PBS Space Time

Science and Nature Series / 10 Seasons

PBS 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. Host Matt O'Dowd breaks down both the basic and incredibly complex sides of space and time.

5m 57s

What Planet Is Super Mario World?

S1 E1 / 5m 57s

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?

Is It Irrational to Believe in Aliens?

S1 E2 / 6m 49s

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.

How Do You Measure the Size of the Universe?

S1 E3 / 5m 36s

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?

Should We Colonize Venus Instead of Mars?

S1 E4 / 6m 7s

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?

What Will Destroy Planet Earth?

S1 E5 / 6m 42s

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? Watch this week’s episode of Space Time to find out what will eliminate Planet Earth!!!

Can A Starfox Barrel Roll Work in Space?

S1 E6 / 6m 21s

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?

Space Used to Be Orange!!

S1 E7 / 5m 27s

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 actuallyORANGE! But why? Did the lights just go out, or did something more spectacular happen?

Is the Moon in Majora’s Mask a Black Hole?

S1 E8 / 7m 1s

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?

Could You Fart Your Way to the Moon?

S1 E9 / 5m 55s

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? Join Gabe on PBS Space Time as we walk through some of the surprising and WEIRD science behind farts, rockets, and everything in between as we seek an answer to this propulsion problem.

Could NASA Start the Zombie Apocalypse?

S1 E10 / 4m 27s

We're just as fascinated as the rest of you with predicting how the ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE will start. One surprisingly real scenario is that it could start in SPACE! Especially given the crazy effects space has on bacteria and viruses, and the difficulty of sterilization.

Are Space and Time An Illusion?

S1 E11 / 7m 6s

This episode of Space Time is actually about Spacetime, so pull up a chair, grab your favorite snack, and buckle up, because this episode is going to be a TRIP. Gabe explores what reality is, what "time" is, and why what you think those things are is probably WRONG. Seriously, get ready to have your MIND BLOWN!

What's the Most Realistic Artificial Gravity in Sci-Fi?

S1 E12 / 8m 29s

2001: A Space Odyssey introduced a lot of people to the idea of rotation based artificial gravity, but in sci-fi, it’s far from the only one to implement the idea! Babylon 5, Halo, and Ringworld also used rotation-based artificial gravity in their stores, but, being an astrophysicist I had to ask, WHO DOES IT BEST? And more importantly, is artificial gravity in space possible?

Should the First Mars Mission Be All Women?

S1 E13 / 7m 25s

Okay, going to Mars is going to be expensive. Not only that, but who we choose to pick on that trip also needs to have the statistically lowest chance of perishing. So it might be the case that our best scenario is all female crew!

9 NASA Technologies Shaping Your Future

S1 E14 / 6m 38s

NASA is really good at going to space, amongst other things, but did you know that part of their mission is to work also for the public good!? It’s part of NASA’s doctrine that they must release the patents on the stuff they work on, which has, over the years, given us some really awesome things you would have never thought have come from NASA!

The Real Meaning of E=mc²

S1 E15 / 8m 22s

You’ve probably known OF E=mc² since you were born, and were also probably told that it meant that it proved Mass equaled Energy, or something along those lines. BUT WAIT. Was E=mc² explained to you properly? Mass equalling energy is mostly true, but E=mc² actually describes a much more interesting aspect of reality.

Habitable Exoplanets Debunked!

S1 E16 / 10m 46s

When we say a planet is habitable, we aren’t REALLY saying what we think we are saying. 'Habitable' means something else. Is Kepler 186f habitable, in the true sense of the word? And if not, what other planets should we be looking at? Watch this episode of PBS SpaceTime and find out!

Is Gravity An Illusion?

S1 E17 / 10m 17s

Most of us take gravity as an assumed part of our living realities, but why? Basic physics introduces us to the concept of gravity from a Newtonian sense, but when you start factoring Einstein into an understanding of gravity, things get weird. For example, gravity may simply not exist. Why? Watch this week’s episode of PBS Space Time and find out why gravity may be an illusion!

How to Signal Aliens

S1 E18 / 6m 14s

Everyone has their own opinion as to whether or not aliens exist. But let’s assume they do for a second and we wanted to let them know we're here!!!! How should we signal our species' existence through the expanse of space? There are a few options, but which is the most effective and the cheapest? Find out in this week’s episode of PBS Space Time!

The Calendar, Australia & White Christmas

S1 E19 / 5m 48s

Australia will perpetually encounter the season opposite to the one we in the northern hemisphere will encounter, so does this means that Australia will never get a white Christmas?

Can a Circle Be a Straight Line?

S1 E20 / 8m 16s

On this week's episode of Spacetime, Gabe talks about what it actually means for a line to be straight so we can better understand what we mean by the idea of "curved Spacetime". This is Part One of our series on General relativity, so be sure to check it out!

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