Io’s Volcanic Powerhouse, Ceres’ Organic Origins, and the Quest for Distant Exoplanets: S28E17

SpaceTime Series 28 Episode 17

The Astronomy, Space and Science News Podcast

Volcanic Activity on Io, Ceres and the Building Blocks of Life, and New Exoplanet Search Technology

In this episode of SpaceTime, we explore the astonishing discovery of the largest volcanic hotspot ever observed on Jupiter's moon, Io. NASA's Juno mission reveals a feature that dwarfs Earth's Lake Superior and produces eruptions with six times the energy output of all the world's power plants. This unprecedented volcanic activity is driven by intense gravitational interactions with Jupiter, resulting in a dynamic landscape riddled with approximately 400 volcanoes.

The Mystery of Ceres' Organic Compounds

We also delve into new findings regarding the dwarf planet Ceres, where scientists have determined that organic deposits on its surface likely did not originate from its interior. Instead, these building blocks of life may have arrived through impacts from meteoroids, raising questions about the origins of life-sustaining compounds in our solar system.

Advancements in Exoplanet Detection Technology

Additionally, we discuss the latest advancements in technology designed to search for Earth-like exoplanets. The newly developed coronagraph for NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will significantly enhance our ability to directly image distant planets by blocking out starlight, paving the way for future missions aimed at identifying habitable worlds beyond our solar system.

00:00 Space Time Series 28 Episode 17 for broadcast on 7 February 2025

00:49 Discovery of a massive volcanic hotspot on Io

06:30 Insights into organic compounds on Ceres

12:15 New technology for exoplanet detection

18:00 Omega-3 fatty acids and biological aging

22:45 Infants' sense of smell development

27:00 Tasmania's tallest trees documented

30:15 Flat Earth theory and recent Antarctic explorations

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✍️ Episode References

NASA

https://www.nasa.gov

Nature

https://www.nature.com

Journal of Geophysical Research

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/21699356

Journal of Astrobiology

https://www.journals.elsevier.com/astrobiology

Australian Journal of Biology

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Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/25465238?utm_source=youtube