34: How to Deflect an Asteroid

The Supermassive Podcast

Izzie Clarke

Astronomy, History, Science, Physics

4.6 • 556 Ratings

🗓️ 27 October 2022

⏱️ 46 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Terrified that an asteroid could wipe out the planet? Don’t panic…the Supermassive team are here to help. Izzie and Dr Becky talk to Professor Alan Fitzsimmons about the results of the DART asteroid deflection mission and Samuel L Jackson (who knew he’s studying for a Phd at the Open University?) tells us how scientists plan to track and tackle threatening space rocks. Plus why the Deep Impact movie terrifies both Izzie and Dr Becky, but for very different reasons, and Dr Robert Massey takes us through the November night sky.

The Year in Space from the Supermassive Podcast is out now: https://geni.us/jNcrw

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The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media Production by Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham for the Royal Astronomical Society.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	It's a type of natural disaster that we can predict to the second.
0:06.0	I'm just going to remember them as lumpy potatoes, to be quite honest.
0:09.1	So it doesn't really...
0:09.9	Sure.
0:10.5	We're dealing with the fate of the planet.
0:14.0	Incredible.
0:14.7	Yeah.
0:15.2	It's brilliant.
0:17.2	Hello and welcome to the Supermassive Podcast from the Royal Astronomical Society with me,
0:22.6	science journalist Izzy Clark and astrophysicist Dr Becky Smethurst. This month we're
0:28.1	defending the planet. Kind of. I love that sound like it. We're looking at the latest mission
0:35.6	called Dart, which tested whether we could deflect an asteroid.
0:40.6	Plus, we'll explore the process to actually protect the planet if space stuff is ever headed
0:46.0	our way. And spoiler, the plan is not just blind panicking. Who knew? So relieved. So coming up,
0:52.4	we speak to Professor Alan Fitzsimmons from Queen's University, Belfast,
0:56.5	about how Dart nudged an asteroid out of the way, as well as Samuel L. Jackson.
1:02.3	Like, this is amazing.
1:04.1	It's not that Samuel L. Jackson, but it's genuinely someone called Samuel L. Jackson.
1:08.2	He's from the Open University, and he's going to chat about the plan to defend the planet. I love that. I mean, Samuel L. Jackson. He's from the Open University and he's going to chat about
1:11.1	the plan to defend the planet. I love that. I mean, Samuel L. Jackson probably could also
1:15.1	come to us. Yeah, I mean, if he would also like to come on the podcast, I'm sure he could
1:19.0	yeah, we would love to. Yeah, if you're listening, Samuel. His people could call our people.
	...

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