Planetary Geology podcasts

Robin George Andrews discusses Japan’s planned sampling mission to Phobos and what returned material could reveal about the moon and Mars. Ashton Flinders explains how camera observations, geochemistry and geophysical monitoring revealed patterns in Kīlauea’s lava fountains. Economist Javier Birchenall examines a historical prediction of runaway population growth and the broader difficulty of forecasting major crises.

Hosted by Sarah Crespi

Sonia Tikoo explores the unresolved history of the Moon’s magnetic field. Lunar samples indicate a strong early field followed by a much weaker field that persisted far longer than expected. The discussion weighs proposed dynamo mechanisms, paleomagnetic measurements and the difficulty of explaining both the field’s early strength and its long-lived weak tail.

Hosted by Oliver Strimpel

Steve Jacobsen describes how laboratory experiments reproduce the extreme pressures and temperatures found inside planets. He explains how the behaviour of minerals under those conditions informs models of planetary interiors and discusses work at the NSF Center for Matter at Atomic Pressures.

Michael Manga explains how water changes volcanic eruptions, including explosive interactions between magma and external water and the effects of dissolved water as magma depressurizes. The discussion includes the 2022 Hunga Tonga eruption and extends to water-related volcanism on Mars and icy moons.

Anat Shahar investigates how rocky planets acquire water, a question central to assessing habitability beyond Earth. Her experiments and models examine chemical reactions between hydrogen-rich atmospheres and early magma oceans. The episode considers why water formation matters alongside a planet’s distance from its star.