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Unexplainable

The Hitchhiking Microbe’s Guide to the Galaxy

Unexplainable

Vox

Life Sciences, Science, Natural Sciences

4.62.4K Ratings

🗓️ 15 April 2026

⏱️ 28 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Can microbes travel through space on meteorites? It’s an idea called “lithopanspermia,” and to work out if it’s even feasible, some researchers decided to shoot microbes — with a gun. Guests: K.T. Ramesh, professor of science and engineering at Johns Hopkins University; Lily Zhao, mechanical engineer at Johns Hopkins University For show transcripts, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vox.com/unxtranscripts⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠For more, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vox.com/unexplainable⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ And please email us! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠unexplainable@vox.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We read every email. Support Unexplainable (and get ad-free episodes) by becoming a Vox Member today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vox.com/members⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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Thank you. technologies. Built for you, Dell.com slash Dell PCs. I think if you're interested in life, you're always interested in basic questions about

1:05.3

life, where it comes from and what it can do.

1:12.1

K.T. Ramesh studies a lot of things.

1:14.8

I'm a professor of mechanical engineering and material science

1:18.5

and earth and planetary sciences.

1:20.6

At any given time, I'm not quite sure what I do, but one of those three.

1:25.0

But in the last few years, he's also been exploring questions of life.

1:29.1

And specifically, this kind of old idea that has a name that's somehow both technical and salacious at the same time,

...

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