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Artemis II crew has returned home safely after a historic 10-day journey around the Moon, the first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years. In this episode, we celebrate some of the mission's most extraordinary moments: the record-breaking Flight Day 6 when Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen traveled farther from Earth than any humans in history, a breathtaking solar eclipse observed from lunar orbit, meteorite impact flashes spotted on the lunar surface, and a deeply personal crater dedication that moved the world.  But the triumph comes with turbulence. Just days after launch, the White House released a Presidential Budget Request proposing a 47% cut to NASA's science budget — threatening 84 missions and nearly half of NASA's science portfolio. Jack Kiraly, director of government relations at The Planetary Society, and Ari Koeppel, AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow, join host Sarah Al-Ahmed to break down what's at stake and what's being done about it. Plus, Chief Scientist Bruce Betts joins for this week's What's Up. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2026-artemis-ii-save-nasa-science See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Four astronauts — Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen — are on their way around the Moon, on a journey that will take them farther from Earth than any human has gone before. This week on Planetary Radio, we bring you the sounds of launch day and the voices of the people who lived it. You’ll hear from the engineers who built the spacecraft, including Mark Tobias, chief engineer at Northrop Grumman, Jan-Henrik Horstmann, European Service Module team leader at ESA, and Debbie Korth, deputy manager of NASA's Orion Program. U.S. Representative Mike Haridopolos and Senator and former astronaut Mark Kelly share their perspectives from the ground. Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk reflects on what it means for Canada to have one of their own heading to deep space for the very first time. NASA Chief Exploration Scientist Jake Bleacher and Lisa Carnell, director of Biological and Physical Sciences at NASA's Science Mission Directorate, break down some of the research happening on this mission. NASA astronaut Steve Bowen shares what it feels like to watch a crew launch knowing exactly what they're about to experience. And Joel Kearns, NASA's deputy associate administrator for exploration, reflects on what this moment means for the future of human spaceflight. Plus, Planetary Society Science Editor Asa Stahl and Digital Community Manager Ambre Rose Trujillo, share what it was actually like to be there on launch day. And Planetary Society Chief Scientist Bruce Betts joins us for What's Up, with a look at what we've learned about the Moon since the Apollo era. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2026-artemis-ii-launchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.